Imperial Stout - Rogue Ales

warnerry

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2006 750ml swing-top ceramic bottle into a tulip

A - pours pitch black with two fingers of light brown head. Head fades pretty quickly and doesn't leave lacing.

S - massive amounts of bittersweet chocolate in the nose. Also hints of coffee, a bit of sugar and lots of roasted malts.

T - Similar to the smell there is a huge amount of chocolate in the taste, along with more roasted malt than I got in the smell. Some charred malt as well, maybe a bit too much. Very smooth with almost no noticeable alcohol. Nice.

M - Slightly syrupy full mouthfeel. The roasted malts give a very dry finish.

O - This is a very nice RIS, and the age has led to very smooth brew. One of the better Rogue offerings.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 01:59:16 | More by warnerry

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

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

Normally I’d be pretty pissed that I paid $6.00+ for a bottle that isn’t even as tall as my tulip. This, however, is a highly-acclaimed Russian Imperial Stout – one of my absolute favorite styles. Thus, my negativity is at the very least subdued. At almost a dollar an ounce, though, it will be tough to justify the cost of this one. Let’s hope it’s just really, really good.

Brewed about two years before the date of this tasting (“Bottled in 2009”).

A: A black, oily body flows slowly from the bottle as I pour into my tulip. It’s pitch black, save for the small area directly beneath the head where light shines through to show a deep brown color. The head’s a dark, mocha beauty, so rich and creamy you could eat it with a spoon. Dreamy lacing clings to every single open area around the glass. It’s the perfect RIS look.

S: Very mild, very warm. Bready malts, with molasses, chocolate, and vanilla aromas form a bakery-fresh richness. Apart from that, there’s not a whole lot else besides some woody, caramel booze and some unfortunate buttery notes. Small but mighty is the name of the game in this nose, I guess.

T: Warm, malty goodness. There's a welcome bit of complexity, though, in that you can clearly distinguish between the syrupy and grainy textures. The syrups are dark and chocolaty, laced with sweetened coffee; the grains show themselves slightly after, and they're mostly roasted, with a chewy note throughout. The most impressive part of this beer, however, is the hop presence. For such an old brew, this certainly has a great piney bitterness; the resins of meaty Willamette hops take charge of the palate to the very end. The aftertaste is whatever's left of the coffee (not much), and the healthy sting of peppery hops. For this RIS, it’s nothing but savory satisfaction.

M: Smooth, all the way down. There’s a thickness that goes perfectly with the grain texture of the malts, and enough carb to keep attention on the hops. I can’t believe something with 11% alcohol is so drinkable.

O: Well, it’s great. Damn! I was secretly hoping this one would have something strikingly bad about it, so the decision to spend over $6.00 on another 7 oz. bottle would be easy. It turns out that it’ll probably call to me again, despite its hefty price. Oh well, it'll be money well spent. Even after a couple years of age, Rogue’s RIS is as hoppy and rewarding as ever.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 04:07:16 | More by BarryMFBurton

FanofHefe

Illinois

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

2009 7 oz. bottle poured into a tulip. Deep, black body. Small mocha head that dissipates quickly and leaves a smattering of lacing. Looks like a good RIS.

I am totally digging this aroma. I'm sure I will not be able to describe it well, but it is very inviting. Rich roasted malt, light coffee, chocolate, and a hint of whisky.

The taste matches the aroma but brings the bitterness level up a notch. Plenty of roasted malt and excellent flavors to follow including the aforementioned coffee, chocolate, and bourbon.

Not as thick as I would have expected in the mouthfeel, but not a big deal. Excellent RIS, and I highly recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2011 00:13:12 | More by FanofHefe

billab914

Virginia

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

7oz bottle into my Bruery tulip. It poured black in color with a half inch of chocolaty foam covering the top of the beer. Decent head retention with a little lacing.

The aroma shows a good dose of dark, bitter-sweet chocolate to it. Some roasty, coffee, slightly burnt flavors are there as well. Some sweeter, caramel and chocolate flavors give it some balance and depth. Pretty nice overall.

The taste has a little more sweetness to it up front. Midway I start to get more of the bitter, roasty flavors to it with a little bit of an oatmeal stout like quality as well. The bitter-sweet chocolate really comes out in the finish with some more burnt, bitter flavors.

