Brooklyn - Black Chocolate Stout (2007)

This is another beer that I would not have been able to get my hands on were it not for my east coast trading partner who wishes to remain anonymous.  So first, big thanks to him (or her?).  Second, I loooves me a big ol' stout.  The bigger and darker, the better.  In fact, I'd even venture to say that stouts can have just as many flavors as the venerated IPA.  This stout looks especially promising as the ABV is 10.6%, a percentage not seen frequently, let alone crammed into a 12 oz. bottle.  Oh, and did I mention that this particular bottle is from  the "limited bottling" that occurred in the winter of 2007-2008.  "So I've got that going for me.  Which is nice."  Let's pour!

Sweet, fancy Moses that looks amazing!

Aroma 12/12

Even the initial aromas of this beer were enough to earn it a higher score: dark roast, dark chocolates, and alcohol warmth that wrapped the two of them up into a comforting, cohesive bundle.  After pouring the beer and allowing it to warm a tad more, the dark fruits emerge and evoke the Dark Lord (um, that's Three Floyds, not Harry Potter).  The dark fruits, which offer cherries & raisins among others, are also complemented by the warmth and again make me think of Port wine, but without as much smokiness.  This is phenomenal!  Let things warm even further and the chocolate turns into a darker cocoa nib with some anise/black licorice notes.

Appearance 3/3

This beer, true to its namesake, practically pours like melted chocolate especially in the color.  In the glass however, it is as black as night and only lets through a coffee brown around the top edge when held to light.  The head was low, which is to be expected in a bottled beer approaching 5 years of age.  It was a wondrous dark brown and left some nice, sticky lacing even in its humble quantity.

Flavor 20/20

This is everything that I hoped it would be.  The first taste sensations are confusing.  It seems like a sharp sour and a little salty, but once your tongue can comprehend all the wonderfullness that is happening to it things begin to take shape - a glorious, tasty, amazing shape. And yes, "wonderfullness" is a word.  Bill Cosby says so.  The malts take over and show your taste buds hints of coffee, an abundance of deeply roasted/nearly charred malts, tart cherries, plenty of alcohol warmth, port, a pronounced bitter, insanely dark chocolate, and the anise from the aroma.  These flavors are all quite intense, but have the good fortune remain detectable on their own, yet still form a wonderful cohesive harmony.  Wow!  The finish is one of the most complex I seen in quite some time, but that is undoubtedly due to the complex beer that begat it.  Its alcohol heat is unashamed and bold, and forces a less balanced composition though it still remains remarkably tasty; incorporating the tartness, dark roast, and dark chocolate from the backbone.  The aftertaste is curious.  It is mostly an alcohol-induced tingle along the sides of the tongue and a sticky roasted malt in the back of the throat accompanied by a lighter bitter.  The warmth provides a cleaner aftertaste than I ever would've thought possible after such an flavor intense brew.

Mouthfeel 5/5

Warmth is obviously the first mouthfeel characteristic that leaps to mind, but it is used well and never overwhelms all the other amazing flavors and aromas.  It threatens to, but never actually follows through on its threats of coup d'état.  The carbonation is initially stronger than anticipated, but eventually dulls down to a level that sits just barely on the right side of being too aggressive.  Were it not for the fuller body, age, and simple lack of quantity this carbonation might be too much.  As it stands, the carbonation is fine, especially after realizing that most of the prickly/tingly feeling on the tongue is due to alcohol and not the carbonation.

Overall Impression 10/10

What else can I say?  Amazing aroma, good lookin', complex, robust flavor, and a permeating alcohol are the fundamentals, but the wonderful blend, well-used warmth, and the rich malts truly set this apart.

Total 50/50

If you can't your hands on Dark Lord, I'd say that this is a fine substitute.  In fact, I ranked this higher than Dark Lord!  This brew has more of the dark roasts, making it feel more like a stout.  Some people may read that as "it's less unique that DL."  That may be true, DL truly stands on its own and I've never had another stout like it.  However, this Brooklyn Brewery creation is much more like a true stout and since I like stouts that's a very good thing.  I feel bad talking so much about DL in a review for another beer, but hopefully that shows people that other, more available, beers are out there that are just as capable of knocking off your socks.  Obviously, this beer ages extremely well and I can't wait to find a "fresh" package so I can try it at all its stages of development.  In case you're counting this beer is now only the fourth beer to which I've issued a perfect score and it is most deserving.  Cheers Brooklyn!!  I'll be buying this beer whenever I see it.

