OFS029

We couldn’t shine a light on Russia without bringing a big, bold imperial stout into the mix. This 12.2% straight-up stout contains 0 adjuncts. Instead, this recipe focuses on recreating the clean, old-school recipes that Russia is famed for. No adjuncts. Just one hell of a malt bill and a generous conditioning period.

The beer’s deep, roasty character and raisin and berry notes are created by the malt, and the malt alone. This unadulterated imperial stout is thick, rich and complex thanks to an elaborate malt bill and a long, lager-like conditioning period – exactly what’s needed to warm you up on these cold February nights.

Legend has it that we have a certain Russian tsarina to thank for one of the most prestigious beer styles of all time: the imperial stout. Catherine the Great was a huge fan of British beers. In particular, dark, rich, boozy beers. During her reign in the late 18th Century, Catherine imported huge quantities of the dark stuff from London for the Russian imperial court, as well as the Russian army. To stop their stouts from spoiling during overseas journeys, British brewers turned their booze content up to 11(%), and the Russian Imperial Stout was born...