Brooklyn Black Ops

Brewed by Brooklyn Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Brooklyn, New York USA

Bottle (750ml). At Cole’s Rare Beer Fest, January 2009. Beer of the day for me - damn this is good stuff. Opaque black pour with a lasting solid light brown creamy head (4+). the aroma had an odd, but appealing, mix of candy sugar, treacle, herbal bitterness and slightly sour deep roast malt. The taste followed, more herbal bitterness, some alcohol asserting itself, quite creamy, seemed like there was baker’s chocolate in there.... so rich. Silky mouthfeel, solid body, only mildly carbonated, but such a well-crafted finish, even a touch of acidity to take your mind off the roast and booziness - I got virtually no bourbon at all from this, maybe a hint of vanilla, but just a hint. Fantastic.

2009-01-24. Black body with a modest tan head. Flavour starts out with a good dose of roast malt, sweet rich malt in the middle and bitterness in the finish. (8+) Aroma is milder than expected, with only a modest amount of roast, and come cocoa notes. Perhaps it would have revealed itself more had I let it warm up more? (7+) Smooth average to medium bodied palate. Pretty straightforward well executed imperial stout. Pleasant. Bottle at Coles Rare Beer Fest, Buffalo

Bottle. Aroma of rich cookie malt, milk chocolate, a hint of fiery smoke. Flavor gritty, earthy roasted malt, semisweet chocolate, vinous notes. Mouthfeel goes along with this unique, gritty, earthy character not generally associated with such quantities of rich, sweet, roasted malt. Would not have guessed this was aged entirely in bourbon barrels, as to me they have only added these unique characteristics and not really any bourbon ones. Very nice.

22oz bottle. Pours deep black, slight red highlights and a compact small dark tan head. Aroma is some definite whiskey, caramel and slight chocolate. I must say this tastes very little like the Black Chocolate Stout it once was. The barrel aging has smoothed out all the rough edges and added an amazing depth and complexity to what was already a very solid stout. The bourbon is just there enough to smooth out this beer and add some caramel and smoke notes. Chocolate and light coffee from the original Black Chocolate remain but have been depened by time in the barrel. Really exceptional and worth the money.

Bottle shared by nqualls @ the Barrios tasting. Poured black with a creamy tan head that left light lace. Outstanding aroma of vanilla, bourbon, and alcohol. The flavor has chocolate, vanilla and bourbon but is missing that nice roastienss to support the awesome aroma. Medium to full body and sweet. Still a very nice impy stout but if it had just a little more in the flavor this would be outstanding overall.

From a large bottle (guessing 750), Black in that nice super dark light stopper kind of way, with a little tan head. Bitter and chocolaty when it hits your mouth, then it leaves with a bourbon rub and a lingering chocolate finale. Nice beer to start off the tasting with...

what a huge brew, tons of bourbon and tar in the nose... premium all star lacing, one of the best looking imperial stouts ... very meaty, quite hot, nicely balanced in regards to the sweetness/bitterness with the bourbon kicking around .. . i can see 6months-2 years doing wonders for this beer, but it’s quite nice now.. tons of complex hotrods, could be fuller to fit with the huge flaaaavors... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iqTJloeFZk ... ’you got a condom?, ahh nevermind, i got this milky way wrapper’ ... there is tons of bourbon essence and aroma/flavour but in a classy not overdone fashion ... a brew to shared, a bottle will pepperoni your tits til next fat bastard ...

Coles Rare Beer Festival , Appearance: pitch black with mid light dark tanned top. Good looking ale. Aroma: murky , deep woody feel. Tobacco , roast with brown malts , grainy. Quiet solid subtle complexity.8- Flavor/Palate: mild darkness, slight roast , hint of oak. Clean dark malts with smooth alcohol on side. Very drinkable for strong ale. Strong performer all around.