 haddonsman (1234), Derby, Derbyshire, England
| 4.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 5/5 | 9/10 | 5/5 | 18/20 |
Mar 31, 2009
Bottled from the brewery. Into the glass, Bracia bursts forth with molasses and creamy coffee. An initially sticky beige head came unglued into a frogspawn of stubborn bubbles above a burnished brown body. And onto the nose, in waves, came honey like no other. Not sickly sweet, not funky fresh comb, just wafts of that chestnutty tang.
A first sip revealed softer sensations, the chestnut flavoutr carried sharper on the underpeel feel of a waning oraange, all tempered by easy honey rewarming on the palate. Fifteen minutes later - yes, I can actually leave a beer this long - rewards are reaped as the crema topping is capable of being whipped up again and flavours of damp honeycomb and milky chocolate come through. Like a Crunchie dipped in cold coffee, the beer left some lovely cream on the lips with a prickle of sweetness at the end and enveloping nuttiness on the way down.
After half and hour, flavours even out to a coffe-laced sorbet with honeycomb flakes, a soft and frothy praline ebb and an assured sweetness that melts away in the mouth.
What an epic beer. There was virtuoso honey, subtleties of nuts and coffee revelling in a fantasia of flavours. It had taken me an hour to enjoy the bottle; the next one was polished off within thirty minutes but by then I knew the tune. Bracia offered a bittersweet symphony; I look forward to the same notes (albeit not neccessarily in the same order) when I try another bottle in a few months time.
Marsiblursi (1659), Göteborg, Sweden
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 15/20 |
Dec 28, 2009 (Bottle, thanks Duff!) Pours black with a large creamy brown head. Interesting aroma of dark, light roasted bread-like malt and floral sweet honey. Undertones of mint bubblegum, chocolate cowered peanuts, cocoa, terayaki/soy, vanilla and ripe dark fruits. The malt also brings some burned cookies and dark caramel. Maybe a touch of herbal hops. The flavour is light to medium sweet, medium bitter and light acidic. Tones of dark bread, chocolate, black coffee, viola/liquorice candy, soy, dark fruits and earth. The roast is quite dry and dusty - like cocoa. The mouthfeel is round, smooth, almost velvety and oily with a soft carbonation. The acid note plays well with the full mouthfeel. Hop bitterness in the finish with notes of herbs and earth. Maybe a whisper of citrus. Near full bodied. Flavourful and interesting.
downender (2634), Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
| 4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Dec 16, 2009 Almost jet black in colour with a big, brown, frothy head. Big, chestnut honey aroma, just like the jar in my cupboard, with coffee beans, chocolate and a touch of smoke. Flavour was more nutty, prunes, chocolate and a touch of earthy spice, leading to a roasted coffee finish with some well controlled wamring alcohol. A great beer for a cold night.
yngwie (5024), Kristiansand, Norway
| 3.8 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 15/20 |
Nov 27, 2009 Bottle, courtesy of someone at the Danish summer gathering, probably fonefan. A pitch black beer with an oily pour. A small tan head forms on top. Burnt nose with tar, alcohol, coffee and licorice. Lovely flavor with burnt malts tending towards coffee, some chocolate, licorice, tar and some salty notes. Sweetness and some alcohol too. Full-bodied and warming, with a finish lasting for a good while. All the initial flavors continue into the swallow. An intense and demanding beer getting better sip by sip. 090822
blankboy (3251), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| 4.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 5/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Nov 24, 2009 3200th rating!! Bottle [500ml] courtesy of madmitch76. There’s not much rhyme or reason for choosing this as a milestone beer other then it looks good, and I wanted to drink it, so here goes. Well, that looks pretty awesome: Pours a very dark brown, almost black, with a large long-lasting frothy/creamy light-brown head. Good lacing on the glass. Aroma: Oh wow, is that ever nice! Very roasty along with nuts, green hops, coffee, chocolate, herbs and spices, alcohol and more -- it’s quite unique and interesting. Flavour: Fuck yeah! I say again, fuck yeah, that’s delicious! Roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, green hops, light alcohol, a bit of peat, honey and fruit. Nice roasty bitter finish. Alcohol’s pretty well hidden. Full bodied, oily mouthfeel. I knew this would be good, just not this good, I loved this and it definitely was a more then worthy beer for a milestone.
Svesse (2683), Hässelby, Sweden
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 5/5 | 8/10 | 5/5 | 16/20 |
Nov 20, 2009 (Bottle) Pitch black colour with a firm, lasting, brown head. Malty, roasted nose with notes of black coffee, hazel nuts, leather, dark chocolate, roasted grain and a touch of peat smoke. Malty, roasted taste with strong black coffee, dark bitter chocolate, tar, peat smoke, hazel nuts, honey, dark fruit and a generous coffee bitterness in the finish. Full body, velvety and smooth mouthfeel. Some sweetness lingers throughout. A whiff of warming alcohol in the finish. Very complex beer, but in perfect balance. Brilliant stuff.
Kestral (212), Oslo, Norway
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 5/5 | 8/10 | 5/5 | 16/20 |
Sep 25, 2009 Pours opaque black with a good sized, creamy smooth brown head, loads of chunky sticky lacing. Very nice looking. Aroma is surprising. What’s this, Tutti frutti bubblegum? Uh.. Some vague yeast notes, and faint roasted notes, but mostly tutti frutti bubblegum. Odd.
Flavour reveals a lot more however. Juicy fruity sweetness, solid roasted coffeebean bitterness, some honey sweetness, nutty caramel, powdery dark high cocoa chocolate, herbal notes and spices.
As it warms, aroma shows more of the spicy and roasted notes in the flavour, but still dominated by the bubblegum.
Body is thick and viscous, coats the mouth. Fittingly sparse carbonation, yet far from flat. Small tingly bubbles makes it drinkable.
Odd, but definitely enjoyable. A complex sipper which seperates itself from the big dark ale crowd with some surprising twists.
SoLan (1427), Orlando, Florida, USA
| 4.1 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Sep 20, 2009 Courtesy chzman. Black. Light brown head. Nose of roasted malt, honey, opium, necco wafers. Cool smell. Flavor adds dark chocolate, plenty of bittersweetness, earth, more honey. Roasty, bitter, woodsy finish. Medium/full body. Moderate carbonation. Unique brew. Basically a stout with a ton of honey. Very enjoyable.
faroeviking (6126), BjórtjóðveldiðBjórheimBjórsins, Faroe Islands
| 3.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 3/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 15/20 |
Sep 20, 2009 Botella. Aroma of roasty malt and spices, bit sweet. Flavour of roasty malt, spices, berries, chocolate and hops. Bitter finish with lots of malt. Tasty indeed.
|
Statistics
Find This Beer (Want/Have)