Double Chocolate Stout - Rogue Ales

PaterMorse

Indiana

3.8/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Some beers are better than the sum of their individual parts; here, the individual parts were nice enough but, together, it just didn't work that well. Not very well balanced; and wreaking (literally and figuratively) of artificiality. OK, but not great.

A: Pours black, with tan/caramel head. Dissipates quickly, leaving some nice lacing and "bubble clusters." Crimson ring, red hue when held up to light; can see fingers through the glass. Suds stick to the sides of the glass well.

S: My initial thought was "WOW, this is tops!" It was like smelling a pack of Ho-Hos (RIP) -- chocolate fudge, cream filling. Some toffee notes as well. Rounds out to a frothy chocolate milk smell, bordering on the scent of a refrigerated tin of Hershey's Syrup. The challenge with this bear is that the nose misleads the mouth -- far too potent and sweet for the surprisingly bitter taste the follows. Discord.

T: This has some roasted/ashed bitterness to it, delivering some heat to the throat and gut. That's not bad at all; I like bold RIS and high ABS pours; this was just a bit of a disconnect because, with each sip, the nose was suggesting "cupcake" and the mouth was getting bitters.

M: Crisp, nce. Maybe it's because of the discord between the nose and the mouth that I actually preferred to quaff this brew, swish it around, and enjoy the taste for what it was -- WITHOUT the correspondng unharmonious scent that went with each sip. Smooth overall.

O: Again, each "part" was solid -- the smell was fun (at least initially; then it got old and tiresome); the taste & feel were good. They just didn't go together in my book. An exaggerated/forced "sweet" aroma, then bitter taste. Not "too" bitter, mind you; just disproportionate to the smell -- leaving what I would call a DISTRACTING experience.

Repeat? Sure, for a party, it would be fun to incorporate -- b/c the bottle is an eye-catcher and the scent is uniquely potent; but probably not agan for myself.

Two Word Recap: Bitter Ho-Ho (or Imbalanced Cupcake)

Open Question: I wonder if the "single" chocolate tones down the overbearing smell a bit and is more in line with the taste the beer actually delivers...

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 15:20:46 | More by PaterMorse

Therisse

California

3.78/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Beautiful appearance. The head was very small yet stayed nicely on top the entire time. The bubbles were small and there was a little cloud to it.

Aroma: Smell reminded me exactly of the smell of milk chocolate with aromas of vanilla. It had a little bit of a burnt smell as well as a little spiciness. Overall, the smell was subtle.

Flavor: Tasted just like it smelled - like milk chocolate! Roasty, lots of vanilla and cream, some nutiness as well as nutmeg. Like the smell, the flavor was also not very strong.

Mouthfeel: The one part of the beer that really brought it down for me. The beer tasted a little flat and I wished it could be a lot thicker.

Overall: Nice beer but I feel it could use some aging. It was slightly off balance it'd be nice for it to smoothen out.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2013 18:20:47 | More by Therisse

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.9/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured a good two fingers of tan head on a pitch black body.
The aroma is a huge dose of chocolate with some roasted malt.
The taste is roasted malt with some bitterness, chocolate throughout.
The texture is crisper, with moderate carbonation.
The chocolate maintains a nice low profile.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 04:43:48 | More by Fatehunter

LampertLand

British Columbia (Canada)

4.36/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Rogue Ales 'Double Chocolate Stout' @ 8.7% , served from a big red 750 ml bottle purchased for $13

A-pour is a very dark brown near black in the glass with a small tan head that is leaving a lot of spotty lace along the pint glass edge

S-liquer filled chocolates , smell is so similar to the regular choc stout

T-very similar to the regular choc stout instead of a bitter finish it's now a boozy chocolate finish

MF-good carbonation , full bodied , smooth on the palate

Ov-good/great beer , big price for a equally big bottle of beer , yes I will buy again

sampled alongside Spinnakers 'Chocoholic' Milk Choc Porter

prost LampertLand

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 21:02:23 | More by LampertLand

mdaschaf

Washington

4.19/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours black with a fizzy one finger brown head that reduces rather quickly, but reforms with some agitation. No lacing though.

