Dark Horse Reserve Special Black Bier

Brewed by Dark Horse Brewing Company
Style: Porter
Marshall, Michigan USA

Dark brown minimal tan head. Roasty aroma. Complex flavors; roast, chocolate, coffee, and malts. Slight smokey finish

Pours pitch black. Fairly light aroma. Very heavily roasted; burnt toast covered with nutella flavor. Not bad at all.

12 oz bottle thanks to acknud. Pours much darker than expected, almost black in body with a small cocoa head. Very nice aroma of milk chocolate and fruity red apples. Medium body with subdued carbonation. Taste has a bitter bite from dark roasted malts. Pine hops also in play and a nice addition of red apple fruitiness. Very bold porter that is very complex and drinkable.

Bottle thanks to mreusch. Poured a deep brown color with a slight tan head that faded to a ring. Aroma of light chocolate and caramel with a nice roasted coffee and very slight undertones of light berries. Taste was basically the same, with chocolate and caramel melding with lightly roasted coffee and a hint of smoke on the finish. Smooth, with a light bite from the smokiness. Thanks Matt, definitely a nice beer.

Sampled via trade with SQNfan...Solid!!! Dark as a Halloween Night, this beer has a foam glaze or sheen, but no head to speak of. Flavor is of dark chocolate, brown sugar, caramel, toffee; everything sweet and good in the world. Subtle roasted nuts are present in the finish, along with a slight sour aftertaste. A very good beer, although others from Dark Horse was a bit higher on my scale.

The extremely dark chocolate brown and foamy, coffee colored head scream imperial stout all the way. A rich, dark chocolate and caramel mocha nose backs this up, as creamy and full as many big stouts. Molasses is present as well, adding sweetness to all the roasty goodness. Flavors are full and rich, with caramel, chocolate, charred oak, and creamy mocha. The roastiness really sticks to the roof of the mouth, leaving behind lingering charred flavors. Medium-full bodied and silky, this one feels really good in the mouth. This is a damn good porter that could hold its own in a blind tasting with some well known stouts. Dark Horse just gets it when it comes to dark beers.

12oz bottle. Pours a deep black with a thick toasted brown head. Aroma is sweet and light, with hints of roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, and molasses. Taste is medium-bodied and dry, with an initial taste of chocolate, coffee, tobacco, and smoke giving way to a crisp finish of roasted malt. A little lighter and drier than most porters, but in a very good way.

A thin, crema-like head with a dark and fragrant aroma reminiscent of dark chocolate and red wine. Actual flavor is an incredible, grassy, nutty, earthy blend that has a definite "burnt" flavor not unlike that of creme brulee. The finish is long and becomes less intense, giving way to a somewhat musty note. Obviously meant for sipping, try this beer alongside of a sharp Wisconsin cheddar.