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We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.
Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
Current Russian Gun
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- Seasoned Drinker
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- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:24 pm
Current Russian Gun
This is the best Russian Gun ever and is in my top 10 beers ever tasted.
It's got a perfect Russian stout, or double stout, flavour, clean yet rich with coffee- and bitter chocolate-like flavours and a fine tangy bitterness. Correctly for the style (i.e., British strong porter), the hops add a fine bitterness but no flowery or piny flavours or aromas.
To explain further: it has no raw roasted flavours like you sometimes get in a porter or stout, and no off-flavours of any kind. I am not saying adding coffee or chocolate to porter is wrong, but at the same time, the greatest examples of the style, in my opinion, eschew such additions. Sometimes what makes a great beer, is what it doesn't contain as much as what is in it.
Gary
It's got a perfect Russian stout, or double stout, flavour, clean yet rich with coffee- and bitter chocolate-like flavours and a fine tangy bitterness. Correctly for the style (i.e., British strong porter), the hops add a fine bitterness but no flowery or piny flavours or aromas.
To explain further: it has no raw roasted flavours like you sometimes get in a porter or stout, and no off-flavours of any kind. I am not saying adding coffee or chocolate to porter is wrong, but at the same time, the greatest examples of the style, in my opinion, eschew such additions. Sometimes what makes a great beer, is what it doesn't contain as much as what is in it.
Gary
Gary Gillman
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That is quite the statement...G.M. Gillman wrote:is in my top 10 beers ever tasted.
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- Seasoned Drinker
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- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:24 pm
It is, and I'll elaborate. Obviously I haven't tasted all the Russian stouts ever made - no one has although I'm sure many here have tasted far more than I. Still, I've had quite a number, and some excellent ones, but sometimes they are not strong enough, or have too much "bitter chocolate", or a flavouring I don't like, or some other taste that prevents them from being in the very first rank. I enjoy some which employ C-hops, but to my thinking a C-hop flavour denotes a different style, an American-style strong stout.
The early versions of Russian Gun were good but this current one just hits all cylinders, IMO, for classic strong British-style stout.
Gary
The early versions of Russian Gun were good but this current one just hits all cylinders, IMO, for classic strong British-style stout.
Gary
Gary Gillman
- S. St. Jeb
- Seasoned Drinker
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- Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:44 pm
- Location: Burlington, ON
I assume you are referring to the product from Grand River. I like this beer very much too. I also like the Imperial Russian Stout from Wellington. Beyond that, I haven't tried much else so I can't claim to be an expert on the style.G.M. Gillman wrote:This is the best Russian Gun ever and is in my top 10 beers ever tasted.
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- Seasoned Drinker
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- Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:24 pm
I agree earlier versions were on the lighter side for the style but the one I last bought, bottled mid-January of this year, had a richer taste and just seemed perfect all round, i.e., everything balanced and correct in relation to the ABV. While not at the highest end of the ABV range for Russian stout, it's within the ballpark historically. Based on my reading, anything over around 6.5% was essentially Imperial range. (Sometimes they called it XXX or XXXX, double stout, etc. Terminology varied somewhat in this regard).
I do like Wellington County's version, but this current Russian Gun is in a special class IMO due to the fine, full flavour and marked bitterness. Indeed I'm referring to Grand River's product.
I once had a 3 year old Rogue Russian stout in the barrel that was very good too, probably the best aged one I've had outside Courage Russian Imperial Stout. I'd put that one in my next ten best beers. I should add too I like many of the bourbon barrel stouts now available but it's a variation on the classic style.
Gary
I do like Wellington County's version, but this current Russian Gun is in a special class IMO due to the fine, full flavour and marked bitterness. Indeed I'm referring to Grand River's product.
I once had a 3 year old Rogue Russian stout in the barrel that was very good too, probably the best aged one I've had outside Courage Russian Imperial Stout. I'd put that one in my next ten best beers. I should add too I like many of the bourbon barrel stouts now available but it's a variation on the classic style.
Gary
Gary Gillman
- SteelbackGuy
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G.M. Gillman wrote: Obviously I haven't tasted all the Russian stouts ever made - no one has .........
This guy might be close..........
http://www.ratebeer.com/user/19400/
If you`re reading this, there`s a 15% chance you`ve got a significant drinking problem. Get it fixed, get recovered!
What?SteelbackGuy wrote:G.M. Gillman wrote: Obviously I haven't tasted all the Russian stouts ever made - no one has .........
This guy might be close..........
http://www.ratebeer.com/user/19400/
Over 20k? Since 2005? That's averaging over 8 new beers a day?
I don't know what would be diminished most... his taste buds or his brain cells!
Okay, this list is rediculous:
http://www.ratebeer.com/Users/TopUsers.asp
But the Canadian represenation is impressive!
http://www.ratebeer.com/Users/TopUsers.asp
But the Canadian represenation is impressive!
- phirleh
- Seasoned Drinker
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- Location: Waterdown, Ontario
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I know Denmark has quite the density of craft breweries (over 140 for a population of 5 million), and 6 out of the top 10 users are from there. I think some of those guys are constantly having tasting sessions.Soods wrote:His bank balance would be the most diminished.Derek wrote:
Over 20k? Since 2005? That's averaging over 8 new beers a day?
I don't know what would be diminished most... his taste buds or his brain cells!
But I imagine they're either having a beer or going to the post office to pick up beer most of the time.
Papsø even has his own beer!
Last edited by phirleh on Tue Apr 19, 2011 11:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Malam cerevisiam facieus in cathedram stercoris
"God don't want me yet, man, I got more feet to taste."
photos - http://www.flickr.com/photos/phirleh/se ... 039468171/
"God don't want me yet, man, I got more feet to taste."
photos - http://www.flickr.com/photos/phirleh/se ... 039468171/