Who makes the best Russian Imperial Stout?

Question

And is there a difference between an imperial stout and a "russian" imperial stout?

Answer 1

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout from North Coast Brewing Co. in California is my favorite, hands down.

imperial stout and russian imperial are the same.

Answer 2

Champagne yeast is a wine yeast, and requires a different pH than ale yeast. They also have a lower flocculation than do a typical ale yeast. Though you can use a wine yeast to make beer, the results are not as good as if you were to use, oh, an English Ale style yeast. The yeasts these days are quite specific to the styles of wine/lager/ale that are produced, and you will get a much better result by using the proper yeast. When you racked it into the secondary, did you taste it? Did you record your specific gravity of your wort before putting it into the primary, and later into the secondary. An SG reading will tell you for sure whether the yeast is working. If it isn't, you might want to try some strain that is specific for these situations. I know that Lalvin has one. I'm sure that there are others. Also, did you aerate the wort properly? This will cause the fermentation to get stuck. Is this an all grain, or extract brew? And finally, don't forget, and I can't stress it enough, sanitation, sanitation, sanitation. I have seen fermentations get stuck because of poor sanitation. In order to find the answer to your question, there are a few other questions that have to be answered

Answer 3

Stone has an amazing Imperial Russian Stout. It's in a bottle with a blue silkscreened label featuring their trademark gargoyle imagery. It is truly a wonder. Seasonal, so look for it now as it will be leaving shelves as the weather warms.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/147/1160

Answer 4

Iron Hill Brewery took the gold medal in the 2006 Great American Beer Festival. And Big Rock Chop house took the gold the year before.

There's no difference in the two names.