 CharlesDarwin (1442), State College, Pennsylvania, USA
Oct 28, 2005 Updated: Dec 13, 2006
<b>Rerate - Dec 4, 2005.</b> Pours a coarse oily brown black, with a fringe of greasy brown head. Aroma is a typical chocolate malt and roasted coffee, backed with black currant and raisins. About average volatility. Flavor is cutting and concentrated, with a most ridiculous roasted quality. It’s the burnt toast and ends of brisket all in one blow, but the has been softened by a gentle warming fruity quality, that seems to rise from the nose warming alcohol. Dense chocolate and coffee notes penetrate, but the oak burnt dry notes are just to coarse and abrasive for this to be a pleasent drink. One must sip very slowly on this concentrated beverage to not have the palate entirely overwhelmed by the density of the brew. Smack and finish of the palate maintain some sweetness above the parching burnt dryness.
<b>Rerate - Dec 13, 2006</b> A rich, creamy deep fruit rises from the glass, full of reduced plums, black currants, italian cherries, a blast of fresh orange peel and tangerine juice. Seductive and full. Pour of black center, with bold ruby fringes and a rim of tan. Flavor is warm and less acute. Things have mellowed and muddled since my last encounter with this beer. Starts with a few of the fruits and a real brandy or barleywine character, but then slides down to a piquant roast, with charred coffee husks and sweet tea corners. Alcohol maintains a lot of warm, both on the tongue and in the humours. I’m not getting as much chocolate or char in this run, but the oaky roast has settled into the beer somewhat. It’s almost confusing. The roast conflicts with the lightly oxidizing fruits and yeast character to me. A long smack of burnt toast. Same score, surprisingly as last time. I appreciate the mellowed out roastiness, but still have a hard time thinking this is well balanced or special.
JaBier (84), Capital City, Ohio, USA
Nov 29, 2008 12oz bottle. Dang, I forgot to write down the batch number on the back label (he he). Pours pitch black with a huge tan head. Aroma of bourbon, dark fruit, chocolate and coffee. Flavor is pretty much the same, with the alcohol presence being just a tad too much. Surprising, seeing as this stuff was bottled in ’05. Wonder what another year or so might do. Still an amazing beer.
Hophead22 (365), Redlands, California, USA
Nov 26, 2008 12oz bottle from pantanap, thanks Kan. Pours like oil, dark tan head. Great aroma, dark roasted malt, dark fruits, very rich. Nice little bitterness to it, coffee, dark bittersweet chocolate. Very tasty brew.
antisnobJP (271), St. Michael, Minnesota, USA
Oct 22, 2008 Bottle. Had first one almost 3 years ago, and last one now. I remember the first one taking an hour to drink. I spilled a drop on my sock and the spot never completely faded in the wash in two years. That should tell you all you need to know about the depth of blackness in both color and flavor of this beer. Intensely flavored and mind-numbingly viscous. Actually feels like you are drinking evil. Good evil.
cgarvieuk (2614), Edinburgh, Scotland
Oct 16, 2008 Bottle at home ... <br /> Thanks to one of my traders for this ... sorry i kept forgetting who ... </b> WOW this is a Stout.!!!! ... Maybe a Stout crossed with a Barley Wine ... Saying that mmmm .... Deep black ... no head ... sweet caramalised toffee barley wine malt nose ... Sweet juicy deep and rich ... low carbonation ... medium to full body ... rich vineous fruits ... litttle spirit ... some deep roast malts ...little chocolate ... quite sweet.
PilsnerPeter (1631), Flushing, New York, USA
Oct 13, 2008 Bottle: Shared by beastiefan2k back at the hotel during G.A.B.F. 2008. Opaque pour with a deep khaki dense lacing head. Very pungent and sweet nose. Chocolate syrup, espresso, boozy and burnt. Slick and thick texture. Sugary sweet flavor with burnt espresso roast and chocolate liqueur. Extremely rich and hard to drink.
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