Making Royalty More Common

by | 11/29/2022

Are we sure it’s 2021 already?

We’ve been keeping ourselves so busy it seems like time is flying by! While we are all – more than likely – relieved to say goodbye to 2020, we’ve made sure to bring the good kind of excitement into the new year with us with our latest endeavor, retail beer. If you’ve been lucky enough to find our beers in a store near you, it’s about to get even better as Russian Imperial Stout hits the shelves!

While we, like any proud parent should, love all of our beers equally, Russian holds a special place in our hearts. Russian Imperial Stout is one of the most complex beers we make and it is a labor of love, one that we embrace with each and every annual batch. When you crack open the can and pour that first splash into your glass, you know exactly what we mean. With impressive tasting notes of dark chocolate, espresso, and citrus rind, this almost 10% ABV beer is one that you can’t resist sitting down and just enjoying. And while we recognize that an Imperial Stout is not for everyone, we think a great back story IS.

In 2001, three of our brewers were honing their craft at the brewing school of Siebel Institute in Chicago. And as many of us can relate, they would spend their evenings at the hotel bar, quickly becoming familiar faces to the bartender. Unknowingly starting a chain of events that would end in a royal refreshment, the bartender asked if there was a specific product they would like to have on tap to enjoy during their few weeks in the city. Without hesitation, they requested the iconic Old Rasputin, an imperial stout made by North Coast Brewing in California. The bartender gladly obliged. Each evening, as they drank this wonderful beer (and lots of it) they discussed a plan for making a beer of their own, as good as this. Upon their return, they quickly got to work. Researching, recipe writing, and masterful brewing combined, the first batch of Iron Hill’s Russian Imperial Stout was born. And 20 years later, that same beer is world renowned.

So why don’t you see for yourself? Use our beer finder to locate our award-winning Russian Imperial Stout near you and let your tastebuds be the judge. See if you can find the words to describe this fan favorite. We hope you’ll only use “common” to refer to how easy it is to find more, when you inevitably finish your first 4-pack.

Cheers!