S: As the name implies, lots of chocolate, mostly milk chocolate. There is a bit of cream, cocoa, and faint roast.

T: Rich chocolate dominates the flavor profile on this beer. More milk chocolate and some dark chocolate, a bit of licorice and anise as well.

M: Medium to full bodied with low carbonation, rather smooth.

O: A nice dessert beer, went well with molten chocolate cake. A little rich to be consumed all the time though.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 06:46:28 | More by mdaschaf

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle into Rogue goblet.

A - Dark black-brown with a really creamy, dark tan head.

S - Chocolate milk, fudge, and a hint of roasted malt. Potent chocolate notes.

T - Rich milk chocolate, roasted malt, sweet cocoa. Hints of vanilla and light coffee. Earthy hops lend balance. Bittersweet chocolate, roasted malt, and wood on the finish.

M - Extra creamy, soft and almost silky. Medium-full body with mild carbonation.

O - Wow, this is a superb imperial chocolate stout. Alcohol is not evident at all and results in an rather easy drinking beer. Lots of natural chocolate flavor, nothing artificial. Great balance.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 03:13:49 | More by mooseo

gunpwdr

Virginia

3.11/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

The attack on this beer is where all the action is - chocolaty, malty, good bitter notes. The mid-palate, however, is where the beer takes a turn for the worse and is not ameliorated by the finish. Nothing but medicinal bitterness from the mid-palate onwards... buttressed by an unsmooth texture. I had high hopes for this stout but re-purchase it I will not.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 02:56:33 | More by gunpwdr

JGuzzle

Arizona

3.8/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on draft into a tulip.

A - Poured an almost completely opaque black with about a half inch of foamy, sticky head. Very pleasant looking.

S - Perhaps a little obvious...but chocolately. Roasted cocoa with a hint of malt.

T - Follows the nose although not overpowering with chocolate. Alcohol is present but hidden well considering it is 8%

M - Thick. Almost to the point of milkiness but still very nice considering the flavor.

O - Not my favorite chocolate stout but a nice offering from Rogue. Your results may vary if you have this out of the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2013 19:05:31 | More by JGuzzle

Ilafan

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Look, I love chocolate, and I love chocolate beers. So when this bright red bottle jumped out at me on the shelves, I grabbed it. The name does not disappoint. The pour is luxuriously dark and rich with a tan head and intricate lacing. The coffee-cocoa aroma entices the taste buds. And then the taste. As Sulu says, "Ohhh Myyy." Double-chocolate indeed! But it isn't just any chocolate. It's the rich and bitter taste of a dark chocolate that dominates. A rich taste indeed. I loved this effort from Rogue.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

02-10-2013 14:26:52 | More by Ilafan

BigBarley

Texas

4.23/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - Hard pour into pint glass leads to about 2.5 fingers of deep tan head. Good retention, crazy lacing. The beer itself is motor oil thick and motor oil black. Looks rich, thick and beautiful.

S - Strong milk chocolate and dry cocoa powder up front. Double chocolate indeed! Very mild vanilla hints just below, touch of roasted malt comes at the end. For the most part each whiff just betrays layer after layer of subtly different chocolate. Smells like it's accomplished it's mission!

T - At a colder temperature, there's a surprising oaky bite, with a hint of vanilla, followed by splashes of different chocolate characters. Rich and imperial tasting, touches of anise and coffee, and a spicy bite I can't put my finger on. Very minor alcohol traces in the flavor, nothing too drastic considering this years 9%, Very enjoyable stout. As it warms up, the oaky notes and the sweet chocolate become more powerful and give the beer even more dessert quality.

M - Thick, smooth, and creamy. Touch of carbonation gives it a balanced and enjoyable mouthfeel. I personally think this one requires a very hard, straight pour for best enjoyment.

