Listen, I’ve been around the craft ale block a few times. I’ve tangoed with Tripels, slow-danced with Sours, and had a downright torrid affair with a English IPA back in ‘98; but let me tell you, Sawdust City’s LDV Red Rocket Spiced Imperial Espresso Stout isn’t just a beer – it’s a sultry, full-bodied seduction in a glass.

From the moment you pour it, you know you’re in for a special treat. That thick, luxurious head – tan, creamy, that’s just begging to be admired, as it settles atop the obsidian body, like a velvet robe slipping from the shoulders of an old Hollywood starlet. You don’t chug a beer like this; You sip it, you savor it, you let it whisper sweet nothings in your ear.

The first taste is an all-encompassing embrace – bold espresso wraps around rich, dark chocolate, like two lovers entangled on a silk sheet of roasted malt. And just when you think you’ve got it figured out, a wicked little cayenne spice sneaks up on you from behind, like a mischievous nibble on your earlobe. It’s just enough heat to wake up your senses without making you regret last night’s life choices.

The mouthfeel? Velvety, thick, indulgent – it doesn’t just coat your tongue, it makes itself at home. This stout has presence – it lingers. It leaves traces of vanilla and cinnamon in its wake, making you question whether it’s a beer, or some kind of dark, boozy necromancy.

At 9% ABV, Red Rocket isn’t just here for a casual chat – it’s leaning in close, making eye contact, and asking if you’d like to see the river deck view. And honestly? You do! 

And as I sit here, utterly bewitched by Red Rocket’s bold embrace, I can’t help, but hope that the fine folks at Sawdust City have had the good sense to tuck some of this delicious liquid away in bourbon barrels, letting it slumber, and soak up the kind of oaky, boozy wisdom that only time can bestow. Because if Red Rocket is already this seductive, imagine what it could become after a slow, patient transformation into something even more decadent – a worthy new incarnation of Titania, their Queenly masterpiece!