Pike Street XXXXX Stout - Pike Pub & Brewery

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

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

I got this brew in a trade with stumac, Thanks Stu!

22oz bottle served in a snifter.

L - pitch black with a light brown head that hung around leaving lots of lacing.

S - roasted malt and black licorice.

T - rich roasted malt taste with a bitter black licorice finish.

F - full bodied, smooth and creamy.

D - goes down smooth and easy.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2009 00:35:10 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

flagmantho

Washington

4.13/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bomber into a pint glass. One interesting thing is that both BA and Pike's website say this beer is 6.6%, but my bottle says 7% ABV. I suppose it's not that important, as long as the beer's good, right?

Appearance: utterly, entirely, impenetrably black with a thick, languid two-finger brown head. Profound! Leaves a great lace, too.

Smell: lots of big roasted malts. Coffee and chocolate present, but the aroma is more complex than that; the aroma is getting along toward the more fruity compounds that you might get in a RIS or Baltic porter. I think I even detect a little vanilla.

Taste: a bit of a monster. The flavor is of big, heavy roasted malts, though it lacks some of the complexity of the aroma. There's also a little sourness here that you sometimes get when a beer has a lot of charred malts. Not bad, but it could use some further refinement.

Mouthfeel: pretty thick body with just enough carbonation to keep things interesting. Quite good.

Drinkability: very good, but not exactly sessionable. I think with a little tweaking of the flavor I think I would be able to handle a couple of these in a row.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2009 03:12:09 | More by flagmantho

Vancer

Illinois

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

Pure black pour, a mother of a load. Capped nicely by a tan topper, lacing big time for a stout. Chocolate molasses, with coffee, in the aroma. Almost porter like quaff, bit of sour ale mixed with the burnt toast and powdery chocolate raisin pie.

Full, full body that slides down easily with every sip – low alcohol 6.6% makes this close to a session sipper. No hint of the booze. Try one! I’m impressed with my first Pike offering.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2007 19:56:08 | More by Vancer

Metalmonk

North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

You know the kind of black we like to call dark beers, even when we know damn well they're actually just dark brown? This one is BLACK. Maybe that's what the five X's stand for. Quintuple black. The head is thin and tan and doesn't stick around very long, but I am in love with its blackness. Black is beautiful.

The aroma is equally as pleasing: a near-perfect mingling of coffee, chocolate, caramel, toffee, smoke and dark baked goods (bread or cake, take your pick). Truly delightful.

The flavor couldn't possibly live up to the hype the appearance and smell create (well, some beers could) but it comes quite close. Charred/roasted coffee flavor is the most prominent, followed by the dryness and coarseness of bittersweet baking chocolate, and both of these ride out in the finish too...and it's not a very long finish, as this is a fairly dry stout. Juicy/sweet dark fruits lay themselves in as well, killed off by the drying, and alcohol ever so slightly pushes in, but at 7% you don't have to worry about aftershave notes or anything. Something even slightly tart, maybe the hops? In any case, this is balanced, comforting, and very solid.

Slick in the mouth, also perfectly rounded although never quite reaching creamy. Just the right amount of carbonation to add a little textural pizazz.

Wow, this one surprised me, especially after not being overly-thrilled with their Tandem dubbel yesterday. One of the most approachable and purely enjoyable stouts I've had in a while.

[Metalmonk's Fun Corner: when you review this, try typing five X's in a row, just as in the name of the beer, and hit Review. It won't save! Won't let me anyway. Only comes out as three X's. The hell of it all, I tell ya.]

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2010 23:29:15 | More by Metalmonk

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a real treat on tap in a chalice on a cold evening. Big , black and coffee nosed, the beer stretches its burnt malt legs after a few sips and takes you home to bed. I love a big stout that is not too high in alcohol as you get all the mouthfeel without the headache.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2006 18:35:37 | More by canucklehead

superspak

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours pitch black color with an impressive 2 finger dense tan head with great retention, that reduces to a thick cap that lasts. Some nice thick soapy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of big dark chocolate, black coffee, roasted malt, pine, toasted biscuit, herbal, citrus rind, and earthy hops. Very nice and well balanced aromas with good strength. Taste of big dark chocolate, espresso, pine, grapefruit, roasted malt, toast, herbal, char, and earthy hops. Good sized roasted coffee bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, espresso, pine, charred malt, and herbal on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance of roasted and hoppy flavors. Medium carbonation and body; with a nice creamy and fairly slick mouthfeel. Alcohol is well hidden with only a warming noticed after the finish. Quite smooth to drink, but is still a bit of a sipper. Overall this is a really excellent export stout! Great flavor balance with hoppiness; and quite smooth to sip on, with big robust flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 03:10:18 | More by superspak

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

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

4.6/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On draft at the Pike Pub in Pike Place Market, Seattle. Poured blacker than black with a generous mocha head. Aroma of coffee and bitter chocolate. Crikey...this is a delicious stout, with a full-bodied roasted malt and chocolate flavor. Smooth, and full bodied with a warming alcohol finish. So good I had it twice!

