Last year Leinenkugel launched a line of specialty beer under the name "Big Eddy".  The second beer in the series is a big, 9.5% abv, jet-black Russian Imperial Stout (RIS) that is just hitting the draft lines of some of the better beer bars in the area.   According to Zach Wilson, of the Miller Craft and Import division, only around 70 twenty liter kegs are being sold in the Twin Cities (and no bottles), so this beer is certainly in limited supply.

Twin Cities Imbiber recently sampled the beer and it did not disappoint. Viscous and complex, the initial sweetness was quickly balanced by ample hop bitterness. An excellent example of the RIS style. Be sure to let this one warm to just below room temp for maximum enjoyment.

Below is some information from their press release:

Big Eddy Russian Imperial Stout, at 9.5% alcohol by volume, boasts a selection of eleven malts and grains, balanced by three distinct hops. Munich, Caramel and Chocolate malts combine with classic Pale and Pale Ale malts to provide a rich, dry character balancing Big Eddy's hoppy assertiveness provided by Warrior, Summit and Glacier hops.

The "Big Eddy" moniker is derived from the name of the spring that feeds the Leinenkugel brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wis. Beginning in late February 2007, Leinenkugel's tested its first big ale, Big Eddy Imperial IPA.