 ross (1495), charlotte, North Carolina, USA
May 16, 2008
Bottle from Brawleys. Have had it for a while, decided to open it the other night. Pours out a brown color with a thick head on it. Not quite black colored. Decent looking enough. Smell is sweet, full of chocolate, no hops, plenty of malt. Taste is thin and weak, not strong and thick like I was expecting. It is interesting, there is alot of flavor here, but the beer overall was a let down. Not really what I wanted to drink, nor is it something I want to have again. I think the Belgian brewers should stick to what they know best..
RollinHard (502), Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Jul 17, 2008 Word to jrob_21 for this beer. Pours dark brown with a large light tan head that lasts long. Looks light for the style. Aroma is mellow dark chocolate, unassuming coffee, perhaps some raspberries (or other dark fruit), and *maybe* vanilla. Lightish flavor of roast, wood, coffee, a bit of dried fruit; kind of astringent overall. Woody, almost salty finish with only a coffee/roast bitterness. Medium to light mouthfeel and the carbonation was easy going enough (I expected it to be high). Too light and I’m not a fan of the finish or astringent leanings. I’m a little let down.
RomanW70 (270), Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Jul 15, 2008 Had at Restobiers in Brussels on June 22. Had with my desert course, a mousse based on the beer. Excellent stout. Almost black color, strong notes of cocoa roast, licorice, and dark fruits. The finish lacks the huge bitterness of American RIS, but pairs a sweetness with the roast on the finish. Very nice beer.
greenmanalishi (177), Leicestershire, England
Jul 11, 2008 Something a bit special this. For once the commercial blurb is true in the sense that as soon as top pops off, an rich and lively aroma steams out. Maltiness, currants, some floral herbiness all noted.
Pours a very dark brown with a big, frothy tan head. However the flavour and palate disappoint a little. Partly agree with the reviewer that said this beer doesn’t know what it wants to be. There are cocoa, coffee flavours in there that get overtaken by a sweeter treacle taste. Not bad, but not so well balanced, complex or sure of itself.
saxo (2061), Hřjbjerg, Aarhus, Denmark
Jul 9, 2008 Bottle. Nice head with good duration. Color is black. Aroma and taste are roast malt, chocolate and coffee. Medium bitter finish.
Aquilo (139), California, USA
Jul 7, 2008 This is a beer with a serious identity crisis. Is it a stout? How about an imperial stout? (It can’t possibly be!) Or is it a Belgian strong ale? Perhaps a quadruple. . .
While I don’t mind beers that are unique, this one just seems to be the lowest common denominator of several different styles. It is dark brown, almost black, but not quite. It has a nice thick head. It smells extremely malty, almost as bad as an Old English. It’s not quite as pungent and repulsive though, so it doesn’t lose too many points. But it’s hard for me to detect any complexity at all. Maybe some dried oranges. A hint of black tea. Flavor is very mild, almost watery. Toffee is the dominant flavor here, followed by a little bit of dried fruit. Raisins, prunes. Heavy carbon dioxide flavor in the finish. Light bodied, but quite smooth. All in all, this is a very drinkable beer. But it is not one that I will pay good money for again.
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