Darkness - Surly Brewing Company

SkiBum22

New York

4.3/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2011 Vintage

A - The pour is fittingly black with at least a finger of thick brown head. The lacing really coats the glass nicely with a creamy head that seemingly lasts forever.

S - Very sweet aromas of dark fruits, berries, figs all covered in chocolate with a little bit of caramel and coffee to round it out.

T - Deep, dark, delicious chocolate just dominates the taste. Overall it is sweet, but not overly sweet as sometimes experienced with big Russian Imperial Stouts.

M -Mouthfeel is pretty full bodied, smooth with creamy medium carbonation.

O - A great non-barrel aged stout. There were times that I noticed barrel like qualities. Overall another great brew from Surly.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 21:14:23 | More by SkiBum22

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.9/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2011 Vintage. Thanks to Spencer for this bottle! Poured in to CBS snifter.

A - Poured ink black. Half a finger of medium brown head with good retention.

S - Roasted malts, smoke and a noticeable hop presence up front. A big semi-sweet chocolate aroma and a touch of licorice round out the nose.

T - Extremely robust flavour up front. Starts out with huge roast and semi-sweet chocolate flavours with a touch of smoke. Some sweet molasses and a fairly prominent hop profile enter in the middle. The finish is full of sweet chocolate and has a lingering bitterness. The ABV is very well hidden. The perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness.

M - Full body. Thick and viscous. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 14:56:17 | More by TheSevenDuffs

ehammond1

California

4.15/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Bottle (2011)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, stig!

(Aged for 1 year)

This is a truly beautiful beer. The beer is black throughout with a 2-finger, dark brown head that actually has some significant staying power. The beer is somewhat thick in body, shiny, and leaves the glass messy with a sheen and spattering of lace.

A somewhat atypical aroma for a big stout, as there's some defined pine-like hop notes, along with dark chocolate, dark fruits, and strong roast. This is hoppier than most any other big stout, though it all works together nicely.

Dark roast and dark chocolate dominate the flavor, along with bit of pine-like hop character. Moderate level of bitterness and this most certainly hides its alcohol well.

Full bodied with moderate carbonation and somewhat creamy mouthfeel. Incredibly nice. A terrifically constructed beer.

A somewhat hoppy, though balanced big stout. It's probably not worth the sticker price, all things considered, but always a fun bottle to share no matter the time or place.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 21:23:33 | More by ehammond1

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage.

pours a jet-black tone while yielding a strong, creamy mocha-colored head. outstanding retention and lacing. nose offers lots of roasted malt and chocolate, with secondary notes of anise and coffee. very nice.

wow, flavor is right behind the aroma, backing it up with huge, bold characteristics of roasted malt, chocolate, anise, coffee, and a hint of dark fruits. maybe even a twang of smoke in the background. deliciously complex. medium-full mouthfeel with adequate carbonation.

overall this a superb RIS, no doubt about it. very, very well done. just wish it were easier to get a hold of.

(originally reviewed: 06-07-2011)

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2012 22:01:52 | More by BostonHops

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

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

Thanks Heatwave33! Heres to completing my first year of teaching. Cheers guys.

Pour is black. Small but thick, frosty white head.

Smells is very full bodied, yet still has hints of bitterness. Thick leathery roasty malt comes to mind, as well as a good bit of dark chocolate.

The taste is complex as hell. Thick roasted tries to come out, but the bitterness (reminiscent of coffee and extremely bitter dark chocolate) just takes over. Theres also subtle sweet dark fruits that really separate this from other RISs. Theres a creaminess as well that really balances out what could be a deep roasty, leathery, super sweet bomb. Its got a nice balance, and it feels nice. Almost like nitro.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 21:05:44 | More by VncentLIFE

DarthKostrizer

California

3.35/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

2011 Vintage thanks for sharing MrVonzipper

Look: Very dark pretty much black body with a 1/4 tan head and ok retention and some spotty lacing

Smell: The nose for me really doesn't work. It is a combination of chocolate dark fruits a touch of vanilla sweetness and piney hops

Taste: Again just not a fan of the taste. It starts of slightly sweet with some chocolate caramel and vanilla and finishes with a piney bitterness that just does not work for me

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium to mild carbonation and bitter

Overall: This beer reminds me more of a cda than a RIS. The flavors are all over the place and just do not mix well for me. Definitely not worth seeking out

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 00:00:34 | More by DarthKostrizer

davey101

Connecticut

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

2011 vintage, Zombie label. Reviewed: 06-04-2012, almost 8 months old.

