ColoradoBobs (31), Colorado, USA
Apr 3, 2006
Girnormous thanks and cudos to Crosling for hooking me up with (and sharing!) a bottle of the 2005 batch.
The usual 22 ounce bomber, set out from cellaring and allowed to warm to about 55 degrees. Poured into St. Bernie tulip goblets, not light passes through this monster. Vigorous pour yielded a brown (with yellow edges?) large reverse cascading head that clung to the glass like molasses.
Smell of espresso, dark chocolate, burned cherry syrup, prunes, figs, and malted malt. Incredible: I just wanted to go on inhaling this aroma!
Taste is huge and chewy and tongue wrestlingly thick: this is like Yeti on steroid. Intensely decadent dark chocolate espresso malt with prunes and caramel and malt on malted-chocolate-covered-cherries. Took most of an hour to savour this: as it warmed, everything gets more intense, especially the chocolate.
Mouthfeel is the richest of any beer I’ve ever had: simply decadently smooth and mouth-fillingly round. You want to swirl this stuff, not swallow it.
Drinkability is the only thing that hold this back. Wierd thing is that all the intensely enormous voluptuousness of the flavors and mouthfeel completely mask the 13.0%. Perilously drinkable.
A note: reserved the bottom half-inch to consume by itself. The 2005, unlike the 2004, doesn’t have a lot of sludge at the bottom. However, there was a lot of flavor: that last half-inch was like the rest of the bottle concentrated into two small mouthfulls -- absolutely over the top.
Overall, a freakishly amazing brew, and I can see why people are after this with abandon. Thanks again to Crosling for the sharing! Astonishing.
dogfish120love (41), west hartford, Connecticut, USA
Aug 20, 2008 I hope that what im drinking wasn’t ruined in transit to me it being summer and all. It pours black with a brown burnt sugar carmel colored head. aroma is alcohol, malt, with a heavy carmel scent. it tastes of bitter chocolate toasty malt and burnt caramel. this beer is punishing me at the moment. for the first time ever I think I can say that my stomach is in pain, but my mouth is in love. at first I thought that i coudn’t handle this beer but its growing on me. I still in my honest opinion enjoy stone’s imperial stout a little more because its something i can drink easily. Please take into note that it is august and this beer was shipped via ups
 Beershine (1207), Miami Beach, Florida, USA
Aug 20, 2008 At Vero, kisses to whoever shared it! Thick, viscous pour of pure blackness. Really intense nose packed with coffee and chocolate purity. Smooth, smooth, incredible. Raisins dancing. Complex, gorgeous, and viscous. A superlative brew, fully deserving of the hype.
PeterLikesBeer (102), Berwyn Heights, Maryland, USA
Aug 19, 2008 Rating number 100:
Had the 2008 Dark lord and figured it would make a good 100’s rating. The beer poured very thick and looked much like motor oil does that has not been changed for a long time. There was a small off white head. The aroma was very strong, a little fruity and sweet. There was also a subtle note of coffee. The flavor was a little sweet for my taste but was well balanced between dark fruits chocolate and coffee. This is one fine beer. Cheers!
EricE (209), Beltsville, Maryland, USA
Aug 18, 2008 I didn’t think this stuff could possibly live up to its hype, but its one fucking good beer. Thick motor oil like pour. Thickest beer I’ve ever had. It left a residue on my glass. Dark tan head. Creamy vanilla and chocolate aroma, with raisins and chocolate. Intense sweetness, almost overwhelming, with a very creamy, fruity taste. Chocolaty with molasses. Very oaky with bourbon. Like drinking a glass of port. Fantastic, I docked it a point for being a bit too sweet.
smith4498 (332), Miami, Florida, USA
Aug 17, 2008 Big thanks to growler for sharing a bottle of the 2007 vintage. Pours deep black with small brown head. Aromas of chocolate, soy sauce and burnt malts. Flavors are similar to the aromas. This is not as sweet as I was expecting and it is also much smoother. Full body with minimal carbonation and a smooth mouthfeel.
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