The mouthfeel is heavy and slightly creamy with carbonation being low. Overall a pretty solid beer of the style. The sweetness and bitterness seemed pretty well balanced. Very enjoyable beer to sip on this evening.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2011 00:45:41 | More by billab914

negroobserver

New York

3.68/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Color... Dark rich brown/black color. Pours with a short beige/mocha colored head.

Smell... Dark roasted malts. No hoppy or bitter scents. Can't really identify the chocolate or coffee notes that are common to this style or stouts in general.

Taste... Strong presence of malts. The hops definitely come through here. Moderate bitterness at the end, which lingers for quite a bit of time. Light, but noticeable aftertaste of coffee and/or chocolate. The first sip of this beer is crucial in identifyfing the flavors, because the bitterness tends to dominate the experience of this beer after that first sip.

Mouthfeel... Well rounded texture and depth. The beer is not over carbonated or under. It has a good balance for a stout. Strong alcohol content is very helpful here.

Overall... The flavors are definitely lacking here. Other overall experience could be better. Maybe it's my feeble palate, but I expected more here (especially for five bucks for an XS bottle). The better and much harder to find alternative is the Founders KBS.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 16:37:45 | More by negroobserver

jdense

Oregon

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

7 oz. wee nip bottle $4.99, poured into tulip glass 6.25.11.

Hard pour resulted in one finger light brown head medium dissipation with minimal lacing over dark brown opaque body. Nose features good dose of cocoa nib light chocolate aroma, citrus hops subsumed by malt. Taste is fairly chocolatey, some roast, citrus hops in the middle leading to fairly piney resin finish. Mouthfeel a bit on the heavy side of medium, decent effervescence. Not bad, but at this price point won't be purchasing again, not all that great, I'd rather grab a 4-pack of Old Rasputin.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2011 22:41:04 | More by jdense

Jerone

Florida

3.8/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Very dark, can't see through the edges. Has an off color head that fades over time.

S - Smells of roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, maybe some dark fruit, hops and alcohol.

T - Tastes a lot like the smell, chocolate, dark malts, fig/date and a hit of alcohol with a fair amount of hops in the finish. Alcohol is a bit harsh and the hops don't do it for me either in this beer.

M - Heavy bodied that sticks in your mouth for a long time. Wouldn't want more than one or maybe two though.

O - A good beer but I think I would want to buy this and cellar it for a few years to mellow out some of it's harsh edges.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2011 03:47:00 | More by Jerone

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 7 ounce bottle into an Ommegang glass. Bottled 2010. "Best when aged for a year." From notes. Reviewed 21 June 2011.

A: Basically no head. Super-black. Utterly impentrable. Head that sticks to the edges is medium/nutty brown. Good lace.

S: Deep, deep roasted espresso. Dark chocolate and huge alcohol. A touch of drying fruit. This is how a RIS should smell.

T: Lots of flavour. Most similar to Old Rasputin. Drying, roasted malts. Fruity-sweet alcohol. Big, but oddly lacking. The aftertaste, however, is excellent and bitter.

M: No complaints here -- smooth, rich, and pleasant. A touch of carbonation, barely needed, and a chalky dryness on the end.

O: Good beer, good imperial stout. Recommended. Would have again. Could be more interesting though...more complex? Though thoroughly pleasant, it doesn't rise to any great heights.

Notes: 11 Ingredients
Crystal, Black, Chocolate, Rogue Micro Barley Farm Dare & Risk malts.
Chinook, Rogue Micro Hopyard Rebel & Revolution hops.
Rolled oats, free range coastal water [Ed: whatever that means], and Pacman yeast.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2011 13:32:42 | More by AgentMunky

isualum12

Idaho

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Red head stout with lots of head to start with. Black as black gets. Smells of cherries and malt with a hint of hop.

Taste is extremely high in alcohol. I really like it as a cold drink. I couldn't drink this beer slightly warm. I like the warm Carmel flavor that is in this.

I would love this with a nice braised steak.

Overall I enjoyed this beer I couldn't handle the beer much more than 7oz.

