Rogue Ales & Spirits Chocolate Stout

**Aroma:** “Notes of chocolate up front, with some creamy milk sweetness. The roast malt dominates on the nose, with a tart black-cherry ester and slight clove. It’s roasty, earthy, and oaky, with tobacco and a campfire smokiness.” **Flavor:** “Burned roast hits up front, and the roasty malt character carries through the sip. Some milk and chocolate sweetness sit behind the roast, with notes of licorice, cherries, plum, and other dark fruits. It’s a very earthy beer with fruity esters potentially from the hops, but for sure from the roast. Notes of oak, pine, and the big hops bitterness leads to a dry finish. The body is a bit thin.” **Overall:** “Overall, it’s a ‘punch you in the mouth’ kind of stout that delivers on a roast-forward presence. The more I drank, the more it grew on me. The roast has a finesse with some evident fruit flavors, in both aroma and flavor, but the burned characteristics really shone through. Reminded me of sitting at a campfire on a cold winter night, with ashes flying and coals burning.”

“Alcoholic heat in the nose obscures hints of roasted malt, chocolate, and caramel. Booze carries into the flavor, stripping away more subtle complexities. Roasty, smoky, with pleasantly malty profile.”

**Aroma:** “Light aroma with a touch of oats and light roast. A light hops flavor—citrus and pine American hops. Oatmeal and slight toast come through in the finish. Very low ester profile, but maybe a touch of vanilla. There is a nice roast character in this beer. Some complex chocolates along with some earthy nuttiness, toast, and roast. Coffee notes are also present.” **Flavor:** “Roasty malt, toast, and creamy oatmeal. Slight sweetness up front transitions into assertive bitterness that lingers. Lots of American hops flavor, and hops bitterness carries through to help cut the sweetness and add complexity. Rich blend of milk and dark chocolate with some bready toasted notes. Ester profile is quite subdued with some dark cherry peeking through. There is a sweetness that carries through with chocolate and coffee. Very bitter for this style with hops bitterness of pine.” **Overall:** “A slightly higher body and sweetness would help balance out this beer. The American hops and bitterness are pretty intense and not very appropriate for this style. The malt complexity is pretty good, and the body is nice. Oatmeal is used well, but overwhelmed by the hops. This beer provides nice complexity with some bold flavors. It was sweet but not too sweet.”