McNeill's Dark Angel Imperial Stout - McNeill's Brewery

Ungertaker

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Tulip.

A- deep black with a two-finger khaki/tan head that turns to a ring sound the glass after a few sips. A sticky, foamy lacing is left behind.

S- faint hints of dark chocolate and coffee accompany a strong pine scent.

T- bitter, piney hops; roasted coffee, dark chocolate and vanilla at the finish.

M- medium to thick with about as much carbonation as a stout can handle.

O- if I hadn't known beforehand, I never would have guessed that this was 10% ABV. The hop presence and carbonation do a good job of masking the burn. The hops were a little heavy for what I was wanting, but it would have been bland without them.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2012 22:16:06 | More by Ungertaker

Durge

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Another nice brew at McNeill’s in Brattleboro this Imperial Stout shows a pitch black color with a fair tan color and good lacing. The aroma brings sweet molasses and a slightly citrusy malt. Solid but somewhat subtle. The flavor makes a pretty powerful statement with chewy charcoal and sweet malt. It’s perfectly balanced with a bit of a dry finish. It’s very lightly carbonated with a medium body that goes down smoothly. There’s just a nuance of chalkiness. It’s a high quality brew, very satisfying for the style, and easily recommendable. Nothing complex but spot on to meet expectations. Beautiful.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2011 18:13:26 | More by Durge

claspada

New Jersey

2.58/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Absolutely no aroma worth mentioning. Faint roasted malts but barely. Taste is roasted, no, charted malts. Burnt, bitter molasses, smokiness which is undesirable considering the lack of body. Coca cola unpleasant finish; too dry with no body. Pass...

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2011 20:42:49 | More by claspada

Fish113d

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass at Al's of Hampden, it pours a pitch black color with a dense creamy, tan head that forms to about 1/2 a finger thickness.

Fairly hoppy on the nose; more than expected w/ hints of dark roasted malt & burnt caramel. A bit of a sweet coffee aroma is best to describe it I guess.

Fairly sweet molasses up front on the tip w/ some roastiness coming through as well. The alcohol is apparent but not overwhelming for 10%. Some slight floral flavors come through as well, but disguised pretty well. The finish on the other hand is big, sweet, and slightly roasty like the bottom of a cup of coffee with sugar (not as powerfully sweet though).

Big bodied but not too thick to drink rather easily. I rather enjoyed this brew quite a lot! ABV is apparent again, but nothing too shocking.

Just a nice solid Imperial Stout.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2011 15:55:26 | More by Fish113d

stakem

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Als of Hampden, served in a nonic. This brew appears black in color with some clarity around the edges. The dark tan head initially forms less than a finger strong and quickly recedes to a thin film across the top. Some spotty lace is left clinging to the glass.

The aroma of this brew is quite roasty with a dark scent of chocolate malt that leans towards some dark fruity esters and a tiny indication of coffee. The dark roasted grain quality is the leading factor and overall is not that bold of a nose.

The taste of this brew includes all the characteristics included in the nose. A strong roasted grain flavor upfront that imparts a moderate amount of bitterness that also includes notes of chocolate and dark skinned fruits.

This is a medium to full bodied brew with a light level of carbonation. Quite smooth in the feel. This brew was excessively drinkable for 10%. Honestly, this brew went down way too easy and is probably the most notable and memorable aspect. I would have this again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2011 13:52:42 | More by stakem

DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.8/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

McNeill's Dark Angel on tap at The Ginger Man, Midtown Manhattan, NYC.

Appearance: Served in a 13-ounce flute-like snifter. Perfect one-finger-deep head of a nice brown-coffee color. Very good, persistent lacing. Color of the beer is jet black, mighty opaque.

Smell: Very faint. Anise, some chocolate. Some savory/earthy tones. Alright but not spectacular.

Taste: I get a bit of oak/bourbon "aged" feeling. Wood. Some vinous, port-like qualities. Liquid chocolate, roasted malts and sugar. Pungent bitterness with a pinch of hops at the end, more pronounced as it warms up.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation leans toward low, bit it is adequate. Medium body and flavor, very dry finish.

