Three Floyds Vanilla Bean Barrel Aged Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Munster, Indiana USA

On Tap at DLD. OMG, this is ice cream. Seriously. It’s absolutely amazing and it takes the original DL to whole ’nother level. A thick rich black pour with a brown head. This is the aroma I was hoping for from DL with the vanilla so much more prevalent. Super sweet vanilla flavor with chocolate, molasses, toffee, dark roasted malts and a fruit flavor - it all really opens up as the beer comes to room temperature. I could literally pour this over ice cream.

On tap at DLD ’09, served into a goblet. Holy cow! This aroma is nothing short of heavenly. Fresh vanilla galore, creamy ice cream, bourbon and roasted bourbon wood, malted cocoa, coffee beans, subtle citrus undertones. I didn’t want to start drinking, it smelled so good. Zero head from the pour. Black. A dark wood colored outer ring with some small stagnant carbonation bubbles. As thick as it gets, and rather mysterious looking. But really, upon sipping, how can a beer this big, be so smooth? A really unbelievable feel, super thick, leaving flavor everywhere. Just great for sipping. Aroma really did not lie about how this one would taste. Quite similar actually, as the flavors feed off the aroma very well. Vanilla syrup, roasted bourbon cream, the best black malts I’ve ever had, a thick woody bitter to back up the sweetness of minor 3fs herbal and citrus. The hop backing fits in with everything so well, making this a very well balanced beer. Other notes of warm cocoa and roasted black coffee. Sweet till the end, but its never too much like it was last year, with just the perfect amount of vanilla. A decent amount better than the other two versions, this was probably the best imperial stout I have ever had. Wonderful!

Draft @ DLD 09: Unlike some I don’t feel as though the vanilla kills this beer by covering up the complexities of regular Dark Lord except on the aroma. Nose is pretty much all vanilla...flavor is dark fruits, vanilla, bourbon, chocolate all backed by a solid roasty base. It’s also to be noted that this is the 08 version of DL aged in the vanilla bean/barrel that was being served.

WOW!!. This poured just as black of the regular DL of course with a real dark brown head. Aroma was chcolate, lots of vanilla, coffee molasses and dazrk fruits. Flavor is chocolate covered plums dipped in vanilla whiskey and washed down with a shot of coffee, just amazing, so many flavors going on at once, and of course like the regular, the most viscous beer ever.

Draft, at DLD 2009. By far my favorite of the Dark Lord trio. Pours pitch black, capped with a modest sized tan head. Rich, complex aroma, with dark chocolate and espresso nicely complimented by vanilla. Vanilla adds nice highlights to the flavor; dark chocolate, dark fruit, oak and espresso add highlights to the palate. Huge body and smooth on the palate. Very long finish, with lingering vanilla, alcohol, and some vinous notes. I enjoyed this significantly more than the standard or Oak Aged DL. Almost worth the ridiculous wait to get into the brewpub on DLD.

Source: On tap at DLD 2009.
Appearance: Poured a dark black color with a thin skim of brown head.
Aroma: I could have smelled this all day. Notes of vanilla, oak, bourbon, roasted malt, chocolate and dark fruit were present.
Flavor: Vanilla dominated, but not overdone. Bourbon and oak were present, with roasted malt and a hint of fruit.
Palate: Full body with soft carbonation and a slick, chewy mouthfeel.
Overall: I was pretty impressed here. This was excellent. I’d heard mixed reviews on this one, but absolutely excellent in my opinion.

Draft DLD 2009. Everyone was saying "you have to try the vanilla". Well I did, and, well it just didn’t do it for me. It is overdome, too much vanilla. The regular DL was my favorite of all th varieties by far. It was very unique, but the vanilla overpowered everything else. Mixed 50/50 with DL might make a nice combination.

Draft at DL day. Black color wtih a brown head. Aroma is well yeah amazing. Vanilla, caramel, toffee, prunes, chocolate, dark fruits, and raisins. And more! Flavor is rich and full and the vanilla beans shine through. Tons of toffee, prunes, brown sugar, chocolate and the vanilla. Wow.