750 ml red waxed bottle into a brandy snifter. Served at cellar temperature.

A - Pitch black body that shows show red tints when the glass gets low enough. Perfect dark khaki two finger high head. Moderate lacing and retention. Damn near perfect. 4.5/5

S - Amazingly decadent burnt dark fruits, almost quad like but backed up with some amazing stout aromas. Cocoa powder, vanilla, and coffee beans. 4.0/5

T - Rich and smooth milk chocolate, fruity red wine notes, molasses, brown sugar, vanilla, coffee and some light licorice. Very smooth with all of these flavors blending together perfectly. Aftertaste is a bit bitter. 4.5/5

M - No alcohol present, even at room temperature. Medium to heavy bodied with some lively carbonation. Somewhat syrupy and coating. 4.0/5

O - This is the best RIS and certainly the best non barrel aged stout I have tried. Thats probably due to my love of quads and dark fruits which this stout has on full display. For me there has always been three icons of the big waxed stout world. Abyss, Darklord, and Darkness. The Abyss is roasty and tobaco rich, Darklord is an overtly sweet vanilla bomb, and Darkness is strong on the dark fruits. This is just about perfect for me. 4.5/5 (4.45 score)

---

2012 vintage, Werewolf label. Reviewed: 12-23-2012, almost 2 months old.

750 ml red waxed bottle into a Founders 15th anny glass. Served at cellar temperature.

A - Pours a pitch black body. Two fingers of light mocha foam from the pour settles into a one finger lasting cap that looks like the head of a latte. Swirling creates a thick wall of lacing that cascades down leaving behind strings of foam. Absurd retention level. 5.0/5

S - Dark fruits, brightly roasted malt, espresso beans, and vanilla. Powdery chocolate and molasses. Sweet and savory. 4.0/5

T - Rich dark chocolate and sweet milk chocolate, roast and char, espresso, molasses, and some piney hops. Long and harsh finish that's bitter and boozy. The aftertaste is just phenomenal though. Vanilla rich fudge and dark fruit. 4.0/5

M - For being only 10% abv this beer feels MUCH larger. Thick and syrupy, very coating and rich. Perfect dessert beer. 4.5/5

O - Still a phenomenal beer (that I'd chose over Abyss and Darklord) but I'm afraid I'm just not a huge fan of this beer when its on the fresher side. The hops are present and I just wish the pine and citric notes would take a back seat to the rich chocolate and dark fruits. 4.0/5

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 02:14:14 | More by davey101

mdaschaf

Washington

4.48/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Shane for bringing this down to share with me. 2010 Vintage, review from notes.

A: Pours black in color with a nice two finger tan head on top. The head lasts for a little while leaving a foam cap on top. Thin lacing forms all around the glass.

S: Tons of dark fruit on the aroma, cherry and plum dominate. There is some chocolate and cocoa mixed in as well. Exactly what I am looking for.

T: This beer tastes great, more dark fruit (cherry, plum, raisin) mixed with chocolate and minimal roast coming forward. There is a touch of honey and caramel.

M: Medium to full bodied, extremely smooth with moderate carbonation.

O: Very impressed, probably my favorite non BA stout. It drinks so easy that it would get me in trouble if I had a lot of it. Definitely a beer I will try to get more of.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 20:35:09 | More by mdaschaf

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.83/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle poured in a snifter glass. Vampire bottle from 2010. Gray wax. Consumed in 2012. I've bought this one at the last time that I was in California.

A: First of all, beautiful bottle art, label printed on the glass. Pours a deep black color forming a medium beige head. Good retention and many lacings left

S: Sweet and roasty. Winy and fruity. Dark chocolate, coffee, roasted malts and wood

T: Follows the nose. Sweet chocolate upfront, roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee, wood and earthy hops in the end

M: Creamy molasses body. Low carbonation and nice bitter end

O: Very drinkable. Excellent beer

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 21:16:30 | More by eduardolinhalis

GregSVT

Texas

4.35/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into a snifter - 2010 Vintage

A: Pours a dark brown, almost black, with a nice dark brown head that fades to a ring and leaves some lacing on the glass.

S: The nose shows signs of hops along with some vanilla and dark chocolate. It's got an earthy aroma as well.