Drinkability: OK, not great. Alcohol is not evident, goes down easy. The problem is the dryness and bitterness, and the fact that this is just not a very exciting brew.

Feels to me more like a dry stout than an Imperial stout.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2011 00:51:59 | More by DoubleSimcoe

goalie33

New York

4.38/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pitch black color, thin layer of brown bubbles on top of the beer. Not much lacing in the glass but nice legs.
S: Espresso is the dominant smell infused with chocolate and roasted malts.
T: The smells on the nose come through in the taste. Nice chocolaty beginning. The espresso really comes through in the finish.
M: Full bodied beer that really coats the mouth.

I can't believe I'm only the 11th person to review this beer on this site. It is amazing. One of the best beers I've ever had in my favorite style. Superb.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2010 01:15:36 | More by goalie33

zeff80

Missouri

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Opaque, jet black color with a one-finger, khaki colored head of foam. It left thin rings of sticky lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of roasty notes with toffee, burnt molasses and some pine.

T - Good roasted malt flavor, some sweet chocolate, caramel and toffee. A nice bitter/piney hop bite.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium to full bodied ale.

O - This is really good. It was the highlight of the tasting.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 03:25:39 | More by zeff80

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with an inch frothy tan head that stayed around for a long time. There's also a lot of lacing that sticks around a while. The brew smells like roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, coffee and a bit of dark fruit. Taste is pretty much just like the aroma, it tastes like roasted malt, dark fruit (plums), bittersweet chocolate, coffee, and some licorice. I think it's a sweeter imperial stout. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's creamy and coating with good, soft carbonation. I like this imperial stout, it's easy and enjoyable to drink. This is the first McNeill's brew I've tried, and hopefully it won't be the last.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 23:28:46 | More by bluejacket74

metter98

New York

3.8/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a quarter finger high dense tan head that quickly died down, leaving a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface and a thick collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of dark and roasted malts in the nose along with hints of alcohol.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste has flavors of roasted malts along with some hints of licorice and burnt malts.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied and relatively smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. There is a little dryness in the finish, which becomes stronger as the beer warms up.
O: The alcohol is relatively well hidden from the taste, making this beer relatively easy to drink considering its strength.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 02:35:17 | More by metter98

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with some very light gentle visible carbonation near the surface of the beer. The beer has a quarter finger tall creamy dark tan head that reduces to a very thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer, a small thick patch, and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Not as much aroma as I expected, there is a light to moderate aroma of dark roasted malts (almost burnt malts) and some lighter notes of chocolate. There is some moderate alcohol near the finish of the nose of this beer.

T: Moderate flavors of dark roasted and burnt malts with some lighter notes of bittersweet chocolate. Just a hint of licorice/anise. There is a light to moderate amount of bitterness that lingers lightly.

M: Just shy of heavy bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth with a moderate amount of dryness in the finish.

O: Since the alcohol is not as well hidden as I would like, I found this beer not to be the easiest drinker and requires slow sipping over a while. There is a nice roastiness to the smell and the taste with decent amounts of complexity.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 23:13:41 | More by dbrauneis

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle, no date.

opaque black in color, creamy tan head. good retention and nice lacing. aroma is mild compared to the taste. smell of dark roasted grains, as expected. taste is roasty, with a bit of an acidic bite. some bittersweet dark cocoa, espresso notes. very nice flavors. slightly thick, a bit creamy body. appropriately mild level of carbonation.

overall - very tasty

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 04:09:09 | More by jmdrpi

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.85/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured at the brewery from a cask and served in a tumbler pint, the beer is a dark, cloudy, brown-to-black coloring with a thin, foamy, dense, light brown colored head. Aromas of booze, old world fruit sweetness, and earthy tones. Smooth bodied and creamy with a deep, dark, roasty and sweet backbone. Toffee and date make up a majority of the profile, with highlights of licorice and molasses. Very smooth, with a chocolate kiss to the aftertaste. Smooth, rich, creamy finish. Very tasty.

Serving type: cask

07-08-2012 19:54:11 | More by GarthDanielson

biglite351

Pennsylvania

2.8/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I am re-reviewing this as there is a rather large difference in the two bottles that I had.

