Rogue XS Imperial Stout

[steveh]

'03 Bottling - label reads: Best when aged for one year... timing I got - this was off the paint store shelf! 26° Plato, 10.5 ABV*, 87.5 IBU, 77 AA**, 268 lovibond.

Opaque black color with a dark, reddish-brown head that settles very quickly.

Mollasses, caramel, dark fruit nose with alcohol back. Some vanilla and earthy, clay notes peeking through with more warmth.

Coffee, burnt roasted malts, mellow licorice, mild dark fruit, and warming alcohol flood the tongue! Some smooth and creamy vanilla and chocolate in aftertaste. Bitterness back - roasted malts or hops? Based on the ingredient list at the Rogue site (which continues to bomb I.E.), I'd have to say hops.

Heavy body with a syrupy mouth-feel.

5°F on my way home from work when I bought this beer, -6° predicted for the overnight. I wanted a warmer...I got one! With massive flavor character; a thick, rich, full-flavored stout. The 10.5 ABV is hidden very well by the big, sweet malt character. Smooth and delish - inviting you for a dangerous second bottle!

S.

*From BeerAdvocate, **Apparent Attenuation - not Alpha Acid, as I'd originally thought.

[Tweek]

very nice, just picked up a bottle of this myself. Been looking forward to it. Thanks for the write up.

[steveh]

I don't think you should drink it, it's never gonna get to 5° in Santa Cruz...send it to me. ;)

S.

[Tweek]

lol. somehow I think ill manage :)

[ADR]

Imperials are very personal to me, and I reviewed this one in early 2003, other aged bottles calm down...

2002 vintage...

Thick and black opaque pour, better "head" than I hoped for -- but that's just a skim of dark red. Straight string laces. Sweet licorice and berry aromas, a sense of lurking java oiliness. Huge mouthfeel, plenty of chocolate and espresso but with that licorice anise coming back very strongly on the tails of a considerable hop assertion. Finishes coffee-malty overall, but the aftertaste gradually establishes an enormous bitterness, almost ash-like. Meets qualifications for the style (great body and plenty of alcohol) but here's why its not at the top of my list -- not the fruitiness of Storm King nor the malty deliciousness of a Samuel Smith. Shakespeare still reigns as Rogue's finest "Stout", to me...

[fretlessman71]

If you thought that Shakespeare's Stout was better than the XS, I'll have to try them BOTH again; I loved - LOVED - the Rogue XS Imp. Stout I had last Christmas! :D

[ADR]

Well, you know, opinions vary and all...

Shakespeare still tops my list of ratings, not a huge beer but an amazing balance of Stout coffee, hops zazz, nice berry aroma, and I love the mouthfeel...

But trying either the Xs or the Shakespeare again and you can hardly go wrong...:D

[fretlessman71]

I ought to be clearer... I haven't had the pleasure of trying the Shakespeare's Stout yet. And if you're saying it's better than the XS...... :eek: ...then it's GOT to be wonderful!

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by ADR
Huge mouthfeel, plenty of chocolate and expresso ... eXpresso? No such thing, is there? Unless it's the new Italian Autobahn.... ;)

[ADR]

Well, I fixed my typo at beeradvocate, anyway...:p

Alright, and here too...

[fretlessman71]

You'll find, after browsing the site a fair amount, that it's my self-imposed duty to correct spelling and grammatical errors when I find them on this board (and smile while I take an inordinate amount of crap for it as well) for the sole purpose of making sure that non-beer drinkers have as little ammo as possible when attempting to assail our intellect as a group. So many friends of mine who are wine snobs try to tell me that "beer drinkers are idiots", and I'm just doing my little part to fight the good fight. :)