Limestone Brewing Company- Ukrainium Krusher Oak Aged Russian Imperial Stout: Rushin’ To Get Krushed
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 6:23PM | by Jason 
I actually consider this review an honor. Limestone Brewing Company is my “local” brewery as it is the closest brewery to mi casa. I had the privilege to meet Steve Caton and Brewmaster Ken McMullen just prior to Limestone opening. Their passion for beer is second to none and they philosophy is that beer is “fun.” This is perfect, because it echoes my feeling on Craft Beer. During American Craft Beer Week, Limestone was releasing a limited brew just for the event and I was told that this was a one-time 5 barrel batch. That being said, I knew that I had to put a visit to Limestone on my schedule and taste what I was hoping would be an awesome creation. Ukrainium Krusher Oak Aged Russian Imperial Stout is on.
Limestone Brewing Company classifies this brew as a Russian Imperial Stout and their beer menu describes Ukrainium Krusher as, “A thick, dark brew with a persistent brown head. The aroma has hints of caramel and chocolate. It tastes of dark chocolate, with notes of vanilla. A velvety smooth mouth-feel and you are left with some alcohol-warming. At 9.84% ABV, this is a great after-dinner sipper. One of our seasonal brews, we were only able to make 5 barrels due to the amount of grain it took to get this to nearly 10% ABV. It has been aged for over 7 weeks, much of that on American Oak. Enjoy this one while it lasts. This style comes from 18th century Britain, where it was brewed for the Russian Czars, with a high alcohol level to keep it from freezing during transport over the frozen Baltic.”
Ukrainium Krusher poured a pitch black color with caramel edges in the light with a cappuccino colored head and had a chocolate aroma with hints of oak and vanilla and is 9.84% ABV.
I have to say that I was completely krushed, in a good way, by Ukrainium Krusher. Wow, this is another one of those amazing brews that I am not sure where to start. I have a full page of notes on this bad boy and I don’t think that I have ever made this many notes on one beer. The flavor was big & bold start to finish. It was chocolaty, both sweet and dark, with tastes of roasted & caramel malts, silky smooth and had a dry finish. Despite the description, I only felt a very slight warming, which was a surprise to me. This is a super easy drinking Stout that if you’re not careful, you’ll get lost knocking em’ back. The complexity of both flavor & aroma is such that I cannot managed to equate it to anything I have ever tasted. I am hoping that Ken decides to produce this Russian beauty again soon as I would have easily brought home a couple of growlers to enjoy at home and grab one for my boy Wes had they been available. This is one brew that is well worth the trip to Plainfield, IL to enjoy but you better rush out to get Krushed before it is gone.
ABV: 9.84%
Consumed: 10.5 Oz Tulip Glass
Verdict: Buy A Case
