3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Cask at Blind Tiger. Deep black beer with a creamy light brown head. Very soft carbonation (I suspect this is completely unlike the bottle, FWIW). Aroma is fairly chocolatey initially with some fruity plums, raisins and a prominent yeasty character. Spicy with a bit of herbal flavour, light coffeeish character as well. Fairly vineous with a grapey sweetness, clove and a hint of cocoaish flavour. Raisiny sweetness on the back before a soft roastiness before a lovely yeasty spiciness. Fairly rich with a hint of raisiny sweetness, light licorice toastiness. Quite a lovely brew.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Pours a barely transparent dark mahogany with a spotty-lacing off-white head. Aroma of sweet roasty dark caramel and biscuity Belgian malts with a touch of fruity plums. Body starts with good fullness and carbonation with sticky sweet milk chocolatey flavors before a roasty bittersweet finish. Nicely balanced, flavorful and very drinkable.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottle thanks to bu11zeye. Pours a hazy deep brown with a light brown head atop. Aroma of chocolate, hard toffee, nuts, tobacco, and candi sugar. Taste is roast, chocolate, coffee, lactose, alcohol, and Belgian yeast. Taste is light bubbles and a bit viscous.
3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Dark brown body with light at the edges, and a light tan head. Pale and soft nose of cream, chocolate malt, and light roast, with a mild, pasty flavor of milky roasted malt and soft, pallid, lightly sweetened cocoa. A different kind of stout, for sure, but nothing in there that does much for me.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
UPDATED: OCT 26, 2008 My Bottom Line:
Fluffy roastiness delineates a yeasty fruitiness, as chocolatey opinions team up with minty spiciness to liven up this gentle and thoughtful Belgian-style Stout (whatever that means).
Further Personal Perceptions:
-A ring of foam circles the brownish black.
-The roasted malt provides some decent bitterness.
-The mouthfeel is authentically Belgian, classy and peacefully effervescent.
-The inherent spiciness is peppery at times as well.
-The fruit character developed by the yeast and the sugars recalls dates, at times.
-This seems to age quite well; more will have to be had (for scientific purposes, of course...)
Bottles.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 17/20
Enjoyed on tap at Ashley’s. Satisfying, its black yes with off-white head and its very lacey. A roasted stout aroma, medium mouthfeel. Coffee and roast. Aggressive carbonation but also good drinkability.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
750 mL bottle received via trade with eaglefan538. Pours black with a large, creamy and frothy light brown head, lasting with good lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (caramel, chocolate, coffee, nutty), light hops (grass), average yeast (dough, leather) with notes of smoke and prunes. Medium bodied, sticky texture, lively carbonation, and a bitter finish. Long duration, light sweetness, acidity, and bitterness.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 12/20
28th July 2008. Smooth dark beer. Slightly creamy. Lots of rich malt with just a hint of smoke. Soft, not too bitter, slips down easy.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Bottle provided by IMtheOptimator. Pours dark brown with a tan head. Smells of bananas, coriander, cinnamon, lots of spiciness. Tastes of lemons, pepper, lots of sweet malty undertones. Not a stout by any stretch of the imagination but very enjoyable.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
750 ml corked, caged bottle. Pours turbid blackish with 3-fingers or so of khaki head and nice lacing. The aroma is wheaties dipped in dark chocolate syrup, raisins, figs, mild funk, and mild hops and spice. The taste was dark malty, with some chocolate and cinnamon noted, plus figgy fruit and finishing hops. I call this a mild disappointment, as I was expecting a bit more, and I didn’t notice the coffee aroma or flavor that others seem to have.
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