Review: Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout

One of Cigar City Brewing's seasonal beers is a Russian imperial stout* named after Georgy Zhukov, whom Encyclopedia Britannica calls "the most important Soviet military commander during World War II." If you are a student of history, I suggest you read about his fascinating history at your local library.

I bought a 750 mL bottle of this beer, which they release in August, at the brewery during a recent visit. They charged $10, which is cheaper than you would pay at a store and all the money goes to the brewery.

Cigar City suggests you age the beer a few months and drink it during the cooler temperatures of winter, although in Florida "cold" is a relative term. But I couldn't wait until winter to drink this beer, so here's the early review.

The review

It pours very black with a deep brown head and smells of roasted malt with hints of molasses and alcohol. This is a rich Russian imperial stout, but it's not cloying. Flavors mix to make a typical complex taste. The body is wonderfully slick.

Overall this is a fine RIS and another good beer from Cigar City. It's a seasonal release, so get one while you can.

I should have bought a second bottle of this fine beer. Perhaps I'll be able to find one here in Sarasota?

*As I've written before, imperial stouts were originally brewed in England and shipped to the Russian court. They are a lot stronger than regular stouts.