Three Floyds - Dark Lord (2012)

I can't take it anymore.  The Dark Lord has been chillin' in my fridge for half a month now and I must taste it.  The Bard, Billy Shakespeare, words it more eloquently that myself when he says,

"As is the night before some festival
To an impatient child that hath new robes
And may not wear them."

For those unfamiliar with Dark Lord and why it is so sought after, click here.

Enough people have asked how it is, or how it compares to Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout (Wes), or how it compares to other years, etc, etc... and now I have to know.  Confession time: this is the first time I will ever have sampled Dark Lord.  Needless to say, I'm pumped after hearing so much about it, but also wary.  It seems like whenever you hear about Dark Lord (or ANY über-popular beer) you primarily hear two sentiments.  1.  Oh my gosh, it's SO good! and 2.  It's OK, but it's overrated.  In this case, I'm still very excited to finally be tasting this, but I also have the bullshit meter on so that I can review this beer as accurately as possible.  Since we've already established that patience is not my strongest suit... Let's pour!

Aroma 12/12

This is a beautiful smelling beer, even if the stout characteristics aren't exactly its strongest.  It smells very sweet and is an insanely pleasant mixture between a molasses malt and a strong fruit aroma.  The aroma could be considered port-like or like a dark cherry pie, though having just purchased some port I would lean toward that.  (Note:  For those that don't know, Port is liquid sex in a bottle.  Buy a bottle that's over $10, make sure your significant other is going to be around, and don't plan on going anywhere.)  It does have some very dark notes, as a stout should, but they are placed much further back in relation to the fruits and the nearly-burnt molasses.  A light charring in the malt at times give a hint or two of smoke and is a very neat nuance to find behind the port.  As the beer warms the Intelligensia coffee is undeniable, but it is a timid spectator and has no interest in a starring role.  This gives it more characteristics of a stout in my mind, and it forces me to bump it up a point from 11 to 12.

Appearance 3/3

This is black and holding it up to the light only reveals the darkest of stained wood tones around the edges.  The head was small, half a finger, and would seem to indicate a very low carbonation.  This pours like oil!  Or blood.  Given the name of this beer, it's probably a mixture of both.  The head is dark brown, creamy, and slides lethargically down the side of the glass after a swirl.  Enjoy it while you can because after 15 seconds, it will only remain as a ring around the surface and disappear soon after that.  Normally, I swear, I would be docking points for a paltry head, but with an ABV of 15% you have to have some sort of allowance for style.  After all, would one dock Samuel Adams' Utopias for "low carbonation"?  Methinks not.

Flavor 19/20

Port.  I swear there is port in this beer!  The initial flavors are of black cherry juice and a slight booziness, but they ever so gradually bring in the roasted, slightly smokey malt notes and soon enough you'd swear you were holding port in your mouth.  The backbone is still boozy, yet not hot, and brings in tons of fruits.  However, they are not the typical dark fruits that one would normally associate with a stout: plums, figs, raisins, etc.  These fruits instead lean heavily on dark cherries and sweet, red, vinous grapes.  I could even understand it if someone said they tasted a red raspberry or two.  The fruit aside, there is a darkness lying behind it: the deeply roasted, lightly charred malts.  However, they are so subtle and nuanced that they lend more of a dark tone to the existing fruits than actually coming forward as their own flavor.  It's a tremendous example of brewing prowess and understanding how flavors can compliment each other.  The finish finally shows us an insanely smooth glimpse of the coffee we saw in the aroma.  This time around it appears to have more mocha sweetness to it and less of a typical coffee's bite and bitter.  The aftertaste is the smoldering remains of the port, much as if the Viking-esque character from the label had just pillaged a town (or my taste buds).  The port is there, albeit greatly reduced, and the smokey, charred notes become a little stronger as the beer runs over the back, bitter-sensing part of the tongue.  Despite the permeating sweetness of this beer, it does not leave the mouth slick or slimy.  In fact, after an initial salivation, the tongue is left feeling quite dry and one can feel the alcohol being exhaled and as a warmth in the chest.

Mouthfeel 5/5

As mentioned in the previous sentence, the warmth that this beer spreads throughout the chest is fantastic.  That 15% ABV is remarkably well presented in this beer.  It isn't camouflaged completely, but what is present is used to enhance the already spectacular blend of flavors.  The body is as heavy as I've seen in a beer and insanely smooth.  This, of course, comes at the risk of extremely low carbonation.  For me personally, this is something I don't entirely mind in an imperial stout, especially when a quick swish in the mouth gives that little bit of texture that only carbonation can add.  However upon first sips, just sitting in the mouth, this beer can come across as almost completely flat.