Thanks

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 03:13:39 | More by isualum12

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance. Pours an oily black with a finger of dark tan, bubbly head that leaves some heavy lacing.

Smell. Molasses, some dark coffee and some dark chocolate.

Taste. Heavily roasted malt and bitter, grassy hops. Some molasses and wood. Bitter and quite tasty.

Mouthfeel. Medium-full bodied with smooth, lower level of carbonation. Not quite as thick and oily as I would like.

Overall. Nice RIS. Bitter and hoppy but not without all the things a good ris should have.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 01:42:42 | More by Rutager

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured out from a mini bottle which I wasn't much of a fan of. The beer poured out jet black with a nice brown head on top. The lacing was decent on this beer. The smell was boozy and very roasted. The taste had some rich dark chocolate with coffee in there. It's also got some nice toasted boozy flavors going on in there. The mouthfeel was pretty thick which I liked a lot. Overall this beer is one of the better Rogue brews out there. I'd like to get it in 12oz. bottles though.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 04:24:24 | More by Knapp85

Mavajo

Georgia

3.43/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours black with a nice brown head. No lacing.

A bit too straightforward roastiness. Dark malts, lots of roast, some chocolate and lots of hops. The hops actually seem to intensify the roasty quality, which leads to a very parching aftertaste. I hate that in a beer. Other than the parching quality, the mouthfeel has adequate viscosity and carbonation -- but the parching trumps all else.

Not impressed. The roastiness needs to be tamed and some additional complexities introduced.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2011 14:23:13 | More by Mavajo

womencantsail

California

3.13/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: The beer pours thick and black with a small brown head.

S: Big time roast aroma with lots of coffee and dark chocolate. There's some burnt sugar notes to it as well as a nice licorice aroma. A bit of booze, but it's subtle, even as the beer warms up.

T: Horribly burnt and charred flavor. Over the top roasted malt character with burnt sugar and burnt wood flavors, sort of like charcoal. Some dark chocolate and coffee in the background, but not enough.

M: On the full end of medium with a low to medium carbonation.

O: The nose and mouthfeel were nice, but the flavor was fairly off-putting, unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2011 22:25:42 | More by womencantsail

Satchboogie

New Hampshire

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

7oz bottle (2009) poured into a snifter:

A: Pours pretty much pitch black with an inch of dark brown head, lots of bubbling action in the middle, otherwise a tight head.

S: Tons of dark chocolate, coffee, licorice/caramel, dark fruit qualities. Surprisingly there is still a decent amount of hop presence in the background.

T: Just like the nose: dark chocolate, lots of earthy coffee (not bitter), a good bit of licorice/caramel sweetness. Fairly strong malt base through the middle, finish bring just a touch of vinous qualities and floral hops that add a little bitterness. Alcohol is still fairly strong despite aging 1-2 years, has a lot of heat on the front and finish. Bitter and dry finish. Not the most balanced nor attenuated stouts, but still pretty good.

M: The body is lighter than I was expecting, it's still pretty solid, but no where near the intense thickness I expect out of a 11%+ RIS. That said, it does have a really nice smoothness, even despite the hot alcohol and bitterness. Carbonation is moderate to below average (not in a bad way).

O: Not a bad stout, but I'm expecting a little more out of an 11% stout aged over a year. Too hot and the flavor profile could use a little work. I have a 2008 that I'm hoping will be a little more mellow.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 03:52:08 | More by Satchboogie

beerman207

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Found this sitting around for $1.99- 2009 vintage-awesome!

A- Appearance is very dark with ahead that hangs out a while. Nice Skim coat left that is light brown on the bottom of the glass I see Large chunks. yummy!

s -smell is dark malt with coffee and dark fruit

to- taste is bitter hops & coffee tones along with some Chocolate

M- very thick and Creamy

O- Overall, this is a great Beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 01:09:49 | More by beerman207

BelgiumBill

Virginia

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

Rogue XS Russian Imperial Stout 7oz bottle bought at Total Wine for $5. This offering was bottled in 2009 at 87.5 IBUs 11%ABV.

Threw it into a tulip glass which produced a minimal mahogany head that receded quickly.

Dark roasty fragrance and I got black olives on the nose??

