Pike XXXXX Stout

Brewed by Pike Pub & Brewery
Style: Stout
Seattle, Washington USA

22oz bottle. Nearly opaque black-brown with a small dark brown head. Heavy dark alefruit aroma, some nuttiness. Meaty roastiness up front, tinges of chocolate. Figgy alefruit manifests, some acrid floral hop component. Lingering coffee bean astringent roastiness in the finish, slight chocolate flavor. Mouthfeel is a heavy medium, somewhat drying.

on tap-pours a light brown head that laces and black color. Aroma is dark malt-chocolate, roasty, secondary hops acidic. Taste follows. Lots of hops, the dark malt balances it nicely, more towards a porter. OK carbonation. Occasional.

Draft at the brewpub. Sweet, roasty aroma, plenty of dark cocoa and brown sugar to go with light touches of flowery hop and espresso. Very nice. Thoroughly opaque black color with a lasting tan head. Flavor is full of roast and cocoa as well, bittersweet, with a good dosage of fresh, leafy hop flavor, not much in the way of bitterness, though, as the bittering balance in the equation seems to belong solely to the dark, coffeeish, grainy malts. Good blend. Piney, very lightly fruity hoppiness, malts are very darkly roasted and sweet, working well in conjunction. Very full-flavored, makes for an appropriate dessert beer or digestif. Creamy mouthfeel, smooth and full. Nearing Imperial caliber. This is just a great stout, and I need more of it.

Appearance: Pours an opaque black body with a medium-sized, beige head. Smell: Aroma of rich, roasted dark malts with plenty of dark chocolate and licorice. Faint hint of soy. Taste: Dark maltiness with an airy sweetness to it. Some licorice. Full roasted grain flavor. Super soft touch of floral hops near the roasty, dry finish. The taste, overall, has a little sourness to it. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Moderate carbonation. Drinkability: Best beer in history? No, but it’s a tasty, nicely drinkable stout.

Picked up a single 22-oz bomber at Bottleworks in Seattle, Washington. Pours an opaque dark brown brew with a decent tan head that has good retention and lacing. Aroma of dark black malt, some coffee, smoked wood, dark chocolate and a touch of tobacco. Taste is full bodied, very lightly carbonated with flavors of dark chocolate, roasted malt and coffee. Finish is smooth, creamy with a decent coffee and chocolate aftertaste. One of the best over the top stouts.

Draft at the brewpub. poured an opaque black color. Head was tan with good retention and lacing. Aroma was of milk chocolate and vanilla. Tasted of coffee with big roasty bitterness.

On draft at the Pike Pub in Pike Place Market, Seattle. Poured blacker than black with a generous mocha head. Aroma of coffee and bitter chocolate. Crikey...this is a delicious stout, with a full-bodied roasted malt and chocolate flavor. So good I had it twice! Warming alcohol finish.

Bottle, dark aroma of tobacco, leather and raisins, pours very dark opaque bblack with a small tan head. Nice light carbonation, some sweetness, balanced against a nice roast and hops combination. Slightly slick on the tonge. Its quite nice, very drinkable a tsty stout.