Label art

Overall Impression 9/10

Long story short?  I love port.  I love its warmth, its unusual, elusive smokiness, its sweetness, its body, and its unique flavor.  For all these reasons I love Dark Lord.  The only possible things holding it back are an absent head and the fact that I might not know this was a stout if it weren't on the label.

Total 48/50

This was tremendously tasty in every sense of the word "tremendous."  I barely could've imagined that a beer could so closely resemble a port.  Do I usually look for something a little more "stout-like" in an RIS?  Yes.  That was my only issue with this beer other than the head (which has been excused earlier in this review).  I should like a bit more of that stout "darkness."  However, the amount of dark flavors that currently exist in this beer are a flawless compliment to the other flavors.  Would more dark flavors ruin that harmony?  Probably, but a mix of two great flavors is not a bad thing, it just might not be as good as the single perfect harmony they've already established.  

Cheers to Three Floyds and what they've got here.  I'll definitely be trying for DLD tickets next year as well!

Oh... and for those wondering the Russian text of "тёмный лорд русское имперское пиво" on the Dark Lord bottle translates as, "Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout,"  or "beer" instead of stout.  You're welcome!

Dark Lord Day 2012

Fellow craft beer quaffers, I had the distinct privilidge of attending this year's Dark Lord Day hosted by Three Floyds Brewing Co in Munster, Indiana.  For those not familiar with Dark Lord Day, Three Floyd's website describes it as such,

"Dark Lord Day is the only day of the year to buy Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial stout. DLD is a festival where participants can meet other beer enthusiasts, sample beers from all over the world, buy Dark Lord, try Oak Aged Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout, eat BBQ, listen to live music, and generally have a great time."

My buddy Lance was quick enough on the draw to snag a pair of tickets and I was fortunate enough to be invited.  Cannot thank him enough!  In hindsight, I did not take nearly enough photos at Dark Lord Day (hereafter referred to as DLD), but then again, there was not a ton of things to take pictures of.  But I get ahead of myself....

First off, we arrived around 2-ish and searched desperately for a place to park.  This is to be expected.  I expect having trouble finding a parking place at a regular beer festival (or even a downtown area on a Friday night), so I definitely did not expect to find one close by the gates.  After a short walk, we arrived and we greeted by several of these colorful maps (any pic may be enlarged by clicking on it).

Actually, the first time I tried to take a photo of this map, the maps were hung outside the fence surrounding the outhouses.  There was a man outside peeing behind the outhouses (no idea why) and I almost got a picture I didn't want and made waaaay too close a friend.  This experience made me a bit leary of what was awaiting behind the fence, but those concerns turned out to be unfounded.  The next five photos are a right-to-left panorama of what I saw upon entering DLD.

 

 

If your first thought was, "So what he saw first was people?" then you are correct.  Lots of people.  Thankfully Three Floyds (hereafter referred to as FFF) limitied their ticket sales intelligently, so while the crowd required a bit of patience to make one's way through, it never required a battle.

The Grounds

The festival was essentially held in their parking lot.  This has not worked very well for other brew festivals, but since the weather was so overcast most of the negative aspects (cooking alive) were not a factor.  Also, having this in a parking lot doesn't exactly add to the overall charm.  Now, I'm not saying I would've expected a beautiful lakeside park to hold an event entitled DLD, but with an event that has SO much hoopla and hype surrounding it, I think they could do a little more for the atmosphere and theme (black tents with jagged awnings?  cups with a cool logo on it?  some creepy viking stuff mounted on posts above the crowd?).  Their website does such a good job at exuding their "vibe," I suppose I expected a bit more of that on their own turf.  The tents looked like standard rentals, offered no shelter to fest goers, but clearly stated the items for sale within.

Draughts for sale.

Sixers, cases, and bombers for sale.  Yes, the XV Baller
Stout is $30 for a bomber.

Lines for beer.  They were kept moving very well.

The Facilities

There were plenty of port-a-potties and I only once had to wait in line.  Sure there were lines at one section, but apparently very few people realized that the outhouses followed the fence for some distance - allowing the outhouses at the far end to be entered immediately.  Also, apparently there were also outhouses on the opposite side of the festival (bottom left corner of map), but I never had to venture there.  No rinsing stations were needed as they gave you a new plastic Solo cup for each beer.  I suppose it helps keep cost down, but it's not very green, nor does it let me receive a cool free souvenir.

They had an section of the lot reserved for picnic tables where people could grab a seat, eat their grub and cool their heels.  This section was also used by many people to crack open and share their beers that they brought from home.  This was the best part of the day!  Lance and I tried so many different, random, amazing beers that I had never even heard of!  First we hung out with some gents from Michigan that had access to GADS of small, unusual Michigan craft beers (some no longer even in business) and as we remained at our seat, different folks would pass through either offering a taste of their own wares or eyeing ours hopefully and (of course) eventually receiving a pour.  The beers we tried were as follows (though some shall remain nameless since there were not on Untappd for me to track).

