Rogue Ales - Chocolate Stout

Pours a deep dark opaque brown, with little 1/2 finger head that laces well. Smell cocoa and chocolate on the nose, some hops crispness in the back. Taste again cocoa and chocolate, with bitterness and crispness on the finish. Feel crisp carbonation, very tight, with some slight oiliness on the finish. Not real drinkable for me due to the sweetness and chocolaty flavors, but good for the designed taste.

Rating: Good

ABV: 6.0%

Rogue Ales - Double Dead Guy

Nice deep copper color, very clear, pours a nice two finger head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma opens with some caramel malts, followed by some slight pine notes of hops. Taste is very crisp initially, malts sweetness, with some crisp pine notes, overall nice balance. Feel is good with tight and crisp carbonation that transitions to an oiliness on the finish. Overall nice drinkability, very balanced and a good overall beer.

Rating: Better

ABV: 9.0%

Deschutes Brewery - Hop Trip (Bond Street Series)

Beautiful glowing copper color. Very clear and bright. One finger head that dissipated quickly not any noticeable lacing on the pint glass. Smell of pine and grapefruit on the nose, some malts balance very nicely. Taste pine and grapefruit again, but again very balanced. Great feel, nice carbonation, ample oiliness and feel. Great taste not overly sweet or bitter, great drinkability.

Rating: Better

ABV: 5.5%

Deschutes Brewing - Mirror Mirror

Pours a dark copper color with light loose head of a tan color. Less than one finger of head. Nice smell of caramel and alcohol very malty and sweet aromas. Taste is much the same, sweet, with alcohol on the back end, caramel with maybe a slight fruityness. Feel right with light carbonation, very loose but nice. Alcohol warms nicely. Good enjoyable beverage with nice smell, taste and aromas.

Rating: Better

ABV: 11.0%

Rogue Brewery (Brewers on the Bay) - Dead Guy Ale

Pours hazy with a copper color and two finger head when poured more gently. Complex smell with the malt out front presenting a grainy nose, some hop notes but overall very balanced smell. Taste is similar to smell though the hops are more prevalent on taste than smell. Carbonation disappears quicker than most, though not terrible. Good beer, definitely drinkable, overall I enjoyed the beer.


Rating: Good

ABV: 6.5%

Deschutes Brewery - Red Chair NWPA

Poured into a snifter from the bottle a nice copper color with a slightly off white head that sticks around somewhat before dissipating to a white cap and crown on the beer. Laces minimally. Smell is very much along the lines of pine with some faint citrus notes. Taste is bitter pine notes with a nice crisp feel and a slight aftertaste of the pine. Overall extremely drinkable with great aromas and flavors.

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.4%

Full Sail Brewery - Full Sail Imperial Porter

Poured a nice dark, dark brown with a tan head that dissipated quickly to crown the beer in the glass. Definite coffee and chocolate aroma typical of the malts. Ample bitterness with the roasted malts and some very prevalent sweetness backing it up. Great complexities of flavors with a nice smooth, yet still chewy feel. Drinks easy and smooth. ABV is not so high to limit consumption greatly.

Rating: Better

ABV: 7.5%

Deschutes Brewery - Inversion IPA

Poured from the bottle into a standard pint glass with a slight cloudiness, copper color with cream colored head. Poured a finger width's head. Hoppy smooth smell, moderate alcohol, very light fruitiness. Taste yields prevalent hops, bitter, moderate alcohol. Feel is light, tight carbonation, smooth, enjoyable. Very drinkable, moderate alcohol.

Rating: Good

ABV: 6.80%

Deschutes Brewery - The Abyss (2009 Vintage)

Held on to this as long as I could (which wasn't very long) before I had to crack it open. Poured a deep dark opaque brown with a golden dark khaki head that changed into a lighter tan as it sat. Creamy, tiny bubbles and a solid two finger height on a less than vigorous pour. Head retention is excellent and it laces well.

Smell is very complex with multiple aromas with bitter chocolate leading the way, but a citrus sweetness follows with the licorice and bourbon notes as well.

Taste is equal in complexity to the smell with the bourbon more prominent, chocolate bitterness presents afterward along with some alcohol.

Mouthfeel is excellent, creamy and chewy with the extremely tight carbonation and alcohol warming.

Overall drinkability is limited by ABV only, but consistent with the style. If not for the potency, this balanced brew could be enjoyed for days.

Rating: Best

ABV: 11.00%

Rogue Ales Brewery - Shakespeare Stout

Pours a very dark, mostly opaque brown with a two finger golden brown head. Aromas of chocolate primarily with some hints of citrus blending in. Taste is definitely the roasted malts and chocolate though I thought I detected a bit of a metallic zing at the very end (not sure what that was about). Very nice feel for a stout carbonation was not over abundant and the hops added some oiliness on the finish. Overall a very good, drinkable beer.

Rating: Better

ABV: 6.0%

IBU: 69

Deschutes Brewery - Black Butte XXI (21st Birthday Reserve)

Limited offering brewed once in June 2009. Poured from the bottle into a rounded tumbler, deep dark brown (almost black color) that has some slight ruby at the edges, head is one finger that doesn't stick around very long, yellowish brown in color. Aromas of the roasted malts some burnt malts seem to be apparent. Chocolate malts provide some definite bitterness. Sweetness limited by the bitterness of the chocolate malts, the taste is very balanced between the chocolate malts, coffee flavors, and the roasted malts. Medium to full bodied feel that has some slight dryness as well. A drinkable beer for the style and very good though the ABV limits consumption.

Rating: Better

ABV: 11.0%