Black - Brugge Brasserie

leftmindedrighty

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on tap at Brugge Brasserie

Smell, heavy on the toffee and nuts, some bitter chocolate

Taste, quite sweet and pleasantly bitter. Bitter chocolate, nuts, plum, and raisins all stand up for an appearance. A little on the sweet side, but the bitterness does lend a helping hand on the back end.

Overall, very unique, and very enjoyable. But one glass is all I could drink in a sitting.

Serving type: on-tap

06-24-2008 15:00:26 | More by leftmindedrighty

MSandahl23

Indiana

4/5  rDev +7.8%

01-08-2013 15:28:39 | More by MSandahl23

freewill35

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev +1.1%

09-26-2012 01:26:24 | More by freewill35

Chisfinest84

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

09-01-2012 18:56:07 | More by Chisfinest84

poogas

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +21.3%

06-11-2012 22:31:13 | More by poogas

jaidenjb

Ohio

3/5  rDev -19.1%

05-28-2012 11:58:03 | More by jaidenjb

stampfler07

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -5.7%

03-19-2012 18:26:27 | More by stampfler07

Sean9689

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On-tap at Brugge.

A - Pours black, cream-colored head, thin collar.

S - Malty and yeasty, pretty sweet with light roast.

T - Roasted malts, light sugary sweetness, some chalky notes.

M - Light, good carbonation, roasty clean finish.

O - An average Dark Ale, at best. I'd probably give this another try, but if there's a sour on-tap, I'm going for that.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 18:32:57 | More by Sean9689

ZombiesAteMyDog

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A – A nearly black body with no lacing and only a slight, off-white head. Does not appear too thin, which is a nice plus.

S – Chocolate malt, caramelized sugar, and maybe a bit of spiced plum?

T – Sweet… Molasses and slightly charred fruit.

M – Medium body. Very smooth with little to no alcohol detection.

0 – Another nice brew from Brugge. Not my personal favorite from them, but I liked it for a style that I am always hit or miss on.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2012 00:17:04 | More by ZombiesAteMyDog

Lukafer

Indiana

4/5  rDev +7.8%

11-15-2011 03:47:59 | More by Lukafer

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Brugge Brasserie last weekend. Served in a tulip.

Poured near black with a good off-white/light tan head and some good lacing. The nice brought a bit of yeast plus a large amount of roasted malt. The flavor was mostly all roast with some light dark-fruit character. Interesting, but not all that enjoyable. There was some creaminess to the feel, though mostly dry roast. Overall, this was far too dominated by bitter roasted malt.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2011 23:58:17 | More by Thorpe429

secondtooth

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep black in appearance, with heavy carbonation. No lace.

Nose is chocolatey malts, some burnt tones. Appealing and different.

Taste is very sweet, and almost fruity. I get a distinct alcohol burn, as well. Some burnt maltiness. Nice mix.

Not bad at all, and definitely a Belgian-style brew with character.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2011 13:30:18 | More by secondtooth

glid02

Georgia

3.3/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle shared by Joe - much obliged!

Pours one shade from black with a half-finger tan head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving light lacing.

Smells of roasted malts with mild amounts of char and dark molasses. Also present are a good deal of indistinct tart fruits that have a minor salty quality.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Lightly roasted malt flavors kick things off with hints of deeper char and are quickly overtaken by tart dark fruits and green apples with a somewhat salty quality, similar to the aroma. These flavors carry through to a mildly tart and bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is OK. It's got a decent thickness with overactive carbonation.

Drinkability is not that great. I didn't have the easiest time finishing my glass and would not have another.

Overall this seemed to be infected but even through the off-flavors it seemed to be a one-dimensional beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 00:29:36 | More by glid02

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

2.68/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

750ml bottle brought back from Indy -- thanks Jason.

A: jet black
S: too cloying, a bit of diacetyl, no real Belgium character at all
T: sweet, thin, a hint of Belgian candy sugar possibly but not much better than an average homebrew, almost like a weak stout
M: too gassy, sweet
D: what do you do when you have a 750ml and a mediocre beer? Pour it...