New review from June 2012:

A - Dark as night with a tall creamy brown head

S - Very mild, hops, malt and dark chocolate

T - Hops, cocoa, malts and dark fruit

M - Thick with a good coating, tingle all over tongue

O - Too hoppy for my taste

Original review from 1/8/2011 (3.6 rating):
A - 4.5 - no light even around the edges. Tight light tan head.

S - 3.0 - malts and chocolate, something almost leaf like. Hops in the finish, that seem to linger.

T - 3.5 - both milk and dark chocolate, malts and oak. Hops in the finish but not as much as in the scent.

M - 4.0 - good coating with mild tingle all over the mouth. Some alcohol burn in throat.

D - 4.0 - I could have a few of these.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 11:12:17 | More by biglite351

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.98/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sampled on April 7, 2012 while attending the Keene (NH) Beerfest. The pour is an incredibly dark black with a silky, moderate sized mocha head that settles after a few minutes. The aroma is of dark malts and sweetness. There is also a vague hop note around the edges. The body is medium. The taste is quite sweet at the beginning with a powerful, bitter finish to tie things together at the end. Alcohol is well-integrated.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 01:29:55 | More by puboflyons

womencantsail

California

3.58/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer is almost black in color with a tan head. A lot of roasted malt and coffee aromas to this with a slight metallic note and maybe even a bit of oxidation. Some nice chocolate aromas are still present, however. Dark chocolate and roasted malt give a mild bitterness, as does some coffee flavor. A hint of char on the finish with some molasses type sweetness throughout.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 02:47:57 | More by womencantsail

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.2/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review adapted from notes taken 9/3/11

Appearance: Pours a dark, dark brown with a nice tan head - retains a nice little cap, leaves average lacing

Smell: Chocolate and burnt, roasted malts - a lot of chocolate malts - burnt coffee and coffee grounds, with a touch of semisweet chocolate and vanilla

Taste: Lots of chocolate, in multiple senses of the word - milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and burnt chocolate malts - roasted, with roasted coffee - a nice level of burnt bitterness - very dry, but there is some sweetness

Mouthfeel: Extremely smooth, medium to full body - dry, and roasty

Overall: Really good, probably even better with age

This stout is well-rounded and good in every way. It's not particularly mind-blowing, but it's solid. I have another one of these that I plan on opening in a few years. Regardless, it was good fresh.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 06:54:00 | More by angrybabboon

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - pitch black with a slight dark-ish head

S - sweet malts, slightly hopped, toasted oats

T - a blend of oats and grains that leaves a slightly bitter taste in my mouth, slight hints of chocolate and coffee

M - a little heavy, the alcohol makes my cheeks pucker so it's a slow drinking beer

O - not bad for the price ($9.99 a growler), would like to pick up a bottle and let it age a few years so some of the flavors gain a bit more definition, plus from the looks of the picture uploaded here for it the artwork looks cool.

Serving type: growler

01-28-2012 12:48:36 | More by facundoCNB

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a fluted glass, color is nice dark brown to black, with a nice tan head that sits 1-2 inches thick at first then dissipates and clings.

Smell is mild roast and caramel sweetness, light ester.

Taste is malt sweet with roast and chocolate followed by bitterness, lightly earth hop flavor.

Mouthfeel is very cloying, flavors sit strongly on the tongue and the abv is noticeable in the ester strength.

Overall, an average imperial stout, too sweet, though one of the mcneills that turned out decent.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 04:29:26 | More by mvanaskie13

9InchNails

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into my snifter.

Pitch black body, dark brown creamy head that fades into a ring around the glass. Nice creamy lacing.

Big time roasted malts, sweet milk chocolate, caramel, molasses, brown sugar and some bitter smelling hops.

Chocolate, brown sugar, caramel, dark fruits, roasted coffee, slight alcohol and a dry bitterness with a smokey flavor at the end.

Thick body but silky smooth. It leaves the lips very sticky. Light but noticeable carbonation - exactly how a stout should feel. Slight alcohol burn while going down and leaves with a dry bitter feeling.

