BrewDog Riptide

Brewed by BrewDog
Style: Imperial Stout
Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Serve in Snifter

UPDATED: SEP 14, 2008 Bomber. Pours fairly black with a spotty whitish head comprised of rather large bubbles. The aroma is something of a departure for an imperial stout. It has the coffee and roast going on, but it has a solid hickory and light spiced character too. I don’t get a lot of dense roastiness, but I do seem to find something creating a sharp, almost citrusy sensation. The flavor is a bit heavier and certainly roastier. Actually, the coffee presence in the flavor is quite delightful. This fades to an ashy, smoky note. Sappy hickory is noted throughout. I start to detect hints at raisins and a dash of port qualities towards the end of the snifter, but I think the drier flavors are Riptide’s strong suit. This is a pretty tasty beer, but not very large. I liked it but not enough to drop that kind of cash for another bomber.

22.4 oz bottle 3/24/11 (Veteran Liquor) 41° in Snifter-Pours black with a small tanhead. Aroma of roasted malt. Taste of coffee, roasted malt, sweetness, and chocolate. This medium to full bodied brew is fairly light in flavor. I was expecting something a little bit heavier.

Bottle, thanks after4ever! Pours opaque black with a lacy tan head. Sweet aroma of brown sugar, grain and coffee. Medium body and moderate carbonation. Sweet coffee taste, moderated by earthy hops. Somewhat astringent and smoky finish.

330 ml bottle. Rated @ 21.3.2009.
Pours a black colour with a small white head. Aroma of roasted malts, not much else. Very smooth taste of roasted malts, coffee, soy sauce and dark chocolate. Alcohol is well hidden. Thin mouthfeel for an Imperial Stout and a straightforward flavour. An easy to drink Imperial Stout which lacks character.

Brown bottle, 330 ml, batch 123, best before 10/02/10, purchased via Importations Privées Bièropholie, savoured on December 12 2008; eye: black with burgundy reflections, opaque, tiny beige head that disappears completely, light lacing; nose: roasted malt, molasses, resinous hops, vanilla, chocolate milk; mouth: roasted malt, molasses, light hops, candied fruits, chocolate milk, finale in roasted malt with a good presence of molasses and a bit of bitterness, texture is silky but also that of chocolate milk, nice balance, average acridness, lightly sweet and bitter, medium body, average carbonation; overall: quite likable FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 330 ml, lot 123, meilleure avant 10/02/10, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, savourée le 12 décembre 2008; œil : noire avec des reflets bourgogne, opaque, petite mousse beige qui disparaît presque complètement, légère dentelle; nez : malt torréfié, mélasse, houblon résineux, vanille, lait au chocolat; bouche : malt torréfié, mélasse, léger houblon, fruits confits, lait au chocolat, finale en malt torréfié avec une bonne présence de mélasse et une légère amertume, texture soyeuse mais aussi de lait au chocolat, bel équilibre, âcreté moyenne, légèrement sucrée et amère, corps moyen, carbonatation moyenne; en résumé : bien aimé

Pours a rich amber brown color with almost no head. Aroma is roast, caramel, some brown sugar, and some chocolate. Flavor is brown sugar, caramel, roast, plum, and a bitter roast finish.

Black with a thin tan head. Aroma is roasty with chocolate, roastiness, caramel. Taste is very roasty, espresso, smoke. Similar to Ten Fidy. Too roasty

1pint, 6.4oz bottle with 002-07/07/09 stamped on the label. Pours a black body with a creamy, finger-width, light brown head that dissipates quickly and leaves a nice, bubbly lacing. I like this aroma. Its lean, but robust at the same time. Lots of distinct English toffee and nutty marzipan with some sweet chocolate, alcohol, caramel cookies, and subtly bold roasts. There is some leafy and earthy hops, a touch of vanilla, and licorice as well. Flavor seems to lack the complexity of the aroma with an odd, disjointed palate. Lots of sweet marzipan, English toffee, caramel, and chocolate up front before this quickly dries and leaves a clingy bitterness. Lots of leafy and earthy hops as well as very dry roasts and alcohol that make this a bit too bitter. There is still that hint of vanilla cookie and fruit, but the overall balance seems off. Medium, quick, silky body with a lengthy aftertaste and light carbonation. Overall, an interesting impy. I thought the disjointed body was distracting enough to throw this off a bit. I assume a little more cellaring could help. Despite my complaints, it had a nice aroma and the flavor was definitely plentiful. Not terrible, but it could use some work/aging IMO.