XS Imperial Red - Rogue Ales

champ103

Texas

2.78/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A: Pours a murky, mud like color. A dirty brown with some reddish highlights. A minimal and bubbly head forms at first, but recedes in a second. Light lace.
S: Burnt toast, very sweet malt, and light diacetyl. Some alcohol in the nose as well.
T: Follows the nose. burnt and charcoal like malt. Very sweet and some diacetyl. Plenty of alcohol.
M/D: A medium body that is a bit syrupy. Oddly, some prickly carbonation at the same time. Lots of alcohol, and way to sweet. Hard to finish the small 7 oz bottle.

Not impressed with this. Boozy and way to sweet. I will not get this again.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2010 03:26:40 | More by champ103

tjsdomer2

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5
rDev: +4.8%

Appearance: Dark brown with decent foam. Lightens up a bit to a medium brown in the light. Pretty nice carbonation effect as well.

Smell: Great smell of chocolate malt. Pretty sweet as well. Some dark fruit in the background here as well. Great balance.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Tastes and feels like smooth chocolate. Almost like alcoholic hot chocolate.

Drinkability: Comes in a 7 oz. bottle you should be ashamed not to finish this with ease.

Overall: I quite enjoyed this beer. It's kind of a hard beer to describe. Worth the experience. I wish the bottle was bigger so I could get a better feel.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2010 06:40:43 | More by tjsdomer2

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.05/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a one finger off-white head that fades quickly leaving traces of lace. Cloudy brown color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Light hoppy nose. Flavor is piney, resinous hops, hints of caramel, lingering bitter aftertaste. $4.49 for a wussy 7oz bottle from Beverage Warehouse Winooski, VT.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2010 21:42:15 | More by jdhilt

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Churchkey. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a dark amber color with a tan head and a good dose of lacing. The nose brings forward a large amount of resiny, pine hops as well as some citrus notes. Sweet amber caramel malt as well. The taste is definitely a bit bitter and resinous with pine coming through over the top of some sweet malt. Feel is bitter and sweet. Drinks fairly well but is a bit over the top in some areas.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2010 18:11:25 | More by Thorpe429

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a pony (7oz) bottle today from my local Beer Nutz.

A - Pours a dark red amber hue with little to no head.

S - Smells of hops, yeast and a little toffee and fruit.

T - Wow pretty balanced. Very mild bitter hops with a taste of slight dark fruit and caramel with a sweet finish. Nice.

M - Surprisingly medium bodied and drinkable.

D - As I do like the idea of being able to buy bottle of imperial beer at a smaller size to try it, I really don't see why I couldn't get a full 12oz of this beer for lets say 3 or 3.50. Kind of like a tease but it was pretty nice for a rouge. Good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2010 06:48:02 | More by DrDemento456

ADZA

Australia

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brew pours a thickish looking cherry hue with average carbonation that leaves behind a fast vanishing one finger head and no lacing,the smell is very sweet with aromas of boiled candy,toffee,gum drops and an underlining of piney hops,the mouthfeel is just over medium bodied and is quite syrupy with little carbonation on feel and the tastes of boiled candy,toffee,barley sugar are first to hit the tounge followed by a very tiny tinge of medicinal,piney hops that im sure is overcounted for by the sweet first taste you encounter which carries on through to the end sip and definately takes away the bitterness you expect but in saying that its a fairly decent brew that doesnt turn heads but is very drinkable with its ABV well hidden,it just wouldnt be part of my regular line up.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2010 10:54:09 | More by ADZA

beersensei305

Florida

4.18/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I found this beer in the back rack at my local liquor store. I was quite eager to try this out. I am a huge fan of Red Ales but this one is pretty damn good.

It spicey-fruity aroma. The head is thick and the body has a deep copper color to it. The taste has a hint of fig/raisin with a nutty finish. Surpisingly as the beer warms it has a choclate flavor. The beer is quite smooth, great drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 01:15:10 | More by beersensei305

bierguru

Florida

3.93/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A -
body is a deep red head is a cream color not very foamy but thick and stays very well

S -
sweet malts with undertones of sweet dark fruits
and on the back end you get suttle smell of alcohol

T -
right up front you get hit with malt and dark fruit flavor maybe dates since it is a bit sweet slight hop character as well as a slight alcohol taste which is kind of surprising since the beer is on 9 abv

M -
smooth up front but it finishes with a bite

D -
its pretty good however next time in cooking a steak to go with it

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2010 01:14:56 | More by bierguru

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap in a pint glass at Bodega on 8/31/10

Rusty, crimson amber color. Deep hues & kind of cloudy. The head thins quickly, leaving the beginnings of lace. Ok retention. Tight, webbed lace.

