Pike XXXXX Stout

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

2000: As an Imperial stout fan this is as good as it gets without the high dosage of alc. I am now drinking my last one. It is bursting with flavors. Very smoky, burny, vanilla, bourbon-like sweetness on the palate and aroma, bitter chocolate reminiscent of Rogue Chocolate, heavy, thick body with creamy, long lasting brown head. Man o man.

Wonderful, rich, sweet, chocolatety, hoppy aroma. Completely opaque body, light brown head that is mostly diminishing. Very nice sporadic lace. This is a very good beer. A wave of dark chocolate rushes to the back of the tongue. This is one of the better stouts I have had. A few more % of alcohol and this would be awesome. Exceptionally well made. Thanks, Slikwily!

I'm ticked. I just wrote one of my most detailed reviews a few hours ago and then I deleted it. Forgive me for slighting on this review as I'm doing it completely from memory. Poured about as black as any beer I've seen with a tan head and minimal lacing. Tastes great and *very* complex. Not as hoppy as most Stouts but not out of balance at all. Coffee, toffee, a bit of citrus as well as some fruits like apricots. Mouthfeel was good and had a nice subtle mineral moutfeel to it. Drinkability was great as this was one of the better Stouts I've had. I'm kicking myself for not getting a few more of these from Liquid Solutions while I was there. This is well worth seeking out.

Had this with KBJAMES. A very good northwest Stout to be sure. Pours as black as you can get, motor oil is often used I think. Head is dark tan. Great lacing. Nose is heavy on roast with deep hop fruitness just behind it. Attack is filled with deep roast flavors (coffee, dark chacolate), and the crisp fruitiness of the hops. The finish is long and gentle, multitudes of subtle roast/yeast/hop flavors dance on the pallete throughout... Excellent beer start to finish.

On tap at Pike Pub, Seattle. Black, lasting tan head. Smokey aroma, bacony aroma. Bit of sourness in mouth, liquorice, riding over the top of coffee dominated dark malts,espresso, bitterdark choc flavours. Bitter finish. Great balance of liquorice juicyness and bitter dry malt finish. Some hop in evidence on finish. Excellent stout. Got everything, good complexity

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.

Pours very dark brown with a brown head. Pretty damn good looking. Sweet roasted malts - intense coffee and chocolate accented with yeast, caramel and dark chocolate. Burnt malt flavors and bitter dark chocolate took care of the mouth. Upon warm up a touch of smoke was noted as was little licorice. This is not an imperial, but it certainly has more character than many that I have tried. Excellent stout.

10/24/04. Poured out of 12 oz. bottle, bought at Stuffed Sandwich in San Gabriel, CA 10/24/04. Not sure of the year, but this is definitely an older bottle. Pitch black body with only the faintest trace of brown along the corners. Very dense, creamy dark tan-brown head that lingers wonderfully with some solid but slightly patchy lacing. Nose has strong dark raisins, mellow roastiness, a touch of cocoa and a hint of burnt caramel, some slight vinous character, and a blanket of oxidation that doesn’t detract. Very lovely and subtle. Deep coffee roast, huge dark purple raisin, a tinge of acrid and acidic burnt charcoal, juicy black licorice, and even some dried apricot flavors. Touch of sourness as well, which is where the beer is maybe showing some signs of wear. Very smooth finish with a fluffy mouthfeel and a lingering hum of a creamy carbonation texture. Finish is long and quite dry with a woody bourbony flavor entering the equation a little bit. Just a touch too much of that sourness lingering. Very, very good stuff.