Hel & Verdoemenis 666 - Brouwerij De Molen

weissbierdrinker

Belgium

4.72/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a very thick oily black with a tan head that hangs around for a long time. Carbonation seems lively.

Smell is of wet wood, cognac (I wonder if I would smell that if I didn't know it was there), some hoppy notes, burnt chocolate.

Taste is of vanilla bean, definitely cognac, dark chocolate, warming alcohol (not harsh at all adds a very pleasant feeling to the beer). Smooth and sweet with a slightly hoppy note to it. Finish is of roasted malts. Mouthfeel is think and oily. Lots of big malty notes.

I'm pretty sure I just became a big fan of this beer. The cognac sweetness and light warming alcohol combined with the dark chocolate and burnt flavors really blend together nicely making a very drinkable RIS. I don't find this one a chore to finish. After a big hardy meal this would be an excellent desert beer. I don't find this to be a big huge overpowering smack in the face RIS, instead it's more subtle, seems well thought out, really allowing you to just sit and enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2010 14:00:03 | More by weissbierdrinker

Mar02x

Netherlands

4.7/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had it and enjoyed it at Borefts beer festival.

A - Dark, dark black beer with a tiny head with an off white head.

S - A good smell of chocolate and dark cherries, very nice and delightful and it also comes with cognac and oak aromas. Or as my beer buddy described it; smells like the masturbation of a mountain gorilla.

T - Heavenly cream, very very tasty. Cognac beer syrup, what more can I say. Just lay me on an infuse of this stuff. One of De Molen's best.

M - Smooth carbonation and some bitterness in the end. Medium body and medium carbonation.

O - This can be a good winner in any beer contest. Wonderful aroma and flavor. It wasn't for sale in the Molen's beer shop, can anybody give me directions were to get it, please.

Yesteday I tried the Bottled version (friday 23th of december 2011).
A4 - Looks the same as the festival version.

S4.0 - Where did the cognac, oak and cherries go? The only thing I am getting is a strong coffee smell with some dark chocolate.

T4 - See the smell review.

M4 - Same as the festival version accept the finish is really bitter this time.

O4 - Not a bad beer, but next time I will pass for the bottled version.

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2011 10:34:24 | More by Mar02x

PeprSprYoFace

California

4.68/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks for the opportunity for this one Digita7693.

Poured into my Cigar City Snifter. Just a ring of head with some film and little lacing. Super black. I thought the bottle was brown until it was poured and revealed green. Nice little 180ml bottle.

Aroma is awesome. Super roasty and bitter chocolaty. Nice

Taste is nice and roasty with a nice caramel sweetness. Very smooth and tasty.

Mouthfeel is good. Very smooth. Low carb.

Overall a very tasty brew and I like the idea for the 666th batch. Cool label and stuff. Glad I got to try this.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 06:32:27 | More by PeprSprYoFace

STEG

New York

4.55/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750ml Black waxed (silly puttyed?) Corked and caged utterly sinister bottle courtesty of redtailjet. Thanks so much for this man!

Poured into an oversized ridel bordeaux glass.

Pitch black beer with a small one finger espresso foam colored head that has moderate retention but disappates after about 2 minutes into a fine foam with a collar of fine bubbles. Swirling the glass leaves some nice lacing but no real lacing stays around as the beer goes away.

Smells of coffee, bakers chocolate, dark chocolate with some anise, oak, an underlying boozy smell most likely from the cognac. A bit hot on the nose as well.

Taste is intense, bitter chocolate, bitter coffee, smoke, slight licorice. Aftertaste has a lingering vinous heat, almost like alcoholic grape juice finish.

Mouthfeel is silky and slightly hot on the finish, mild carbonation kicks in at the very end.

Overall an outstanding beer a different take on an RIS but extremely well executed and worth the difficulty to get. I will be aging the second bottle to see how it holds up. It was the exact opposite of the first regular HV I had, this is going away far to quickly, I will miss it dearly.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2010 03:27:14 | More by STEG

Jeffo

Netherlands

4.55/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Originally had this about a year ago and it was completely flat. I can't stand flat beer, and despite this, I still scored it a C+. It showed a lot of potential. Since then I've been holding out hope that we'd meet again.

De Bierkoning in Amsterdam came across a box of nips while doing inventory a few weeks back, so I quickly ran down and grabbed a couple before they vanished. As soon as we opened the bottle and heard the magic sound, I got ready for a long awaited re-review.

