Pike Street XXXXX Stout - Pike Pub & Brewery

ccrida

Oregon

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bomber poured into an imperial pint, pitch black with a large, reddish dark tan head that settles pretty quickly and leaves heavy lace.

Smell is pretty strong, sweet crystal malt, a slight touch of roast and fruity.

Taste is pretty robust, a strong roast, but still fruity and sweet caramel. A good rich stout, but not as sweet as I expected for a FES. Only a moderate bitterness on the rich and roasty lingering finish.

Mouthfeel is oily and thick.

Drinkability is OK, a good and full-flavored stout, but drinks more like a RIS then a 6.8% ABV FES.
Served at cellar temp.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2008 03:06:54 | More by ccrida

midaszero

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Opaque black with one finger of coffee head and good lacing

S - A little chemically smelling. Lemon, citrus, and floral are faint

T - Almost like a chocolate soda. A little sweet with decent chocolate body and a little hop bitterness on the back

M - Medium body with medium carbonation

D - Pretty good and enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2008 19:33:49 | More by midaszero

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From a 22 oz. brown bomber, label states 6.6% abv. Pours out stark black in appearance, dense chunky tan head with fantastic retention.

Dry roasted malts up front on the nose, some milky sweetness.

Grainy dry roasted malt up front in the flavour too, intense coffee grounds, some brewer's licorice near the finish, dry espresso-like grounds in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel has a decent body, a bit slick, but carries the flavour well. Thickens out on the finish, very dry.

A dry bitter stout, similar to a dry London porter. Not my particular taste for mass consumption, but it seems to hold its own in that particular flavour profile.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2009 05:22:32 | More by IronDjinn

StoneBrewFanatic

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours very dark brown, almost black in color, with a little over a finger of light brown head, moderate retention and pretty nice lacing.

S - Roasted malts, bitter cocoa, sweet brown sugar/molasses, and mild coffee tones.

T - Roasted malts, bittersweet chocolate, dark fruit, anise, bitter hops and coffee.

M - Too thin for my taste in stouts

D - It's drinkable, just nothing too exciting and I am going to be bored with it before I finish this bomber...

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 00:23:45 | More by StoneBrewFanatic

beerman21

California

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Ser- 22oz bomber, given to me by the girl friend on her Pacific Northwest trip. Much appreciated my love ;).

a- pours a aggressively showing head with a super dark brown body no to be confused with your typical black in color stout but then again what American stout is...

s-fruit; figs, kiwi, molasses soaked pineapple, roasted malt and toffee.

T-Butterscotch, maple syrup, toffee, BBQ figs soaked in molasses enriched alcohol. impressive.

M- coats the mouth well, flavor lingers.

O- American style Stouts have taken awhile to become my favorite style and it has taken awhile for it to be a style that I’ve leaned to be a favorable beverage of choice when it comes to beers. This However brings something different to the American style and you know i appreciate the effort. So if given the chance i will purchase it again! Good beer for its style..

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2011 03:00:23 | More by beerman21

froghop

Washington

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

pours an opaque with a small brown head, and some lacing.

smell is of cocoa, some coffee, some roasted walnuts, vanilla, and a touch of licorice.

taste is thick and creamy, bakers chocolate, some licorice, a touch of vanilla, and coffee, ends dry and a little bitter.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2009 01:14:26 | More by froghop

biglite351

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

A - black to the edge, tall creamy dark tan head.

S - very mild malts and yeast. Something almost like crackers.

T - strong toasted malts. Very hearty.

M - heavy coating but no real tingle, just a touch on right side of tongue.

O - quite drinkable alone or with food.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 21:43:44 | More by biglite351

UCLABrewN84

California

3.58/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a thick pitch black with a nice 2 inch beige head that fades to a small cap. Nice foamy lacing all around the glass on the drink down. Smells of roasted malt, coffee beans, cocoa powder, and faint whiffs of alcohol. Tastes of bittersweet chocolate, strong espresso, and an earthy grain taste. There is a strong bitter astringency after each sip. Good carbonation with a medium body. Creamy and smooth in the mouth. Overall, this is a pretty good stout but the bitterness is pronounced and detracts from the beer in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 03:03:40 | More by UCLABrewN84

mactrail

California

3.58/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Very dark brown, near black. Nice bit of beige foam and lacing in the big Duvel tulip. Medium body and only a little of the watery taste that a lot of stouts have. Seems stronger than the sub-7 ABV claimed, but that's flavor for you.

Seriously roasted barley is the dominant taste. Burnt malt taste, but not at all sour, as some of these charred brews seem to be. Quite dry, but has a hint of malty sweetness left. Just a touch of something like dried figs, and mostly just a very clean, long, black flavor. Some hops make their appearance mostly as a strong bitter aftertaste. A total taste bud takeover. Very drinkable, but it's a sip at a time for me.

