Rogue Imperial Porter

Appearance: Pours a dark black-brown body with a foamy, tan-colored head. Smell: Black patent malt aroma, only moreso. Like setting fire to used coffee grinds. Taste: A beer that’s big on it’s roasted characteristics and hop bitterness but little else. I thought I’d wait out the second half of the beer to see if some supporting flavors or even a little sweetness would emerge as it warmed -- it never did. On the finish, the roasted character soars past being simply roasty and far past ashen to land in the area of burnt. The sharp pine hop dosage paired with this an unpleasant acrid taste. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: I didn’t care for this thing at all, but that’s life, man. That’s life.

On tap in Issaquah. I think mine was served too cold. I was forced to wait, which is tough with an imperial porter in your hand. This brew is really good. It is not one of those in your face beers. It very black with a tan head. The aroma is of bitter chocolate. It is a touch hoppy with a big chocolate profile. I was shocked to read the alcohol is 7.7%. You cannot taste it. The alcohol is very unnoticeable, but it seems to work here. It is very good. I was just in the mood for an in your face flavor.

Yet again another great beer by rogue. Very hoppy for a porter, lacking the strong coffee flavor of my favor porters, but still very good.

On tap at Pizza Plant. Oh man, this baby on tap? Served in a goblet, this dark brown heavy flavored treat was worth the whole dinner. Nice dark brown head that hung to the side of the glass, very very flavorful, the best porter I’ve had in a long while. Yummalummadingdong. (guess I shouldn’t have had that second glass)...

I hadn’t imagined that this would be my 1,000th beer, but technically it isn’t anyway with my notebooks full of unrated beers. On tap @ The Sanctuary, 9/25/07. A deep, deep ruby with a 1 1/2 finger tan head--great retention, and nothing but a sheet of lacing on the sides of my glass to boot. Pine and roasty malts up front with a bit of scorched caramel and hints of soy in the background. Flavor adds tar and citrus fruits, the fruit being the stronger of the two. I even picked up on a bit of berry in there. Also, there is some tar (as advertised) to go with the burnt grain bitter finish that linger for a while with an added hint of grass. As this warmed to room temperature, some raisins and molasses became apparent (though light), but not necessarily sweet. Burps pine. Light to moderate creamy carbonation with a lighter body than I would’ve expected. Pretty nice beer, and though it isn’t a 4.0, I figure it’s worthy for my official 1,000.

Black,lasting brown head.Carmel roasty nose.Great bitter heavy roast profile, subtle alcohol. Lasting bitter finish

On tap at Barley’s Taproom: Pours a deep black color with a thick, creamy tan colored head. Decent aroma of chocolate. Thick, creamy mouthfeel with a big chocolate flavor. Finishes with slight hop bitterness. No alcohol in the taste.

Draft at the Issaquah brewhouse. Very black, almost opaque, with thin orange highlights. Head was khaki and thick with good retention and lacing. Smelled of molasses and chocolate. Very roasty and dry on the tongue. Tasted of coffee and bitter chocolate. There was also a hint of toffee at the end which emerged as the beer warmed. I didn’t detect 7.8% alcohol. Assertive bitterness was present throughout, I assume due to a combination of the hops and heavily roasted malt. Pretty good stuff.