XS Imperial Red Ale - Rogue Ales Brewery, Newport

I picked up a tiny bottle of Rogue XS Imperial Red Ale the first time I saw it. I was intrigued by the packaging as much as I was by the style. The only thing I could think of was "Imperial Red = Double Amber?" I really had no frame of reference, and that was exciting. The more thought I put into it though I realized, Ambers aren't all that interesting... would a Double Amber be twice as not interesting? Two wrongs don't make a right after all. Since this was only a 7oz bottle I figured the barrier to entry was low enough I'd take the leap.

I poured the Imperial Red into the smallest glass I could find, it was a novelty tulip glass that holds about three and a half ounces. I didn't realize at the time that this was a pour decision because it was difficult to pick up on the aroma of the beer since there was so little surface area exposed to air. I was able to pick up on some sweet malt but that was about it. This beer remained a mystery until I took the first sip, and it was bad... Not horrible, but close.

The flavor was... different. I guess Double Amber suits it pretty well. There is a lot more hop flavor than what I was expecting but when something is a Double, that comes with the territory more often than not. There is quite a lot of bitterness, most of which comes from the hops but enough comes from the malt that you get the impress a darker malt was used in this beer. I can't really say I like it, or that I'd buy another ounce of it, no matter how small the bottle... but this beer wasn't horrible. That's really the best endorsement I can give it. It's an interesting take on a style I've never had before and could probably do without in the future... If you're feeling adventurous and looking for something I bit different I wouldn't blame you for trying a Rogue XS Double Amber Imperial Red Ale