Dark Horse Reserve Special Black Bier

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

Big fan! Dark dark dark oil black, into impy stout territory with almost no head. The nose is fantastic. Chocolate hits first, with some coffee roast and even some charcoal. A bit sweet, but not into Founder’s breakfast stout territory. In a way, I like that slightly better. A little bit of berry to floral sort of hops. A bit creamy. The palate is marked by a very subdued carbonation and still a creamy smooth mouthfeel. The roast comes out more in the flavor profile, but the chocolate is still rather strong. Floral hops appear. A bit drier than I would have guess from the nose, a bit of fitting diacetyl making this melt on the mouth. A creamy finish with soem fruit becomign char by the end. I could start seeing myself buying sixers of this stuff.

the last of our Dark Horses. A pretty good one to end on considering the range we experienced. Not sure "porter" is accurate. Alcohol and flavor are more intense for the simplicity of a "porter." okay, this gets a lot better when it warms. it moves from good to terriffic. Pours black with a one finger brown head. Just huge chocolate roasted malts all over the place and totally masking the 8% abv. Great beer, complex and tasty. Lasting bitterness after the swallow.

a bit too bitter in flavor for me. it’s pretty close to a weaker imperial stout. beautiful elegent appearance. aroma is pretty terrific, but the taste is just a bit too bitter and empty (otherwise) for me.

Very dark very awesome liquid with a nice tight tan foam. very coffee roasty aroma. good bold coffee with a hint of chocolate flavor. Silky body and dry on the back end. very very nice.

Bottle courtesy of hippie4beer pours black w/ a fluffy, foamy head. Light mouthfeel w/ bittersweet, dark chocolate and dark roasted malt flavor. Good brew.

From Psych Prof’s cellar comes this tremendous beer. Completely black with very nice rust head that lasts. Big toasted nose with some hops. Rich flavor framed perfectly by the espresso grain. Fruitiness blends in so nicely for a very complex stout. Porter? No, I don’t allow "porter" to be completely opaque. Stout all the way. Excellent beer. Many thanks to Psych Prof.

12oz. bottle. Nearly opaque black, thin film of dark tan head. Caramelized sugar, nuts, and tinges of roast coffee in the aroma. Chocolate and roast malt flavors. Coffee and roasty astringency in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium and fairly dry. More roasted character than I would anticipate in a porter.

Dark jet black color, roasted coffee aroma, black burnt plum-coffee flavor, very burnt,dry and bitter lasting finish. I put my money on this Dark Horse, this is a winner! Thanks PsychProf for this underrated killer beer.