Well, it says best before November but no year. I suppose it was last year, since it's now January and I saw this bottle sit on the shelf for quite a while at the store. It's an Imperial Stout so I'm sure the alcohol preserved it somewhat. I'm sure this brew is incredible fresh but the tastes seem complex but not as pronounce as it could be. Don't get me wrong, it is quite tasty but this stout has the potential of being insanely delicious if I got to it when it was fresh. I will have to keep an eye out for a brand new batch.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 07:31:37 | More by 9InchNails

Vylo

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep black with tan head, as to be expected.

Smell is nothing spectacular, but pleasant, earthy.

Taste, crisp and oaty. Delicious.

Mouthfeel was well balanced. Good but not overbearing carbonation.

Overall a terrific stout after trying a long line of dissappointing ones. Glad I picked this up.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 00:14:55 | More by Vylo

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.7/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a standard pint at the pub in Brattleboro. Pours an inky black with a dense, two-inch, khaki-colored head embedded with tiny pinpricks that eventually settles into a solid, one inch cap. Thick, creamy, concentric bands of lacing are revealed and exhibit excellent adhesion. Nose expresses roast, molasses, burnt sugar and citrus notes. Taste follows nose with the addition of an ashy quality and a bit of a piny hops presence. Mouthfeel is medium-light in consistency with a creamy/oily texture and a slight acidity; however, no residual bite. Overall, I have to say that I prefer the draft version to the cask - not sure why; however, there's just a bit too much of a hops presence for my general preference.

Serving type: cask

12-25-2011 22:51:42 | More by Jwale73

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

4.5 A: Black color. Two and a half fingers of light brown, fairly dense frothy head. Retention is good and plenty of semi-regular lacing is left behind.

4.5 S: Wow, this is incredibly intense and surprisingly sweet. Overload of milk chocolate and cocoa powder, molasses, and dark caramel malts. There's some roastiness to bring a balance, but this is sweet all over. Perhaps a touch of coffee. Hops are herbal and citrusy and bring a nice complement to the brew without getting in the way by standing out. Alcohol is well hidden

3.5 T: The taste does not capture the intensity of the nose. It can only be described as having a hollow center with many peripheral flavors. All the flavors of the nose are in the taste - soft roastiness, milk chocolate, cococa powerder, molasses, dark caramel, but none of them really stick out. It's strange. Mild to moderate bitterness. Moderately smokey. Some citrus from the hops. Alcohol is for the most part well hidden. This has a pleasant taste, but it is without a focus.

4.0 M: On the lighter end of a heavy body. Good moderate carbonation. Reasonably creamy and smooth.

4.0 D: Overall I found this to be quite enjoyable, but this would be a lot better if one of the flavors manned up to take the lead. Still, definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 22:09:17 | More by DavoleBomb

CaptDavyJones

New York

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a really dark color with a nice foamy dark brown head, from a 22 oz bomber.
Head dissipates very slowly to a thin film, good head retention.
Aroma is sweet molasses with milk chocolate. Not very complex on the nose, predominantly sweet.
Taste upfront is sweet with an almost full body and a lasting bitterness in the finish. Not the most robust of stouts, however, the alcohol is hidden very well. Easy to drink even with 10% ABV.
Overall, a good stout, but not the best. Definitely worth a try, especially considering it is sold at a very reasonable price.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 00:39:44 | More by CaptDavyJones

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark brown, sits opaque black. Thick layer of retention sits atop the beer like a snazzy chapeau and births foamy fingers of lace. My girlfriend says, "really super frothy." Lightly filtered as there was some sediment left on the bottom of my glass.

Smells big and sugary and roasty just like in IS should. If I were to play name that scent I'd guess chocolate, dark coffee grounds, sweet brown sugar and molasses and some citrus hop leaf.

Roasty with ash, char and misc. roast adjectives and dripping with dark sugar. Some hoppy bitterness in back for emphasis. Sweetens as it warms with chocolate and sticky molasses highlights. Smokey finish.

If this were released once a year and cost $20 a bottle it would be at the top of every BA list.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2011 01:04:47 | More by donkeyrunner