T: The taste is really great. There are big flavors of honey, chocolate, dark fruits, earthy hops, and a touch of citrus on the finish.

M: The feel is on the fuller side of medium with a great creamy finish.

O: The age has toned down the hops a bit and let the other flavors really come forward. We drank this side by side with a 2011 and the newer bottle was a bit on the harsher side as far as the hops but the flavor was still really good.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 01:05:41 | More by GregSVT

Dope

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Midnight black with a large thick medium brown head. Fades very slowly, leaving an almost solid layer of lacing.

S: Loaded with molasses, toffee and dark fruits. Lots of fig and raisin. Plenty of anise too. Roasted malt peeks through with a bit of chocolate and coffee but it's not the dominant aroma here.

T: Super fruity. Raisin, fig, lots of cherries. Maybe even currants. Toffee and caramel up front with it. Molasses in the middle with the roasted malt that starts to kick in with char and heavy chocolate mainly. Bitter roast in the finish with a bit of anise.

M: Thick and heavy. Low carbonation.

O: Interesting RIS. Very fruity, almost over-the-top compared to most. You don't even get any roasted malt until the second half of the taste. It is very tasty and I enjoyed it, but I tend to feel that the root of a great RIS is a major roasted malt aspect, and this one is more of a minority. Otherwise it is a complex, balanced and flavorful beer so I have to give it credit where credit is due. If you're a fan of sweet, fruity RISes, this one is for you.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 03:57:19 | More by Dope

MrVonzipper

California

4/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 Vintage
Black. Pretty viscous. A little oily. Nice fluffy khaki head with pretty good retention and spotty lacing.

Pretty nice nose with sweet toasted brown sugar and mild dark fruit.

Flavor follows the nose. Pretty sweet. Notes of brown sugar, molasses, dark malt and brownie-like chocolate.

Mouthfeel is pretty full bodied, smooth with creamy medium carbonation.

Overall it's a good beer but a little bit of a disappointment. I for some reason was hoping for a bit more, and more depth. Good flavor and characteristic but leaves a little more to be desired.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 22:17:55 | More by MrVonzipper

BattleRoadBrewer

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Zombie 2011, as part of an Imperial Stout tasting on DL day 2012.

Appearance: Nice pour with persistent fluffy dark tan head. Colored the glass nicely with a faint yellow sheen, but didn't leave any notable lacing.

Nose: Very vinous, loaded with dark fruitiness, black currants, cherry, raisin. Bump because it's a clean fermentation, big alcohol is not evident.

Flavor: Fruity, not nearly enough roastiness, reminiscent of very high cacao content chocolate bar.

Mouthfeel: Way too watery for an imperial anything.

Overall: Tonight's tasting pitted Darkness and Dark Lord against half a dozen competitors and found these two wax topped whale beers sadly lacking. Instead of standing in line at Darkness day, skip the line and grab a Furious or Bender to enjoy great Surly brews, and an Oskar Blues Ten FIDY for an awesome RIS in a can.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 06:16:41 | More by BattleRoadBrewer

jeonseh

Indiana

4.03/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a CBS snifter. 4th beer in my the baller blend tasting

A - Deep brown, almost black in color. Had a nice off white head that sat on top throughout.

S - Smells of cocoa, vanilla, and slight caramel. Has a strong hop, pine presence that comes through in the nose. Get a hint of the alcohol coming through as well

T - Taste at first is sweet caramel with a hint of chocolate. It is almost like a milky way at first. As the beer continues there is a stronger vanilla flavor that comes through. Near the finish we get a hint of bitter hops that reminds us that this is a surly beer

MF - No carbonation at all. There is a slight stickiness to it and it had a medium body that is not too thick or thin.

O - Solid RIS from Surly. Has a good balance between the sweeter flavors, cocoa, and hops on the backend. Nice to get if I ever get a chance to make it out to Darkness Day

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 05:35:21 | More by jeonseh

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.85/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2011 vintage.

A: 1/2" light brown head with a nice lacing over black liquid.

S: Pine hops and toasted malt.

T: Pine and citrus hops up front with caramel, chocolate and roasted barley flavours.

M: Medium to thick viscosity and a medium level of fine carbonation.

O: A beautiful beer: bitter yet semi-sweet, great mouthfeel and very tasty and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 16:15:31 | More by DaftCaskBC

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.58/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage.