From the 22 oz bottle. Label on this version says 6.6% and 65 IBU.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 05:55:00 | More by mactrail

RedDiamond

Oregon

3.6/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

In olden times most people, including brewery workers, were illiterate. To distinguish one beer style from another, brewers marked the kegs with X's. One X represented one style of beer, two Xs another and so on. That's how they told one beer from another.

And you thought all those Xs had something to do with Seattle's other First Avenue landmarks.

Pike's XXX Stout quickly launches into a rich tapestry of roasted aromas converging on cacao, coffee, and barley grain. It imparts a sweet malty flavor with ample roasted grain on a coal black body. This is a worthy stout of pronounced roastiness though I can't help but wonder if a nitro pour might deliver the final touch of grace in smoothing out the body.

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2009 06:11:59 | More by RedDiamond

babaracas

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a reddish dark brown with creamy tan head, spotty lacing. Smell: roasty, a little smoke, dark brown sugar, underneath are leafy hops. Taste: roasty, green apple, molasses-light, earthy hopping. Feel is a little thin. Finishes sweet. Not bad, not great.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2010 00:47:10 | More by babaracas

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.6/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to cmrillo for this bonus! 22oz brown glass pry-top bottle. No date.

Pours a medium-bodied almost opaque black with brown hues and some thin sudsy dark tan head that leaves spots but no lacing.

Nose is nicely roasted, coffee grounds and toasted grains. Palate is medium-light-bodied with lots of coffee-like flavors. A little watery on the body, but nicely bitter and has a decent finish.

Notes: A nice export stout but I don't think it stands up to Guinness Foreign or Cisco Capt Swain's.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2010 02:18:32 | More by SFLpunk

Rastacouere

Quebec (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Nice foamy light brown head covers the deep dark brown hue. Candyish and spicy nose. Rich dark malts have minty and thyme-like vapors. You can tell it’s gonna feel creamy from the nose. Surprisingly, hops are not a big factor in this one, gentle cocoa roastiness are paired with an effective and complex nut array to create a globally spicy flavour profile. As weird as it sounds, I feel this would pair well with asiatic food. Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, smooth texture.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2005 15:30:34 | More by Rastacouere

joshuadlight

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

22 oz bomber into a oversized snifter.
I really appreciated this middle of the road stout. I'm not a huge RIS fan, but I can get a little bored with regular stouts. This one finds a happy medium, with good flavors without being overpowering.
Completely opaque, with a nice sized head. Looks like a big stout should. Each time I took a whiff, the smell waffled between sweet/bready and roasted bitterness. There are 65 IBUs in this thing and they show up in the flavor. It is sweet up front, but there is plenty of bitterness here, both from the roasted and charred malts and the loads of hops present. Firm, yet smooth mouthfeel with perfect carbonation. It sat too heavy in my gut and I felt the alcohol too much for a good drinkability score. But, if its just one, this is a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2009 02:37:28 | More by joshuadlight

Bighuge

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours with viscosity noticeable. Appearance is black. That's what I like for my XXXStouts. A medium sized creamy compact brown head is erected upon the pour. Lacing comes in sheets. The aroma is burnt malts and smoke predominantly. Almost seems to be a barrel aged quality on the nose. Decent nose. The taste is of roasted malt and beechwood smoke. Not sure if they use smoked malt or not, but it's sure got a smoky characteristic. The bitterness of this beer lingers. Hop attributed as well as burnt malt. This one's got a little of that char and tobacco thing going on. For an XXXStout though, I was looking for this one to be a little more intrusive. It tastes just fine, but I was looking for more. Body is a little better than medium and the mouthfeel is somewhat creamy. Good beer overall. Not much more though.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2003 03:42:21 | More by Bighuge

aromatorio

Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

My roommate's girlfriend brought us a 22oz bottle back from a recent trip to Oregon. Poured at 55 degrees into a pint glass.

A: Pours very dark. Very slight head, nutty colored and thin. Small lacing left after the head has quickly dissipated.

S: Not a big aroma here. I can't detect any alcohol smell - understandable for a 6% stout. A little more of a floral/citrus note than I'm used to encountering in this type of beer.

T: Again, this is similar to my complaint about the Bison Chocolate stout - very subtle flavorings. I can detect some watered-down bittersweet chocolate. After some warming I can taste some more roasted coffee/espresso.

M: Thin and smooth. Neither rich nor creamy, as I had been expecting. Not necessarily a bad thing, just a little surprising.

D: This is pretty drinkable for a stout. Nice low ABV, smooth if a bit bland.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2008 07:00:01 | More by aromatorio

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours black with only a shimmer of red when held to light. Creamy light brown head really has some nice staying power with fantastic lacing.

Mainly roasty and mocha malt on the nose. A bit of fruitiness and cascade hop aroma makes this a fairly complex smelling beer.

Roasty coffee flavor is balanced by dark fruitiness, licorice and a fair amount of floral hop bitterness. A touch of alcohol in the throat makes this a pretty tasty foreign style stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2009 17:45:15 | More by twiggamortis420

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

650ml bomber, 2009 edition, it is 7% alc.

