North Coast Old Rasputin XII

I was seemingly a mere 15 years old when Old Rasputin was first brewed. It's sort of weird now seeing as though so many brewers have bourbon barrels that they can age their stouts in (or other styles too). I would never complain that there are too many barrel-aged beers, but this will inadvertently lead to brews that are not quite as good as others.

Luckily, North Coast Old Rasputin XII is very good. It's not as good as a barrel-aged beer such as Kentucky Breakfast Stout, but that's a large order to fill. 11.2% is actually a somewhat manageable ABV in comparison to some of the other bourbon stouts.

I guess one's main complaint with this beer is its cost. I paid $18.99 at Boonton Liquor Outlet Wine Cellars, which seemed a little high for a bottle that disappeared quickly. But maybe that's just a statement about the style.

Liquor Outlet Wine Cellars - Boonton, NJ

Liquor Outlet Wine Cellars in Boonton, NJ. Who would have known from the name (or the outside) of the vast craft beer selection here. This was the one place I was able to score Founder's Kentucky Breakfast Stout from a few months ago, and as you can see from the picture, there's plenty of other beers to choose from.

I try to stop by this place at least once a month as they're always getting new stuff in. Their staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and their imported craft beer is quite sizable as well. This picture is actually only a sliver of what's available.