Dark Horse Reserve Special Black Bier

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

12oz bottle, courtesy of artusory. Thanks, Ryan! I’ve been really impressed with the Dark Horse beers; this one is no exception. Pours a dark black center; fluffy, medium-brown head with great retention and intricate lacing that coats the inside of the glass - a beautiful looking pour. Very generous aroma: sweet nougat and caramel up-front, with a steady backdrop of milk chocolate and vanilla. Medium-to-full, roasted mouthfeel: relaxed carbonation, keeping this beer tremendously drinkable; plenty of roasted malts and nougat; creamy caramel and vanilla; the taste is more sweet than roasted, but shows a great balance and density; hints of bitter citrus. I could sip this all night. Lengthy, bitter chocolate and citrus finish.

Bottle thanks to Sliffy. Poured a dark black body with thin head. Aroma was of sweet chocolate (mmmmmm!). The flavor did not disappoint from the aroma. Bitter (in a good way), with some chocolate notes and some sweet malt. Very smootha nd well balanced. Listed at 7.5% but it didnot seem that way at all. Damn good Porter!

Black Color with Tan Ring. Heavy Coffee Roasts and Chocolate on the Nose. Deep Bittering Malt...Due to Coffee Roasts...Some Nice Semi-Sweet Chocolate. Bitter Dry Aftertaste.

Bottle...dark with little to no head. Aroma very faint. Wonderful toasted flavor with bitter, but pleasant aftertaste

Pours pitch black with almost no head, light tan bubbles stick to the sides of the glass. Nice smell, big chocolate and mocha caramel, with some dark malts and some roastiness in the background. Taste is pretty hoppy, something I did not pick up in the nose. Roasted malts are very heavy, with some light caramel to touch off the flavors. Not much chocolate, just a touch in the finish. Slightly bitter aftertaste. Pretty good.

Pours dark brownish black with dark brown head. Tons-o cocoa, dark fruit, caramel malt and hop, charcoal and brown sugar aroma with a flavor to match. Great!

Absolutely opaque, black with a thin, brown head that forms just a ring around the glass. Lots of roast in the aroma with notes of milk, dark fruit, sweetness, and good hopping. Very intense on the palate. Robust, burnt, charcoal-like malt flavors with a solid, residual sweetness that takes any of the rough, burnt edges. I love this beer style. A combination of IPA and dry stout. Good and hoppy as well with some warm alcohol.

12 oz bottle. Pours very black indeed, with only the faintest hint of brown at the edges. The aroma is malty and full of molasses, burnt grain, and a faint metallic hint. Fairly clean overall. The flavor is very bitter, though mostly from the grains, and grain is the dominate flavor here. There are hints of chocolate deep down but this is a fairly astringent brew (sharp) that was simply over the top for me. The body is medium and dry, that finishes bitter and a bit thin.

Upon review I have decided to bump my flavor points on this one. I found it very enjoyable this time around with roasty burnt caramel. Though it was a touch ashy. Very well put together. Burnt roasty and yum.