The flavor was huge, again with black kalamata olive, roast malts, cola bean, cocoa, hops providing some bite and mineral toward the finish.

Rich in the mouth, thick and chewy. Definitely a desert type sipping beer. Incredibly huge and dense.

Drinkability - despite the how huge it is, it hides the alcohol pretty well. I wish it came in a 12oz bottle, though a bomber would be over the top (maybe).

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2011 00:09:57 | More by BelgiumBill

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.73/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

7.5 oz bottle; aged 1 year.

A: Ridiculous 1,2,3,4,5, infinity head that stayed afloat for a LONG time. The brew itself was about as dark as dark can be....

S: A tinge of fruity, teriyaki sauce, with a bit of hoppiness... more than I was expecting from an IS.

T: Waiting for the head to disipate... A bit thinner than many of the greats.... but still not bad. I could taste the Pac-Man yeast a mile away: yeast upfront, a mild bit of funky fruit, and a bit of mothball on the aftertaste.

M: VERY low carbonation.... almost into prune juice territory. The lacing was more than ridiculous. I honestly couldn't even see through the glass when I was done.

O: This one reminded me a lot of Duck Rabbit's "Rabid Duck" only much thinner and less memorable. That price tag on this one was a bit much to my mind...

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2011 03:20:19 | More by Chaney

chicagoabbot

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tiny 7.5 oz bottle split with a friend...cost was ridiculous, $6 for one mini-beer, but what the heck, it is fun to try new beers.

Head is ok but not huge...this is a deep black in color, dark as the night and it laces the sides of the glass like residue, leaving an oil. As far as hop oil lacing characteristics, this is tops as far as the style.

Taste is sublime...tons of malt and bitterness and chocolate. This is really exceptional, I'm very impressed.

Mouthfeel is likewise very on point. It is zesty, thick, creamy. A real winner.

Overall, this is one of the best example of the style, hands down.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 03:25:14 | More by chicagoabbot

prototypic

Ohio

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

Vintage 2008

Imperial Stout is onyx in color. Solid black. No light cuts through at all. A very attractive mocha colored head tops it off. It stands nearly two fingers tall, and is quite slow to recede. A very sticky, thick web of lace lines the glass as it descends. I’m looking, but I can’t find any holes to poke in this one. Looks incredible!

The nose is quite good, but is just a tad lacking in strength. The base combo of roasted and chocolate malts hogs the spotlight. Dark chocolate notes are very strong. Roasted coffee/espresso notes are secondary, but complement the malts perfectly. A little alcohol is noted. I was honestly expecting more. Perhaps it’s integrated very well over the last two to three years.

The flavor is damn impressive. Intense is the first word that comes to mind. Roasted malts and dark chocolate are very strong and give it an excellent base. Bittersweet dark chocolate resonates throughout. Coffee and espresso flavors are rather strong, and might offend the coffee averse. This guy loves some coffee, so it’s okay by me. Secondary flavors of light caramel, molasses, and light piney hops are all present. Who knew there’d be some hops after this much time in the bottle. Alcohol has blended well over time. It’s barely noticeable. Finishes roasty and chocolaty with a surge of coffee.

Imperial Stout has a medium body. Carbonation is very light. Overall, it has a smooth feel, but feels a bit thin. It certainly goes down easy. I have no doubt that the contents within the ceramic swing-top will not survive the evening.

Rogue Imperial Stout is a legendary beer. Back in the day, this beer was a mainstay in the BA Top 100. Frankly, I’m extremely impressed with it. Yeah, it’s a little pricy and isn’t quite as legendary as it used to be, but it’s very much worth a purchase. It’s just one of those beers that every BA should try at some point. In a word…classic.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 03:03:33 | More by prototypic

phishisphunk

Indiana

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

2008 vintage served at cellar temp from a 750ml ceramic bottle. I love the presentation of this ceramic bottle with the swing top lid. I have been holding on to this bottle for a couple of years and have on multiple occasions attempted to crack this one open. Tonight's the night. I have never had this one fresh.

A: A vigorous pour presents a pretty standard looking Russian imperial stout colored ale with an inch thick off white head. Within several moments, the head recedes to a thin ring around the glass. No lacing left at all. In fact it dissipates similar to the dissolve screen on a power point presentation.