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2010 02:02:14 | More by wisrarebeer

Verecund

North Carolina

2.93/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours bistre, with a nice creamy head.

Some earthiness, muddled dark fruit, and sappiness. There's also a roasted character that's surprising to find. Little yeast presence. The taste is equally confused, in my opinion. Dark malts, some dark fruit, and a breadiness. It's toasty, and I expect it was brewed with some black patent.

Decent body, but the carbonation is too high. I can imagine a nice BSDA with this level of carbonation, but this is more of a hybrid between a BDSA and American stout, in my opinion. And it doesn't accomplish the task as well as, e.g., Black Albert does. The Belgian part of this beer is just lacking for me, and it's muddled without being complex.

Eh. Okay, but Brugge Brasserie has far better. This one just doesn't do it for me with respect to the style.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2010 19:10:37 | More by Verecund

ThaBobfather

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

*Notes from Tasting in Terre Haute*

Pours much like its name-purely black-thin ring of light tan head.
Smell is highly malted-solid dark spice with some toasted quality.
Taste is flavorful-well malted-sweet profile with some good bready grain and hop notes.
Finish is solid-a wet palate with sweet-dark flavor throughout the after-taste.
Drinks very well-smooth with no over-powering booze flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2010 20:14:42 | More by ThaBobfather

Brettster

Indiana

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this in Broad Ripple, Indiana. This was served black with a thin white head that fizzled down to a white lace around the glass. It smells of hints of fruit and roasted malts. Tastes slightly roasted and hints of chocolate and fruit. Very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2009 03:09:43 | More by Brettster

biggred1

Indiana

4.03/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown with rosewood highlights and a dark sand colored head that settles nicely to a dense fizz leaving sliding lace on the glass. The nose is nice and complex, dark fruit and chocolate with oaky vanilla and just a whiff of something like olive brine. Nice roasted maltiness with semisweet chocolate, belgian yeast and raisin with a charred bitterness in the finish. Chalky, medium mouthfeel. A fine ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2009 03:39:48 | More by biggred1

bruachan

Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark but black? Head fizzled

Yeast smells the same as that of the Trippel. similar spice profile, too. touch of molasses

Tons of chocolate flavors--like a dessert stout without the viscosity. interesting interplay between chocolate and spice, which is nonetheless diminished

Not "lazy" to add same yeast to a different grain bill but the yeast could perhaps get more out of a deeper malt profile. this one is sweet with a bitterness but lacking in midrange roasting depth: caramel? Even a little lager character (vienna, munich...mmm) would go a long way. Touch of blackcurrant at the finish

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2009 04:06:41 | More by bruachan

ckeegan04

Texas

2.9/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Dark brown with brighter shades whne held up to light. Head is big and foamy with a medium brown shade. Very inviting looking beer, too bad it did not hold up after first glance.

S - Very earthy aroma with some spice and a distinct hint of sour grapes. Some clove comes through in the spiciness. The over-ripened dark fruit aroma just becomes stronger as the beer warms and is not very pleasant. It does not come across as a smell from a beer gone bad, it just is not very inviting.

T - The same taste of over-ripened grapes, cherries and figs is the dominant taste. They bready earthiness provides a touch of balance but not enough. There are hints of spice as well. A little bit of yeast sneaks into the nose as well.

M/D - Medium bodied with a very vigorous carbonation. Very lively on the tongue. Overall a good feel but the taste just is not very good which bring the drinkability down a few notches.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 17:43:59 | More by ckeegan04

Oxymoron

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

Sampled at Broad Ripple. The beer arrived a lighter shade of black (what). More along the lines of a Schwartz. The server said that this beer a stout beer, but after the nose and taste, not even close. A light off-white to almost tan color head but limited retention and lacing.

The nose is limited overall. Some lighter malt notes with a light hint of chocolate. Some bready and a light nutty thing that mixes oddly. Some yeast notes but mostly clean. Some esters, a light plum and (don't laugh) horseradish. Some minor wood pulp and alcohol but for the most part clean.

