Courage Russian Imperial Stout

by Willard Clarke, 10/11

bottle A famous stout from the 18th and 19th centuries has been revived by Wells & Young's brewery in Bedford. Courage Russian Imperial Stout (10%) was last brewed in London in 1982 when Jim Robertson was working for Courage. Now he has recreated the beer at Bedford and restored a historic stout.

The beer was first brewed by Thrale's on the south bank of the Thames. It was an extra strong version of stout brewed for export to Russia where it was a popular drink at the court of Catherine the Great. She arranged for supplies of the beer to go to Russian troops fighting in the Crimea.

The beer had a high alcohol content to stop it freezing as ships crossed the Baltic Sea. It was also heavily hopped not only for bitterness but also to prevent bacterial infection.

Thrale's became Barclay Perkins and the beer was re-branded Barclay's Imperial Russian Stout. When Barclay Perkins merged with its near-neighbour Courage, the beer acquired a third name - Courage Imperial Russian Stout. Production stopped when Courage closed but the Courage brands were bought by Wells & Young's from Scottish & Newcastle and Russian Stout now joins Courage Best and Directors at Bedford.

The new version of the beer was launched at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver and at first will be available only in the United States but Wells & Young's plans to make the beer available in Britain in 2012.

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