 brewandbbq (269), Manchester, New Hampshire, USA
| 4.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 5/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 |
Aug 23, 2007 Updated: Jan 16, 2009
On tap at Ebenezer’s third annual Belgian fest.
Bottles of the product state the ABV at 10%, but De Struise says the beer finished at 13%, and unfiltered.
Although I listed it here under RIS, De Struise insists that is it’s own style- "Royal stout". Not brewed in the tradition for Russian royalty, but with 100% Belgian ingredients and craftmanship, while dedicated to Prince Albert II, King of Belgium.
An exaggerated pour of viscous black liquid from the tap swelled up slowly into the commemorative Ebenezer’s goblet.
The oily, dense brew barely releases it’s grip from the carbonation. Only near the end of the pour, with a ten inch drop from the nozzle, does the cocoa-brown froth shoulder up to the brim.
A solid inch-plus of dense, spongy foam clings to the glass like whipped black forest cake batter.
The body is jet black with no translucency on the edges whatsoever.
Aromatics are extremely rich, complex, and decadent.
Chocolate fudge, espresso grounds, and evaporated Kahlua pave the way, while layers of vineousity, rum-steeped citrus fruits, and pungent hop resin come forward.
An assertive alcohol component follows through only after the massive, dominant stout character fades.
The mouthfeel is, without a doubt, thick and chewy. Mild carbonation is evident, and keeps the brew from being syrupy.
To say that the oily, velvety liquid lingers would be an understatement. A good several minutes is required between sips for Albert to release it’s grip.
The pallet is incredibly balanced for such a strong, massive beer.
An onslaught of dark chocolate, espresso, and roasted malts lend subtlety akin to a ton of bricks.
Plenty of vineousity follows through, as well as a definate green, citrusy, hop presence. The 13% of alcohol steps forward, evident in a chest warming good-bye.
The rich mix of fudge, Marnier spiked cocoa nubs, coffee bean oil, dark roasted malts,
and wine-like undertones,finish with unrelenting duration.
Each sip waves a final
garmonbozia (239), Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA
| 4.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 5/5 | 8/10 | 5/5 | 17/20 |
Feb 8, 2010 HUGE thanks to fata for this gem. pours blac with nose of chocolate and coffee. taste was dark choco, dried fruit and sweet molases. Very dry aftertase with a good bit of hops. Very well balanced Alcohol was well hidden Nice label.
Drink4Satan (588), Bristol, Rhode Island, USA
| 4.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 5/5 | 9/10 | 5/5 | 18/20 |
Feb 2, 2010 Out of the bottle, the colour isn’t quite black, but nearly there. More like the colour of medium-roasted coffee. Still, it is impermeable to light and a light pour produces a massive, ultra-dense mocha head like a mass of frothy milk atop a cappuccino, and it is reluctant to fade. One whiff of this stuff and there’s mistaking the Belgian influence. There’s a lot going on here, but the fruity complexity is more interesting to me than the standard roastiness, coffee and chocolate. Notes of vanilla, bubblegum, cocoa, smoke, tobacco, strawberry, banana, soy, and spruce. Weird! The flavour is out-flippin’ standing! Overripe red fruits, alcohol, dark chocolate, smoke, wood, anise, and earthy and resiny hops. Upfront is filled with estery yeast and fruity malts, while the back end is sticky and coats tooth and gum with bitter roast and coffee. Their is a slight solvent-like tinge, but other than that, this beer is damn near perfect.
JoeTheYounger (325), California, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Jan 25, 2010 Bottle shared by duffmansw. Pours black with a medium brown head. Aroma roasty, and chocolate. Flavor had a coffee roastiness with a tangy finish. Very interesting but good. Also had the soy sauce presence.
Trev (930), Lakeville, Minnesota, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Jan 24, 2010 black pour with a thick tan head.
aroma is vinous plum, cherry, chocolate malt.
Flavour is interesting.
Black cherry, sourness blends as it warms as a more creamy chocolate comes out. Some woody hop presence towards the finish and a nice soft warming alc presence.
DuffManSW (310), Riverside, California, USA
| 3.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 5/5 | 6/10 | 3/5 | 15/20 |
Jan 23, 2010 Pours black with a mocha head..aroma is chocoalte and dark malts, very sweet..flavor is roasty, dark chocolate,slightly tart with a slight pepper note.. kinda thin... not really a big fan
mspindler (385), Alta Loma, California, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 5/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Jan 23, 2010 Rating 666. Bottle shared by duffmansw. Pours black wih a medium brown cascading head. Aroma is dark stewed fruits, roast, and chocolate. Flavor is kind of a tangy strong roastiness, coffee, dark berries, and some graininess. Lots of soy sauce. Full bodied with generous carbonation.
shp555 (1860), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| 3.8 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 17/20 |
Jan 22, 2010 Pours a black color with a dark brown head. Aroma is caramel, roast,
chocolate, toast, biscuit, yeasty, and some alcohol. Flavor is
chocolate, some roast, sweet caramel, biscuit, some yeast, and a
bitter earthy bitter finish.
curly (1035), Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 5/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 15/20 |
Jan 22, 2010 Pours solid black with a thick brown head. Aroma of milk chocolate and cream and a lot more. Complex rich taste of chocolate and roasted malts. Smooth creamy texture.
|
Statistics
Find This Beer (Want/Have)