Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Munster, Indiana USA

2007 bottle at DLD: Black as night it had a slight brown head that left some nice brown lacing. The nose was huge and filled with expresso, chocolate and porty overtones. While not as potent as the barrel-aged version, in the mouth it was the dense, thick, syrupy and oily. While the alcohol lever is high (15%), it is never hot. The flavors from the nose fill the palate and cover every nook and cranny. This is an intese huge beer that should be drank in small quantities. However credit needs to be given as it is balanced which is not an easy feat for something this size.

2007 bottle. Thanks to Lamunche for sharing this one. First off probably the best beer I’ve ever had. perfect beer for my 100th rating. color is dark brown and looks like dirty motor oil. has the consistency of motor oil as well. very complex flavor of fruit, chocolate, carmel, coffee, and vanilla. it tasted different every sip I took. I can’t wait for DarkLord Day!

Great thanks to Drink4Satan for sharing this with me. 2007, Silver Wax. Pours syrupy BLACK! Tiny little dark brown head but that dissipates extremely fast. Aromas of Star Anise, smoked malts (Oh my god, so much smokiness), almost Rauchbeer like. Hickory smoked bacon and espresso. This is an Imperial Stout. I was pretty excited to tear this apart but I don’t think it is possible! Dark Chocolate, a ton of molasses, dark cherries, vanilla extract, soy sauce, and so much roasted coffee beans. Coffee and hop bitterness. This leaves a dirty film all the way down the glass, as if I left this glass sitting for a couple days! Mouth feel is syrupy and chewy. As a matter of fact, I finished this a few minutes ago and I still have the full taste left over. Lingering woody notes and sweet cherries are quite pleasant; with a coffee bitterness that nearly overpowers all else. This stuff was the description of opaque. A single drop absorbs the light but does not let it pass through. Very impressive and I may have ruined my taste buds. It will not be easy to top this brew, My hat is off to Three Floyds.

2007 release on tap at Dark Lord Day 2008. I was really looking forward to trying this beer! I was beginning to doubt that this could live up to its hype. The Dark Lord proved me wrong... I received this in a 6 ounce cup that was half filled with a completely opaque black beer with a beautiful brown head that left wonderful swirls in the top of the beer that lasted throughout the duration. The aroma was the most complex that I have ever experienced... a wonderful mix of chocolate, vanilla, nuts, bourbon, coffee, burnt wood, dried fruit, and suggary malts. I literally stood there smelling this for a good five minutes. Then I took the first sip... I was hit with an excellent mix of bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, burnt wood, and some alcohol in the finish. It also has a very heavy mouthfeel and is very "thick". It was even able to cling to the side of a plastic cup! This beer definitely looks intimidating but somehow is very easy to drink. I cannot wait to open one of my 2008 bottles! This one definitely lives up to its hype! 2008 bottle shared with nimrod and Illini08. I was a bit scared of this one because the top broke off of the bottle when I was opening it. However, I was definitely not disappointed. Poured a completely opaque black color with absolutely no head. After warming for a bit, I could smell a lot of bourbon, wood chips, dried fruits, vanilla, chocolate and coffee. This beer is by far the most complex I have encountered when it comes to aromas. The taste is absolutely incredible with a LOT of bitter chocolate and dried fruits with hints of vanilla and bourbon and coffee. The viscosity of this beer really boggles my mind. It clings to the side of the glass. Illini08 poured the beer and left a bit of sediment in the bottom. We tried drinking that after the initial brew, but was unable to because of its bitterness. I cannot wait to open another bottle in a year or two! This stuff is really enjoyable!

06. Poured thick with a deep brown head. Malt and coffee to the nose. Drinks like Pepto and finishes with some chocolate. Could drink all day if it wasn’t so hard to get. Thanks to TheRealBastard for sharing! Re-rate* 08. Poured exactly like all the other years, black and like oil with a thick brown head. Aroma of alcohol, coffee, and some chocolate. Flavor was dominated by sweetness. Other than that, awesome beer.

100th rating and couldn’t imagine much better than a vertical tasting of 08 and 09 though having 04-07 would have been great too. My rating will be based on 08 since it is the superior of the two at this time. 08- Pours thick thick black with a thin mocha head which dissipates quickly leaving a dark brown hue at the rim of the snifter. The lacing on the glass can’t really be called lacing as it is more of a brown sediment which coats the sides. Aroma is extremely complex - dark dark chocolate, dark fruits cherries and raisins, espresso, smoky soy sauce, vanilla, even bourbon. Flavor follows through with the great aroma - bittersweet chocolate and dark cherries dominate, molasses, vanilla, espresso, soy sauce, and hops and bitter roasts in the finish. Extremely thick and chewy mouthfeel. This beer is an experience - not as good as the oak aged version but close. 09- Pours jet black with similar head, thinner than 08 with not near the amount of sediment on the glass or the brown hue at riim. Aroma is tons more boozy than 08, but dark chocolate and cherries still present, almost has a rum quality to the aroma. Taste is dark chocolate and cherries, much more alcohol warmth and not near the complexity. Much thinner mouthfeel as well. Put this one back a few years. 08 very enjoyable now though.

Bottle and WOW. This is the boldest and thickest beer I have ever had. Wow again. Aromas of coffee, chocolate, booze, molasses, and heaven. Flavors of molasses, coffee, toasted and roasted grains, and raisins. Yes indeed this lives up to the hype. Certainly does.

2008 Bottle sampled at the Hopsnobbery Collective stout tasting on 1.16.09. Pours darkest brown to black with a very thin light brown head. Aroma of molasses, black cherry and alcohol. Creamy vanilla flavor up front, giving way to black cherry, chocolate and alcohol. Coffee and hop finish perfectly balances the sweetness of the vanilla and molasses. Hype well deserved.