I've had it again a couple times since, this time in bottled format. This beer really serves as a template for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2008 16:50:07 | More by bobsy

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.35/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass, the beer pours a thick, viscous, jet-black color, with a thin, dense tan colored head that has great retention as you drink. The nose is strong in coffee and chocolate while you are pouring, as well as when you smell from the glass. The flavors are dark roast coffee bitter with a blend of milk chocolate. The flavors are carried on a light, dry body. Coffee aftertaste with a bitter essence left in mouth. The finish is smooth and creamy, but lingering. Delicious! Makes a tasty float or brownie, also!

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 07:17:12 | More by GarthDanielson

beerguy101

California

3.78/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2001 version. Dark black color, medium head. Roasted malts, some hop bite. Flavor is full, coffee and chocolate. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is malty with a slight bitterness. Very similar to the 2000 release. The flavor is slightly less intense, subtler in this release.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2003 03:12:40 | More by beerguy101

Reidrover

Oregon

4.13/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewing the 2004-2005 release.
Very attractive beer in appearance, pitch black with a nice sized tan head..that fades fast, but theres always a thick lace on top.
Very nice roasty/chocolaty aroma. fresh.
Taste is quite sweet to start, then the roasty/dark coffee aspects come in to play, smooth finish, then some bitter after taste.I get some rather faint smokey hints in this beer.
good mouthfeel, quite smooth and delightful.
A good stout ,very drinkable and not too heavy.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2005 03:42:56 | More by Reidrover

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

cjgator3

Florida

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

22oz bottle

A- Pours a dark black color with just a hint of brown when held up to the light. There is a nice light tan head with good retention and lacing.

S- The aroma is dark roasted malts and sweet chocolate. The aroma isn't bad, but I was expecting a bit more boldness. It is a little faint for the style.

T- The taste is an improvement over the aroma. The taste starts out sweet with some dark roasted malts, chocolate and coffee flavors with a roasted bitterness in the finish.

M- The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a nice smooth texture on the tongue and a perfect amount of carbonation. Well done.

D- Overall, Pike XXX Stout is the best beer in the Pike lineup that I have tried to date. I would not mind purhcasing this beer again. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 03:18:01 | More by cjgator3

ADR

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2002-2003 limited release...

Big pour, dark/dark brown and opaque. Orange carbonation settles down in about 60 seconds. Laces in looping clumps. Coffee and orange rind-like impresssion to the big aroma. Flavor is somewhat more limited, a dark roasty coffee, slight sense of malted milk and the requisite scant hop. Mouthfeel is about medium to thinnish, but I pick up an offputting vegetable, almost smoked onion, sense to the profile. Not dominant by any means, just slightly annoying. Not an awful beer, but not a first choice to my tongue.

Source: Liquid Solutions

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2003 15:24:14 | More by ADR

mdaschaf

Washington

3.9/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from notes.

A: The beer is a nice, deep black, with a small khaki head on top. Minimal lacing.

S: Very roasty with some chocolate and a hint of coffee. The roasted malt is rather heavy.

T: Similar to the aroma, tons of roast and some char. There is some more chocolate with a very little bit of coffee. Faint earthy hops come forward on the finish.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

O: One of the better mainline offerings from Pike. A pretty solid export stout.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2012 00:48:22 | More by mdaschaf

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

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

Wow, good looking beer. Pours with my favorite waterfall type head...(forms from the bottom) 2 fingers of creamy tan head form and clearly let you know they are going to stay a while. Lacing is everywhere.

Aroma is coffee and vanilla. I also get a little earthy/musty aroma. Nothing too bad, but it's there.

Flavor had some real nice coffee flavors. Also did taste like a vanilla extract flavor... This all gives way to a nice roasted malt and hop bitterness. I get a bit of nut like flavors in the middle. There is a nice espresso finish and bitterness that lingers..

Full bodied and almost creamy. Just a sense of chalkiness. This is a thick one.

I enjoy this because it drinks like a bog Imp Stout but only is 6.6% ABV. Good. I love this style but it won't knock you out...

I brought this back from a recent trip to Seattle and very glad I did.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2009 21:57:01 | More by Reagan1984

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

argock

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 22oz brown bomber into a clear mug. No freshness date. Purchased at Ancona's (Ridgefield, CT) for $6.99.

A: Forboding near-black with healthy German chocolate cake-colored 2- finger head with good retention and ample lacing.

S: Light metallic-mineral up-front followed strongly with lightly toasted and burnt dark and caramel malts with chocolate, coffee, and milky aromas and light floral hops.

T: A sweeter-than-expected stout, but very enjoyable nonetheless. Burnt and toasted dark malts leave a nice milk and dark chocolate dominated flavor with a few sugars in there as well. Hops are barely noted.

M: Thick and substantial with firm medium body and carbonation. Sweet and light mineral aftertaste.

