Beerometric

Introducing Block Patterns

Also called Russian Imperial Stout, this is a big beer.  The American version tends towards more bitter, roasty and hoppy, while the English versions are more estery with higher malt complexity.   The style was originally brewed in England in  the 1700s as a stronger porter for export and purportedly became a favourite of Catherine the Great, and therefore the Russian Imperial Court.  As wars put the handcuffs on trade, the style became more and more popular at home on British soil.  

Opaque in the glass, dark brown to black, with a tan to brown head which should form well and then recede.  A rich complex aroma should hit the nose, the first layer being of roasted grains, classic English or  American hops, and then some light alcohol.  The second layer brings coffee, bittersweet chocolate, licorice, burnt grain, and cocoa.  Fruity esters present themselves as those dark or dried fruits like prunes, plums, figs,  or raisins.  Imperial Stout is full bodied, sometimes chewy, with a smooth warmth and low to medium carbonation.  Flavour is much like the aroma, complex and intense, but try and find some bready caramel underneath it all.  The finish ranges from dry to sweet, and the roast and bitterness should linger into the aftertaste.