B.O.R.I.S. & Company

For any beer writer it's important to have an understanding of the classics, the genre-defining beers, however much they may have fallen out of fashion or been cloned -- or even improved upon -- by subsequent generations of brewers. There are certain products of American brewing that were once spoken of reverentially, back when all that was thrilling in beer came from the USA, and as a still-scribbling hack who was around then, I take great pleasure in ticking them off. The "Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout" from Ohio's Hoppin' Frog brewery is one such, so when it showed up in these parts for the first time I naturally acquired a tin. In the years since it was one of planet's top-flight beers it has acquired a string of descendents so I thought it only good manners to try those too.

Begin then, at the beginning. I had no prior expectations for B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher but was immediately impressed by the café crème head, one which simply whispers... density. The aroma is no next-level brilliance: it smells nicely of chocolate but nothing especially striking. Could this be one of those old classics that has been so successfully and widely cloned that it's much less impressive now? Again the texture is spot-on but not distinctive: rich and creamy, with the oatmeal doing what it's supposed to. It's "only" 9.4% ABV but could easily pass for bigger. The impressive bit is the flavour. Old geezers like me remember when imperial stout was a hop-forward style, and this one lays on the grass and green veg in generous quantities. The chocolate is still there, both milk and dark, there's a shot or two of espresso, and then that bitter leaf bite on the very end. It's beautifully done. I don't think this really receives hype any more, but it deserves everything it's got and is a great model for any brewer to steal ideas from. And with the tone set by the original, let's get into the brand extensions.

From "Bodacious" to "Double". The purity of the experiment is compromised by this being the extended barrel-aged version of D.O.R.I.S. the Destroyer, "aged 5x longer for a super-deep finish", whatever that means. If the last one looked dense, this absolutely doubles down, pouring like hot tar. The aroma is quite winey, in a fortified way: vermouth, madeira, oloroso, all mixed together. I guess oak is the common element there. That absolutely comes through in the flavour, with splinters and raisins before you get to the stout. It's a bit of fun but no classic. The special effects (throw in retsina, sangria, ruby port) are enjoyable in a kooky novelty way though they come at a price. I prefer imperial stout at a much more basic level. This was the only big can in the set and I would have appreciated a smaller measure. B.A. D.O.R.I.S. is hard work.

The sequence proceeds predictably from there, though the cans get mercifully smaller. T.O.R.I.S. the Tyrant represents the "triple" aspect, and is 13.8% ABV. It's so thick that I thought it was pouring flat, and then was surprised when a tall tan head foamed up just as the can emptied. In the mouth it's not unpleasantly sticky, coating the palate without turning cloying. The aroma is sweet fudge first with a mild burnt bitterness behind, while the flavour flips this on its head, being predominantly bitter. There's a mix of rough and nautical pipe tobacco with boiled vegetables, steaming hot tar and concentrated molasses. But, you know, in a good way? The extremeness is tempered by oily espresso and a gentle floral side which pervades it, sprinkling rosewater and lavender to soothe any jangled nerves. It didn't take me long to sip through 248ml, and I enjoyed the lot. I've drank enough super-powered imperial stouts (hallo De Molen!) to know that they can be balanced and nuanced and complex, and this is one of those. It has a lot positive in common with the original above, and the absence of barrel-ageing is a big factor in that.

It would be hilarious if Q.O.R.I.S. the Quasher were a light lager, but it's another imperial stout, this time 15.7% ABV and we're back on the bourbon barrels. Of course it's another thick one, though this time without the handsome head. The whisky doesn't have the same dominance here as in D.O.R.I.S., which is good: you get a super-strong and uncompromised imperial stout with just a small bonus vanilla-and-spirit aspect which doesn't interfere too much with the main picture. The main picture is classic imperial stout, featuring bitter coffee, bitter chocolate and bitterer vegetables. The fudge and molasses of T.O.R.I.S. feature as well, though the whole picture is not as complex and harmonious as that one. It's still good though: challenging but in a small enough measure that it's not a chore to drink. I deem it a worthy brand extension of B.O.R.I.S. even if it's not the best of them.

Barrel-ageing does not mean your big stout will improve, is the lesson from this lot; alongside that rule that if you make a really really good dark and strong beer there probably isn't much you can do to ruin it. While imperial stouts of this sort are abundant these days, even on this island, I sensed a genuine classic quality in the set. The American breweries who made the style popular worldwide were, and are, doing something that most of their imitators have not quite mastered yet.