Nectar Ales Black Xantus

Brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Paso Robles, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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Pours a pitch black body and 1/2 inch milk chocolate head. Lacing and head retention are good for style and alcohol percent. Smell is big on booze, roasted/charred malts, and vanilla/sweet bourbon. Also a little bit of soy sauce/oxidation, chocolate, and coffee. Hops arent detected, this beer is all about burnt malts and a lovely alcohol mixture of stout, port, and whisky. Taste is very port like, very sweet with a kick of alcohol. Chocolate syrup, acidic coffee, and soy sauce. After being barrel aged for 6 months there’s lots of vanilla, high proof bourbon, and charred oak. Hops arent detected but a bitter coffee finish is. Mouthfeel is also similar to port. Semi thick syrupy body, low carbonation. Head contributed little to the beer. Overall this was a good strong dessert beer. Strong flavors of alcohol dominate the flavor profile. Wish that is was more balanced, more coffee forward. I enjoyed this beer, went through the bomber somewhat easily, but it misses the mark, not quite at the elite level of say Peche Mortel or Espresso yeti

1st January 2010
Opaque black beer, dark brown edges. Semi dry softish palate. Starts with spicy licorice, then a little creamy malt. A light light touch of vanilla and very subtle red fruits - well buried. Complex beer embedded in a soft palate. Finishes semi dry and with fruity aniseed alcohol. Very drinkable and a little different.

Jet black pour rich tan head with great lacing. Rich syruppy aroma hints of vanilla some light oak and a good amount of butter. Huge creamy mouth feel. Syruppy buttery vanilla and Bourbon tastes. Very rich quite sweet and quite delicios.

Outstanding. Intense espresso aroma , mild creaminess. Lots of black coffe on the palate combined withbutterscotch and toffee. Alcohol? Barely noticeable.

Solid black, frothy brown head. Aroma of molasses, leather, tobacco, soy, some bourbon, coffee. Taste is sweet but has a lot of earthy bitterness to balance, nice thick texture. An awesome beer, this made the Berserker after this seem lacking and thin.

Bottle 2009 vintage thanks to Max. Appearance: Opaque black-brown pour with red shades and a small ring of foam. Aroma: Roasted coffee, bourbon, vanilla and chocolate. Impressive for such a old stout. Flavors: Intense bourbon flavors almost rummy, cream, plums. The alcohol is very present despite the age. Palate: Silky mouthfeel and low carbonation tends to accentuate the alcohol feel. Overall: Held up very well for its third birthday as it still felt a little too hot. Absolutely no sign of oxydation or soy sauce. Impressive but not overly enjoyable.

Big huge head, super black color. Big chocolate aroma. Great lacing. Mouth is a little thin. Taste is out of this world. Lots of coffee and bitter chocolate. Very dry finish. One of the best beers I’ve had. Some complex red wine aroma too. Well done!

Pours deep black with notes of sweet maltiness that drives into a tick bourbon felt dark chocolate that delivered a lingering finish.

UPDATED: MAY 8, 2012 Pours black with minimal head. Smell is roasty and rich. Taste is chocolate, roasty, ash, coffee, bit of caramel, very little alcohol. Sipper. Really well done.

Bottle. Pours almost black with nearly no head. Aroma is dominated by chocolate and roasted malt. Flavor is of chocolate, caramel, roasted malts, and almost a minty note. Very crisp, almost winelike in mouthfeel.