Beer Review: Tin Roof Rougarou Imperial Black Ale

By now I'm sure you've seen some pictures and hype about the latest from Tin Roof Brewing, the Rougarou Imperial Black Ale!  Not only will this be their "biggest" beer yet in terms of abv, but it will also be their first release in 22 ounce bottles.  I was able to pick up a preview bottle late last week, and the bottles should be hitting the shelves around town later this week!  They'll also be on draft at a few places starting at 5 PM tonight at the Bulldog, I'll try to update other locations when I hear about them.  

First impressions... I love the name.  It's perfect for a Louisiana brewed Imperial Black Ale.  I'm actually a little surprised none of the other local breweries had used the Rougarou name already.  The bottle itself is really sharp as well. Simple artwork, the name of the beer, the style, and the Tin Roof logo up on the neck. Time for a pour, this one was fresh off the bottling line when I picked it up last Thursday and Mandi and I split it on Friday, that's about as fresh as a beer gets.

The beer pours a rich black color, spot on for the style, with a little bit of off-white head.  The aroma was excellent, hoppy with some pine notes and a nice malt backbone.  It was spot on for what you'd want in this style of beer.  The taste up front was a little harsh on the bitterness, but I expect that to fade pretty quickly and maybe even by the time bottles hit retail shelves.  It wasn't bad, I just thought it was a little too bitter and it made it hard to pick out the hop flavors.  The back end of each sip was better, with the hops coming through more distinctly and playing well with the rich malts.

All in all, a very nice effort from Tin Roof, and in my opinion their best beer yet.  I'll be picking up a few more once they hit the shelves and am eager to try it on tap as well!