Try?
I’ve tasted quite a few beers in my day, and I have to
tell you that there are a lot of aspects to being a beer enthusiast that are
just downright fun. Of course, there’s the beer itself: the appearance, the
flavor, the compatibility with different foods. But there’s a lot more to
good craft beer than just the aesthetics, something the big brewers usually
seem to miss.
Take the labels. There’s an entire hobby built around collecting beer labels, and with good reason. They’re often some combination of colorful, artistic, picturesque, and sometimes even humorous. And then there are the names brewers choose for their beers. They can be so much more fascinating than say, oh, Bud.
Take Hales’ Pikop Andropov’s Rushin’ Imperial Stout for example. Now that’s a name you can really glom onto. It’s an attention-getting name among attention getting names. Or maybe it’s just the Slavic blood in me coming forward.
To be honest, I have no idea who Pikop Andropov is. Is he related to Yuri Andropov, former General Secretary of the Soviet Union? A google search yields a Pikop Andropov as assistant Planner, specializing in transportation planning on the City of Sacramento web page. Could this be him, and if so, how did he get a beer named after him?
All that aside, Pikop Andropov the beer is a pretty fair example of a Russian imperial stout. The style is bigger and bolder than most stouts and known for its rich roastiness and higher alcohol content. Here’s a little background on the beer directly from Hales Ales:
Big and bold, this black beauty has all the “stuff” to
earn the title IMPERIAL. Six different types of malt, a complex hop profile (featuring Hersbrukker and Mount Hoods), finished with American Oak chips, and finally aged for several months, this baby is ready to hit the road. Of course, with an ABV of 7.5%, we recommend that you enjoy it from your favorite armchair!
My sample of Pikop Andropov’s Rushin’ Imperial Stout came directly from the source in the brewery’s lounge. And I enjoyed it while comfortably ensconced in a soft and relaxing sofa, if not my favorite armchair. The brewery does bottle this one too, so even if you can’t make it to Seattle, you may be able to score some.
Pikop Andropov’s Rushin’ Imperial Stout pours to a jet black color with a creamy tan head and a big licorice nose. The body is full with a luxuriant, creamy mouthfeel and rich texture. It’s inky, oily, and invites rolling around on the tongue before swallowing.
I got lots of licorice and espresso here, along with big roasted barley notes and bittersweet chocolate. The finish has a lot of roasty bitterness and seems to overwhelm the hop character. The alcohol content referenced above, 7.5%, is a bit more than that for most beers but on the low end of the spectrum for imperial stouts.
I did note a harsh and unpleasant burnt flavor that keeps this from being a top-notch beer. It was almost a scorched flavor, and seemed a bit unpleasant. I still enjoyed the brew, and I’m hoping this was a bad batch. But it was enough to lower my rating to about 3 ½ stars.
Take the labels. There’s an entire hobby built around collecting beer labels, and with good reason. They’re often some combination of colorful, artistic, picturesque, and sometimes even humorous. And then there are the names brewers choose for their beers. They can be so much more fascinating than say, oh, Bud.
Take Hales’ Pikop Andropov’s Rushin’ Imperial Stout for example. Now that’s a name you can really glom onto. It’s an attention-getting name among attention getting names. Or maybe it’s just the Slavic blood in me coming forward.
To be honest, I have no idea who Pikop Andropov is. Is he related to Yuri Andropov, former General Secretary of the Soviet Union? A google search yields a Pikop Andropov as assistant Planner, specializing in transportation planning on the City of Sacramento web page. Could this be him, and if so, how did he get a beer named after him?
All that aside, Pikop Andropov the beer is a pretty fair example of a Russian imperial stout. The style is bigger and bolder than most stouts and known for its rich roastiness and higher alcohol content. Here’s a little background on the beer directly from Hales Ales:
Big and bold, this black beauty has all the “stuff” to
earn the title IMPERIAL. Six different types of malt, a complex hop profile (featuring Hersbrukker and Mount Hoods), finished with American Oak chips, and finally aged for several months, this baby is ready to hit the road. Of course, with an ABV of 7.5%, we recommend that you enjoy it from your favorite armchair!
My sample of Pikop Andropov’s Rushin’ Imperial Stout came directly from the source in the brewery’s lounge. And I enjoyed it while comfortably ensconced in a soft and relaxing sofa, if not my favorite armchair. The brewery does bottle this one too, so even if you can’t make it to Seattle, you may be able to score some.
Pikop Andropov’s Rushin’ Imperial Stout pours to a jet black color with a creamy tan head and a big licorice nose. The body is full with a luxuriant, creamy mouthfeel and rich texture. It’s inky, oily, and invites rolling around on the tongue before swallowing.
I got lots of licorice and espresso here, along with big roasted barley notes and bittersweet chocolate. The finish has a lot of roasty bitterness and seems to overwhelm the hop character. The alcohol content referenced above, 7.5%, is a bit more than that for most beers but on the low end of the spectrum for imperial stouts.
I did note a harsh and unpleasant burnt flavor that keeps this from being a top-notch beer. It was almost a scorched flavor, and seemed a bit unpleasant. I still enjoyed the brew, and I’m hoping this was a bad batch. But it was enough to lower my rating to about 3 ½ stars.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
