5 Seasons North Black Beauty on Whiskey and Oak

Brewed by 5 Seasons North
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Alpharetta, Georgia USA

Pours a deep brown color with a brown head. Aroma is oak, vanilla, bourbon, caramel, roast, sugary, and some nice fruity esters. Flavor is bourbon, caramel, vanilla, oak, fruity, chocolate, roast, and a great warming bourbon alcohol finish.

Wow I did not get the alcohol from this one. It is a very smooth chocolate malt beverage. Getting a big purple fruit aroma. Flavor has lots of vanilla whiskey and oak all from the aging. Need to get up there to try the straight up version.

Hmmmm....I thought this one was strong when I tasted it. The alcohol was well hidden but still present. Dark, but not black......I get dark fruits and chocolate with a nutty finish.

Cask at Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting. Poured dark brown with small tan head. Aroma of bourbon, oak, fruit, malt, yeast, chocolate. Taste is chocolate, oak, vanilla, rye, yeast, fruit. Finishes smooth, dry, little warming. Very interesting. Mouth is smooth and full. Overall, a very nice barrel aged beer.

Appearance: Dark brown, near black body with a thin, bubbly, tannish head. Smell: Dark malts delicately scented with whiskey and oak, along with notes of spiced licorice, chocolate (though faintly), bananas, and cloves. Taste: Sweet dark maltiness with a taste of unsweetened chocolate and hints of charred, roasted grains. Fruit flavors of banana and grapes. Mild rye spiciness. Dash of clove. Relatively mild whiskey and oak components that blend in well with the surrounding brew. The fruitiness seems to grow a bit more upon warming. Final hint of roast on the dry finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-low carbonation. Drinkability: A beer that’s full of flavor yet displays a charming degree of complexity and elegance. Nice work as always, 5 Seasons!

Cask at the Altanta Cask Ale Tasting. Pours a dark murky chocolate brown with a tiny bubbly off-white head that dissipates immediately leaving no lacing. The aroma starts out very fruity with lots of bananas and bubble gum from the Belgian yeast but there are plenty of other things in the nose as well - chocolate and dark fruit especially. The bourbon and oak play great supporting roles without dominating while the rye spiciness is barely detectable. The whiskey is more evident in the taste, opening the taste and melding with the Belgian fruitiness perfectly. The chocolate and dark fruit layer in on top of the lighter fruits before the rye spiciness finishes things off with a slightly dry oaky finish. Very complex and super tasty. The mouthfeel is unbelievably smooth with the rye presence and low carbonation. This was the best beer of the day for me. A great beer with tons of stuff going on that all comes together just perfectly. Outstanding.

Date: December 11, 2008
Mode: Firkin
Source: Brewpub
Vintage: 2008
Appearance: black, creamy tan head
Aroma: sweet bourbon and chocolate aroma with a nice fruity sweetness
Body: very creamy velvet body
Flavor: rich chocolate flavor, bourbon and fruity character in good balance to complement each other, caramel sweetness turns it into a chocolate covered caramel candy with a bourbon soaked fruit center, light earthyness with a touch of oak, gets a bit boozy around the sixth snifter or so
Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 9/10; Palate: 10/10; Overall: 18/20
Rating: 4.4/5.0
Drinkability: 9/10
Score: ***4