The first review of 2012 takes us to the horse shoe shaped hillside of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin - home to the Jacob Lienenkugel Brewing Company. Lienenkugel has been brewing beer in America’s dairyland since 1867. Things really started taking off for Lienenkugel in 2006 when they began crafting new varieties of beer. Today they offer 7 year round brews as well as 4 seasonal offerings. In October of last year Lienenkugel announced they were going to reintroduce one of their inactive brews. Big Eddy Russian Imperial Stout. This brew is only being released to a selected market and is available for a limited time.
Big Eddy pours motor oil black with about one inch of coffee colored head. This brew is so dark, light fails to penetrate this stout, even when held next to a lamp. The aroma is sweet, with notes of fruit, molasses, and maple. Flavor - notes of dark grapes, chocolate and malt, with a reappearing subtle hint of maple. Big Eddy’s has a medium body accented with creamy texture and light carbonation. A thin head caps this stout during the entire enjoyment and has an appearance similar to fresh brewed espresso creama. The alcohol content is nicely hidden for it's percentage - a whopping 9.8%. Smooth and balanced for such a strong brew.
The initial finish on the first swallow is smokey hazelnut. A fruity finish takes over for the remainder of enjoyment. The smokey hazelnut doesn't completely disappear, but It only briefly makes itself known during the remainder of consumption.
Pairings/ Recommendations
This stuff is delicious, but potent. If you're a fan of dark heavy brews, this stout is a treat. I most certainly would pair this stout with a nice rich dessert, cheese cake, chocolate cake, ect. Or you can take my father's advise and just skip the food and drink Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Imperial Russian Stout for dessert. Take your time with this one, it's a brew worth appreciating.
Cheers!!!
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