12 Beers of Christmas: Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Posted at 9:30 pm by Patrick under 12 Beers of Christmas

It’s time for another huge imperial stout — North Coast Brewing Company’s Old Rasputin. I had another beer originally slotted for this position in my 12 Beers list, but after having one of these with lunch today, I had to find a way to include this wonderful beer.

“Old Raspy” is brewed in Mendocino, CA, and seems like it wins awards every year it’s brewed. It has a very-well earned reputation as a world-class Russian Imperial Stout — a name coined from the 19th Century Russian rulers who found favor in this intense beer style.

Today’s Old Raspy (at the Brick Store) was presented in a branded 10 oz tulip glass. After my first sip, the first flavor impressions were roasted and toffee-like, fading into a slightly bittersweet finish with some spruce/pine notes. It is a very complex beer, producing many more flavors as I drank it (should’ve brought a notepad…). I have only had this beer a few times, but each time reminds me how lucky we are to get this beer over 2,000 miles from its home.

At 8.9% abv, Old Raspy is a slow sipper of a beer. It was a good match for my burger at lunch today, but would also complement most anything containing chocolate. It could also be paired with a cheese plate with dried figs and cherries.

Add this page to your bookmarks