Santa's Private Reserve (2024)
Rogue Ales
- From:
- Rogue Ales
- Oregon, United States
- Style:
- American Stout
- ABV:
- 6.7%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.83 | pDev: 7.31%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 02, 2025
- Added:
- Oct 16, 2024
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
We've added Portland Coffee Roasters Coffee Beans into a Barrel Aging Stout and mixed this with Chocolate Stout to make a "Mocha Stout".
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Reviewed by UWDAWG from Washington
3.79/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 16 ounce can dated 10-9-24 into a tulip glass at 51 degrees.
Look- Deep brown, opaque, plentiful tiny particulate at the margins, medium brown frothy head, slightly above average head retention and lacing.
Smell- Roasted barley, dark chocolate, coffee, between weak and medium strength of scent.
Taste- Roasted barley, coffee, cocoa, moderately sweet, between weak and medium strength of flavor.
Feel- Between thin and medium body, average carbonation, mildly creamy, moderately bitter, moderately sweet, mildly mouth warming, very mildly mouth coating.
Overall- Deep brown and opaque with plentiful visible particulate at the edges. The bouquet was mainly roasted barley with notes of dark chocolate and barley layered in. The flavor followed the nose closely. This beer had additions of coffee and chocolate per the label, but the coffee and chocolate were so subtle I would have guessed they were just coming from the malt and not adjunct additions. The mouthfeel had a mild amount of creaminess and bitterness providing a good foundation, but the thinness of the body and lack of mouth coating properties were detractors. Overall this was a solid beer, but it didn’t have bold enough adjunct flavors to warrant their addition.
Dec 02, 2025Look- Deep brown, opaque, plentiful tiny particulate at the margins, medium brown frothy head, slightly above average head retention and lacing.
Smell- Roasted barley, dark chocolate, coffee, between weak and medium strength of scent.
Taste- Roasted barley, coffee, cocoa, moderately sweet, between weak and medium strength of flavor.
Feel- Between thin and medium body, average carbonation, mildly creamy, moderately bitter, moderately sweet, mildly mouth warming, very mildly mouth coating.
Overall- Deep brown and opaque with plentiful visible particulate at the edges. The bouquet was mainly roasted barley with notes of dark chocolate and barley layered in. The flavor followed the nose closely. This beer had additions of coffee and chocolate per the label, but the coffee and chocolate were so subtle I would have guessed they were just coming from the malt and not adjunct additions. The mouthfeel had a mild amount of creaminess and bitterness providing a good foundation, but the thinness of the body and lack of mouth coating properties were detractors. Overall this was a solid beer, but it didn’t have bold enough adjunct flavors to warrant their addition.
Reviewed by BJB13 from Maryland
4.17/5 rDev +8.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +8.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
16 ounce can poured into a Willi Becher.
CANNED 10/09/2024
L: Dark brown pour, one inch ruddy tan head, nice retention, spotty lace.
S: Chocolatey nose, with some roasted malt, vanilla crème coming later
T: Sweet start, vanilla, chocolate and caramel malt, nutty notes, medium bitter finish
F: Medium body, mild carbonation, fairly soft and a bit creamy
O: Straightforward, but tasty and very drinkable, just sweet enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Jan 12, 2025CANNED 10/09/2024
L: Dark brown pour, one inch ruddy tan head, nice retention, spotty lace.
S: Chocolatey nose, with some roasted malt, vanilla crème coming later
T: Sweet start, vanilla, chocolate and caramel malt, nutty notes, medium bitter finish
F: Medium body, mild carbonation, fairly soft and a bit creamy
O: Straightforward, but tasty and very drinkable, just sweet enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Reviewed by Scotchboy from Idaho
3.33/5 rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
3.33/5 rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Not my favorite from Rogue, sometimes these seasonals are pretty decent (at least, my memory is telling me that) but this one seems one-dimensional and overall watery and thin. Maybe a bit over-carbed too? There is a presence of coffee, chocolate, and cacao, but the thin body and strong present carbonation takes away from whatever dessert-like qualities this one should have had.
Dec 26, 2024
Reviewed by Historiker from Ohio
3.8/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.8/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured a deep dark brown with around 1/2" of tan head. Zero retention or lacing
At cellar temp, it smells primary like chocolate and cocoa.
Taste has an up front cocoa flavor similar to Samuel Smith's organic chocolate stout. On the back end, you get some coffee. When I say some, I mean it. It's certainly a minor player in this affair. Flavor is largely two dimensional. Nice balance between sweet and dry.
Mouthfeel is on the lighter end of medium.
For a craft beer, this is very good. For Rogue, this is good. It's not bad, but it's not up to par with a lot of their other stuff. Man I miss their 2022 edition...
Dec 03, 2024At cellar temp, it smells primary like chocolate and cocoa.
Taste has an up front cocoa flavor similar to Samuel Smith's organic chocolate stout. On the back end, you get some coffee. When I say some, I mean it. It's certainly a minor player in this affair. Flavor is largely two dimensional. Nice balance between sweet and dry.
Mouthfeel is on the lighter end of medium.
For a craft beer, this is very good. For Rogue, this is good. It's not bad, but it's not up to par with a lot of their other stuff. Man I miss their 2022 edition...
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas
3.75/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a slightly turbid chestnut with 2 fingers of mocha colored head. Zero head retention & lacing
S: Plenty of coffee, some cocoa, fades a bit as this beer warms
T: Cocoa up front, vanilla, a touch of cinnamon, & just a little bit of coffee & trace amounts of woody hops up front. Dryness, a little smokeyness mixes in with coffee & cocoa as this beer warms up. Finishes dry, a little cinnamon, cocoa & some traces of coffee
MF: Medium body, firm carbonation. Carbonation smooths out a bit as the beer warms up
Solid Stout, plenty drinkable
Oct 26, 2024S: Plenty of coffee, some cocoa, fades a bit as this beer warms
T: Cocoa up front, vanilla, a touch of cinnamon, & just a little bit of coffee & trace amounts of woody hops up front. Dryness, a little smokeyness mixes in with coffee & cocoa as this beer warms up. Finishes dry, a little cinnamon, cocoa & some traces of coffee
MF: Medium body, firm carbonation. Carbonation smooths out a bit as the beer warms up
Solid Stout, plenty drinkable
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