Style: American Stout

ABV: 7.1 IBU: 55.0

98/100
Aroma: 12
Appearance: 3
Flavor: 20
Mouthfeel: 4

Revolution Brewing Company Rise

What the brewers say

“This medium-bodied beer is rich and complex with notes of dark roasted coffee and baker’s chocolate. Centennial and Chinook dry hops infuse this dark ale with fresh aromas of citrus zest and pine.”

What our panel thought

Aroma: “Hops! Fruity passion fruit, orange, lemon, grapefruit, dank resinous in the background—if I didn't see the color, I’d expect an IPA. Some dark roast and chocolate sweetness sneak through once your nose is dead to the hops. Light tart note. As it warms, a slight molasses note starts to mix with the hops.”

Flavor: “High hops flavor up front with bit citrus notes. Moderate chocolate with big roasty notes support the hops. Quite sweet up front. Sweetness slowly fades into a low bitterness. Toward the end, slight smoke note but big hops that continue into the aftertaste with a mix of roast. Dry, bitter hoppy finish. As it warms, the smoke turns into a burnt molasses note. Very fruity: passion fruit and pineapple. Finish is sweet and lingers. Rich chewy body that doesn’t come across as thick. Big pine and orange flavors from the hops. Chocolate from the malt gives it a chocolate orange flavor. The sweetness comes together with all the different bold flavors and finishes with a slightly dry finish.”

Overall: “A nice balance of stout and hops, but if you don’t like hops, this stout is not for you. Strong flavors all around with a touch of alcohol warming in the background to fill it all out. Good balance of hops flavor and bitterness. This is a very different take on a stout—kind of a black IPA more than a stout. This beer tastes like a better, less sweet version of those chocolate-covered orange candy sticks, but with a heavy dose of pine richness. Very tasty!”

What our editors thought


REVIEWS FOR YOU >

Saint Arnold Brewing Company Winter Stout

**Aroma:** “High fruity note similar to a Belgium with cherry, figs, raisins, orange. A candy-like aroma, perhaps like a cherry sucker. Toasty malt. Slightly oxidized. There is also a sweet milk chocolate aroma. Lots of malt sweetness. Slight coffee. A creaminess is present on the nose.” **Flavor:** “This comes across like a Belgian dubbel. High cherry note up front with a medium sweetness that slowly fades into a low bitterness with slight acidity. A light roast in the middle of the sip. The bitterness toward the end of the sip transitions into the aftertaste. Thin-to-medium body that is cut by the carbonation. Same esters as on the nose with some dark roast chocolate and toasted bread notes. Finishes with an interesting combination of the sweetness from the esters and a low-medium carbonic acid dryness. This beer has a flavor of vanilla cola.” **Overall:** “It’s enjoyable and sweet, but is this a stout? I get more fruity Belgian-like notes. As it warms, there is a bit of chocolate toward the very end. This could be a stout, but not a sweet stout. The aftertaste is too dry and astringent. A confusing beer for a sweet stout, given all of the strong Belgian-like esters and the carbonic ester finish.”

Firestone Walker Brewing Co Lager

Lovely, brilliant gold. Balanced aroma of light, spicy hops and soft, bready malt. Herbal-spicy bitterness—a bit sharp—balancing bright, bready sweetness. Faint pom fruit. Light body, lively mouthfeel. A bit astringent, leaning bitter. Clean, dry finish. Refreshing, drinkable.

Fremont Brewing Dark Star

**Aroma:** “Aromatic, mocha with enough oily dark roast coffee backbone to evoke thoughts of breakfast. Fruity with raisins and cherry. Plenty of caramel and sweet malt, too. Slight alcohol in the background.” **Flavor:** “The flavor follows up on everything the aroma suggested—rich, sweet, chocolate coffee but adds in a hoppy bitterness that supports the roasty edge. While the bitterness lingers into finish with a light acidity, it’s still fairly smooth. Just enough alcohol to feel appropriate for the style.” **Overall:** “Rich chocolate notes with a very dry finish. Big desert beer with a bitter finish. Lots of sweet chocolate flavor, dark cocoa, some dark dried fruit. Alcohol level is well balanced by the solid malt body and touch of sweetness.”

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