O - Excellent offering from rogue, proof that when they do something right, they do it 100%. I will always be on the lookout for another double chocolate, a great dessert beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 11:29:05 | More by BigBarley

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.49/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased for just 9 bucks at Allegheny discount. Bottled last summer so it's around 8 months old and he told me the retail for this is 16 bucks. I remember it being amazing so I plunked down the money on the spot.

A - A very hard pour produced a full inch of deep mocha head. Color is that of a thick stout a deep black brown. Did I say thick, it literally "globed" out of the bottle.

S - Smell is rather anise and dark chocolate forward, sort of fudge like but not overly sweet to really call this a desert. Smells of some licorice and other fruity dark malts also.

T - Ow yeah I like this. I really enjoy how it never becomes too sweet with the hop kick in the back end, or maybe it a mild twang of grain but it drinks like liquid bittersweet dark chocolate. Thankfully not too much anise or licorice just some mild roasty twang mixed in with chocolate and a mild kick of piney hops.

M - Slick, semi bitter, and the chocolate flavor really coats the mouth.

Overall a really great beer that I wish I could find for the 9 dollar price tag again (like southern tier Chocolat) but if you see this under 10 dollars pick it up. Tasty stuff.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 00:00:21 | More by DrDemento456

Jhastings79

4.94/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

I've dealt with a lot of Rogue beer with my job as a beer sales rep. Rogue can make some pretty good beers....and some marketed to consumers that have those taste buds that others just can't understand.
But this beer, this beer really takes the cake if you are a fan of Porters and Stouts. Not only does the bottle have the appeal of a moth to a bug zapper, but once you pop the cap the smell of chocolate...is chocolate!
A treat that you can enjoy at every temperature range through all 750ml.
Highly suggest using this stout for a chocolate stout float! Yep....that's what I said. Give it a shot folks.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 10:31:12 | More by Jhastings79

Kevin73

Washington

4.19/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I admit, at first, I was drawn by the shiny red bottle. Big, obvious, and obnoxious. The "brewed with natural flavors" tagline was also a little disconcerting as this is usually marketing lingo for "brewed with natural-tasting flavors". In fact this beer is brewed with real ingredients, no shortcuts taken. I also admit that I was biased against Rogue since none of their beers had wow'ed me. So I tried this one attempting to keep an open mind. Fortunately I had the opportunity to taste this back to back with another great chocolate stout, which is in fact a porter, called Mogli by Cascade. These two beers are very similar. Pours very thick with a tan head leaving rings of lacing, slightly thicker than Cascade's Choco Porter. The smell is KAPOW! chocolate! It's not even subtle. The flavor is deliciously sweet milk chocolate balanced by notes dried fruit and hops on the finish. Also some alcohol heat on the finish. My bottle says 9%, not 8% according to BA. Fully bodied and silky smooth. Not as oily as the Mogli but at the same time not quite as punchy on the hops. I love this style and recommend it without reservation.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 23:56:01 | More by Kevin73

FreshHawk

Illinois

4.14/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Black color with a large, foamy, bubbly, sticky, cafe colored head. Great retention leaving a nice ring of lace when it settles.

S - Sweet milk chocolate and fudge along with a more bitter baker's chocolate. Notes of caramel and irish creme. Slight roasted and earthy aroma but nothing really bitter.

T - A mix of different chocolates along with a slight alcohol burn. Starts with a sweeter fudge flavor with a strong dark chocolate bursting through quickly. Mid sip there is a strong roasted, earthy cocoa flavor along with a slight burnt brown sugar taste. A touch of coffee/mocha. Finishes with a bittersweet chocolate and a slight kick of irish creme alcohol taste.

M - Medium to full body. Average to slightly below average carbonation. Very creamy and smooth.

D - Very easy to drink chocolate beer. Not too sweet/cloying but not too bitter and earthy. Nice balance all around. Alcohol is pretty well hidden. An enjoyable chocolate beer.