Toasted caramel underpinnings supports a vibrant hop aroma. Dank, almost solvent-like citric notes with overtones of pine & floral wisps. Doesn't smell all that sweet.

Caramel flavor abounds with a penchant for toastiness. Has a little sweetness but not too much. Nice hop element that's geared toward modest piney bitterness. Earthy, floral undertones.

Between medium & full bodied for the style. Nice grittiness. Moderately low carbonation. Waxy hops & caramel on the finish.

A very nice imperial red. I could go for a more potent hop taste, but it's solid as is. Worth a shot, at least on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2010 00:27:23 | More by Ryan011235

joecast

Australia

4.22/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Only half fills my glass, but I'm sure the taste will compensate.

Ruddy brown, but not too dark. Thin tanned head which grows as the glass is swirled. Low carbonation.

For sure hops are there in the aroma, and bloody nice hops they are, but the booze is there and just as intense. It makes for an intriguing mix. The beer behind this is obviously huge and it's a fine balance between sniffing and wanting to take a good long sip.

The taste takes a step back from the promise of the "kick your face in" potential of the aroma. Same direction, but perhaps scaled back 10%. Big base and crystal malt but held back by a steadying hop presence. Label says 58 ibu and it could easily handle another 10 or 20. Byno means doesitfinish sweet. There is a nice bitter kick at the end. And maybe that's all it needs.

Maybe it doesn't have the impact of the stout, but this is still a hefty beer which requires your full attention.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2010 13:10:04 | More by joecast

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.08/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

7 oz bottle opens with a slight whoosh & a bit of mist. Pours a not so bright, semi-turbid chestnut with a sliver of tan head. Nice viscosity to this, good head retention & average lacing

S: Oaky notes, cakeyness, smokey notes (oak & hickory) up front. Leafy hops show once warm, plums, plus some sharp booze, that never shows up in taste...

T: Cakeyness, rich dark fruit, herbal hops, persimmons & Christmas Pudding up front, dryness. leafy hops, along with a fairly potent smokeyness. Dark fruit, oaky dryness, cakeyness & leafy hops once warm, starts breaking towards an American Barley Wine. Finishes dry, oaky & fruitty with some nice cakeyness as well

MF: Chewy enough, slightly assertive carbonation, fairly decent balance & a nice warming sensation

Drinks easy enough, not sure on the age of this, or what Rogue was actually shooting for here. Having said that this work for me on enough levels I would tell you to give it a go

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2010 02:14:50 | More by russpowell

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

7 oz nip bottle without a freshness date. Pours an opaque brown color with a small tan foam, even with an aggressive pour. Pretty good retention and decent lace. Rubs me a bit raw that they charge 3.99 for one of these small bottles, seems a bit ridiculous - the equivalent of 12.54 for a bomber. Although that is about the same as the 750 ceramic bottles they put out.

Nose is balanced toasty chocolate with an orange peel hoppy aspect and a touch of tobacco. Pacman yeast makes itself known in the smell, which is surprisingly faint for a 9% brew.

Taste is smooth and well-rounded. Malts and hops blend harmoniously into a continuous spectrum of flavors on the palate, ranging from sweet to doughy to increasingly bitter. The mouthfeel is soft, but a tad thin. As much as I wanted to diss this brew due to the price, it is a pretty tasty ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2010 18:29:51 | More by twiggamortis420

ToasterChef

Maine

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

Reviewed from my notes. The beer comes to me with a huge tan foam head--nearly a quarter of my chalice is taken up by this beer's head. The liquid is opaque and colored deep red, nearly brown. [Caveat: it is dark in here, so it is possible the beer is actually translucent and I just can't see well enough to discover that fact.] Lots of good lacing is left behind as I drink the beer.

The aroma is warm. I can smell toasted hops, alcohol and roasted malts. Burnt toast may be the best descriptor. Interesting, complex and appealing.

I taste biscuity malt at first, followed by toffee sweetness. Bitter comes soon come into play. I can detect a bit of alcohol on the way down.

Medium body and lots of coating. There is some stickiness. It feels pretty much like an imperial beer.

