Imperial Stout - Rogue Ales

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.61/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Served from a 7oz bottle into a St. Bernardus baloon glass. Vintage 2009. Served at cellar temp.

Appearance- Black with zero head. Mild mocha lacing near the rim of the glass.

Smell- Bitter chocolate mingles with port-like booze characteristics. Coffee and faded hops come into play along with some light stone fruit. Truly, very nice.

Taste- Wow. Very bitter chocolate and coffee dominate this. Mild booze comes through, but mostly in the feel and not so much the taste. Faded hops mix well with the dark chocolate malts. Bitterness lingers long after the first couple sips.

Mouthfeel- Lighter bodied than expected. Mild carbonation with a little heat at the end.

Overall- Very happy that this beer came out so good. This was more or less my first attempt at "cellering" a beer (bought it around this time last year). Very nice flavor. Nice night cap.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 03:59:38 | More by Seanniek91

Dope

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage.

A: Pours pitch black with a dense, dark cocoa brown head. Fades at a moderate pace. Head awakens easily, great retention. Thick continuous patchwork of lacing everywhere

S: Lots of cocoa and char with some roasted coffee to boot. Quite a bit of anise. Kind of creamy, maybe some oatmeal?

T: Chocolate up front with some coffee and char mixed in. Sweet grainy taste in the middle, I assume oatmeal? Some anise in there too. Bitter coffee and sharp baker's chocolate in the finish. Resinous, oily hops add to the bitterness in the finish, surprising after a couple of years. Zero sign of the 11% ABV.

M: Heavy, thick, viscous and a bit creamy.

O: A really nice RIS. It's big, heavy and slick. Just the way I like an RIS, with pure heavy roasted malt character. Lots of black patent malt and chocolate for sure. A lot can have dark fruits in them but not this one. Only addition is a little bit of hops to break it up. Probably a lot hoppier when it's fresh, if I'm honest. Not sure if that would be an improvement or not - will have to seek one out someday. Very tasty overall, I found it very similar to brooklyn BCS but with a little less chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 02:14:57 | More by Dope

Braz

Washington

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Got a 7oz bottle of this from Tacoma Boys. It's called 'Russian Imperial Stout' on the label. Pours almost like motor oil. Incredible appearance. Very lively and inviting. Big light brown head that sustains for the entire beer, and leaves nice lacing down sides of glass. Dark brown color. Sweet earthy fragrance with an almost light fruitiness. THICK feel. Beer could be a meal I believe. Coffee and dark chocolate flavors. Little alcohol in the flavor as well but it's not overpowering. Pretty bitter aftertaste that lingers. Lightly carbonated. Great beer. Only flaws for me were it could be a little sweeter, and that its syrupy.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 02:06:11 | More by Braz

N3rdM3t4l

Oregon

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 vintage in 750ml ceramic fliptop bottle. Into standard pint.

A: small mouth forced a fairly agressive pour. Came out SUPER thick and black. Got 2 fingers of frothy rich mocha head. Head is falling to a thick cap and leaving sheets of lace. May as well try to look through a wall, I bet more light gets through than this beer.

S: a tad fruity actually, odds are from the high alcohol. Dark fruits and rich roasty notes. Not much chocolate though. Some coffee notes in there too.

T: roasty toasty goodness. big coffee flavor, a little sweet, a little bit of that dark fruit (raison and currant). Finishes mighty bitter with a big hard hit of hops.

M: thick and rich but thinned down by the high alcohol. Just right on carbonation.

O: good stuff, glad its in a big bottle. Glad I got this. All around a good stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 07:01:17 | More by N3rdM3t4l

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2011 vintage.

Beer is black, perhaps a hint of dark brown. Small to moderately-sized tan head. OK retention.

Nose contains a lot of roasted malt, as well as a bunch of dark chocolate and coffee. Some vanilla and caramel as well.

