The Duck-Rabbit Brewery out of Farmville, North Carolina makes one of my favorite Stouts, the Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout. Today, I have another one of their Stouts, the Rabid Duck Russian Imperial. While the weather may not be Stout weather, which is normally a bit colder, I’ll never pass up a chance to have a good Russian Imperial.

The Rabid Duck pours a deep black color with a one and a half finger dark, tan head. The head eventually settles to a mere covering on the beer and leaves a decent amount of lacing on the glass. The aroma is full of roasted malts and chocolate. There is a bit of alcohol sharpness combined with a hint of darker fruits. At 10% ABV, a bit of alcohol is to be expected, and it is masked pretty well.

The taste starts off pretty sweet with the sweet malts and some darker fruits (plum, raisin, prune) coming through but then the roasted flavors with hints of coffee and chocolate start to come out. The alcohol again comes into play, a bit more than in the nose. The end is slightly bitter and lingers for a bit with the coffee persisting to the end.

The Rabid Duck is a decent example of a Russian Imperial Stout, nothing outstanding and nothing too disappointing. If you are looking for a Russian Imperial and can’t find one of the better examples (Old Rasputin) maybe check this one out.

Overall: 7/10