The taste is a bit more descript. The malt come out a bit more with come caramel and light chocolate. Some roast notes and a touch of vanilla as well. Finishes a bit dry, would like to see some lingering sweetness. There is a light molasses taste in the finish as well. The yeast is light as well. Some generic yeast notes and a light ester. Would have liked more depth for BDS.

The body is limited. A bit wispy and limited in the finish. The carbonation is limited as well. Overall a beer that doesn't quite fit style, but overall would like a bit more depth.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2009 20:23:27 | More by Oxymoron

mynie

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Very nice, excessively dark pour. Like a black rye. Not a stout, quite, but still darker than a porter. At any rate it's darker than your average Belgian Dark.

Smells zippy, ashen yeast, fruity and sour. Not the most complex or intense of blends, but nice and lively. Nothing off putting.

Tastes as it smells. Medium strength blend Belgian flavors cohering into something akin to a fruit and bread basket with earthen undertones. Not quite the full package that I look for in a nice, solid Belgian, but for a midwestern attempt a Belgian it's pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2009 03:29:42 | More by mynie

taylorhamrick

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brown color, not quite black, but very dark, it's very hard to tell the difference once it's in a glass - but as you pour the color is easier to judge. The head is incredibly big, I mean 3 inches or so, and very fluffy, cavernous, rocky, kindof a tan color. It moves around, collapses a bit, really looks nice. The smell has a bit of easters, kind of some dark fruits - plums, cherries, etc, maybe a tiny bit of tartness. Then there's a nice chocolatey smell, mixed in with a tiny bit of grassiness. Overall though, the smell kind of lacks the depth that the taste has - but the smell is still pretty good. When I taste it, I first get this creamy, chocolate syrup kind of taste. Really nice, but that sort of fades back into a kind of deep, leafy, earthy tobacco flavor. There a nice caramelly flavor, like cola, but it's missing some roastiness. I'm pretty sure there's something other than malted barley in here, just from the taste. There are so many different bready, grainy flavors in here - though it kind of lacks a bready density. The cocoa returns in the finish. The body I think meets my expectation, but I wish it were fuller. The carbonation is a little prickly too, and the rush of bubbles makes the slightly thin body a bit more obvious. Still, I think it fits the style to some degree. This is an enjoyable beer - lots of depth, but nothing offensive. The carbonation slowed me down a bit, but I enjoyed drinking it. I think the ABV here might slow me down in a bit, but at this point everything is going smoothly. Definitely a nice belgian dark - a bit more body would really make this impressive.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2009 23:01:15 | More by taylorhamrick

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle. Served in a snifter, the beer pours black with about an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both OK. It smells like dark fruit (grapes, plums, raisins), bittersweet chocolate, and a bit of sour apple. The taste is similar to the aroma. There's bittersweet chocolate, bread, dark fruit, yeast, and tart apples that are noticable in this brew. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit slick and has good carbonation. Drinkability is good, it's smooth and very easy to drink. I think this is a good brew, I liked it. This is the first Brugge beer I've tried, and I'll definitely have to try their other ones now.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2009 22:09:42 | More by bluejacket74

erz316

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

1pt 9.4floz bottle into duvel tulip. loving the fat cat on the bottle.

A - the beer actually begins to overflow when the bottle is just opened and is sitting there. needless to say there is a big ol head, light brown in colour, and it is comprise of various sized bubbles; the bigger ones are in the middle with the small up top and medium ones being formed on the bottom by the scoring of the 'D' on the bottom. colour is dark, dark brown, no wait... definitely is black, especially when contrasting the light brown/tan colour of the head to the body. head settles down eventually.

S - smells of dark, unsweet, chocolate. maybe a bit of molasses, and some booze.

T - this beer tastes confused, many notes in this one. initial taste is slightly bitter; malts and booze a slightly sweet, like raisin, but mildly burning flavour. the finish is more of the same experienced in the initial tasting, maybe a bit more chocolate malty with a slight pinch of booze at the end. there is a slight, but distinctive sourness that is off putting. the after taste is distinctively malty not much else.

MF&D - I have never had a world class belgian dark ale, but I do not imagine that it would be this carbonated, though I can imagine the body being about this thickness.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2009 04:29:12 | More by erz316