XS Imperial Porter - Rogue Ales

ckollias

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this 750ml bottle out of a large snifter glass.

A: Pours a dark black-brown hue with a thick dark brown 2-finger head that quickly dissipates and leaves a wispy lace.

S: Strong sweet malty aroma.

T: Starts out smooth but than an alcoholic bite hits you followed by sweet malt. Finsihes very sweet and slightly hoppy.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Really good imperial porter. Great flavors and aromas. A little pricey but worth the experience.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 03:21:41 | More by ckollias

barczar

Kentucky

3.58/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours into the tulip a deep brown with ruby highlights. A one finger dense tan head dissipates into a thin layer of foam and leaves thick lacing.

Aroma is sweet burnt sugar and alcohol, followed by dark fruit (dates, plums, candied cherries), with a roast malt and coffee finish. Vanilla emerges as it warms.

Flavor is deeply roasted malt, chocolate, and a slightly sharp fruitiness with a somewhat bitter coffee-like finish. Hop bitterness lingers. The fruitiness becomes more distracting as the beer warms.

Body is on the lighter side of medium with a moderate amount of carbonation, and a bit of astringency surfaces.

Overall, it's somewhat of a misnomer. The roastiness is more fitting for a stout than a porter. It dominates the flavor a but much, though the fruity character harkens memories of porters ..but overly so. Definitely wouldn't pay what they charge for this stuff in a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2011 03:47:08 | More by barczar

eric5bellies

Australia

4.3/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Drank from my Duvel tulip with Sam (Slammer). 2008 Vintage.

A - Pours a deep Mahogany colour with a one fingered tanned head that reduces slowly to a lacing film.

S - Plenty of pronounced balanced coffee and chocolate malts, with a backup of sweet caramel and hops.

T - Up front some smokey hickory flavours followed by Vanilla and a nice toffee edge on the finish.

M - Mouthfeel is medium to full body with minimal carbonation. Perfectly smooth and well balanced.

O - If the flavours were more pronounced this beer would be A+, the mouthfeel is to die for.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2011 13:41:45 | More by eric5bellies

TMoney2591

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a flared pokal at Bliss.

2008 vintage. A surprise bottle at the latest Bliss tasting. It pours an inky black topped by a finger of light sienna foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, dark chocolate, light coffee, black strap molasses, and a touch of potting soil. The taste emphasizes the coffee, a dark roast with a slight bit of bitterness. Some roasted malts, baking chocolate, molasses, and dark greens round things out on the tongue. The body is a hefty medium, with a very light moderate carbonation and a thick, almost chewy feel. Overall, one of the better Rogue beers I've had. This is a porter that knows what's goin' on, son!

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 04:00:20 | More by TMoney2591

alohaspicoli

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: jet black

Smell: picking up more roasty/malty than chocolate or coffee

Head: light brown/tan in color, on the thick side, decent lacing

Taste: malty and chocolatey with some coffee in the finish. a nice balance, IMO

Weight: on the heavy side, not much carbonation

Finish: not getting the hops some people mentioned... not sure if age is coming into play here

Serving type: ceramic bottle poured into a heavy duty glass seidel

Overall: flavor profile wasn't as bold as i thought it would be but i have to say that i really enjoyed it. definitely aged well, IMO. i've got one more bottle that i'll save for colder weather. would def. buy a few more if i found them for a reasonable price.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 15:47:37 | More by alohaspicoli

RickS95

Indiana

4.35/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2008 vintage

Pours a very dark brown, mostly black liquid. It wasn't as thick as I'd have guessed and surprisingly not as dark. It's extremely dark, but there is a bit of brown at the edges. The head is colossal, as it spilled out all over my counter. It's an off tan medley of bubbles that just continues to grow and grow. Impressive in the glass.

Smells of bittersweet chocolate, coffee, roasted malt and a touch of smokey licorice.

Taste is fantastic. Coffee dominates, with a touch of licorice, then a bit of bittersweet chocolate in the finish.

It feels creamier than it looks. The feel is complex, with sweet, sour, bitter and smoke all making cameos.

The lacing is great in this and it's fun making the lace happen. Almost everything about this beer is well above average and I look forward to the next time I have it.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2011 01:43:39 | More by RickS95

beergod1

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2008 Bottle. Pours Jet black with a foamy coffee colored head. Light lacing. Surprising amount of hops and alcohol in the nose. Roasted malt, dark fruit and chocolate dominate the flavor, with a dry hoppy finish. Medium body, Reminds me of a Barley Wine that needs to age. But very unique. I see a lot ratings talking about hops....Maybe this aged too much to taste them?

