Black Duck Superior Dark Ale

Brewed by Hawkes Bay Independent Brewery
Style: Porter
Napier, New Zealand

Bottle. Looks great-- deep ruby red, thick brown head. Initially the aroma is very chocolatey, then after resting, some notes of breadcrusts and nuts. Mouthfeel is thin and fizzy. Flavours are chocolate and brown bread, hints of roast. Quite sweet, with low bitterness in the finish. Not terrible, just lacking body really.

Light airy chocolately aromas with a hint of esters on the nose. Poured clear with a touch of ruby through the darkness. Kept its light tan head well as a possible consequence of bottle conditioning. Clean and fresh with dark fruits, chocolate raisin flavours but not a great deal of body. I can see why this has been compared to a schwartzbier rather than dark ale. For what I expected, it was better. Would I go back for another? Quite possibly. I can see why this would go well with duck to be honest.

Tasted 27/05/2008. 500ml bottle from Island Bay New World. Reddish brown. Disappearing tan head. A lot of chocolate malt, a little caramel and light esters on the nose. Very "watered-down" in the mouth, with the chocolate malt aroma overpowering anything in the flavour. Very mild bitterness. Somewhere between a fizzy brown ale and a watery chocolate schwarzbier - it isn’t sure what wants to be. Oh, yes, it’s a slightly estery american dark! Again, like the "Force", it is reasonably well made but this duck has multiple personality disorder and probably needs to see a quack.

Bottle, pouring a dark brown, rediish tints as well, with a frothy off white head. A solid roasted malt aroma. A pretty light mouthfeel, with some metallicness. The malty flavour is also pretty light, getting pretty sweet in the finish. Overall, a bit of a lightweight.

By far the best of this range, although black duck is more brown in colour with roasted malts on the nose. Still very sweet ,low on the hops, a slight bitterness, no corn this time. Lacks body and balance a good beer is hiding there somewhere.

(On tap) Clear, orangey brown with an off-white head leaving laces. Lightly sweet aroma of roasted malt with a whiff of vanilla and caramel. Dry finish. 200208

Bottle 50cl. Dark/black body with medium size off white head. Coffee and chocolate in the nose. Flavour dominated by coffee and reasted malt.

Nice roasted aroma and flavour. Easy drinking, with a fairly thin body. Not overly complex, but pleasant. Agree with previous review - easily the best of this brewery’s beers. That’s not necessarily saying a lot, as the others are poor.