Notes: ABV 8.7%. Overall this was an enjoyable high alcohol chocolate beer. Not too sweet but still something nice to sip on for a chocolate kick. Nice mix of flavors displaying a wide range of chocolate. I know, it's crazy to find a tasty, decently priced Rouge beer, but this follows the original Chocolate Stout up nicely.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 08:06:29 | More by FreshHawk

Apellonious

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1 pt 9.4 fl oz bomber

A - pours jet black, with an initially high black head that lightens up. Thins out to a half finger head.

S - chocolate, sugar, cocoa

T - more chocolate. I know. Quite a shock. There is vague grain/hop feeling and a mild alcohol burn on the finish.

M - solid. Carbonation is low, and things get sticky and syrupy.

O - stronger alcohol wise than Youngs, which to me is the best in the style, but it does hold up to it pretty well. It does feel slightly one dimensional, but that is by intention and design.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 02:15:47 | More by Apellonious

whoneeds8

Texas

4.05/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a chalice black with a one finger tan head. Very little retention and lacing. The scent is very strong of Cocoa. Smells like hot coco without the hot steam. The taste is much the same. Very strong cocoa taste over whelms the base chocolate malt that is noticable once the cocoa goes away. Mouthfeel is medium, standard for the style. Overall, this is probably a once in a blue moon beer, both because of the over powering flavor and because of the price.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 00:55:40 | More by whoneeds8

sdbrewtaste

4.41/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

One of the best stouts I have enjoyed. Strong and deep in color with a nice fluffy, dirty head. As a good stout should be, this was very thick and creamy. The chocolate taste was on point with a nice crispier finish. Subtle hints of hops.

I will with no doubt enjoy this one again. ( In fact I just got a bottle of it for my birthday )

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 22:27:07 | More by sdbrewtaste

scratch69

Missouri

4.7/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

I poured a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance- Black color with three fingers worth of dark brown, creamy head. The head was very slow to dissipate and left nice amounts of sticky lacing.

Smell- Dark roasted malt and milk chocolate aromas with a hint of vanilla.

Taste- Strong flavors of milk and dark chocolates with some roasted malt bitterness. There was no hint of booziness from the high ABV.

Mouthfeel- Full bodied, smooth and very creamy. Light amount of carbonation and a slight hint of alcohol warmth at the swallow.

Overall- Very good beer. Delicious and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 01:18:43 | More by scratch69

KajII

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

[Suggested Glassware: Snifter]

The pour was a thick deep dark black with a large (2-3 finger) medium cocoa brown creamy head that reduced slowly, down to a thick puddled film with a medium collar and produced absolutely great drippy sticky lacing.

The aroma right up front was all about the chocolate with a bold roasted malt and a heavy doughy yeast along with notes of chocolate of course (dark and milk), roasted coffee and a slight hint of vanilla that was just barely noticeable.

The taste was really fantastic with a nice thick maltiness and a milk chocolate sweetness from the get go, becoming a just tad bitter with a mild coffee presence and a big dose of bitter chocolate towards the finish. The flavor lasted for an extremly long time following the swallow, with the chocolate taste fading away and leaving behind a mild bitter roastiness to linger for a while longer.

Mouthfeel was full in body with an exceptionally creamy texure and a soft carbonation.

Overall this is one fantastic tasting brew!! It possesses a ton of roasty chocolate flavor along with a mild smooth bitterness, which together does an awesome job of totally concealing the high ABV, making this a very easy to drink and extremely enjoyable brew...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 15:03:57 | More by KajII

chinchill

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler served in a Unibroue snifter.
Pours nearly black with reddish-brown edges: used motor oi is brought to mind. Very little head and a little bit of spotty lacing (blamed on growler serving type).
S: Big aroma of dark malts (dominant), dark bread and dark chocolate. [4.25]
T: Flavor follows, but with hints of coffee and light smoke that linger into the aftertaste, and some oats and spicy hops. Mildly sweet up front and mildly bitter in the finish. Good balance every which way in an ale loaded with flavor.
M: Full body with light carbonation.

