Beer Review: Leinenkugel's Big Eddy

Beer Review: Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy

First off, sorry for the blurry picture. My phone decided that focusing was a bridge too far, and there was only a limited time to snap this photo. Big Eddy is a special release Russian Imperial Stout from Leinenkugel. It’s 9.5% ABV and clocks in at 74IBU. An interesting note is that they do not propagate the yeast for this beer. They brewed it once before with a special White Labs yeast and spent a significant amount of money getting that same yeast for this version.

This beer is slated for release throughout the Great Lakes region. I got a sneak peek when I got to meet and talk with John Leinenkugel. After taking my first sip, in front of Binny’s beer consultant, Mr. Leinenkugel asked what I thought. It was a bit awkward.

Anyway, Mr. Leinenkugel thought the beer’s greatest asset is its balance, which is fair. Some RISs get to be too sweet or too chewy or too boozy, but this one walked the narrow line of moderation.

It poured like a fine motor oil into my glass with a nice tan head. The nose is almost all dark roasted malts with just a bit of sweetness. The taste has a bit of that acrid, burnt flavor, but not overwhelming. The sweetness of the malt is balanced out with an almost tart, fig flavor. The beer was thick, but not overly chewy, and it finished with a bit of an alcohol warmth.

Overall a good Russian Imperial Stout. More than the beer, the Big Eddy line of beers are an exciting turn for Leinenkugel’s. John Leinenkugel said he’s hoping that Big Eddy will become a series of experimental, extreme big beers. Successful ones will be saved and re-released while the others will become collectors items.