Pike XXXXX Stout

Outstanding. A nice suprise considering it didn’t appear to be much of anything special. It looked like a redheaded stepchild but packed all the right flavors. Chocolate, a little coffee, some toasty flavors, all-around goodness

I was expecting something a little fancier. Wasn’t really that impressed. A good dark stout, nice dark malt nose and body. But nothing new really.

A dark black beer with a nice foamy 1 finger tan head. Aroma of roasted burnt malt, & coffee. Taste was roasty, dark chocolate, bitter coffee, & slightly creamy. It said extra stout on the bottle. What is an extra stout? Halfway between a sout & Imp. Stout. By the looks & taste of it, it does taste like it is halfway between both a stout & Imp. Stout.

12oz bottle.
Bonus from acertain. Pours a dark and gloomy brown-black with wisps of creamy tan head. Aroma is straight from the School of How A Stout Should Smell -- rich, roasty, chocolaty, caramel-y, topped of with vinous alcohol. Flavor is, not surprisingly, rich, roasty, chocolaty, caramel-y, topped off with vinous alcohol, only the dry toasty grain plays an appropriately larger role than in the aroma. Palate is disappointingly thin for a beer that smells and tastes this big. Still, I wouldn’t turn one of these down just for its weak mouthfeel. A fine brew.

Bottle from The Bottle Shop in Eugene, OR. This brew was an excellent stout with full flavor and palate. Roasted malt/chocolate with a little woodiness and a touch of coffee.

22oz. Bottle (at 7%ABV): Aroma of chocolate, slight roasted malts, and a hint of cream. Poured pitch black in color with a small, rocky, dense, solid brown head that lasted throughout. Opaque. Average lacing. Not sparkling. Flavor is lightly sweet and medium bitter. Tasted of chocolate, bitter coffee, roasted malts, slight piney hops, and a slight hint of vanilla. Medium body. Lightly dry texture. Average carbonation. Roasted, chocolate, coffee finish is lightly dry.

Pitch black appearance. Tall brown head. Nice caramel aroma. Big notes of brown sugar with roasted notes. Tasty dark malts are heavy upfront. Toasted flavors with a touch of alcohol. Pretty solid through and through.

Bottle... Poured black with a thick, light brown head. Roasted, wood and oak flavors with a dark chocolate presence. This was surprisingly better than I’d hope. Resinous and chalky with a nice, creamy palate. Very noticeable oak and wood flavors. A little hoppy and chocolaty. Coffee, and smoked malted finish.