This is a sipper. Strong flavors and alcohol limit this beer. I can see why they sell it in small bottles. I may have a hard time finishing this pour (in that I'll be feeling the alcohol's effects by the time I finish).

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2010 22:26:55 | More by ToasterChef

TheHoppiest

Ohio

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 7 oz splits bottle into a small chalice. Pours the color of dark iced-t, a little silty looking. Has a one finger head that quickly retreats.

Has a slight hopped smell, with a decent amount of sweet malt. Smell is subdued, however.

Strong bitter taste that starts with hints of pine, tobacco and grass, quickly transitioning to a sweeter fruit taste at mid-tongue befre finishing dry at the back and sides of the tongue.

Mouthfeel is medium.

While complex in taste, it is not one I'd follow up with another. At $4.50 for 7 oz of beer, its too expensive to warrant another buy.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2010 16:09:23 | More by TheHoppiest

bashiba

Iowa

3.28/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

From a $5 7oz bottle, Poured a deep amber color with a thin ring of tan head.

The smell was a nice deep caramel malt with subtle hop aroma.

The flavor is mild and balanced with some nice dark fruit notes in the malt and a good mild bitter pine finish.

The mouthfeel is fairly thick and a touch warm.

Might be a decent drink, but at the price it would cost you $10 for a full glass, pretty out of control when I get 6pks of other top notch imperial reds for about the same price. Between this and the XS bitter it has made me swear off every buying another Rogue again, I always end up feeling angry and embarrassed that I paid this much for what is always an average beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 20:23:50 | More by bashiba

TheSarge

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

When poured in a tulip, the 7oz offering I sampled made a finger thick light tan head. The body is dark ruby red in color and has quite a bit of haze in it.

The aroma is bready, and yeasty. There is a raisin fragrance and a hint of cherry.

In the taste I get a red wine kind of characteristic. There is a touch of the raisin I detected in the smell.

Feel wise it's full in body, lightly carbonated, and has only a mild warmness in the end.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2010 20:13:08 | More by TheSarge

oberon

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Iam not a big fan of the 7oz bottles of the XS series but I have wanted to try this beer for awhile,so I bought one today.Poured a deep murky amber with a tight formed one finger off white head that held pretty well.Aromas are a mixture of the signature deeply piney and citric Rogue hop character,and caramel malt with a touch of slighter roast.The biggest thing I noticed about this beer on the palate was the lack of alcohol presence for a beer that packs so much of it,the resiny hops although not dominant played a big role intermingling with caramel malt and some biscuit.A real nice beer,not worth what I paid for the small bottle,but still quite good.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 01:39:56 | More by oberon

AndyAvalanche

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Saved this one for quite awhile, I love the bottle. The cap let me drink it over about a 24 hour span and it still stayed pretty fresh. Poured into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint Glass. Pretty unique in color. It comes out a deep red/amber color at first. When held up to the light you can see it's even a little orange. As you hold it up to the light in the midst of the orange you can see it's quite hazy. A creamy orange head appears that doesn't provide too much lacing and leaves a ring around the glass. Slowly trickles down to the pool after each sip. If I were to describe the smell in one word, it would have to be "potent." Since I'm able to use more, I'll exercise the right. As bold and aggressive as it is, you can tell it's pretty well blended. Hoppy, both citrus and pine with toasted, caramelized and chocolate malts, really pretty compltex and strong. The alcohol slightly tickles and warms your nose as you drink it. The taste is equally as strong, and complex. Malts provide sweetness that helps tame the collaboration of flavors. Pine, citrus, with a touch of glazed dehydrated fruitiness, a little earthiness with another touch of alcohol. The beer is full bodied. Slight bite from the alcohol with a bitter finish, unfiltered. Extremely drinkable, more of a slow drinker, but the alcohol grows on you and warms you up. Be a nice beer to sip on a cold day. Yet I thoroughly enjoyed it on a nice warm summer evening too. Versatile beer good for any occasion. I will say though, I got the 750ml bottle and it was about $17. So I'd be careful, it's pretty expensive, it's biggest downfall. But a very nice beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2010 00:40:43 | More by AndyAvalanche

SolomonGrundy

California

3/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Ahoy there, matey!!! This here ale is FUKKIN EXPENSIVE!!! $4.49 for a 7 oz. bottle!!! "Oh, but it's so cuuute!"...Listen, bitch, you and toto can go back to fukking Kansas for all I care with that damn price point...this better be freaking GOOD, is all I can say...