From a 18cl bottle into a snifter
vintage: 2010

APPEARANCE: Pours dark brown and yields a small, dark tan or mocha colored head that appears out of nowhere. Head fades relatively quickly to a wisp and ring. Black body, though relatively transparent, with medium carbonation evident. A ring remains until the end and leaves touches of lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Smells wonderful. Roasted malt, dark baker's chocolate and lots of oak notes. The cognac is definitely present, with light hints of vanilla as well. Bold and enticing, with plenty of well-measured cognac and oak aromas.

TASTE: Very tasty. Carbonation has really helped this brew. Roasted malts, dark baker's chocolate again, as well as lots of oak and cognac. Caramel notes, vanilla, and a good dose of booze in there as well. The aging is very present for sure. Aftertaste is bold and persistent with lots of oak, cognac, and dark chocolate flavors. Very tasty and enjoyable. One of De Molen's best.

PALATE: Medium body and medium carbonation. Slightly lighter on the palate, though nicely creamy as well. Goes down fine with a bit of heat on the swallow and finishes slightly mouth-coating. Very glad this one is carbonated. What a world of difference.

OVERALL: A stellar brew. Wonderful aroma and flavor. The first bottle I had about a year ago showed lots of potential, but it just needed a little carbonation. Well, this bottle realized that potential. It is a little light in body, both in the look and feel, but those are minor drawbacks on what is otherwise a top notch offering from De Molen. Was very glad to have come across this brew again. It was worth the wait.

EDIT: Trying this one next to a H&V MacAllan BA and I have to give the slight nod to the MacAllan. Both are phenomenal brews though.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 11:44:37 | More by Jeffo

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.53/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by ygtbsm94. Thanks Brad!

The number of this beast: 599

The beer appears dark brown with a thin, beige head. The aroma is absolutely fantastic. 40 year old cognac barrels...wow. Loving this. Roast and spirits with subtle notes of barrels. Simply fantastic beer. Phenomenal feel with alcohol content a non factor. What a treat. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 06:28:38 | More by Huhzubendah

schnarr84

Alberta (Canada)

4.51/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

thanks as always to dave from willow park for hooking me up with straight off the truck brews. 330ml bottle poured into big rock snifter. half finger of mocha head which sticks around. definitely has legs. aroma is huge cognac. some roasted malts come through as well. dark fruit. almost smells like those delicious liquor chocolates

taste is wicked. definitely get a lot of cognac. lots of dark chocolate, some burnt fruit, caramel comes through on the after taste. great warming feeling as you swallow

overall this is an awesome BA RIS. I will definitely be grabbing a couple more to cellar. grab it while you can

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 06:43:25 | More by schnarr84

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Brad for sharing this little bottle. Bottle #599. Served in a Bruery tulip.

Holy hell, the nose on this thing is fantastic. Poured black with a very thin mocha head that quickly went away. Nose is fantastic and so incredibly smooth. There is a very large chocolate presence and quite a bit of barrel character. There is a bit of booze in the background as well as some roasted malt. The taste is big on the chocolate and barrel aspects with a slightly-oaked finish. Good fudge throughout. No booze or heat in the finish. Medium body. Really, wow. Big, big fan of this.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 17:55:59 | More by Thorpe429

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This little bottle. I had wondered aloud in my house about it for months. It just looks pure evil and boy was it ever. What are these things like 5oz? We split this, me and Rich in two tiny snifters as I did not want a bottle this special to be wasted on myself. Late night crew on 07/04/2010.

The darkest pour I had seen all week. Just pitch black and oily. Thick as a milkshake with a small head of tan that barely covered the top of the glass but did leave some really nice lacing down the sides as we went through the session. I let it linger for a few moments and went in to take a sip, what I find is a wonderful blend of vanilla, oak, hints of roasted malts, burnt and bitter dark chocolate. Just immensely rich. Coffee coming at me now with a long, long and drawn out flavor that is really grabbing at the palate. Vanilla swirls in, tobacco, hints of molasses and really robust chocolate underlying it all. This was the beast of stouts. So dark and rich, foreboding and yet immensely complex. It took nearly 30 minutes before you could really appreciate what we had here. A wonderful, and truly unique take on a barrel aged stout.

Overall dark, evil, enlightening I will take it all in. This was an amazing beer, I only wish I could have had a little more of it.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2010 23:19:01 | More by mikesgroove

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark brown, almost black color with mahogany edges and half finger off white head that slowly fades into a lasting ring.  Spotty lacing left behind.

Deep roasted, smokey aroma thats bursting with chocolate malt, oatmeal, toffee and coffee bean.  Although it's very roasty it doesn't smell acrid or burnt.  Just lots of luscious dark malt.  

