Barley Island Black Majic Java Stout

Brewed by Barley Island Brewing
Style: Stout
Noblesville, Indiana USA

dark brown black color some frothy beige head, good lacing, nose is big espresso, and roasted malt, med body nice mouthfeel kinda coating, nice roasted malts some coffee choc flavor, somewhat bittersweet. nice stout.

This beer looks so delicious while being poured. It is thick, rich, and decadent looking. Aroma is somewhat muted but is sweet chocolate. Flavor is coffee and more coffee with some roasted nuts and a hint of vanilla. It has a thick sticky feel. This is a quality stout but not an exceptional one. Very enjoyable.

Bottle. Black body with a light brown head. The aorma is strong coffee with dark chocolate. I also got a walnut charcter along with molasses. The taste is light coffee with the molasses, if the sweetness was toned down. Very roasted flavor with some wlanuts in the finish. Definitely dominated by the coffee. A nice coffee stout.

12oz bottle poured in an English pint. I bought this as a one-off item in Granite City, Illinois. BIBMJS pours... (drum roll, please)... black. It has a small tan head that doesn’t stick around for the majic show. The nose is solidly coffee with loads of butter and hints of toffee. the body is meaty and thick just the way it should be in a stout. The coffee has a nice flavor without overpowering the beer. The oatmeal not only adds body to this stout but adds a nice smoothness. The buttery flavor comes out especially well in the finish. With the medium-to-low alcohol this beer sports you could tag this as a great session beer. If I were to suggest any improvement it would be to add a touch more oatmeal to balance out the hop & java bean bitterness. It would be nice to see how this beer faired if it were juiced up to an imperial level. I feel this beer is a bit underrated by the community but the masses have spoken.

11-12-07 bottle shared with lb4lb big thanks to tytoanderso.
Black with a nice thick head. Smells like a coffee shop. Rich roasted coffee taste. Flavor isn’t as developed as I would like - but not horrible by any means. A bit of a burnt toasty taste up front. And finishes with a buttery taste. Not very creamy at all on the palate though.

Impenetrable black liquid. Large tan head of thick foam that lies dense across the top for good length. Big stretched out inky blobs of lace coat the glass. Aroma is rounded and roasty with a firm sensation of oaty sweetness with a bit of cocoa and fresh frappachino froth. Taste is firm and semi roasty with an overall smooth, creamy oatyness thats got a light sweet tang of oatmeal mixed with chocolate cake. The coffee is light throughout until the finish where it picks up a nudge of slight burntish bitterness. Stays pretty favorable in the creamyness of chocolate and oat malts for most of its taste profile. Nice smooth, creamy texture and body. Stays firm and medium with a nice silkyness and easy going roast and coffee bitterness that’s favorably clean and kinda crisp. This is a pretty nice Oaty stout with just a slight coffee kick that engages a solid drinkablility.

Tasted at Cellars in St. Paul, MN. Dark brown with a smallish head. Strong coffee element here, which is no surprise. Not a lot else going on, as the coffee dominates, and makes this pretty one dimensional. I could have a cold coffee, but instead I’ll have a black magic. Hmm...I’m not a coffee drinker, so I’ll pass. I like coffee flavors, if done right in my beer. This is too overpowering with the coffee element.

Sampled at Cellars Wine & Spirits in St Paul, MN. Pours an opaque dark brown brew with a thick brown head that quickly dissolves to a fine film and ring. Aroma of mostly dark roasted coffee, some toasted black malt, vanilla, and dark chocolate. taste is full bodied, very light carbonation, with dark coffee and chocolate flavors. Finish is slightly bitter with a long lasting coffee aftertaste.