Blue Mountain Dark Hollow Artisanal Ale

Brewed by Blue Mountain Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Afton, Virginia USA

Newer batch 6 here. B’day gift from my mom. Pours black into the glass, opaque, with a HUGE brown stiff ice cream head, with lovely retention that leaves sticky, chunky lace. The nose is vinous with a nice splash of Kentucky bourbon. Flavors hit hard with a booziness. There are roasted grains, bourbon, bitter chocolate, bourbon, fusel oils, bourbon, a twinge of diacetyl toward the finish, and more bourbon. This one is definitely getting its point across, maybe overselling it just a shade. Integrations fight hard to be complementary, as each facet of the brew is so "in your face", almost competing with one another for your attention. Unfortunately, it knocks the offering out of balance a bit. I did appreciate the aftereffects of semi java notes, mixed with a medium bitter finish. Not bad, and great for a nightcap, but just out of whack. Thick and chewy, this palate grabber is working a little too much overtime.

corked 750 ml bottle purchased from brewery: Pour is black with a lively light brown head. Beer seems to be over carbonated. Aroma is pretty heavy of bourbon, oak and vanilla, with slight roasted notes coming through. Was this beer made in Belgium. It has a very lively mouth feel that one seems to find in Belgian style beers. I feels this takes away from this beer. The flavor is pretty strong of bourbon barrel flavor. I like bourbon, but the beer is a little out of balance. There are some nice milk chocolatey flavors that fade to a more roasted coffee like bourbon finish.

25 oz bottle. Black pour with a large tight bubbled brown head that fell to a thin ring quickly. Very oaky nose with lots of roast, vanilla, bourbon, and light alcohol. Smells pretty well balanced between the barrel and the beer. The flavor is very oaky with lots of charred wood and somehow it’s not overly bourbon dominated. Very burnt and roasty with vanilla, cocoa, and pretty moderate alcohol for such a big ABV. At first I really dug the oak but the more I drank the more the tannic and oaky flavors just took over and got a little tiring. Medium bodied and fairly dry with a bit of thinning coming from the heavy alcohol. A decent brew, but I could maybe go for little less barrel time for this.

Bottled shared with Hophead22 and Joe from Hangar 24.. Pours black with a light brown head.. Aroma is slightly sweet with some roasted malts.. Flavor was basically the same as the aroma.

Batch #5 - Pours a deep black with a dark tan head that left lacing. Aroma of chocolate, roasted malt, vanilla, some bourbon and woody notes and nuts. Flavor of roasted malt, earthy, hints of bourbon and dark chocolate.

750ml bottle share courtesy for Josh. This on blew the cork out and gushed everywhere. Batch #5. Poured a dark and deep brown color with a large sized off white head. Aromas of bourbon, woodiess, vanilla, chocolate, and some roastiness. Tastes of roast, vanilla, chocolate, woodiness, and bourbon.

[Batch 5] Dark brown / black color with a medium sized, light tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of vanilla, light bourbon, wood, roasted malts, smoke, and cocoa. Taste of roast, vanilla, wood, dark chocolate, and smoke with bourbony alcohol in the finish.

750ml bottle courtesy of "Jersey" Joe Savage from Virginia Tech and Hangar 24. Rating #51. Was so excited when Joe brought this into the brewery, then over to my house for a tasting. Very dark pour with just a little hint of red around the edges. Slightly sweet aroma, some bourbon, a little wood. Flavor was bittler chocolate and a slight booziness, very tasty. ꀥ)