This week I picked up the Czar Imperial Stout from Avery Brewing Company in Colorado. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized the beer isn’t named after my favorite drug czar John P. Walters, but after some silly Russian rulers that don’t even live in the same country I do. Avery juked me, man.

I do like the label, though. It’s got a picture of hapless Romanov Nicholas II, who, unlike this beer, couldn’t even show a little spine and put down some minor people’s revolution. What a choke artist. The Czar is an Imperial Stout which means that, like most Russian rulers, it is dark, brutal, and full of alcohol. Avery recommends buying a few extra bottles and keeping them around for a few years (also like Russian rulers) as the beer will continue to mature in the bottle – becoming stronger with age. I’ll have to try that, but beer doesn’t tend to stay undrunk for very long in my house. Neither do I, for that matter. If you’ve tried any of the older vintages, fee free to comment below and let me know your thoughts.

This beer is big. You know that by simply sniffing the beer – the sweetness and even the alcohol in this beer is plainly evident. It’s actually kind of imposing yet still inviting. The beer pours a dark, deep black with a nice tan head. It tastes kind of like it smells – the alcohol is there from start to finish and only becomes more bold as the beer warms in the glass. Overall, this beer is just a bit too strong for my taste. The sweetness of the beer isn’t well balanced so you’re left with a ton of alcohol and a ton of sweet on your tongue. I would have preferred something a little more bitter or something with a bit more smoothness to help deal with the beer’s 10-11% ABV. Cellaring this big beer may help balance it out, but it will also up the ABV so I’m skeptical. It does, however, come in a nice 22 oz bottle so you won’t have to get up for another beer for a while, something I will always, always approve of.