A 12 x 330ml case of Imperial Brown Stout, London 1856, 9.6% abv
Malt – Maris Otter, Amber, Brown, Black,
Hops - Magnum
Yeast – our house ale yeast (Cal Ale).
A recipe from the Barclay Perkins archive. From the year 1856. The Imperial Brown Stouts developed into what became known as the Russian Imperial Stouts, and this particular recipe developed into the Courage RIS, which is most notable because a) it was an excellent beer, and b) itcontinued to be produced until 1992, as the only surviving link to a certain brewing tradition that was huge in London, and made London famous, for over 200 years. And of course, a tradition which is now dead here.
Despite it's name, the Imperial Brown Stout is black, not brown. Words meant different things in those days.
Our Imperial Brown Stout is deceptive, in that it is not a beast of a beer, despite the ABV. Rather you can expect a round and smooth mouthfeel. With notes of cream and chocolate after the cocoa aroma, then leading to dark fruits, dried fruits, plum and some sour berries. It all finishes with a long dose of herbal bitterness, with hints of lightly roasted coffee.