Barley Island Black Majic Java Stout

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

If happiness was a beverage, this would definately be what it tasted like. As the bottle describes, "inky black," I couldn’d describe it better myself. Mild tan cream head and heavy coffee aroma leave me wishing I had this as an airfreshner. Black Majic is smooth, like Guinness, but better. Finish is nutty and roasty and delicious. Coffee and beer... best of both worlds. I have yet to find a better beer in a bottle. It’s only competition is Surly Coffee Bender, which sadly isn’t available for purchase. Black Majic Java Stout... near perfection.

This is one of the more straight up coffee like beers I have had and it is all the better for it. A very drinkable brew and not to strong

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.

Bottled, November 2006. Malty, chocolate malt aroma with brown supple head. Medium-bodied flavor leads with smooth, clean chocolate malt in perfect proportion without that burnt overdone roasty character so typical. Smooth espresso quality in the clean finish, again perfectly proportioned. This big flavor beer is very well made, appropriately bitter & bodied and is one of the best beers I’ve had in Indiana.

ooooo tasty times. extra smooth. right up there with coffe bender. jet black and grayish head i mean this stuff is steller man luckily i can get it in four pakks wo haaaaa

(bottle) Pours dark with a tan head. Had this towards the end of a tasting, and could easily smell the great aroma of dark roasted coffee. Taste was all about the coffee, definitely a roast bomb, with a long lasting bitter finish of coffee. This is what I look for in coffee stouts and this beer certainly didn’t disappoint.

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.

Cellar Reduction Night, Oct 20, 2007. Thanks to Guerde! Black color with no head. Wickedly strong coffee aroma and taste. Sweet malt taste. It’s pretty straight forward as a coffee stout. Delicious.