Appearance. Pours a deep dark brown, almost black with 1.5 fingers of creamy tan head with some awesome lacing.

Smell. Roasty dark malts, a little booze and licorice.

Taste. Wow, big roasty malts with some nice licorice and caramel. A little vanilla and dark fruits.

Mouthfeel. Pretty full body, low carbonation.

Overall. Fantastic RIS. Really liked this one.

Thanks DaftCaskBC for sharing this beauty!

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 04:32:13 | More by Rutager

hopfacebrew

Colorado

4.55/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Another hookup from Kiddwhiz! Poured from 2011 to Duvel tulip the beer arrives a deep dark black color with a finger's worth of tannish head, good retention and lacing. Looks thick. The nose is a very enjoyable roast mixed with dark fruits and sweet caramel tones. Smells great! The flavor follows suit with an impressive smooth creaminess. The roast and sweetness found in the nose are more pronounced and coupled with hints of bakers chocolate and dark fruits. Sweet but not overly so. Mildly bitter and hides the alcohol very well. Finishes smooth and creamy with a lingering roast and hint of the dark fruit, perhaps a touch dry. Overall, this is a fantastic brew! What a treat!

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 17:58:51 | More by hopfacebrew

oline73

Maryland

4.53/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A 2011 bottle poured into a Hunahpu's snifter.

Appearance: Pours black as night with a finger of creamy tan head that fades to a ring around the edge of the pour.

Smell: Very sweet and quite roasty. You get a nice addition to the smell from the grain, maybe even a little caramel. Roast and dark fruit with some warming alcohol. Very nice.

Taste: Sweet and roasty. This beer is extremely smooth considering how new it is. Some dark chocolate and dark fruit notes. The finish is sweet and roasty with a slight bitterness. Just a hint of alcohol warmth.

Mouthfeel: Thick body with extremely smooth carbonation and just a touch of dryness in the finish.

Overall: This beer lives up to it's hype. Better than I remember when I had the 2010 version. I'll definitely have another some time.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 01:57:07 | More by oline73

zac16125

South Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle poured into my favorite snifter
2011 Zombie Vintage

Big thanks to haveanother1 for sending this one over in a trade


A: Pours a somewhat viscous jet black, with only the slightest browning around the edges, and 1 fingers width of dark mocha colored head which dissipates down at a fairly slow rate to a thin film.  Leaves a small amount of patchy lacing.  

S: The aroma is so sweet, with tons of dark fruit including raisin, plum, and red grape.  Other aromas noted are a significant bourbon character, a touch of black licorice, some anise,  and booze.  I get almost none of the  roasted/chocolate/coffee aromas that are present in  most RIS, but still, just an awesome aroma.

T: Unlike the nose, the flavors noted on the first sip are roasted malt, coffee and bitter bakers chocolate.  The dark fruits are there as well, with fig and raisin.  I also detect notes of vanilla, anise, milk chocolate that's reminiscent of a chocolate milkshake, a balancing booze character, and a touch of hop bitterness.  There is a lot going on in the palate profile, and really well balanced which prevents any one characteristic (ie the sweetness) from becoming cloying.  

M/D: Smooth, full bodied but not as thick as some of the other big RIS's.  Carbonation is not terribly high, but heavier than some.  A somewhat chewy and sticky mouthfeel which coats the palate nicely.  Very nice mouthfeel but could be thicker.  Still way above average, plus it gets even smoother as it warms and the carbonation subsides.  Drinkability is actually very good for such a big beer, and the ABV is very well contained.

O: Overall, really a great beer.  Well worth the wait, and worth the hype.  Not sure when I will get ahold of another one of these, but when I do I'll be sure to enjoy the hell out of it.  

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 03:43:54 | More by zac16125

rlee1390

Indiana

4.45/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cracked open the other night to celebrate getting into a PhD program.

A-Deep black, two finger creamy brown head, some lacing.

S-Chocolate coffee, roasted malt, mollassas, somehow smells like it came out of a bourbon barrel.

T-Chocolatey goodness, coffee, some roasted malt, once again the bourbon-like flavors sneak in, great overall balance.

M-Medium bodied, some carbonation, not as creamy and a little thin.

O-A wonderful RIS. Was a great way to celebrate. Makes me wish the grad school was in MN so I could go to Darkness Day every year.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 16:00:47 | More by rlee1390

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

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

2000th review. Thanks Rutager!