Full bodied with a good balance of roast and sweet malt.  Lots of dark choclate, toast, hazelnut,  coffee/espresoo bean. Well balanced with lots of silky chocolate countering the roasted notes.  Slightly smokey but never abrasive or acrid.  The abv is well masked with subtle alcohol flavor and little heat.  Dry finish.  

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 05:28:29 | More by corby112

Mora2000

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to bu11zeye for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a very dark brown to black color with a dark brown head. The aroma is very nice. I get a lot of milk chocolate as well as some roasted malt and coffee. I also get a few whiskey notes in the aroma.

The flavor is also outstanding. I get a lot of nuttyness, as well as loads of chocolate and coffee. The oak and roasted malt are also present, as are some whiskey and cognac notes. The alcohol is very well hidden.

Thick, chewy mouthfeel and low carbonation. A very nice Russian Imperial Stout. Glad I got to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 04:37:27 | More by Mora2000

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle poured into tulip 12/4/13 bottle 4624

A pretty black with a deep cola edge, finger of dark mocha foam sits for a few sips and leaves a single thick ring of lace

S boozy fudge smells great, lots of wood and cognac, a little smoke and raisin with just a hint of fennel, the booze works well for this one almost bringing the cognac to center stage and I love the taste of cognac

T more roasted barrel notes then the nose and even more cognac, char and burnt espresso, a little different form the nose but equally good, intense and tasty, the fudge is a little toned down but I'm loving the taste

M not too thick for the color with a little heat and a little grit left behind on the gums, long aftertaste of charred wood and cognac

O great liquid going on here, I'm surprised how noticeable the cognac really is, pretty solid brew that I'll be stocking up on for sure

I love the label and the beer inside the bottles even better, great today but this ones going to age gracefully and I'll be buying a nice little stash to ensure I get to enjoy it a few years down the road, stock up boys and girls if you can

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 05:38:02 | More by wordemupg

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle, bottled on December 5, 2012 with black wax, bottle (batch?) number 6. Poured into a wine glass at Tørst in NYC.

A- Pours very dark brown with no head or lacing.

S- Chocolate, cake, vanilla, caramel, and a really nice but subtle cognac aroma. Smells damn nice.

T- Delicious. Huge and layered chocolate flavor, with dark and milk chocolate, chocolate cake, as well as vanilla, some roastiness, with a nice fruitiness and sweet cognac flavor towards the finish.

M- Medium to full body, smooth, soft feel, very mild alcohol warmth.

O- A great beer, the base beer is delicious and the cognac barrel gives it a very nice and tasty complexity.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 07:24:55 | More by WillCarrera

jegross2

Illinois

4.39/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Reviewing the Hel & Verdoemenis 666 from Brouwerij De Molen out of Belgium. Batch 666 is Hel & Verdoemenis with added wood chips soaked in a 40 year old cognac.
Score: 93

Bottle is dated 11/14/2011. Served in a snifter glass and enjoyed on 02/05/13.

Appearance: Coffee colored body. Pours a thin layer of mocha head that settles to ring around the glass. Good lacing, average retention. 4/5

Smell: Milk chocolate, lots of roastiness, bakers chocolate, wood and a touch of menthol-y peppermint-like aroma. There is also something else in the aroma that is really intriguing that I cannot put my finger on -- maybe it's the cognac. Faint coffee and a hint of hops too. Perfect incorporation; deliciously inviting. 5/5

Taste: Tastes a lot like it smells plus some cherry, a little plum, and less chocolate than was present in the nose. Woody backbone with a mild amount of coffee in the finish. Faint hoppiness. What I suspect is the Cognac from the nose is more prominent too, but still not very bold. 4.25/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, minimal carbonation. Slightly sweet. Creamy mouthfeel. 4.25/5

Overall: One of the better Belgium-originating stouts I have had to date.

Recommendation: Seek a bottle of this stuff out. It is delicious! It has a mass appealing flavor profile too.

Cost: $11.99 for a 12 oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 01:45:46 | More by jegross2

spdyfire83

Ireland

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

65th Review
Bottle to snifter
Bottled 11/14/2011

Shared with farundrpar on a recent visit to Amsterdam.

A: Deep black. Quarter (mocha) fingernail head, with a bit of lacing, on medium pour.

S: Black biscuit, coffee, and loads of roasted dark malt. Something weird is intertwined in the mix; possibly seaweed, but I cannot make it out. This weird smell does not deter from the inviting aroma though; it is just interesting.

T: Tastes just like it smells, but the coffee is way more pronounced and comes thru start to finish. Sweet hints of dark chocolate and caramel.

M: Full bodied with low carbonation.

