It's time to tap another keg for the Badass Tap. Following the success of duganA here's another, rather different, offering from Avery - The Czar Russian Imperial Stout.
Stouts and porters are among my favourite beer styles. I'm very partial to a dry Irish stout such as Guinness Extra Stout, and a tasty porter like the one Sierra Nevada brews, not forgetting Real Ale's annual Christmas seasonal - Coffee Porter.
Russian Imperial Stouts, however, are in another class. Sometimes described as the King of Stouts they're characterised by a high alcohol content (11.03% in this instance), a big malt presence with plenty of chocolate, coffee and burnt malt flavours, suggestions of dark fruit such as raisins and figs, and low to moderate levels of carbonation. They're usually on the sweet side but can sometimes be mouth-puckeringly dry with an aggressive hop content. The high ABV, while sometimes well hidden, imparts a warm glow as the brew goes down. Not a session beer. This is one that I prefer to round off the evening with, the way you might take a glass of Port or Madeira after a meal.
If you find The Czar to your liking it's well worth buying a few bottles and stashing them in your pantry for a year or two or three. This is an excellent beer style for cellaring and improves with age.
Jim Hughes, Head Beer Nerd, Alamo South Lamar
"If I had all the money I've spent on drink... I'd spend it on drink." ~ Sir Henry Rawlinson