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 13:13:34 | More by beergod1

Snow81

Minnesota

4.95/5  rDev +21%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Black as night no light penetrates this beer

Smell: Dark roasted malts with coco and coffee

Head: Dark Thick Brown that lays over its self, move it around and head does not move nice think shake like

Taste: burnt roasted malts with chocolate that's creamy and milky hops fallow and then a small coffee note

Weight: very heavy for porter style with low carbonation helps with the weight

Finish: Hops, no, coco, no, milk chocolate, no, hops, no, coco, wait might be chocolate, nope its hops

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 04:59:45 | More by Snow81

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.1/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2008 release poured from a 750ml ceramic swing-top bottle into an imperial pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color with a large beige head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, some dark fruit and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with creamy and semi-sweet flavors of black coffee and milk chocolate. There's a hearty roasted malt character and a touch of dark fruit in the background. The hops presence is very mild as you would expect in this style of beer and it brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium-to-heavy body, light-to-medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, slightly filling, good kick, good representation of style, this is a decent bigger porter worth drinking for a long time.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 04:31:51 | More by TheManiacalOne

GPHarris

Alabama

3.9/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

a - poured a one finger thick tan head into a snifter that settled into a thin ring. the body was black with brown edges.
s - dark, roasted chocolate malts with a hint of burnt coffee.
t - roasted malt, burnt chocolate, dark fruits with a hint of sweetness.
m - slick and slightly thin. i expected this to be a more robust beer.
d - highly drinkable and a good beer but could be better.

Serving type: growler

11-29-2010 20:27:21 | More by GPHarris

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.4/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Poured a dark brown with a nice brown head. Lots of bubbles and lacing but poured a bit thin

S: Nose is roasted malts with chocolate and coffee.

T: Taste is nice but I personally found nothing Imperial about it other thwn the ABV. Toasted malts, cocoa, coffee.

M: Mouthfeel is nice but not as robust as I wished.

D: Might drink again, Tasty though.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2010 03:37:08 | More by barleywinefiend

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a deep black with a nice mocha head with a bit of staying power, especially for the style. The nose brings forward some roasted malt and coffee as well as some light chocolate and a bit of booze. The flavor is booze, roasted chocolate, and some dark malt. Medium to full body with good carbonation and some alcohol. Drinks fairly well, but is a bit boozy.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2010 18:13:31 | More by Thorpe429

nkersten

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

2008 bottle poured into New Belgium Tulip. Pitch black, 1/2 inch tan bubbly head, some lacing. smell is bitter chocolate, coffee, slightly sweet dark cherry. Good malt flavor immediately followed by bitter coffee grounds, some spicy hops, and a bit of sweetness. Mouthfeel is near perfect - heavy but not syrupy body that is balanced with a moderate carbonation. A good beer, i think the coffee is too strong, even after a couple years.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2010 01:45:14 | More by nkersten

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a clear black color porter with a huge light brown foamy head with good retention and some pretty good lacing. Aroma of light soy sauce (sushi type) with black chocolate and dry roasted malt. Taste is also dominated by notes of of chocolate with light soy sauce notes which disappeared as soon as beer had a chance to bread. Body is way too light for style with great carbonation and no apparent alcohol. This one is too expansive for quality of offering and body is way too light for the style.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 02:13:52 | More by Phyl21ca

CMW

Missouri

3.2/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

- Ordered after the bartender told me they were out of Founders Porter.

A - Pours almost jet black with just a small tan head and mild carbonation.

S - Aroma was weaker than I thought. I could pick up on some chocolate and coffee but was disappointed that there was very little roasted malt in the nose.

T - The taste was mostly dominated by chocolate. It is only slightly sweet upfront and does fade to a light coffee taste in the end. However, again I tasted very little roasted malt and hops were almost non-existent.

M - This was much lighter than I thought for an imperial but still has a medium body to it.

D - The flavors were just not what I was looking for in an imperial porter. I don't want to bash the beer though because it was a good effort, just not my cup of tea. I will probably pass next time.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2010 18:38:02 | More by CMW

taxguyjase

New Mexico

4.53/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance - Wispy mocha head, solid blackness, rich looking with low carbonation - 4.0/5.0

Smell - Strong toasted malt, alcohol and roasted coffee...delicious! 4.5/5.0

Taste - Rich earthy coffee flavor, little bit of an alcohol burn at the end, but it's tempered by the toasted malt flavor. Oaky, with a hint of dark cherry. 4.5/5.0

Feel - Really coats the mouth, carbonation more potent at first taste then mellows out quickly. Aftertaste is a lingering bitterness. 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - While a potent 8.6% ABV, it's not as strong as other imperial porters, which I think makes it easier to drink. High quality and highly drinkable. 5.0/5.0

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2010 01:25:05 | More by taxguyjase

JRed

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark brownish-black with a chocolate, cinnamon, sugar aroma. Chocolate flavors mixed with cocoa powder, sugar, hop bitterness and some fine roast. A porter with a heavy body and medium carbonation. Traditional, no. Imperial, yes, in flavor and alcohol. A fine offering from Rogue.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2010 20:32:47 | More by JRed

biglite351

Pennsylvania

2.25/5  rDev -45%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

2008 vintage on ceramic bottle.

A - quite dark but a razor of Ted around the edges. Tall mid-tan head. Major lacing.

S - barely any smell at all. Possibly the mildest scent yet.

T - quite mild. A little malt. Very mild bitter after taste.

M - medium coating, mild tingle on front sides of tongue.