O: Roasty and smooth, but very good for the style. Well done De Molen!

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 17:04:20 | More by spdyfire83

IPA35

Netherlands

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

33cl bottle, no number, red wax.
Brewed: 14/11/2011 So it is quite fresh.

Black with a tan head. Bad retention. Not too thick.

Interesting aroma, some coffee I guess. Must be the oak and cognac? Roasted malts, some vanilla, chocolate and dark fruits.

The taste is very well balanced and not too agressive.
I get roasted malts, some fruitiness, oak, some wierd flavour that must be the cognac I am sure of it as it is boozy, some coffee and some vanilla. A reasonable bitterness. Not too much alcohol and a dry oaky aftertaste.

Creamy but not as thick as I expected. Good though, makes it quite drinkable. Also good carbonation.

Overal a good beer. Proof that we can actually make good beer in this country.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 17:24:52 | More by IPA35

doopiedoopiedoo

Netherlands

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Whohoo de Molen released more of this. Jeffo did the leg work on this one and picked up some bottles of this all the way from Bodegraven.

2011 offering

Sitting around with the missus I decided to open this in order to deal with the fact that she is holding the remote. Poured from a 33cl bottle into a snifter.

It comes out dark brown not quite black and not as thick as some of the other de Molen Stouts. It comes witha nice one finger mocha head that leaves a nice bit of lacing.

BIG NOSE. I mean BIG. It could smoke a cigarette under the shower kind of nose. Roasted malts exploding over oak.

Tastes are also very impressive. A tond of dark chocolate with a ton of bitterness. Coffee biterness that is smooth at the same time. Somewhere in the middle there is oak and a hint of cognac.

As the pour showed already is the feel slightly lighter then what's expectd of a monster stout like this.

Man, this a great impressive beer. De Molen puts out some serious stouts that can compete with some of the best in the business. If you are a fan big stouts hunt this one down and enjoy. It will be worth it I promise.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 08:03:41 | More by doopiedoopiedoo

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

The 666 bottle from the Edinburgh Brewdog pub. 10% ABV
A- coffee ruby black , whispy lacing, basically no head on the pour, swirling does produce a bit of tan lacing.

S- boozey whisky/cognac barrel, honey, roasty coffee and malt, a lot of boozey whisky cask. Some cinnamon and clove spiciness, subtle chocolate comes through also. Intense.

T- whisky, vanilla, lots of oak, dark chocolate, boozy and dry on finish, dry cocoa, sherry/cognac chocolate sweetness, some dark chocolate and creaminess comes through. Crazy complex, hops are really slight. A lot of different things going on, all integrated really nicely.

M- really huge, quite dry on finish, little soft carbonation, big and quite smooth with slight boozy alcohol. Very smooth and creamy with slight alcohol prickle. Subtle malty sweetness, makes a very satisfying drink.

Overall a bit 'out of control' in the bet possible way. A big aged stout, tons of cognac and oak influence. Remains really complex, steller and quite well balanced. Drinks nicely and is quite pleasing. Glad I tried this. Awesome Imperial Stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 11:13:03 | More by mick303

mattsander

Alberta (Canada)

4.29/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: The bottle is full nearly to the brim, odd and awesome. Pours jet black with 20mm of fluffy beige head that becomes a thick ring. Great looking beer.

S: Big time cognac oak, wow this smells phenomenal. Unique and liqueur-like barrel notes, booze, dark chocolate, licorice.

T: I am admittedly not familiar with cognac, but if it tastes like this beer I should probably get acquainted. A little bit hot, but that will improve with time. I will definitely be laying a few of these down.

M: Creamy and full bodied, boozy but never thin.

Awesome beer, huge cognac/oak presence, this far exceeded my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 20:03:55 | More by mattsander

unclejazz

New York

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

On tap at Tørst
8 oz. pour

Little to no head, a few bubbles at the edge of the glass, dark brown/black in color. It looked a bit flat

The smell of oak and cognac are really incredible, not to heavy on the roast malts in the nose. Quite nice.

A bit low on the CO2 for me, but the flavor worked and I actually like the low carbonation in this beer. It really allowed be the enjoy the cognac, Carmel, raisin flavors of this well crafted brew.

I wish I could also try this with heavier carbonation to see if their is a difference.

Cheers Jeppe!

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2013 21:13:42 | More by unclejazz

Aethien

Netherlands

4.23/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Blacker than black with a small tan head that leaves a thin film on the beer.
I smell lots of coffee, roasted malts, cognac and a little chocolate.
The cognac is quite noticeable in the taste but not in a bad way, it meshes well with the other tastes and gives this beer something a little different. Other than that there's a good amount of coffee, some oak, very pure chocolate and malts. It's quite bitter and boozy.
The mouthfeel is creamy and smooth but not too heavy.