Taste contains lots of roasted malt and caramel, as well as bitter chocolate. Coffee in the finish. Quite bitter for the style. Booze is noticeable but it is a strong beer.

Full bodied. Moderate to high carbonation, particularly for the style. Astringent.

Overall, a little on the bitter side for me, but certainly good.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 02:51:38 | More by jrenihan

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a snifter, the beer is an extremely dark black-ish coloring with a towering, foamy, dense, tan coloring that doesn't appear to be going anywhere. Clings all over the glass as you quaff. Aromas of molasses and old world fruit sweetness, brown sugar, coffee, oak and earth, and a hint of booze. Very rich, dynamic nose. Flavors are very rich, with a coffee and bourbon-like blending initially. Very sweet and roasted, with rich, darkly sweet undertones supporting a touch of bitterness from the coffee notes and a solid booze component. Smooth and heavy in mouth, with a rich, velvety feel. The aftertaste is a bit more boozey, with heavier presence from the wood and earth components to balance out all the sweet and rich. Avoids cloying throughout the entire palate. Very heavy, very big beer. Very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 01:56:43 | More by GarthDanielson

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2008 ceramic bottle version, one of the few original ageing brews I bought. Pours black with a surprising cap of brown head. Awesome retention still.

Nose is peanut butter chocolate and roasty sweetness. Interesting smell and I am surprised by the lack of oxidation after 4+ years.

Tastes decent, this has aged nicely...loads of chocolate, plenty of roast and a leafy hop presence that is really nice, yet unexpected after 4 years. Interesting beer, glad to have it, but at $16 a bottle, dont think Id buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 00:51:09 | More by twiggamortis420

ediaz

Florida

3.63/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Vintage 2010 into a glass

A: No head, little lacing that thins quickly. a dark muddy brown in the glass, think dark chocolate yoo-hoo.

S: sweet yeasty nose with anise, sweet chocolate, vanilla, and a touch of dark fruits.

T: I taste a lot of yeast, finishes with a sharp taste of dark chocolate.

M: smooth, carbonation has a sharp but light feel.

O: 4.0 Its a decent beer and purely bought it on its age but for the $4.75 for a 7oz i think i got caught up in the date and the style. I would seek it out again but its an interesting experience.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 03:31:48 | More by ediaz

MichaelinFishers

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2008 vintage from ceramic flip-top bottle.

I found these on sale for $8 each a couple of years ago and bought four of them. This is the last one.

Poured into shaker pint glasses because that's all we have at the lake cottage. Pours thick and black. The narrow neck of the bottle causes some "glugging" as it pours. A decent head sticks to the glass quite well. Big chocolaty aroma entices. The taste very much follows the aroma. Chocolate malt flavors, roasted barley, and yes, even after four years, hops, dominate. This is very smooth. Drinks extremely well. I opened a bottle a year ago and it was not near this good. The extra year has been a good thing. If anyone has any more of these, they are drinking very well. If I had another, I would hold on, just to see what one more year does, but this is really good right now.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 03:03:36 | More by MichaelinFishers

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Broke down and bought one of the fancy XS 2011 bottles. Poured a completely opaque black color, with a generous 2 finger light brown creamy head. Smell was a bit of brown sugar sweet, with a hint of lactose. Flavor was a bit on the bitter side. Not overly so, but enough to have a bit of a bite. A bit of a smokey grain undertone as well. Felt great in the mouth. Coated extremely well, with just a hint of carbonation. Overall the price killed this. A good beer at maybe 5-7 for a bomber, not worth the price and markup for the ceramic bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 23:18:26 | More by mountdew1

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 7 oz bottle into snifter

Appearance – Pours a deep black color with a large brown head. Tiny carbonating bubbles created a thick head overall that had wonderful retention with very slowly faded to leave a wonderful level of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is actually kind of light. There is a dark bread and chocolate flavor that are the base. These are mixed with some vanilla sweetness as well as aromas of espresso, caramel and some bourbon aromas.

