Haandbryggeriet Dark Force

Brewed by Haandbryggeriet (Norway)
Style: Imperial Stout
Drammen, Norway

Aroma of dark chocolate, ripe plum and roasted coffee. Appearance was opaque with a mocha head. Flavor has aroma notes with some currant and licorice as well. Palate is creamy and bubbly. A master work.

A opaque black colored beer, with a dark beige, almost brown foamy head. It disappears soon. The aroma of dark chocolate. There is some wheat and a little fruit. The taste is dry bitter chocolate with notes of fruit and coffee. It’s a little sweet with wheats. The aftertaste of bitter chocolate with a little sweet fruits.

Bomber. pours a deep brown, and slightly amber on the rims. There is a medium brown head. The aroma is lacking, slight notes of nutty malts and toffee. The taste is pretty balanced like a parter, and the palate is thinner for a impy stout, it may be the wheat factor ? Overall, it is a nice flavorful stout, but it may not match up to others in this category. Nice flavor and palate for a porter.

Bottle 500ml, brewed 08/08 (#125). Pitch black colour, dark brown bubbly head. Dark and rich taste with roasted malts. Taste is creamy with wood, caramel, coffee and fruits . Finish is roasty and dry, with some alcohol.

Bottle from Briskeby Vinmonopolet, Oslo, batch 135. Engine oil pour, soy brown against the enamel of the hotel sink (spilt some). Collapsing filthy uneven chocolate mousse head subsiding to a rim, admittedly not in the ideal serving receptacle. Initially dank leaf matter and warm milk lactic aroma, giving way to herbal Jagermeister notes, ash, soy, liquorice and cocoa. Smells like an ashy BC English stout; too much yeast, fizz and...wheelie bin. A bit flimsy and prickling despite the glossy black opacity. Mouth has berry fruit and Jagermeister again; ash, leaves, high cocoa, yeasty apple peel acidity, Marmite heartburn, clinging burnt toast. No better than an average yeasty strong stout.

Rich black body. Creamy tan head. Notes of toffee and smoke. Roasty malts and a hint of gnarly alcohol heat. Sweet and robust at first, but finishes dry and has some nice complexities such as hints of nuts and dark berries.

50cl Bottle from De Bierkoning, ABV 9%. Pitch black colour, beige to brown head. Aroma of roasted malts, tar, brown sugar, a hint of earth, alcohol. Flavour is sweet, malty, dark fruits, deep roasted/burnt malts, coffee, tar, alcohol, liquorice, slightly earthy hoppy and coffee bitter finish that lingers with a tiny hint of sourness. Dry, oily mouthfeel, medium to fullbodied. I’m happy.

Bottle (9%) Tre Små Rum Gothenburg. Black colour with a very small brown head. The aroma is a bit on the light side with notes of lightly roasted malt, licorice, and some alcohol. The taste is much more straight forward with strong notes of roasted and burned malt, licorice, tar, asphalt, dark chocolate, and a bit of saltiness.