Two Roads Brewing Co. Unorthodox
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What the brewers say
“Aggressively hopped with four different Pacific Northwest varieties to create a depth of character. Full-bodied with notes of rye, treacle, chocolate, and espresso.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “When you walk into a brewhouse, it smells like this, typically because everybody is busy brewing IPAs and pale ales. But this is an imperial stout, and it smells deceivingly fresh and hoppy, almost dry-hopped and tropical. Light caramel and chocolate, touch of black peppercorn. Moderate fruity esters.”
Flavor: “Quite aggressively hopped for an imperial stout—piney, earthy, hint of grass. Makes you wonder whether you’re drinking a black DIPA. Lots of coffee and sweet caramelized malt. More malt sweetness than suggested by the aroma.”
Overall: “If you like your stouts on the hoppier side, this is for you. It offers a very nice balance between hops bitterness and sweet imperial-stout malt flavors, although it is definitely not what you’d expect if you purchased it as a straight imperial stout. Tastes a bit like hops chocolate. Very good.”