Taste – The taste is big and malty up front. A dark bread flavor meets the tongue. It is mixed with some roasty cocoa flavors and an ever so light caramel sweetness. The caramel sweetness fades and gives way to a light vanilla flavor. Soon after this a nice big roasted espresso flavor rolls into the taste. These tastes all last to the end where they mix with a lighter alcohol flavor that leaves a roasty warming flavor on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the creamier side with a slightly lower level of carbonation. These are good for the more bitter-dry flavors of the brew and really complement the nice roasty and boozy flavors that linger on the tongue.

Overall – A nice drier imperial, although not the best out there. While it could use a touch more sweetness and the aroma is a little lacking is does have some nice flavors and is well worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 23:48:07 | More by Darkmagus82

kojevergas

California

2.68/5  rDev -34.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Mine is labelled "Rogue XS Russian Imperial Stout". Acquired at Wades Wines in Westlake Village, California for $4.79 plus tax.

7 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into me Guinness goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average. I appreciate the bottle size; beers of this high an ABV should always come in smaller bottles so a typical beer drinker can enjoy it without having to commit to a massive quantity. I don't understand some of these thick strong stouts that come in 750 ml bottles; it doesn't make sense.

Served refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger head of dark khaki colour, great cream, good thickness, and rather impressive retention (4+ minutes) for the 11% ABV. Colour is a solid black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Lacing is nice.

Sm: Rich chocolate, coffee, dark malts, roast, cocoa bean, and toffee. A moderately strong inviting aroma. No yeast comes through.

T: Dark malts comprise the foundation. Cream and chocolate are present but restrained. The malts are poorly handled, with some buried astringency. Too malty all around. The notes don't work well together, but rather compete and ring distinct. Poorly balanced all around. No alcohol or yeast comes through. Badly built for the style. Not complex or subtle.

Mf: Smooth and creamy. Too thick. Wet where it should be dry, though the roast does lend it some degree of dryness.

Dr: A poorly conceived imperial stout. Hard to drink on account of its low quality. It does hide its ABV quite well, to its credit. I wouldn't get it again. A disappointment from Rogue.

C-

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 01:51:33 | More by kojevergas

facundoCNB

New Jersey

2.78/5  rDev -31.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2008 bottle poured into a tulip.

a flat dark pour with barely any head. aromas of bourbon, vanilla, coffee.. very boozy. tastes of coffee and booze.. not much else is present due to the overwhelming alcohol taste. medium bodied, minimal carbonation.. definitely a sipper, due to the booziness of it. i was honestly disappointed in this one. maybe it was aged for too long? barely any flavor aside from the booze, appearance was very blah. the only thing i think i like is the smell.. and the ceramic bottle it came in.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 11:58:53 | More by facundoCNB

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a two finger brown head that fades quickly to ring leaving traces lace. Black color, no highlights. Light-medium carbonation and heavy bodied. Chocolate and caramel nose, flavor is similar, chocolate, caramel and coffee. Burnt coffee finish. High ABV is hidden. $4.35 for a wussy 7oz bottle from Bert’s Better Beers Hooksett, NH.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 22:13:22 | More by jdhilt

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Undated ceramic 750ml bottle into snifter.

A- Totally opaque black pour with a finger width dark chocolate milk colored head. Lacing is spotty, alcohol won't let go.

S- Dark chocolate, molasses, licorice and a copious amount of coffee. There is a touch of vanilla with a bit of burnt toast. It almost has a barrel aged aroma to it.

T- Huge amounts of coffee and full on char. Sweetened by chocolate syrup and a good amount of licorice and molasses. The finish is just bitter astringent burnt toast or coffee. Burnt, burnt, burnt is the easiest way to describe it. It's not off putting just wasn't expecting that at all.

M- Full bodied, heavy and velvety.

