 cquiroga (370), Sylmar, California, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Jun 14, 2007
2/8/07. Poured out of 12 oz. bottle, obtained in a trade with footbalm on RateBeer 1/25/07. Hand-bottled. Dark, oily black color with dark tan, rough-and-tumble head, fades a bit too quickly. Texture appears suitably thick and viscous, and the ink-like blackness consumes most of the light. Aroma bursts with hop character-- ganja and pine, with a thick, sticky resinous profile that overwhelms the malt presence. Fairly slight malt, all things considered, and there’s a big alcohol apparency on deep inhalation that slaps the malt on its rear. Some fudge brownie, molasses, and black cookie (hard, not chewy) creeping in. Some of the Alpha Klaus-like leafy-minty leanings to dress the malt-- and, like with Alpha Klaus, I think it’s a bit much. Flavor continues that tremendous, boldly hoppy character; albeit with a stern ballance from some slight (and unwelcome) meat-like notes. Still some good chocolate syrup, brown sugar, and chocolate liqueur malt notes, but the scale leans heavily towards the hops. There’s just a bit too much intensity there, although it’s impressive for what it is, and the craftsmanship on display here is undeniable. Full body and long, well-balanced finish. It’s just that I tend to prefer having a dazzling display of malt flavors over a ridiculously heightened balance of hop and malt extremes in my mega-Imperial Stouts. And that subtle meat-like flavor is something I can’t shake, and can’t discount. Could’ve been amazing.
shawnm213 (932), South Bend, Indiana, USA
| 4.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Nov 28, 2009 2009 bottle from skinnyguy. THanks! Pours a deep dark brown with a small creamy tan head. nice legs. aroma of floral hops, chocolate, molasses, tobacco, smoke, and bacon. Flavor is sweet, dark chocolate, roasted malts, creamy, dark fruit, rum cake, molasses. very drinkable. could use more roast. This wasn’t overly sweet, but the sweetness seemed a bit out of place. Could use some more roastiness to compliment the hop character. Great beer with a lot going on. Glad to try it.
Naven (871), Poway, California, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Nov 22, 2009 Bottle from Timbeer. 2009 vintage. Dark (shocking, I know) pour, aroma of coffee, chocolate, soy sauce. Really nice looking beer with a big fluffy tan head. Flavor was coffee and hops, with some chocolate. Fairly thin. At 85 IBU’s this is one hoppy stout. Pretty good, but I do have to admit that the hops throw me off a bit.
afireinside96 (827), Mountville, Pennsylvania, USA
| 3.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 3/5 | 14/20 |
Nov 22, 2009 Shared by BA’s FooFaa. Thanks for sharing Dan. A 2009 vintage. Pours dark brown with a tan head. Smells of cola, coffee, citrus, grass, and molasses. Tastes of brown sugar, purple sweet potato, maple syrup, citrus, and coffee. Very complex but much more hoppy than I like my imperial stouts. The fruitiness from the hops and a good deal of sweetness just didn’t sit well with my palate.
bblack99 (202), Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| 4.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 5/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 |
Nov 21, 2009 2009 bottle opened at the MU "Blackout" game. Pours a rich, almost chunky, black with a brown head that clings like a champ. Nose is cocoa, heavily roasted malts, and a bit of cane sugar. Flavor on this is surprisingly acidic, with tart fruit (could be pineapple as previous rater mentioned, could be tart cherry), and more of that raw sugar. Crazy high on the tart/sweet/bitter mix, almost no coffee presence when compared to a typical RIS. Good, maybe even great, but not worth the hassle of a special release!
wavers1 (132), novato, California, USA
| 4.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 5/5 | 9/10 | 5/5 | 19/20 |
Nov 17, 2009 bottle courtesy of stfun, thanks a tun! as soon as i popped the bottle i got a very unusual odor. no, can’t be! sure enough, the main thing i smell is pineapple! wtf? super sweet, unmistakable pineapple! this is especially weird for a stout, but i am enjoying the being taken somewhere other than expected thus far! and now to taste.... wow!!! the flavor is as unreal as the smell! i have def never tasted a stout with this level of hop presence! has a huge body with an almost port like feel and sweetness, but then the huge hops kick in, very citrus and sweet, and clean it off the back palate nicely! drinks very smooth, and is well rounded. again, the notable level of hops in such a big dark beer is something i have never experienced before! i want more!
guyinchicago (526), marengo, Illinois, USA
| 4.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Nov 16, 2009 On tap at Barley House in Algonquin well this is how it went down I went to Binny’s in Algonquin today today pick up a 4 pack of Tyranena Dirty Old Man that they had put aside for me well when I walked in there was an old friend there and it was Travis formely of Sams wine and spirits now owend by Binney’s who is now working for Winbdy city Distibution we talked for a while when the beer guy at binnys said that the barlry house had darkness on tap still so you know what did B-line straight to the house the snifter goblett came black with a nice size tan head and a meduim body everything is mediuim in body compared to the lord aromas were of hops roasted malts,chocolates and vanilla taste of the same with a long lasting finish’ very fresh I think that this one could do with a little cellering time to let the hops mellow out they did take to the forefront. this one has hard time cracking my top ten of RIS and it won’t’ it is still very easy drinking and tasty but its just not in my top ten
richlikebeer (832), Easton, Pennsylvania, USA
| 4.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 5/5 | 9/10 | 5/5 | 19/20 |
Nov 15, 2009 Thanks to dmac for this. Aroma and appearance were perfect. Totally opaque with nice lacing. Flavor is amazing lots of chocolate lots os hops. I can’t really describe the mouthfeel. Sooo smooth and velvety. Perfect in almost every way
DrnkMcDermott (1847), Downers Grove, Illinois, USA
| 4.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 5/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 |
Nov 14, 2009 Bavarian Lodge; Surly Darkness tapping! I’ve done this backwards: had the barrel aged version before the main bottle. Anyway, in the 12 oz. snifter goblet, it seems suitably black. Deep brown head shows some staying power. Smooth nose of dark malts with little distraction. Taste starts with some coffee and chocolate. If this had been my first RIS instead of Goose Island BCS years ago, it would have been the same revelatory experience. I find this has a ton of flavor, making the BA version seem like overkill. I’ve got a lot of Imperial Stouts in my cellar, but there’s something to be said for having them fresh. Still a lot of hops and unfermented malt here, too. And a lot of attitude.
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