O: a rich, highly flavored ale that is extreme but not challenging. Character changes with warming. High ABV is fairly well hidden.

Serving type: growler

01-06-2013 22:00:00 | More by chinchill

cmq103

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 ml. bottle into a Duvel Belgian Tulip glass.

Appearance: Relatively thick and dark pour generated a healthy 3/4" darker beige head, which reduced to a thin ring within a few minutes of sitting in my glass. Not your typical sticky lacing, but a syrupy attempt to cling to the sides of the glass covered in tiny effervescent bubbles.

Smell: A gentle swirl of my glass just prior to inhale produced a clear and distinct sweet milk chocolate aroma. I don't get too much else. Maybe some light malt and hint of coffee. I was expecting some booziness in the nose for being an 8.7%, but none was present. As this warms closer to room temperature, the barley& oats aroma becomes more prevalent.

Taste: An initial roasted bitterness stung the tongue, followed by the moderately semi-sweet chocolate coming on strong from middle to end. A bit of coffee remained on the tongue after the swallow. I'm really enjoying the semi-sweet and slightly bitter chocolate flavor. Again, I didn't sense any booziness at all considering it's higher ABV. This could be considered to be the big brother of a Young's Double Chocolate stout.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly creamy texture on the tongue with somewhat lively carbonation, which really make the chocolate and mild bitterness stand.

Overall: Like I said before, I haven't had a bad beer from Rogue. This is a "must try" for anyone who enjoys the chocolate stouts like I do. A very well crafted beer that will be sure to make it to my refrigerator in the near future.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 02:01:06 | More by cmq103

Ryanm1

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Chocolate, Chocolate and more chocolate. Weighing in at slightly over 8% abv this does garnish the name of stout with malty hints in its nose and pouring pitch black out of the bottle with white lacing. Nothing really jumped out at me as original about this beer nor would I attempt to try it again. It's got an IBU rating of 50 in line with the hoppyiness present in other Rogue beers.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 01:30:07 | More by Ryanm1

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.68/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz, no date on the bottle
Olde Hickory snifter

A: Pours deep black color. Very viscous and thick, thicker than I would have thought for this 8% brew. Didn't get a ton of head either.

S: Smells like milk chocolate syrup. Straight Hershey's. Like others have mentioned, like a Tootsie roll in character. Almost smells fact to me. Doesn't smell like they used the high end dark chocolates that other brewers are using.

T: Very deep chocolate flavors. Again that syrup like quality. I wish it was less artificial in the chocolate aroma and flavor that I get from this one.

M: Full. Thick. Mouth coating stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 16:07:45 | More by inlimbo77

oline73

Maryland

3.78/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Here goes my first beer of 2013! Poured from the bottle into a Hunahpu's snifter.

Appearance: The beer pours an almost black color with some light coming through at the edge of the pour. There is almost a half finger of tan head that fades to a ring around the glass.

Smell: This beer smells just like a tootsie roll. A ton of chocolate along with a mild hint of roasted malt. Just a touch of dark malt, but this one is straight up chocolate.

Taste: Just like the smell, there is a ton of chocolate here. Not a whole lot of sweetness, more like bitter dark chocolate. The finish is quite bitter. Lots of roast, chocolate, and some hops. I would have liked the finish to be a bit smoother.

Mouthfeel: The body is just on the thick side of medium with a good amount of carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: I thought the chocolate note was very nice, but I thought the bitterness was a bit distracting. The chocolate notes didn't stick around as long as I would have liked. Not a bad chocolate stout by any means, but not my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 05:57:18 | More by oline73

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

4.48/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a snifter glass.

A- pours a deep dark brown, 2 finger dark tan head with good retention.

S- smells like chocolate and more chocolate. roast malt

T- semi- sweet chocolate taste. Cocoa powder, Caramel and a roasted malt on the finish with a touch of mild bitterness and dark chocolate.

MF- silky mouthfeel with medium body.

Overall a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 20:46:36 | More by Damian74Shensky