Rogue Brewing Co. - Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout

This beer was heartily recommended to me by my brother Dan, who urged me to seek out this beer for some time now. I inquired at the P Street Whole Foods about it, and got a "oh, yeah, totally" nod from the bearded beer buyer James. He had actually already ordered a case, and it arrived a few weeks ago.

I checked BeerAdvocate, and they give it a 93/100 - or an "exceptional" rating. It's a 6.1% ABV oatmeal stout made with Northwest hops, crystal hops, roasted rye, and roasted barley. It's pretty much universally recommended as a great stout. I'm a huge fan of medium stouts so this was a natural for me to try. According to their website, this beer is available year-round although James at Whole Foods seemed to suggest it was a seasonal. Anyways, I got a bottle, so that's what matters.

I cracked it open and let it sit a moment before pouring it. It had a smooth, quick pour and made a light tan-colored head. Have you poured a beer, had it foamed up, and then the foam recedes leaving some head residue on the walls of the glass? That's called lacing. This beer laces very well and the foam sticks to the glass nicely. I poured it out and let it sit to enjoy the nose.

The first taste was one of charred hops and chocolate beans. It's got a heavy oaty taste which pairs nicely with the chocolate beans. There was a nice full mouthfeel that makes this beer very taste-forward and enjoyable. You don't have to go looking for the flavor here - it comes at you pretty easily. The beer was carbonated nicely but the carbonation didn't interfere with the taste.

The finish was one of smooth, lingering sweet, carmelized malts, leading into an aftertaste is toasted vanilla bean.

This beer isn't what I was expecting. Given my previous experiences with these kinds of beers, I was expecting something a little more muted, a little smoother, perhaps like the Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout or one of my old college go-to beers, the Lancaster Milk Stout. What I got was a beer that was a little stronger, a little harsher, and one that's more toasted than some of the aforementioned brews. I almost think this beer might be better a little warmer. Let it sit for 15 after you pour it and then try it. The flavor definitely opens up.

In conclusion, this is a delicious beer. It's not the best beer I've ever had - that distinction goes to Orval Trappiste - but I urge you to seek this out if you can. Another good thing about this particular beer is its cost. In general, Rogue ales are also decently priced - this one is $7 for a 1pt 6oz bottle. Stone, on the other hand, sometimes charges $15 for similar brews.

Give this a shot! It's pretty good and especially if you like beers that are a little stronger and toasted. Imperial  Stout fans will enjoy this very much.

Peak Organic - King Crimson

Last year, I reviewed the Portland, ME-based Peak Organic's Maple Collaboration and loved it. I also tried their Mocha Stout, which was delicious as well. I read online about a re-release of their popular imperial red ale, King Crimson. Whole Foods on P Street started carrying it, and being a huge fan of both red ales and Peak Organic, I picked up a bottle. This beer, an American Imperial Red Ale, weighs in at 9.5% ABV and 90 IBUs.

I cracked open the bottle and let the beer sit for a few moments. One of the first things I noticed was the strong smell. It has a very pungent nose to it that is clear when you pour it into a glass. The color is deep amber; the nose is a strong alcohol and tangy fruits.

The beer also had a frothy, bone-white head that was very clingy to the side of the glass.

I let this beer sit a few moments to enjoy the nose. Upon first taste, I found the King Crimson to have a very forward taste of fruity hops, but there was definitely a strong showing of malt, too. At first it was clean, crisp, hoppy, but was very nuanced but had little carbonation. But once the flavor developed on my palate, there was a resiny, piney, citrusy full-mouth flavor. The strength of the malt and hops didn't overpower my palate, though, and it left a strong sweet taste that had a nice fruity bouquet. The finish was one of strong, wet malt with a tangy alcohol flavor. Delicious! 

I knew this beer was going to be strong, because it's billed as an "Imperial Red Ale." Imperial ales were originally called such because they were top-of-the-line luxury beers intended for the imperial court of Russia. Today, any beer labelled "Imperial" is likely to be a very strong ale brewed with extra (sometimes double or triple) hops. An Imperial ale is going to be heavy, strong, and amped-up with all sorts of ingredients. I knew what I was getting into with this beer, and I'm glad I did. 

This beer is a strong, ripe, spicy red ale that (in my opinion) is one of the best red ales on the market. You could cellar this beer (as I am doing right now) and you could probably hold on to it for another few years. I picked this up for $7, which I consider a steal for this beer, at Whole Foods. Since it's a limited release, you may not be able to find it anymore. But if you do see it, consider trying it. I very much recommend it.