O- I know a lot of people hate on Rogue, I tend to enjoy all their offerings. They are overpriced and this is no exception but this is a home run. My only beef is the super burnt taste, not really necessary.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 23:22:26 | More by korguy123

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.53/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a snifter. 2011 bottle release.

Appearance: Pitch black, dark as night with a tan head coming off roughly an inch plus off the body.

Smell: Smells damn good, wine meets chocolate.

Taste: Ok after finishing the first glass I see the complexity of it
But not impressed. I was expecting more a little more though full flavoured lacks punch.

Mouth: med-full a crispy texture.

Overall: I have had many imperial stouts and this beer barely made my too ten. If you have money to burn drink it, if you have you're favorites imperial drink that instead it would be hard for this to live to that standard.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 02:48:40 | More by BlurryVisi0n

ckollias

Maryland

4.45/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed this 750 bottle out of a large snifter glass. Bought it from Head Keepers in Greensberg PA.

A: Pours a pitch black hue with a thin dark brown lace which dissolves in to a wispy lace leaving a semi trail down the glass.

S: Strong roasted malt and chocolate aroma with hints of coffee and coca powder. Alcohol aroma present and finishes slightly hoppy.

T: Smooooth chocolate and roasted flavor. Well balanced with the hops. Alcohol definitely present and dominates the middle of this beer. Finished slightly dry side of sweet.

M: Very strong and boozy. Heavy body and minimal carbonation.

O: Awesome imperial stout. A nice sipping beer @ 11 % alcohol by volume. This might be my favorite beer my Rogue – but at $25 a bottle it more of a luxury than a regular beer I would drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 23:32:56 | More by ckollias

thetastywort

California

3.15/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had this in the XS bottle in a Bruery tulip glass. The 2011 batch.

A: Pours almost black. Not too thick. Had a nice tan head with thick lacing.

S: Roasted malt with a bittersweet chocolate smell. I can slightly smell the booze.

T: Malt and bittersweet chocolate comes first. Ends on the back of my tongue with a coffee-bitterness finish.

M: Above average thick and chewy. Not quite as thick as a Speedway or Marshall Zhukov, but good. Average carbonation.

O: Not a bad RIS, but not my favorite. A nice opportunity to try this bottle on the West Coast. I haven't seen this around too much. If you are looking to drink an RIS, this would sit somewhere in the middle.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 04:16:52 | More by thetastywort

Kromes

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: 7oz bottle, says bottled in 2009. Pitch black with a finger's width brown head that dies down to a thin line of bubbles.

S: Roasted smokey malt, chocolate and booze with a slight fruit aroma.

T: The roasted malt and chocolate flavors blend at first with the booze and a little bit of smoke and earthy peat. Then the chocolate flavors come through with a slightly bitter and acidic finish.

M: Heavy feel with low carbonation. A little dry and acidic in the finish.

O: A good RIS. I really like Rogue and this stout is quality stuff. Putting it up against other stouts though, it doesn't measure up....but still good and worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 22:42:03 | More by Kromes

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

XS bottle. Pours almost black with tan head in tulip. Lots of thick lacing.

Smell is dark chocolate, toasted malt, ripe fruit, coffee, and caramel.

Taste is dark chocolate, coffee with lots of bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel is thick and chewy. Full bodied. Medium carbonation.

Overall I think this is very nice. Good example of the style. Will buy again.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 01:17:50 | More by TrappistJohnMD

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Kyel Scobie!

Pour is pitch black, but the head is non-existent. Small caramel ring clings to the glass.

The smell is more spicy than anything. Hop bitterness, bitter coffee, and thats about it. smooth, dry grains try to balance it out, but cant compete.

Taste is a simple IS. Dry caramel, grains, and powdered chocolate. All of those are in balance. Its a bitter RIS at heart. I think the 7oz pour is perfect. The small 7oz bottle is perfect; anything more, and i wouldnt be able to finish it. This thing must be super fresh, because i feel the hops.