Smells really awesome, like a bowl of crushed cherries...I like cherries...

OK, is it just me or is there really no flavor to this? It's really well balanced - perfectly in fact, between the malty and hops, but it's got no verve to it, no heft. It's balance is key and is excellent. The cherries hang out way in the background and the finish is long and good-bitter. But, seriously, that price point? Not for this, folks. Try once as novelty...

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2010 01:51:19 | More by SolomonGrundy

CampusCrew

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

had this at the huge kickbacks dinner in Jacksonville, FL. I took some notes but mostly doing this from memory.
Appearance: garnett complexion
Smell: hoppy and nice caramel from malts
Taste: quite poissbly the best beer of the night. big fan of imperial reds. this was a great one. huge caramel and huhge hops. great combo

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2010 17:53:13 | More by CampusCrew

ectomorph

Tennessee

3.65/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

7 oz bottle for more than I care to pay for a single 12, but Rogue got me again... I will say that, as a home brewer, I really like the ingredient list and gravity breakdowns on the bottles. Served in a tulip.

A - Very dark amber and mahogany body, you can't even begin to see through this one. A small but tight tan head fades slowly to a ring on the side with carbonation keeping the rest lively.

S - Like a pile of fresh cut wood sitting in the middle of a bakery. Earthy, with a hint of caramel sweetness. I give the glass a swirl and pick up hints of fig.

T - Assertive pine bitterness is balanced with rich caramel malt and alcohol warming. A little on the boozy side, with the alcohol really biting the back of the tongue. There are grapefruit and green apple flavors resting on a fresh baked cracker base.

M - Rich and fairly robust body, this Imperial Red clears the palate well and encourages the next sip.

D - Fairly low, as the ABV coupled with the exorbitant price make this less than a session brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2010 21:03:03 | More by ectomorph

dgilks

Australia

3.05/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Muted hop aroma out of this beer with light caramel and pine notes. fairly resinous but lacking a sense of vibrancy.

Hazy, red colour with a nice, fluffy, tan head.

The flavour isn't doing a lot for me. Moderately malty with a light toffee note with a moderate resinous hop presence. Firm bitterness is good but it lacks freshness and something really exciting.

Medium body with moderate carbonation.

I don't like it that much. The hops I expect of a Rogue beer and of an Imperial Red Ale are lacking.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2010 10:09:52 | More by dgilks

augustgarage

California

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 7oz bottle into my petite Moinette tulip.

Pale buff foam assembles over a dark burgundy body which glows a luminous rose madder when held to the light. Sticky soapy lacing, and good retention.

Pale malt, faint caramel, barley syrup, and grass in the nose.

Incredibly deep maltiness on the palate, a perfect blend of chocolate, crystal, and Rogue-grown varieties. A pleasing woodsy bitterness emerges slowly but steadily, suggesting herbs, and clove-studded citrus peel. Dry finish hints at pumpernickel and grapefruit seeds.

Medium-light bodied, not quite oily but substantial mouthfeel. Alcohol is nowhere to be found.

Very pure and dry, it seems to engender thirst more than quench it.

I'm pleased that Rogue is returning to offering their beers in 7oz servings, but I would have preferred a bomber of this really.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2010 00:06:24 | More by augustgarage

Blakaeris

Iowa

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours hazy red-mahogany with a slight head that quickly becomes a thin ring.

Aroma is sticky sweet caramel malt and toffee sweetness meets earthy hop and brandy soaked dark fruit.

Taste is bready caramel malt and brown sugar, with a drying oak character. Boozy with a big brandy character that appeared in the nose. A good bit of peaty smokiness. Cherry and plum dark fruit, orange peel and resinous earthy hops adds some complexity. Finishes a little hot.

Mouthfeel is medium-full.

Certainly drinkable, but not outstanding. Overall flavor is not as robust as I had expected.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2010 21:41:55 | More by Blakaeris

beertunes

Washington

3.45/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

7oz Nip bottle. Poured into 10oz glass. Poured a clear, deep ruby color with about a 1/4 inch of light tan head that had low retention and lacing.

The aroma was slightly hop forward, with a nice malt base also having a solid presence. On the tongue it's bitter hops upfront, slightly sweet malt in the middle and very bitter hops on the finish.

The body was a bit thinner than I like for this style. Drinkability was decent but not special. Overall, a decent beer that's worth a try, especially since you can just get a Nip and not commit to a whole 22.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2010 21:29:09 | More by beertunes