Dark Horse Plead The 5th 4Pk

Dark Horse Plead The 5th 4Pk is a Russian Imperial Stout from Dark Horse Brewing Company, sold in a 4-pack at 11% ABV. Pitch black in color with a faint tan head, this Michigan-brewed stout stands apart from the crowded imperial stout field thanks to a proprietary secret root ingredient that contributes layers of earthy complexity beneath its roasted malt backbone.

Quick Facts: ABV: 11%  |  IBU: 41  |  Origin: Marshall, Michigan, USA  |  Style: Russian Imperial Stout  |  Brewery: Dark Horse Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Dark Horse Brewing Company operates out of Marshall, Michigan, where it has built a reputation for bold, uncompromising craft beers. Plead The 5th is brewed as a Russian Imperial Stout — a style historically known for its high gravity, deep color, and aggressive roast character — but Dark Horse takes it a step further by incorporating a top-secret root into the recipe. This undisclosed botanical ingredient adds an earthy, herbal dimension that separates Plead The 5th from more straightforward imperial stouts. The brewery has kept the identity of this root closely guarded, making it one of the more intriguing production details in the American craft stout landscape.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark roasted coffee and espresso lead the nose immediately, followed by waves of bittersweet chocolate and caramel. Deeper sniffs reveal dark fruit — raisins and dried plum — along with subtle hints of tobacco and vanilla.

Taste: The entry is dominated by roast coffee and espresso, coating the palate with rich, bitter intensity. At the mid-palate, layers of dark chocolate, orange peel, and licorice emerge, supported by a chewy, full-bodied mouthfeel. As the beer warms, fruity chocolate notes deepen and a gentle alcohol tingle becomes more apparent, reminding you of the 11% ABV lurking beneath.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering burnt malt, espresso bitterness, and a subtle earthy quality likely attributable to that mysterious root addition. A faint sweetness of caramel and vanilla trails off as the roast reasserts itself on the close.

How to Drink Plead The 5th

Pour Plead The 5th into a snifter or tulip glass at cellar temperature (50–55°F) to let the complex aromatics open fully. This is a sipping beer best enjoyed on its own, though it also works in creative beer cocktail applications. A Black Velvet (half stout, half sparkling wine) makes an unexpectedly elegant pairing that plays off the roast and effervescence. A Beer Float with vanilla bean ice cream amplifies the chocolate and coffee notes into dessert territory. For something bolder, use it in a Stout Flip — shaken with a whole egg, simple syrup, and a dash of nutmeg — where the 11% ABV and rich body create a cocktail-like experience.

Best For

• Cold-weather evening sessions when you want a single, satisfying pour
• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who gravitates toward barrel-aged and imperial styles
• Dessert course pairing at a dinner party as a stand-in for after-dinner spirits
• Vertical tastings alongside barrel-aged variants from the Dark Horse lineup

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Plead The 5th taste like? Plead The 5th delivers bold roasted coffee and espresso up front, followed by dark chocolate, caramel, and hints of licorice and orange peel. A mysterious earthy undertone from a secret root ingredient adds complexity that distinguishes it from typical imperial stouts.

How does Plead The 5th compare to Founders KBS? Both are high-ABV Michigan-brewed stouts with prominent coffee and chocolate character, but KBS is a bourbon barrel-aged coffee stout while Plead The 5th is a non-barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout brewed with a secret root. KBS tends toward bourbon-derived vanilla and oak, whereas Plead The 5th leans into raw roast intensity and earthy herbal depth.

Is Plead The 5th good for sipping neat? Absolutely — at 11% ABV with a full, chewy body and layered flavors that evolve as the beer warms, it is designed to be poured into a proper glass and savored slowly rather than consumed quickly.

Where is Plead The 5th made? Plead The 5th is brewed by Dark Horse Brewing Company in Marshall, Michigan. Marshall is a small city in south-central Michigan, and Dark Horse has been one of the state's most respected independent craft breweries.

What foods pair well with Plead The 5th? Braised short ribs benefit from the stout's roast bitterness cutting through rich fat. Dark chocolate truffles mirror and amplify the beer's cocoa notes. Smoked brisket pairs naturally with the espresso and tobacco undertones. Blue cheese creates a striking contrast of salty tang against the malty sweetness. Coffee-rubbed pork belly echoes the dominant roast character while adding textural contrast.

What sizes does Plead The 5th come in? This listing is a 4-pack format, which is the standard retail packaging for Plead The 5th.

Is Plead The 5th worth the price? Plead The 5th positions as a premium craft stout within the Russian Imperial Stout category, and its 11% ABV, complex flavor profile, and unique secret-root recipe justify a higher price point than session-strength stouts. For imperial stout fans, the depth of flavor and distinctiveness represent strong value.

Why Plead The 5th?

The use of a classified root ingredient is not a marketing gimmick — it produces a genuinely different flavor profile that sets Plead The 5th apart in a category flooded with coffee-and-chocolate-forward imperial stouts. At 11% ABV and 41 IBU, the beer balances power with drinkability in a way that avoids the syrupy heaviness plaguing many peers. Dark Horse Brewing Company has earned credibility among serious craft beer drinkers in Michigan and beyond, and Plead The 5th remains one of their flagship releases for good reason. If you enjoy imperial stouts but find yourself wanting something with an unusual edge, this is one of the more genuinely distinctive options available.