Imperial Stout—even the name is intimidating. These beers aren’t for the watered-down-lager-swilling faint of heart. They were first brewed in the 18th Century to withstand the journey from England to Russia, where they would end up in the court of Catherine the Great. Under her reign, Russia colonized Alaska, defeated the Ottoman Empire and established the first state-run college for women. We like to think it all started with good beer.

We bought a baker’s dozen from our local Decatur, Ga., beer store, Ale Yeah!, so this is by no means meant to represent all or the best imperial stouts. There’s no Three Floyd’s Dark Lord or Portsmith Kate the Great here. But our jury of a dozen beer enthusiasts were happy to rank the following 13 beers for your tasting pleasure.





Brewery: Wells & Young’s Ltd

City: Bedford, England

ABV: 10%

On the Nose: Cigarette stubs

Stout As: Watered-down borscht

The verdict: I think we all were expecting to love this well-reputed beer, but it simply didn’t stand up to its peers. British or not, there just wasn’t enough flavor to carry the imperial name, and the smell was a little off-putting.







Brewery: Bierbrouwerij Grand-Café Emelisse

City: Kamperland, Netherlands

ABV: 11%

On the Nose: Belgian yeast

Stout As:

The verdict: The distinct Belgian flavor was a nice touch, but otherwise this Dutch beer was fairly unremarkable.







Brewery: O’Dempsey’s

City: Atlanta

ABV: 8%

On the Nose: Smoked pineapple

Stout As: The Falcons in January

The verdict: We’re always pulling for the local boys, and our first taste of O’Dempsey’s didn’t disappoint. It was flavorful for 8%, but it’s always going to be difficult for an 8% beer to measure up to its 10 and 11% cousins.







Brewery: North Coast Brewing

City: Fort Bragg, Calif.

ABV: 9%

On the Nose: Berries

Stout As: Old Rasputin…right about now

The verdict: I’ve enjoyed this beer before, and it’s developed quite a following. But again, we were surprised it didn’t stand up to its rivals in the side-by-side tasting.







Brewery: Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

City: Chippewa Falls, Wisc.

ABV: 9.5%

On the Nose: A morning cup o’ joe

Stout As: A January breeze on Lake Wissota

The verdict: No offense to our friends in Wisconsin, but despite Justin Vernon showing up to a Paste photo shoot with a Leinenkugel T-shirt, that’s a name that mostly conjures up weak lagers. Still, there was real flavor here-coffee, sour and citrus notes combining into something quite good.







Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company

City: Denver, Colo.

ABV: 9.5%

On the Nose: An IPA

Stout As: Demaryius Thomas’ stiff arm

The verdict: Great Divide won our Winter Beer Rankings, and the Yeti, while a little hoppy for an Imperial Stout, was still well-balanced and tasty.







Brewery: Founders Brewing Company

City: Grand Rapids, Mich.

ABV: 10.5%

On the Nose: Roasted coffee beans

Stout As: A life-long Yooper

The verdict: The brewers at Founders like their stouts. The Kentucky Breakfast Stout would certainly have finished near the top of the list, and the Canadian Breakfast Stout would likely have topped it. This roasty beer with a strong kick was merely solid.







Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company

City: Lakewood, N.Y.

ABV: 10.57%

On the Nose: Oatmeal cookies

Stout As: A pure-bread Clydesdale

The verdict: There’s a definite bread-y flavor to this smooth, drinkable beer.







Brewery: Victory Brewing Company

City: Downingtown, Pa.

ABV: 9.1%

On the Nose: Fresh hops

Stout As: A royal scepter

The verdict: More bitter than sweet. If you really love IPAs, but are forced to drink something dark, this is the beer for you.







Brewery: Avery Brewing Company

City: Boulder, Colo.

ABV: 11.03%

On the Nose: Apples and cream

Stout As: The Rockies (the mountains, not the baseball team)

The verdict: With a unique smell and flavor, the jury was split on this tangy, boozy, complex beer.







Brewery: Oskar Blues Brewery

City: Lyons, Colo.

ABV: 10.5%

On the Nose: Malts

Stout As: Steel

The verdict: The best beer in a can, bar none, is also a wonderful representation of its style. Pours as black as engine oil.







Brewery: Moylan’s Brewery

City: Novato, Calif.

ABV: 10%

On the Nose: Wheat bread

Stout As: A classic Pogues tune

The verdict: The biggest surprise was how much everyone gravitated toward this well-balanced, eminently drinkable Californian beer. And how quickly the bottle was drained.







Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery

City: Brooklyn, N.Y.

ABV: 10.7%

On the Nose: Whiskey

Stout As: A Special Forces Marine

The verdict: It’s kind of unfair to bring a whiskey-barrel-aged beer to an Imperial Stout fight, but the availability of the Black Ops at Ale Yeah! inspired the list. The sweet, whiskey flavors weren’t overpowering but they were delicious.