1.   Wild Heaven Craft Beers - Ode to Mercy

2.   Great Divide - Barrel Aged Yeti (2011). Though it was infected.

3.   New Glarus - IIPA (Thumbprint Series)

4.   New Glarus - Cherry Stout (Thumbprint Series)

5.   Surly - Abrasive Ale

6.   Tröegs - Nugget Nectar (x2)

7.   East End Brewing - Gratitude (2010)

8.   Victory/DFH/Stone - Saison du BUFF

9.   Kuhnhenn Brewing - Penetration Porter

10. Jailhouse Brewing - Conjugal Visit

11.  New Glarus - Moon Man

We also received pours from growlers by Founders and many local varieties whose names are already lost to myth and history.  I shit you not, one was a topped off growler from 2006 from a mystery brewery in Michigan.  Yes a growler from '06.  It had been filled so full that very little air was in the growler itself and had been chilled since then.  It was a definite high point of the day.  Wow!

There is also this beer by Jolly Pumpkin.  I have never seen it before, but the bottle smelled SO amazing that I will not rest until I find it.  If you know of this beer, where to find it, or would like to trade for it, I'm all ears.  Please comment on this article or email me and we'll definitely be in touch.

Here are some of the fellas kind enough to share and share alike...

Photo: Lance Martin

Photo: Lance Martin

Our pile of finished, shared goodness.  (Photo: Lance Martin)

The Food

I only had a pair of hotdogs and they really hit the spot.  FFF was also serving these monster sausages that looked damn tasty.  That's about all I can really speak to, but with the smells emanating from the grills, I wish I could've spoke to more.  They were also serving FFF beers and kept the lines moving amazingly well for how many people were there.  Nothing, but good things to say about the service.

Happy FFF minions! (Photo: Lance Martin)

Even a cameo by FF Brewer Abby Titcomb!! (Photo: Lance Martin)

The Dark Lord

The line to get DL was... well, the line to get DL.  It was long, windy, but full of good people and good beer.  Many folks in line (such as ourselves) were wise enough to save some of the beer they brought from home to drink in the line.  That said, everyone was so cool about the line that I'm sure people would've allowed you to step out of place for a moment to snag a cold one.  We met some cool folks!  The first picture describes the line involved and the rest of are of good craft beer people.

This gives an overview of half the "sharing" area of the lot. It also
shows the official beginning of the line. (Photo: Lance Martin)

So the line for Dark Lord stretches well behind where the above picture was taken.  It goes from behind this picture, allllll the way around the food tent to the left and finally to the line "beginning"  See that grey wearhouse in the right side of the picture?  That's where the line officially begins.  It's the point of the amusement park ride where a sign says, "Your estimated wait time is... 55 minutes"  Ours wasn't 55 mins from that point, just a little perspective.

See the end of the wearhouse?  That corner is out of picture in the  above photo (to the right).  This is
the view after you turn that corner and look back.  Yes, it's a long ass warehouse.

We meet fun people.

Eventually, you are allowed in the warehouse and the scene improves a lot.  This is the scene upon entering.

Buy your allotment here.

 I can't recall exactly where, but at one point your crappy ticket is exchanged for a really sweet looking, Super Bowl-sized Golden Ticket that contains a scratch off portion.  All of this is done is a bad-ass looking Russian font and here are some gratuitous pics to prove it.

Front of "Golden Ticket"

Reverse of "Golden Ticket"

Close up of Front side art.  How kick ass is that?!  It makes me wanna get a tattoo!

If that scratch off portion reads "Yes" underneath it, then that ticket holder has the opportunity to purchase one of the special Dark Lord varieties being sold that day for $50.  The varieties this year were: barrel aged, barrel aged with vanilla bean, and... OK, so that's all I can recall off the top of my head, but I'm pretty sure one was bourbon barrel-aged, and another was barrel aged with a type of dark fruit.  Don't quote me.  Please comment if you can speak with certainty about the other varieties.

You've got a keeper there, sir.

On the way out of the warehouse, there was a death metal band playing and in the low light, this was the best shot that I could get.

After that we were sort of guided out of the warehouse and I can't help but feel like we missed out on other things going on in the warehouse.  Well, I don't feel like we did, but did we?  I'm sure there are capacity issues to worry about in there and only so many people can be inside at once, but are there other things besides bands in there?  We saw people in there at any time of day and now I wonder if there wasn't something that we missed while chilling outside and drinking amazing beer.  Again, please comment if you can speak with certainty about any additional goings-on in the warehouse.

