After my initial introduction to the Brewdog line of beers earlier this year with the Paradox Islay (Batch 009), I’ve been on the look out for anything from them that I can find. Luckily for me, I found just the beer they used in their barrel aged stout series.
While the Paradox is something other-worldly taste-wise, I was still expecting a good deal from this beer. Riptide Stout turned out to be a pretty decent imperial stout, but (and perhaps my expectations were a bit high) it fell in the middle of what I like from this style of beer. It’s tasty and very drinkable, but not as robust as I personally would want from an imperial brew.
Appearance
Riptide poured nearly black with a deep garnet edge. A thin, wispy head rested at the top of the glass.
Aroma
This one has a very smooth, well balanced nose with roasted malt, semi-sweet chocolates, vanilla and a touch of coffee.
Taste
With the smoother nose on the beer, I wasn’t really expecting the flavor to be much different. It does pour a bit thin for the style, but the roasted malt and chocolates are a bit more assertive on the tongue. The overall palate is a bit subdued, yet quite smooth and easy to drink. There’s a slightly bitter and dry finish to the beer, but it doesn’t linger too long.
Overall
Like I stated earlier, perhaps I was expecting too much from this beer. Then again, perhaps, it’s just a well balanced, drinkable middle of the road Imperial Stout — which could be a good thing. This night, however, I was in the mood for something with a little more of a robust character. That said, I might pick this one up again at the right price.
Rating: 3/5
