Dark Horse Reserve Special Black Bier

Brewed by Dark Horse Brewing Company
Style: Porter
Marshall, Michigan USA

Poured dark black with a nice caramel colored head. Aroma was subtle but favored a strong coffee smell. Taste was of strong coffee with a hint of dark chocolate. Coffee flavor was a bit overpowering at first but finished very well. Palate was smooth all the way through.

Poured into pint glass - pitch black, mocha brown head dissipates to a thin film...porter or a stout? Subtle aromas of nuts and roasted malt. Wow this is good - flavors of sweet dark chocolate, roasted malt, black coffee bitter aftertaste, and yes hops as an afterthought. If we are calling this a straight up porter this may be the best I’ve had, and even better than most imperial stouts I’ve had. Love it.

Thanks to ogglethorp for the trade! Pours a deep with some chestnut notes and a medium cream/bubbly tan head that left some lacing. Aroma of milk chocolate, molasses, caramel, nuts, light vanilla, some coffee notes, roasted notes and sweet malt. Flavor of roasted almonds, coffee, chocolate, bitter roasted malt, molasses, bitter roasted malt, other mixed nuts, caramel and a touch of vanilla. Like a RIS without the alcohol burn you sometimes get. Well done!

Pours pitch black with mahogany hints when held up to the light. Head is small but dense tan and dissipates quickly leaving decent lacing. This looks much like an RIS or a porter. Smell is of roasted coffee and malts with a bit of chocolate and sweet dark fruits. Really nice aroma. First taste is of sweet chocolate malts and caramel before giving way to a roasted coffee taste. Finish is fairly crisp with hops and coffee bitterness lingering a bit. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with decent carbonation. I really like this beer and would compare it to a decent RIS.

20080118 12oz bottle shared with dmac and, I think, must have been from schroppfy but I’m not sure and I’d had it for a while. Wow! Ashy, dirty, peaty stuff reminds of damp old timber. Very little head over pitch black beer. Some mineral notes are pervasive and in theme. Strikingly dry and finishes with a hint of woody bitterness. Astringent kick noted with mild citrus pith. Outstanding beer that would be welcome in my glass any day.

12oz bottle. Aroma: Chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, light smoke, dark fruits, and sugar. Appearance: Dark, dark brown in color. Medium tan head was full and foamy with great retention. Good lacing. Flavor: Lots of roasted malt with a bit of smoke. Coffee, chocolate, light vanilla. Some hop flavor and bitterness behind all the malt. Palate: Medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. Overall: Solid and drinkable porter.

12oz bottle..... poured almost black as some imperial stouts. light tan head subsided, leaving bubbles around the edges.... appealing aroma of roasty bitter chocolate, and even some coffee notes as well..... flavor had lots of roasted malts, bitter chocolate and an apparent hop backbone that adds some more of that bitterness to it. mouthfeel was lively and well carbonated.

Pours black with small pinkish brown head. Wonderful aroma of black cherry’s, walnuts, and chocolate. Deep roasty flavor, dry, coffee like. Finish is a little ashy. Flavor was a little disappointing after first whiff of aroma but still good stuff.