Rogue XS Russian Imperial Stout

The other day we thoroughly enjoyed Rogue's 2011 XS Russian Imperial Stout.  My hubby picked this one out of our horde . . . er . . . stash of craft beers.  And it was a great choice!

First of all, I'd like to comment on the bottle.  It is quite impressive and a fitting vessel for this outstanding brew.   The bottle is a  ceramic bottle painted charcoal black with a swing top stopper.  There is no way light is penetrating this bottle to skunk this brew!  Awesome!

To add a touch my own personal style, I served this beer in a mason jar . . . I'm nothing if not classy. :/

This extra special stout pours dark as pitch with a creamy mocha head.  The aroma is an abundance of coffee and a hint of booziness; at 11% ABV this isn't unexpected.    

Not for the faint of heart nor for the meek beer drinker. This is a BIG . . . nay . . . ginormous beer.  

The first taste . . . I wasn't sure if I was drinking a beer or a coffee.  The big coffee taste is complemented by dark chocolate notes.  It has a clean finish complemented by a bitter hoppiness.  It had a bubbly mouthfeel  and not as creamy as I expect in an imperial stout.  That's not a bad thing, just different from what I anticipated.  

The flavors intensify as it warms . . . as does the burn that accompanies such a high alcohol beer.  It's all good and just gets better.

I am truly impressed.  Gotta love Rogue!

This beer is perfect for anyone who is a fan of coffee and/or stouts.    Outstanding in it's awesomeness.  I give it two thumbs up plus any extras I can find laying around!

Cheers!!

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