Pours into my American pint glass with a dark brown/black and only hints of light on the edges when held to light, it is very dark. The head looks nice and is caramally tan and leaves some nice lacing.

It smells roasty, chocolatey, carmally, and fruity. There is a slight hop note to it but is is very faint.

Taste has alot of coffee and bittersweet chocolate. It is dark and roasty, a good example taste-wise for this style. The mouthfeel is ok, a bit watery, then carbonated, but it is true to the British style of doing it.

It is ugely drikable for the abv.

Overall a great beer right here, not my fav style but this makes me enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2010 01:10:47 | More by crossovert

Pencible

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: This poured a very dark, clear mahogany with some tan head.
S: It smelled like roasted coffee and cream, with dark chocolate and a little bready yeast (maybe oats?).
T: It tasted like licorice and bitter dark chocolate, with some burnt coffee and soy. It had a somewhat harsh bitter aftertaste.
M: It was slightly thick with a little carbonation.
D: This was not a bad stout, but it smelled much better than it tasted. Alcohol wasn't detectable, but the aftertaste wasn't very pleasant, so it was only somewhat easy to drink. Good not great.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2010 19:26:22 | More by Pencible

Khazadum

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to Neorunner for this blind beer!

Vision
Darkness. Adulterated coffee gases. Thinnest pond film with thick lacing. Child's collar that ends in an open 'v'.

Bouquet
Charred and roasted grains. Ethanol. Hidden chocolate and coffee.

Flavor Profile
Enjoyable burnt toast. Lack of hops. Clean finish evolves into what I imagine the ash of a Hershey's bar tastes like. Bitter and burnt. Very small alcohol merge.

Oral Sensations
Smooth. Creamy. Medium. Tingly. Warming.

Conclusions
Tasty. Better than average Stout. No gimmicks, all flavors. No problem drinking it, and no complaints.

The unveiling revealed....Pike Street XXX Street Stout! Never even heard of these guys. Awesome!

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2010 00:49:20 | More by Khazadum

beals

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Dark, but clearly reddish.

S: Smoky and malty. Hints of coffee.

T: Very roasty/smoky, but evens out as the beer warms up. More bitter than I'd expect from a stout (65 IBU!), but this is balanced by a rising sweetness.

M: OK mouthfeel, nothing to write home about.

D: Moderately drinkable. Like the Kilt Lifter, the smokiness is a little much to make it a session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2007 23:25:29 | More by beals

TheFlern

Idaho

3.7/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a dark molasses with plenty of chocolate colored head. Lacing is nice.

Smell: Smokey, roasted malts, fruitiness

Taste: Malt notes but nothing really sticks out, just a nice meld. There is a fruity taste hidden just behind the malt. Finishes with a nice mild hop twist.

Mouthfeel: Very silky and full bodied. Carbonation is just right

Drinkability: This beer is so heavy its hard to drink the whole 22oz. Which is pretty much the point of extra stout brews.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2009 03:16:04 | More by TheFlern

maximum12

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bellied up to a full pint of XXX at the Pike Pub & Brewery last week in Seattle. Always enjoyed their sample trays in the past & was looking forward to a nice stout after a week in Vancouver (which had almost none that I could find!).

The glass is dark. The smell is a pleasant shock of charred malts.

Pike Street XXX Stout goes the extra mile in high heels on the roasted, forest-fire malts. Roast & char gang up to obliterate any potential subtleties lurking in the glass of black. Perhaps there are bits & pieces of chocolate, & certainly a coffee edge to the roast, but this is purebred charcoal.

Lucky for me I like charcoal. Swigging this is fairly easy, but I'm certain the seriousness of the flame-broil would catch up to the drinkability eventually.

Nice, solid stout to put your hands around. Even by the pint, this one wasn't hard to put down, & a very nice end to a good Seattle evening.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2010 21:49:00 | More by maximum12

babyhobbes

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

2001-02 bottle.

This poured dark black with a small caramel colored head. The aroma was of coffee, malt and smokiness. The taste was quite bitter and much like old coffee that has been on the burner a little too long. The mouthfeel was okay. There was a little too much bite for a stout and a strong bitter and burnt taste. I am not likely to try this again in the near future. I think I'd go for the Guiness nitro bottles first. I've really enjoyed most other stouts more than this one from Pike Brewing.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2003 02:03:49 | More by babyhobbes

mtstatebeer

West Virginia

3.73/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle. Pours a pitch black color with a creamy tan head, good lacing. Aroma is a bunch of roasted malts, coffee, sweet chocolate, a hint of charred wood, and a slight hint of citrus. Flavor is roasted malts, sweet chocolate, citrus, and a hint of smoke. Mouthfeel is full to medium, creamy, with a dry and heavy bitter finish. Good stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 02:03:56 | More by mtstatebeer