Overall I really like this beer, the cognac really adds to the flavour and gives it something extra.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 21:53:30 | More by Aethien

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

4.23/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330ml bottle 10,0% ABV
Served lightly chilled in an over sized wine glass.
2011 Vintage.

Appearance: H&V 666 looks pitch black in the glass, but sadly a back light shows deep red along the edges. Maybe it is just me, but a beer called Hell and Damnation 666 should be light devouringly black!
A rough pour yields a good sized, creamy, tan coloured head that displays good retention and leaves some patchy lace.

Smell: Mmmm, there is actually quite a bit of cognac noted right off of the bat, along with dark chocolate, roasted malt, dark toffee and dark fruits. Warming yields a touch of vanilla, some oak and some toasted grains.

Taste: The taste is initially quite sweet with notes of sweet chocolate, dark toffee, vanilla and cognac. A few minutes in and the more traditional De Molen imperial stout notes (heavily roasted malt, charred wood and a bit of smoke) become apparent. Other notes include: Dark fruit (burned raisins and plums), distinct oak and a little molasses.
The finish is quite bitter with lots of roasted notes and fairly dry.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied, with a medium level of fairly smooth carbonation.

Overall: H&V 666 is a pretty good imperial stout, but just doesn't quite deliver the world class flavours that the MacAllan Barrel edition does.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 20:55:02 | More by Thehuntmaster

Brabander

Netherlands

4.2/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I found another beer in my Borefts booklet from two months ago i completely forgot to review. Borefts is THE most important beerfestival in Holland.

From my notes: poured in the De Molen tasting glass this beer looks normal; nothing spectacular to see. Fluid is deep dark brown to black.

Coffee and whisky (not cognac!) come in the nose.

Taste is sweet but not too much and some chocolate.

Mouthfeel is with lots of body. Overall a more than decent beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2011 10:18:12 | More by Brabander

MasterSki

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Jeffo. I think this was the first batch made? Served in a tulip.

A - Tan foam settles to a collar and wisps, leaving behind spotty lace. Very dark brown body. This De Molen beers are nothing if not consistent.

S - Big biscuit, lots of vanilla, light dry oak, some dark chocolate, touch of coffee and perhaps a bit of fruitiness although it's hard to tell if it's from malt, cognac, or oxidation. No alcohol presence at all.

T - The taste is quite similar, with big chocolate and oaky vanilla, and lighter notes of biscuit, nuts, and caramel. Not much spirit character from the cognac; just a big malty stout with fairly low roast character. Again, no alcohol after two years of aging.

M - Smooth, medium-full body, lower carbonation, fairly silky considering the oak-aging, and super mellow at this stage. No alcohol to be found.

D - This was pretty good - seems like a more simplistic version of Black Damnation 666, which I also liked quite a bit. Would definitely drink this again, although I'd probably pick the Black Jack over this for novelty's sake.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 06:43:32 | More by MasterSki

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.19/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

330ml, black wax encrusted bottle, with a kick-ass anonymous metal band inspired label.

This beer pours a solid, impenetrable black, with only the very, very slightest of basal cola 'highlights', and four (or maybe more, who's counting at this rate) fingers of openly bubbly, densely foamy chocolate milk head, which leaves some spooky drooping webbed lace around the glass as it eventually recedes.

It smells strongly of astringently wooden barrels, not altogether specific to origin, although a soft late harvest white wine character does well to bleed through, with some overly sugary chocolate, a mild, indistinct roasted character, softly savoury spice, and faint anise. The taste is sweet dark, cake-like chocolate, equally saccharine white wine barrel notes - vanilla, caramel, and musky white grape juice, a hint of dry coffee grounds, and the coup de grace of Cognac goodness - a stupidly subtle, boozy 'comment ça va?'.

The carbonation is pretty well sublimated, and more or less inconsequential to our little investigation, the body a bountiful full weight, and generally quite smooth, the alcohol the only threat here, and it does well in minding its own business. It finishes quite predictably on the sweet side, the boozy chocolate and white wine offset going long in convincing me that this isn't some overly sugary fart of an offering.

With a base as desirable as this one's is, messing around with barrel treatment is a dicey affair at best. Thankfully, they picked a subtle, je ne sais quoi version to move forward with, one which adds a modicum of sweetness, and a further indecipherable complexity, without sacrificing the base goodness of it all. Worthy for its effort, and tasty all the same.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 04:40:16 | More by biboergosum