Brugge Brasserie The Black

Brewed by Brugge Brasserie
Style: Belgian Ale
Indianapolis, Indiana USA

Draft: Poured @ Brass Monkey brew-pub in Kokomo...very dark brown in color with a minimal tan head. Dark fruits with the sweet dark malts accentuate the nose immediately with notes of belgian yeast and candied sugar. Flavor pretty much follows the nose. Good, not great.

<b>IMPORTANT WARNING: </b>This rating is for the tap version on location. I had a fresh bottle and it was one of the worst thing ever, totally infected
<b>In short: </b>A superior Belgian Dark Ale
<b>How: </b>Tap at brewpub
<b>The look: </b>Almost black body with a medium tan head
<b>In long: </b>Nose of a Belgian Dark beer. Lots and lots of flavour elements in this beer with not one really standing out. In no particular order: black forest cakes, raisins, black coffee, molasses, oak, black chocolate, black currant, roastiness, lime. Full bodied, lively carbonation. Nice complex and scarily drinkable Belgian Dark Ale. The most charming black Belgian since that hot black chick I saw downtown Brussels in 2006 (and yes the chick had a much thinner body).

Draft at Cajun Joe’s in Indianapolis (the former BadaBoomz which is the former BWW). This was interesting and well-crafted. Black body with short, tan head. Aroma filled with sweet fruits, sugar, roast, chocolate. The flavor is moderately sweet and lightly bitter in the finish. Light to medium body, velvety texture. Easy drinking. Very nice.

Only overshadowed by the Triple at Brugge, but the Black stands on its own as well. Pours an inky black with some deep red and no head. Aroma is very similar to the Triple, lots of smoke and yeast. Lots of flavors swimming around in this one, yeast and malt and candy and sugar. Definite orange and dark fruit notes too. Similar to Barley island’s Sinister Minister, but with a profile all its own. Very nice!

Almost black with red highlights. Nice tan head that leaves a lacing with a cool pattern. Aroma of dark fruit. No roastiness at all. Flavor of dark fruit and chocolate and some hop zest.

Schlafly Repeal of Prohibition, on tap. Belgian style with dark body. By the time I drank this, the sampling was moving along. We came out of the Bottleworks from lunch and I went straight to the Black. Very nice.

Tasted 4/12/08. Schlafly’s Repeal of Prohibition festival. Dark brown with a beige head. Coffee and fudge aromas. Touch dark fruit. Full bodied and roasty and sweet. Sugary with notes of honey and berries. Nice yeast character. NIce finish. Tight effervescence. Long cloying finish. Nice.

(draught at Schlafly Repeal of Prohibition) black with small head. Aroma of roast malt. Flavor is roast malt, but different from a stout or porter. A hint of dark fruits.