Stone Brewing might as well be called “Bigger, Stronger, Boozier Brewing.” Their Russian Imperial Stout, for example, is rated one of the best in the world on BeerAdvocate for its Siberian display of intensely chocolatey, boozy mayhem.

But being intense isn’t intense enough for Stone -- now they’re pumping up their RIS with a checklist of insanity in their small-batch, barrel-aged Mikhail Russian Imperial Stout:

1. It’s 13.5% ABV!

2. It’s aged 14 months in Kentucky Bourbon barrels!

3. It’s caffeinated with fresh espresso roast!

In other words, Mikhail makes Founder’s KBS bourbon power look whimpy by comparison. With kick-you-in-the-teeth levels of cinderous roasts, fire of oaky-vanilla whiskey, and the dark mocha sweetness of coffee, this Stout embodies Stone from cork to cage -- Untappd’s barrel-aged fiends agree, gifting it a 4.24 score!

Wake up and smell your death by bourbon -- a snifter full of this beast will give you goosebumps from its smoked chocolate and aged whiskey aromas that scream through the air. Spiked ganache swirls like a whirlpool on your tastebuds, shocking and aweing your palate with vanilla-poached fury, dripping with raw cacao nibs, Turkish coffee, and alcohol fire. From the first sip to the end of the glass, Mikhail is relentless in its fury.

Note: Cellar if you dare. Mikhail will mellow with age, but its alluring 13.5% ABV is too tempting to hide away.

4.24 on Untappd; 4.24 on BeerAdvocate