D - the cost combined with its mildness makes it rather easily avoidable.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2010 01:22:23 | More by biglite351

dpodratsky3

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle poured into pint glass

A: Dark, dark brown, with chocolate chestnut highlights, big foamy head that settles still fluffy, head is light brown

S: Big roast aroma, but bright not super heavy, roasted malt, light coffee and chocolate notes, but not a crazy amount like a stout, hops add a nice lightness to it

T:Similar to smell, dark roasted notes, but not black or burnt malt, once again bittersweet chocolate is there, not too much coffee, spicy roast fades and flirts with hop bitterness which never totally reveals itself, never perceived independently, easily crosses into imperial porter territory with depth and intensity of flavor but remains shy of a stout

M: Pretty smooth, light medium body

D: Good

Notes: This beer blew my mind, not because it was the best beer ever, but for what Rogue did with it. I thought that as an imperial porter it would just taste like a normal stout. However, they manage to cram way more flavor into the beer while keeping in unmistakably a porter. The mouthfeel tells it all.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2010 04:06:07 | More by dpodratsky3

ne0m00re

Ohio

3.08/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Poured the 2008 750 mL ceramic botte into an oversized red wine glass to capture the aroma.
A: Very dark brown with red hues; it poured with a thick tan head that died rather quickly to a collar.
S: Blue cheese, raisin and prune, coffee, and sharp merlot alcohol.
T: Burnt chocolate (almost like milk-chocolate covered espresso beans) with a sharp burnt alcohol that lingers. There is some oak and a little vanilla in the background. It is nothing special; the roasted malts seem to clash.
M: Thin and slightly frothy.
D: Pretty good, considering the high ABV.
There is nothing really special about this beer. I'm surprised, considering how much I've liked some of their other ceramics and special releases.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2010 00:44:26 | More by ne0m00re

Brad007

Vermont

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pitch black color with a two-finger head that fades down to some lacing. Good color for the style.

Aroma is full of bitter chocolate and just a hint of cream. This is the 2008 edition Rogue XS Imperial Porter.

Taste is full of chocolate, dark fruit and just a slight hint of cream. Asserts itself immediately by coating the mouth with a large amount of chocolate malt. Alcohol is faded just enough to make it drinkable.

Mouthfeel is full of lingering chocolate and it warms the belly going down. Not too harsh/bitter in any way.

Decent for the style. My only gripe would be that I should have properly aged it instead of picking it off the shelf at a beverage store. Regardless, it's worth a try and despite the price (which people always complain about), worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2010 03:34:56 | More by Brad007

donmonkey1

Tennessee

4.15/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours black with a perfect medium tan super frothy head with great lacing.

Smell: Molasses, sweet toasted nuts.

Taste: A little on the sweet side, molasses-like with a mild coffee taste at the end. I would like to taste more roasted/toasted with less sweet.

Mouthfeel: Medium thick, a pleasant, mild stinginess.

Drinkability: Easy to drink, fine brew, a little too sweet though.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2010 16:44:17 | More by donmonkey1

Moonraker7

New York

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Lots of head, about 2 finger. The head is a light brown color. The beer itself is a dark brown color.

S: Smells of sweet roasted malts, coffee, caramel

T: Chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, much like how it smells. There is some caramel as well. It is sweeter than I expected, but the chocolate and coffee really dominate and are well balanced. No alcohol taste at all.

M: Pretty well carbonated, creamy.

D: This is surprisingly drinkable for a beer thats 8.2%, the alcohol is well hidden and the other flavors dominate. Would definitely buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2010 02:28:11 | More by Moonraker7

BretSikkink

Mexico

4.28/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark brown color with a surprising variety of highlights. Strong head with good lacing poured from the tap and served in a nice sized goblet. The nose is pretty heady, going deep into patent malt - coffee territory. Some fruits and resinous hopping.

The flavor is not exactly lead by the hops, but they are more than ready to do their business. Alongside the molasses, chocolate, and coffee notes, there is a nicely zestly bout of citric fruits, pine resin, and tobacco. A little less than super-full mouthfeel - maybe my only real knock on this outstanding sipper. One terrific ale.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2010 03:38:26 | More by BretSikkink

Lerxst

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

2008 ceramic bottle poured into a tulip

A-Very dark brown with a creamy, fluffy one finger head that hangs around a while and leaves above average lacing. This is a good looking beer.

S-Roasted malt, cocoa powder, some coffee, piney hops and a bit of alcohol. Smells great too.

T-Pine & citrus hops, cocoa powder, coffee, roasted malt. I'm really digging this. A very interesting, but good, flavor profile.

M-Medium body, highly carbonated, a bit astringent. This is the weakpoint of this otherwise great beer.

D-This went down very easily. I really enjoyed the flavor profile, so I finished all 750ml and was wanting a little more. Highly drinkable.

I really enjoyed this one. I just wish it was a bit cheaper, I'd buy it all the time (hint, hint-forget the ceramic bottles and make this one a "regular" brew at a "regular" price). I'll definitely pick this up as a once a year treat.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2010 01:20:59 | More by Lerxst