Hargreaves Hill R.I.S. 2020 & Baboushka '21

Style
Russian Imperial Stout & Vanilla Milk Stout
ABV
11.2% & 6.0%

The annual release of Hargreaves Hill's R.I.S. (Russian Imperial Stout) is one that's been hotly anticipated by various Crafty team members for many a year now. The 2020 version has been deemed to have spent enough time in isolation to be released into the community, once again in 440ml cans, and, while there's some roastier characteristics familiar from the beer's forebears, they come smothered in a wave of glutenous, fudgy molasses, cocoa and figs. It's very much in the lineage of the RISes of old, although I doubt many of those coming our of English breweries in the days of Empire were as luscious of texture as this.

Its winter companion, Baboushka, has become something of a fan favourite and makes her debut in smaller 375ml cans this time around. The vanilla milk stout doesn't pour with as dense an appearance as I recall from past offerings, looking more dark ale or porter like, and with the combination of specialty malts, lactose and vanilla bringing to mind nougat and coconut, chocolate syrup and a hint of roast. Viscous of palate like an MSG-laced dish, but not as voluptuous as past iterations either. Session Baboushka, perhaps?

James Smith

Published June 26, 2021

Name
Hargreaves Hill
Address

Factory 60
64-86 Beresford Road
Lilydale 3140

Phone
(03) 9730 1905
Pickled OnMarket
CBCo Goldy

More from Hargreaves Hill

Hargreaves Hill Strawberry & Watermelon Sour
Sour
5.0%
Hargreaves Hill Whirlpool Pilsner & Celestial Fuzz Fruited IIPA
Hoppy Pilsner & Fruited IIPA
5.5% & 8.0%
Hargreaves Hill 0 IBU & 100 IBU IPAs
NEIPA & San Diego WCIPA ft Terpenes
Both 7.0%
Hargreaves Hill The Phoenix '23 & Double ESB
Imperial Red Ale & Double ESB
9.6% & 8.0%
Hargreaves Hill Superdelic Fragilistic Expialid Oatish & Naughty
Oat Cream IPA & Barrel-Aged Schwarzbier
7.6% & 6.0%
Hargreaves Hill Team World DIPA & R.I.S. 2022
Hazy Double IPA & Russian Imperial Stout
8.5% & 11.2%
Hargreaves Hill Team America, Australia & New Zealand IPAs
Hazy IPAs
All 6.7%
Hargreaves Hill Fruit Ninja & Kenneth Son Of Zenith '23
Smoothie Sour & Imperial IPA
6.0% & 8.5%
Hargreaves Hill Sunshine and Roller Skates California IPA
California IPA
7.2%
Hargreaves Hill 18th Birthday Packs
Various styles as indicated
5.2% & 4.9% & 11.5% & 10.0%
Hargreaves Hill Red Vienna Lager & Single Origin Coffee Stout
Vienna Lager & Coffee Stout
5.0% & 6.2%
Hargreaves Hill Barrel-Aged Double ESB & Creaming Soda Stout
Barrel-Aged Double ESB & Sweet Stout
9.0% & 6.0%
Hargreaves Hill R.I.S. 2021
Imperial Stout
11.2%
Hargreaves Hill Phoenix 2022
Imperial Red Ale
9.6%
Hargreaves Hill Paper Hands & Diamond Hands
West Coast & Hazy Double IPAs
Both 7.7%
Hargreaves Hill Guava & Strawberry Sour & Margarita Gose '22
Fruit Sours
5.0% & 4.0%
Hargreaves Hill Uninterrupted Prosperity NEIPA
NEIPA
7.2%
Hargreaves Hill & Four Pillars Gin Barrel Gose 2021
Gin Barrel Aged Gose
5.0%
Hargreaves Hill Knock Off Lager & Pursuit 10.2
Lager & Triple IPA with Fruit
4.0% & 10.0%
Hargreaves Hill Pursuit Of Hoppiness No.10: Triple Hazy
Hazy IIIPA
10.0%