A friend of mine hates stouts, but the only stout he has been exposed to is Guinness. While Guinness is a fine beer, there are much better stouts out there. Both the Chocolate Stout and Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout coming from Rogue Brewery in Newport, Oregon are a greater experience than any pint of Guinness.
A pint of Chocolate Stout isn’t hidden under overly thick foam like its overseas counterpart. The head is thick, but it’s just right. The stout obviously tastes and smells of chocolate malts. Like the head, the chocolate is not overpowering, but is well-proportioned. According to the bottle the chocolate used is imported, but the bottle doesn’t say an exact location. A little internet search revealed the chocolate hails from the Netherlands, and judging from the quality of the brew my suspicions that there is no such thing as bad Dutch chocolate is reconfirmed.
Unlike my mother, who stores chocolate by the hoard, I am not a chocolate lover, and usually not in beer. However, I would hide Rogue brewery’s Chocolate Stout by the 22 oz bottle to keep her away from the beer especially considering the high price tag. While out in Oregon, the bottle cost me $6.50, which is especially expensive considering the locality. In New Jersey, an extra $2 was added for shipping costs.
I’ve had the stout both cold and warm, and each time I continued to be pleasantly surprised by how great the brew taste. After visiting the brewery I brought a warm bottle back to a campsite farther down the 101. At the site I made friends, and passed the stout around a picnic table. The general consensus was that the beer was “smooth.” Unlike Guinness, friends will agree that Rogue Stouts are enjoyable.
My Rating: A
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