Rogue Imperial Porter

Bottled SBWF 08. Pours out in a really dark brown colour with a small beige foam. Dryish aroma of pepper and dark chocolate with that familiar cracker-like Rouge note. Also picked up notes of nuts and cocoa. Nearly full-bodied with strong notes of cocoa, dark chocolate, crackers, black pepper and mild alcohol. Long bitter finish of cocoa, nuts, grass, alcohol, and crackers.

Tap at Brouwers. The aroma is pretty hoppy with lots of earthy dry roast, a touch of light sweetness, and some metallic notes that kind of detract from the overall experience IMO. Pours almost black, dark brown with a nice tan head that lasted throughout. The flavor is initially very hoppy. Lots of earth, some dry roast and dirt follows, a little dark malt sweetness, and then off metallic notes. The hops are pretty dominant and there are lots of lingering dry notes in the mouth feel. Meh.

Ceramic bottle listed at 8.2%. Brown color with a tallish, somewhat creamy looking, light tan head. After my last porter this one has a ton more hops in the nose. Some grapefruit notes with just a hint of caramel and fruit. Blindfolded, I would have not guessed a porter. From the start this one is fairly dry. Malt and salted grapefruit in the front and middle. Charred wood in the finish and especially in the linger. This one calls for another sip just to wash away the ashes. I do not get much black malt bitterness, more the charred flavors. A pale with scorched coffee seem to comprise this one.

Black with light beige head. Aroma of coffee and peanuts. Flavor of dark roasted coffee, nice bitter finish.

Pours a near-black brown with a compact almond head. Burnt malt and bitter chocolate with earthy undertones fill the aroma. The same is relayed on the palate along with a little anise and quite a pithy bitter dry finish. A mild alcohol burn arises late. This is certainly big but not as complex as I had hoped.

Ceramic bottle typical of Rogue special releases. Pours darkest brown with a medium tan head. Malty aroma with some alcohol and roastiness. Sweet malt up front with a roasty coffee finish. Pretty darn good.

Tap at Strong Ale 2008. Pours black with a tan ring. Nose is sweet and off. Taste is sweet and off, overall a big old eh.

Pours a rich black color with frothy light brown head. Aroma is of anise, dark roasted malt, light chocolate, and some spent coffee grinds. Taste is of light chocolate, roasted malt, mild coffee and some anise/icorice notes. Carbonation is well suited for the brew and alcohol is very tame. Very tasty! I’d pick this up again if I didn’t get stuck paying $5 for a ceramic bottle.