D: Tasty stout but not a good value given that singles of Expedition and Old Rasputin go for $2.50-$2.75 in my neck of the woods. Good solid stout though that's worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2009 21:04:39 | More by argock

atsprings

North Carolina

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

22oz bottle into a DFH Signature glass pours a deep opaque black with a thin light tan head that diminishes to a thin layer and leaves decent lacing on the glass. Aroma is roasted malts and dark chocolate with mild espresso. The taste is smooth roasted malts with hints of bitter cocoa and fresh ground coffee, an interesting contrast to the aroma. The beer is fairly light and crisp with decent carbonation. This is certainly an enjoyable stout, I'll have to pick up another bottle to try on a cold winter night.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 02:43:29 | More by atsprings

clayrock81

Virginia

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

Pours a blackish body with large light brown head that dies slow and leaves lace. A malty mixture of black chocolate, caramel, bread, roasted and coffee along w/ hints of toffee and wood all are in the aroma. A real malty taste, much like aroma, as a thinner, smoother, creamier stout passes over tongue than expected but still packs a sweet taste. Chocolate, caramel, vanilla and possibly figs or molasses seem to pass my tongue as well as roasted, bread and wood notes so this is a balanced stout that has a sweetness and finishes dry. Just a well-crafted sipper w/ nothing extraordinary about it but a great sipper that I relaxed with.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 12:24:11 | More by clayrock81

claspada

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Aromas of smoke and roasted malts; I get some bacon characteristics as well. There's lesser coffee, bitter chocolate, and a hint of licorice to round things out.

The taste is less than impressive. Bittersweet baker's chocolate, with a boat load of smoke and rauchbier tastes which I hate. I desperately crave some more sweetness for this beer to balance the rough bitterness and dry acrid flavors.

Mouthfeel is really full, mild balanced carbonation. Finishes really full and viscous; coats the mouth to a point of ruining the taste buds.

Overall, I had high expectations for this beer and I was delivered a smoky pork/bacon dry bitter mess. Not sure why people like consuming these flavors in beer, anyway. Not recommended, compared to the numerous better available styles available.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 01:02:22 | More by claspada

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 ounce bomber bottle into my nonic Imperial pint glass. The stout appears an opaque dark brown color with a good inch or so of creamy dark tan head. The foam won't quit, lasting nearly the entire glass and leaving small wisps of lacing behind with each sip. Aromas and flavors consist of rich dark roasted grains, cocoa, bakers chocolate, mocha, roasted coffee, caramel, and even some vanilla. Approaching full bodied for the style with more than ample carbonation. Very nice!

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2009 03:52:46 | More by ClockworkOrange

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I am sampling a cellar temp bottle of this beer poured into a pint glass. The beer pours pitch black with thin tan surface layer of head. Aroma is roasted malt and almost smokey mixing with some brown sugar and maybe molasses as well. No real hop presence or ABV hints either. First sip reveals a thick body with very fine and fizzy carbonation. Tight clingy lattice on the glass after each sip. Flavor is dry roasted malt almost coffee bean and some general sweetness. My palate dries out after each sip. Again the hops dont show up at all which is okay considering the style. No hints on ABV either. The beer is a bit of a sipper but only due to the body not any booziness. A well crafted robust brew!

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2009 16:10:49 | More by sulldaddy

rye726

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Great looking stout. Pours near black with a silky tan head. Nice lacing. Nose has roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, molasses and hops. Taste also has a bitter hop, coffee and molasses presence that is well balanced by sweet cocoa and dark malts. Medium body is well carbonated, but a bit light in the finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2009 23:47:15 | More by rye726

wagenvolks

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Pike Pub & Brewery, Seattle, WA. (listed as 7% ABV)

The pint glass cane filled with an opaque, seal brown brew that turned amber at the edges when held up to the light. A thin wisp of burnt tan foam receded to a ring of bubbles, leaving behind thick webs of attractive lacing. Initially, I figured this to be a milk/sweet stout based on the aroma, with its rich notes of espresso and vanilla creme. But then, an onslaught of roasted malts, bold coffee roast, and a pinch of baker's chocolate let me know that this was not going to be "sweet". All was nicely balanced by a peat-like earthiness from the hops.

Hellooo roast! HUGE notes of dark chocolate malts with charred coffee beans and smoked earth abound in the flavor. Absolutely delicious, although as a Foreign/Export stout it might be a bit overbearing to recieve a perfect "5.0". Mouthfeel is spritzy and well-carbonated with a medium-thick body. A massively bitter, roasted baker's chocolate finish lingers for days. Pike Brewing hit it out of the park with this one. I hope my bomber survives the plane flight back to Raleigh. *crosses fingers*

[EDIT: the bottle held up well, consumed on 10/21/08. Excellent flavor & appearance, although the aroma is slightly diminished from the bottle. Mouthfeel not as bitter and strong, drinkability is the same.]

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2008 22:07:49 | More by wagenvolks