S: The initial nose smells medicinal. But not in an off way. It's similar to a peat moss in a single malt south isle scotch. The second wave reveals hints of baker's chocolate. Rolled oats yielding a fresh baked oatmeal cookie aroma are also in the mix.

T: The taste is fairly one dimensional. Not a lot of complexity, just a solid Russian Imperial Stout. The taste follows the nose verbatim. The body has a nice roasty and dry, lingering finish. The 11% is scarcely noticeable. Bitter indistinguishable hops complete the finish.

M: The beer remains well carbonated, with a creamy mouth feel. The bozzyness peaks its head in.

D: The body of this beer has held up well. Even better then I anticipated. It's similar to an aged Bell's Expedition. A great reason to experiment with cellaring, and certainly one that I feel would continue to hold up for a little longer. Well done Rogue.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 02:42:58 | More by phishisphunk

seand

California

3.65/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a very deep opaque black, with a fair amount of dark tan head. A bit retains, mostly around the edge of the glass, leaving some spots of lacing.

S: Sweet, boozy, and bitter, with notes of molasses, whiskey, and coffee. Thick and almost overpowering.

T: A ton of flavor, and not exactly well balanced. Lots of malty, near syrupy sweetness, finishing bitter with both coffee and hop notes.

M: Full body, medium to low carbonation.

Overall there's lots of flavor, but the package doesn't really work together for me. I think it could likely be much improved with some time in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 04:41:08 | More by seand

LittleCreature

Australia

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

Note: I drank this beer too cold, let it warm to 12C + to let the malty flavours unfold and provide balance.

Appearance - 3.5
Pours a thin tan head that quickly disappeared, leaving just a rim around the edge of the glass. Jet black in colour and impenetrable to light.

Smell - 4.0
A very pleasant aroma, but somewhat surprising, given the style. While there is some dark fruit and roastiness, the main thing I can smell is hops - citrus and pine.

Taste - 4.0
A good measure of sweetness, suggestions of dark fruit, espresso and dark chocolate, then completely overrun by bitterness and intense hoppiness. At 87.5IBU, this is definitely at the more bitter end of the style. Finishes with a slightly acrid roastiness and minty, piney hops.

Mouthfeel - 4.0
Very fine carbonation, a little fizzier than average for an imperial stout.

Overall - 4.0
Certainly a tasty beer, but in need of more malty flavours for balance. The end result is nice enough, but probably nearer black IPA than Imperial Stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2011 08:02:37 | More by LittleCreature

Beerenauslese

California

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Body is very dark opaque brown. Tan head dissipates quickly to a fine ring.

Smells very rich, charred malt and some ash, dark fruit, prunes and cherries, chocolate.

Tastes of charred malt and ash, dark fruit, espresso, chocolate, and has a long bitter charred ash and hoppy finish.

Body is medium and carbonation is modest, producing a rather flat mouthfeel.

A decent RIS, pretty flavorful and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 06:17:13 | More by Beerenauslese

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to DaPan for this bottle from 2009

Pours jet black, one finger of tan/brown head, some lacing on the glass. Smell is of roasted malt, coffee, bittersweet chocolate and an almost hop like bitterness. Taste is of bittersweet chocolate, coffee, burnt and roasted malt, slightly hoppy, nice long bitter finish. Full mouthfeel, nice light carbonation, good weight that coats the mouth well. Fantastic brew, ABV not noticeable in taste but it is certainly there, the age on this helped big time. Great stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 21:50:31 | More by peensteen

jayhawk73

Maryland

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

Vintage 2009- Pours a dark black w/ a one finger chocolate head that quickly goes away. This is a 2 year old beer, and hopefully it will be aged enough. Smell is that of alcohol, chocolate, coffee. Taste is nice- tons of hops, barley, chocolate, coffee are present. The mouthfeel is the weak link here. As an 11% beer, I want this to be thicker, and more silky than it is. Ultimately it's a little on the thin side w/ hops/barley exploding in your mouth. Not smooth in spite of the 2 yrs. of age. All in all this is a good beer that falls just short of greatness for me. Definitely a worthwhile drink though, and glad I got to try this one!

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 05:47:32 | More by jayhawk73