Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale - Williams Brothers Brewing Company

spitInTheOcean

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

looks black and opaque. when held to the light it lets just the least amount of mahogany through. creamy brown head. fair lacing.

smells of roasted malts. slight fruit, like maybe raisen, but mostly roasted malt.

taste is sweet. tastes mostly of roasted malts some slight fruitiness in the middle, the fruit flavor is really interesting, very deep and rich i want to say. roasted malts in the finish. finishes sweet some roasted malt bitterness, but mostly sweet. no hop flavor or bitterness detected.

kind of heavy on the palate. i would guess the f.g. to be kinda high. but the complexity of flavors is appreciated. soft carbonation

this is a damn good beer for those who like a good malt forward beer. this is my idea of a stout.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 04:35:38 | More by spitInTheOcean

kvnstfrd

Missouri

3/5  rDev -21.1%

05-23-2013 14:16:13 | More by kvnstfrd

guityler83

Wisconsin

3.05/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark brown to purpleish apperance with hints of ruby red shining through when back lit. Half finger of quickly receding head in a tan kahki color.

S: Molasis and dark candy sugar at first impression. A wave of berries (raspberrys, sour cherry and blackberry). a bit of an alcohol aroma along with figs and raisins as it warms up.

T: A dull tart berry flavor hits first followed by a smokey buscuit malt character. There is a sweetness in the finish, but it plays nicely with the apperant bitterness that I over looked in the beggining. No alcohol flavor that I expected from the aroma.. must have been the dark fruits.

M: light carbonation and medium body. A bit of lingering astringancy

O: This bottles drink by date was 2 years past when I cracked it open so this probably isn't the best review. I think the dull / stale flavors I was getting was a dirrect result. Had it been fresh I think this would have been alot better.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 00:02:57 | More by guityler83

Bill235

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%

05-11-2013 00:29:30 | More by Bill235

TheLevi4000

New York

4/5  rDev +5.3%

05-09-2013 03:07:59 | More by TheLevi4000

rderedin

Maine

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%

05-05-2013 02:38:25 | More by rderedin

wonothesane42

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5.3%

04-25-2013 01:23:54 | More by wonothesane42

yancot

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

04-10-2013 01:51:59 | More by yancot

secondtooth

Indiana

3.6/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours pretty well black, with only slight carbonation. No lace at all.

Aroma is roasty -- actually very stout-like with some definite fruit notes.

Tastes just as roasty and fruity, with tones of chocolate, raisins, dried berry, and an unusual herbal tone. A curious melding of a roasty stout and a fruit ale, this one is well worthy of a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 12:47:35 | More by secondtooth

gwiedman1

New York

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

03-30-2013 21:30:03 | More by gwiedman1

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.69/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Best before APR 2012. Eesh. Let's ride this one out.

Ruby-black with a tan head of almost three fingers' height. Can't speak intelligently about gruits, in general. Looks like an enjoyable beverage. Good head retention and sporting some lacing. Can't complain over here.

Black patent malt, along with dark fruits, raisin, cocoa, seawater, and generous malt. Light black cherry. Not much that's particularly definable.

Burnt toffee, molasses, dry roasty grain, nuttiness, cocoa, and hints of raisin and other dried fruits. Nearly peaty. Some notes of Port. Leftover sugars are reminiscently wort-y. Best synopsis: a fruity Guinness.

A little gummy. Not terribly carbonated. Not that it's flagrantly under-carbonated, either. Just showy in texture. Body doesn't have that slick and thick oomph to it, either. Just kind of sips (and trips) along.

Sure. I'll use it as the comparison. Seems like it is what it's intended to be. Doesn't knock my fastball out of the park, but I'm happy Ebulum reached base.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 02:51:47 | More by thecheapies

nosavingsaccount

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

03-23-2013 23:38:37 | More by nosavingsaccount

Lare453

Florida

4/5  rDev +5.3%

03-22-2013 15:18:37 | More by Lare453

Whiskeydeez

Kansas

3.25/5  rDev -14.5%

03-18-2013 16:56:56 | More by Whiskeydeez

NeoClassicist

New York

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%

03-15-2013 21:26:32 | More by NeoClassicist

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

03-11-2013 04:21:17 | More by spycow

Beerstorian

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%

02-16-2013 03:12:55 | More by Beerstorian

beernads

Florida

3/5  rDev -21.1%

02-07-2013 06:26:06 | More by beernads

maclean25

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev +5.3%

02-06-2013 03:08:24 | More by maclean25

chinchill

South Carolina

3.4/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured from an 11.2oz bottle with a best by date of May 2013 into a snifter. The beer is clear but black, with a very thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass. Some deep red highlights under bright light. The aroma features berries, elderberry with hints of blueberry, faint malts, alcohol and a hint of hops. The taste has a much more solid dark malt base but the berries are still fairly prominent. A bit of peat and smoke in the finish. A touch of dark chocolate too. The after-taste is bitter-sweet with hints of smoke and coffee.

M: Smooth, medium-full body; near medium carbonation.

O: Rich and unusual flavor. Carries the aura of an ancient ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 02:13:34 | More by chinchill

matjack85

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -1.3%

02-02-2013 06:51:04 | More by matjack85

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Yay, Gruit Day is almost over!!! What a shit holiday this turned out to be...

Appearance. Pours a very deep brown, close to black with just a little brown light coming through at the edges of the glass. Capped with half a finger of light tan head.

Smell. Honey, grainy dark malts, some dark berries and a bit of molasses.

Taste. Dark malts and raisins, some dark chocolate and dark fruits and berries.

Mouthfeel. Medium+ body, medium carbonation.

Overall. Probably the best from this Wiliams Bros. gruit mixed-4. Like I said, I'm happy Gruit Day is over. Not exactly my style of beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 03:52:33 | More by Rutager

JackRB

Ohio

3/5  rDev -21.1%

01-23-2013 23:39:01 | More by JackRB

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Served from a 12oz bottle into a Newport Storm Glass.

Appearance- Nice dark purple/black color. No head. Very mild lacing around the top. Pretty standard looking black ale.

Smell- Cherry/elderberry. Sweet smelling. Don't quite know about this... Nice malty notes, with no hops.

Taste- Stone fruit. Not sweet and not fake tasting. Malty, not hoppy. A little earthy/smokiness. Nice aftertaste.

Mouthfeel- Nicely carbonated. Not viscous. Rather smooth.

Overall- Not bad. Worth the single price I paid for it. Actually would be nice in the summer.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 03:57:06 | More by Seanniek91

cackalacky

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +11.8%

01-14-2013 20:39:35 | More by cackalacky