I debated between each sip how to rate this thing. Im still at a loss. Very hoppy stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 01:28:40 | More by VncentLIFE

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This is an '09 vintage in mini 7oz bottle thanks to oregone.

Nice creamy darker colored 1/4 finger head that sticks around for a while, with a nice lacing and a bit of legs on the glass, with pretty much pitch black beer inside, and tons of yeast chunks.

Nose has plenty of chocolate, mostly baker's bitter chocolate and some dark, but a bit of cocoa. there is also a light roasted malt with hint of coffee, then some caramel, and slightest licorice. It also seems to bring a bit of an earthy hop presence, but not sure. Touch of booze tingles the nose.

Taste is a bit sweet at first, but turns to bitter dark chocolate, and earthy flavors. Chocolate is there, dark, baker's, and light cocoa with a hint of creamy milk chocolate. Then roast, the roasted malts kick in so much that it gets bitter and burnt, a light acrid burnt coffee and licorice flavor. It def has some booze, plenty warming and tingly and almost gets fusel but not quite, which I imagine is more so fresh. Earthy hops add more bitterness to the already bitter earthy burnt malts. Also a light black patent malt flavor, and a light fluffy nougat in there. As it finishes the bitterness really takes over, with an earthy, spicy, astringent bitterness, more from hops in this case I think, which is interested for an 2+ year old beer, although the bitterness from the burnt malts also accentuates it. Sticky and a little sweet still, as well as a slight dark chocolate and burnt coffee lingering.

Mouth is quite rich and full, almost creamy but not quite, decent carb overall.

Overall not bad, but a bit over the top. Not very drinkable, a bit boozy, burnt roast, a little acrid, and astringent finish. I'm usually an imperial stout fan but this seems to go a bit over the top in the wrong places, as most Rogue beers seem to do for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 02:24:32 | More by jlindros

rogueleonardi

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm usually not a fan of Imperial stouts at all, but I thought this tasted more like a black IPA than a stout, enjoyed this out of my Rogue XS chalet

A - Pitch black with little to almost no head at all.

S - Hints of coffee, maybe some chocolate as well? You can smell the alcohol in this one.

T - Very full flavored, lots of malt, can taste some bitter hopiness to it. Was good cold, but as it warmed in the glass it got much beter, the flavor was exploding after about a half hour.

M - Was like drinking thin syrup, little to no carbonation.

O - I enjoyed this beer but will probably not buy it again, $5 for a 6oz bottle? It's not that good.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 17:51:33 | More by rogueleonardi

SykDoc

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a snifter It pours a thick dark black and forms a 2 inch mocha head that slowly reduces to a nice over the top lacing.

The aroma has a nice roasted note with a definitely hoppy presence with dark fruit and chocolate. There is a reasonable alcohol component.

The taste seems to fall a bit for me compared to the nose, with a bakers chocolate punch and a hoppy finish with some licorice sweetness in the middle. Nice amount of booziness.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with an appropriate level of carbonation. A light dryness lingers at the finish with a velvety texture.

Overall, this is a solid beer. It competes with some of the better imperial stouts but could be a little more stiff with flavor and feel.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 21:34:29 | More by SykDoc

mdaschaf

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2009 Bottle.

A: Pours a deep brown, almost black color with a very small mocha head that forms upon pouring, but dissipates quickly. Very little bits of lacing.

S: Roasted malt, a good bit of dark fruit, some chocolate and a little alcohol. There is a little bit of cigar smoke as well.

T: On the burnt side, not quite charred-burnt, but a little over roasted IMO. There is some bitter chocolate and a bit of smoke too.

M: Medium to heavy bodied, low to medium carbonation. Slightly dry finish, hint of alcohol.

O: Glad it was only a 7oz bottle, not sure I would have wanted much more. Just a bit too roasty for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 02:56:04 | More by mdaschaf