The Bar Towel

Wow. I just had the privilege of having a bottle of 1972 Courage Russian Imperial Stout, and I have to say that it was incredible.

It didn't have much carbonation, and any that it had quickly dissipated as soon as it was poured. It had a huge nose - lots of dried fruit, dark chocolate, and sherry. The taste and finish was very much in the vein of sherry. Quite malty, but not overwhelmingly or cloying so. It actually finishes with an almost astringent bitterness that isn't present until the finish. An excellent, unique experience. I've heard the Tsarina Katarina compared to the Courage, and I can see the similarities - although I suppose that I'd have to lay the TK down for another 34 years for a fair comparison.

Nice report on a fabled beer.

I would say the Tsarina and Wellington County's Russian Stout together remind me of Courage's Imperial Russian Stout. The latter though was unique and also was around 11% abv.

It's a great beer style, and we are fortunate in Ontario to have at least a couple of beers available in this style (there is also the Samuel Smith import occasionally available). They age well and those who keep them will be rewarded in a number of years.

In all my years of sampling different beers this style is the one I find most intreresting, the taste complexity but also the history.

Gary