That pretty much sums up the day, kiddies.  No orgies.  No secret rituals.  No "Eyes Wide Shut" moments.  Just a beer festival full of damn good beer, awesome people, and the smell of grilling.  For me, that's a helluva good day.  I hope this helped satisfy the curiosity of folks that were not able to attend!  Cheers to all of ya and be sure to keep reading.  After all, I plan on reviewing one of these Dark Lords while they're still fresh!

Thanks Three Floyds!  What a neat experience!

Me.

Lance

Lance's haul.  That lucky bastard.

Stone - Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout

I was way overdue for a beer from Stone.  The fact that I can't remember the last one I had is not a good indicator.  Today I resolve this dilemma by cracking open a bottle of their 2011 "Odd Year" Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout.  As the name suggests it's a big ol' imperial stout to which Stone has added a Belgian yeast strain and, according to the bottle, "liberal amounts of star anise."  If that doesn't sound delicious enough, they then "oak" the beer using oak chips!  It sounds like a whole heap of delicious, but when it was released there were some mixed reviews.  Shall we find out for ourselves?  Let's pour!

Aroma 11/12

Dark, almost burnt roast and loads of oak are abundant as soon as the cap is pried off the bottle.  It's so darkly roasted and woody that one can easily imagine a campfire.  To drink this around a campfire on a fall evening would be a true prefect pairing.  The anise is also there - a fruit with which I am not completely familiar.  It does have a "black licorice" scent to it, but more in a more slightly saltier"Good N Plenty" type way and not like a rope of black licorice. It is also less intense in the same way a shallot is more subtle than an onion.  Dark fruits remain behind it as does a well camouflaged warmth.

Appearance 3/3

This pours dark!  The only time I was able to get any light through this nearly opaque beer was when holding it up to a ceiling light.  Only then could I see a dark, deep brown from underneath the surface.  The head is dark tan, dense with tiny bubbles and appears almost solid from the top.  It takes its time to form (I love that), and its longevity is most pleasing.

Flavor 19/20

This is a unique and tasty beer!  Initial flavors waste no time in bull-rushing the palate with plenty of the wondrous, dark roasted malts, the woody oak, and bits of bitter.  After holding the beer in the mouth, the anise and dark fruits take on more of the heavy lifting.  Belgian yeasts add a sweetness, but not any of the banana flavors for which they are typically known.  The flavors are widely varied, but not contrasting.  It takes a lot of brewing prowess to blend so many different flavors together so well and to be able to taste each one.  The anise and a very nice warmth are apparently holding hands as the beer slides down the throat... and what a nice partnership it is!  Oddly, it's pretty much only those two flavors in the finish (a moderate bitter pops in to say good-bye), but the warmth isn't just the flavor of alcohol.  It actually seems to warm the way fine liquor/spirit would, as it were spreading across the chest.  Also, an exhale after the finish can bring the anise right back into the nose!  Very neat!  The aftertaste is still warm, and leaves a quiet, round bitter to remember this beer.

Mouthfeel 5/5

Carbonation is spread thin, but not buried.  The few bubbles one does come across add the vivacious quality expected of them, but they are spaced well apart from one another.  The abundance of malts give the full body expected of them, but are balanced appropriately and never become syrupy or slick.  The carbonation even foams up ever so slightly to make this beer more drinkable than perhaps its ABV (10.5%) and full body would otherwise allow. 

Overall Impression 10/10

Big aroma, big, complex flavor that remains nuanced, fantastic warming quality, and a very appropriate body are all details that make this beer a uniquely flavored winner.  When this beer was fresh, reviews would claim a lot of strong flavors, especially from the anise, but currently I find them wonderfully participatory while not becoming overbearing.  Good heavens the roast in this is tasty!  It's a big beer, but I could easily do with another bottle.

Total 48/50

This beer is insanely tasty!  I appreciated it more an more throughout the bottle and it did everything short of make me use expletives whenever I drank it.  The dark roast, oak, and dark fruit are a trifecta that is not to be trifled with.  Add warmth to the mix and you've got a beer that I'll be talking about when people bring up unusual and interesting stouts!  Dammit Stone, you do good work!  My only complaint is that I wish I had enough foresight to buy an additional bottle for cellaring purposes.  If the beer has changed this much already (according and contrasting to reviews from when it was fresh), I'd love to see it in a year or so!  If you can find this, buy a case.  Drink some now and save some for later.  You will not be disappointed!