Brrrrr!!! It's cold out there! Just like one eat's hot oatmeal or thick, creamy soup to stay warm, might I suggest sipping on a Russian Imperial Stout to thaw out your bones! North Coast Brewing in Northern California brews their award-winning Old Rasputin all year long! Although, Rasputin (a strange, Russian mystic) was known for his gifts of prophecy and healing, this bold brew won't impart any special powers with you. However, you'll be entranced by its crude-oil thickness, its smokey malt flavors of chocolate and coffee, and its spicyness from the high 9% ABV. It pairs well with dessert, especially the dark chocolate type!
Local brew boys, Two Brothers in Warrenville, offer Northwind, their take on this dark beer. It has less alcohol (7.5%) than most stouts of this style and thus less spicy overtones, but more sweet with flavors of fruit and chocolate. It's thick,creamy, and perfect for a cold day! The Ebel brothers (owners) even suggest adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a nice stout float! This is a seasonal release and I suggest that you hop on it (no pun intended!).
Russian Imperial Stout is a style that came out of 1800's Britain whose brewers supplied this ale to the Russian dynasties at the time. High in alcohol (average 10%) and heavily malted, the brew was a natural choice for the Russians and their comrades during the long, dark, and cold winters. Na zdorovye!
