Russian Imperial Stout
Rogue's Roost Brew Pub & Eatery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance is inky black, but only the barest haze of head is seen.

Smells of coffee, strong but not overpowering, with a slight toffee sweetness.

Taste is heavy on the coffee, smooth and creamy feeling with a bit of carbonation felt near the finish, where the taste takes more of a charred-grain direction. Hops are quite mild, but slightly earthy in the background, along with the only balancing sweetness from a bit of caramel.

It's pretty drinkable, the alcohol is very well hidden. Not exemplary, but decent.

Arrives at my table pitch black, not a glimmer of light around the edges, with a fairly small and tight deep brown head that dissipates reasonably quickly and leaves some lacing. Smell is quite muted, a hint of coffee and some earthy character with a touch of hops in the mix as well. Taste has bitter coffee in the forefront, strong and dark. This gives way to a subtle woody tone, a bit of dark plum, and finally a hot and hoppy finish, still bitter and powerful. Mouthfeel is quite thick, almost chewy, perhaps a bit over carbonated and not as viscous as it might be. Drinkability is average, though the fact that it was my third beer on a night featuring a big meal might have impacted this a bit. Not a bad effort at all, very worthwhile.