Mummy pic, so I'm guessing 2009.

A: Very thick pour, black with a tan head, only a thin ring of retention but leaves some nice lace.

S: Black strap molasses, bakers chocolate and bourbon. Nice, but not as much aroma as one might expect.

T: Black strap molasses, bakers chocolate, espresso, salted licorice, piny resin from the new-school hopping (a bit dank), tobacco, caramelized raisins, sponge toffee. Seriously bitter, but not at all harsh. Nice alcohol warmth. It seems like it spent some time in a bourbon barrel. I really like the malts here, plenty of chocolate, a good amount of black and a restrained amount of roasted barley... it's like they brewed it for me.

M: Full, thick, creamy body has some roasted acidity.

D/O: One heck of brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 23:27:42 | More by Derek

Damian

Massachusetts

4.95/5  rDev +10%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Drank from a 1 pint 9.4 fl. oz./750ml bottle
2010 vintage (Vampire)
Served in a snifter
Acquired in a trade with Douglasjamjak

Review #666

The beer poured near pitch black and super oily. A two-finger, super tight, creamy and bubbly head of saddle brown froth topped the liquid. Impressive retention. Sheets of patchy lacing coated the glass.

The aroma was astounding. Super deep, dark and sweet. Tons of roasted malts and brown sugar notes. Loads of vanilla. Slightly boozy. It was difficult believing that this beer was not Bourbon barrel aged. Good amount of powdered cocoa. Some dark fruit sweetness was also noticeable. Touch of anise. Freshly brewed coffee notes came through as well.

The taste was just as amazing as the nose. A boatload of roasted malts appeared on the front end. As in the aroma, there was a distinct, boozy, Bourbon-like sweetness. Brown sugar and vanilla notes were nearly overwhelming. Tons of rich, smooth, dark chocolate. Good dose of molasses. Some dark fruit notes. A bit of anise. The finish was moderately boozy and slightly roasty, with a hint of char. A fair amount of citrusy hops came through as well (just enough to balance out the sweetness). Espresso notes were also noticeable.

The beer was silky smooth. Slick, creamy and plush with a fine, moderate effervescence. Nearly full bodied for style. After each sip, the liquid left a sticky film on my lips. The only thing preventing me from giving the mouthfeel a "5" was that the beer could have been a bit more viscous.

Simply put Darkness is an outstanding beer. It really won me over with its consistency across all categories. You would be hard pressed to find a more well rounded version of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 04:40:06 | More by Damian

challenja

Virginia

4.95/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Served On Tap at a Surly Tap Takeover at Church Key DC.

A: Dark charcoal with mocha head lacing.
S: This is one aromatic beer that has bourbon booze character with madagascar chocolate malts, red berries, strawberry jam, semi sweet cocoa nibs and light Colombian perk coffee.
T: Starts of smooth, bourbon burnt sugar followed up by a luscious strawberry puree (that means stop reading and go and buy it!) soft 60 percent dark cocoa, nice sappy malts. This beer had multilayered range that begs for more. (In fact I bought 2 more)
M: Very Creamy and silky smooth. Medium carbonation gets cut by the milky nature of this behemoth. The bourbon carries nicely and the oaked nature is outstanding. Not overbearing like other brews.
O: A delicious, delicious stout! I drank 3 for the review, ok 2 then before I left I got another one to ponder on talking beer shop with Thomas. I can't wait to get my hands on this in bottle. Sadly I have to order online, no one stocks it in DC!! DAMN IT!!!.

This stout comes in number 3 all time. SOrry Old Ras..you got knocked down again!

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2012 17:43:37 | More by challenja

starrdogg

District of Columbia

3.58/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap at ChurchKey. 2011 vintage. Thanks to the folks over there for bringing in all of the great Surly beer!

It pours black with a pretty significant brown head and nice lacing. The smell isn't quite what I expected, there is very little roast or coffee and instead the aroma is more sweet and chocolate with a little bit of alcohol. The taste is also much sweeter than I was hoping for. Chocolate is the primary flavor here and there even seems to be a hint of dark fruit. For my palate though, it's just a little too sweet and could've used some more roast to balance it out a little. Mouthfeel was medium bodied, not as full as your average RIS, but very smooth. I was really hoping that my second experience with Surly Darkness would be more impressive than the first, but this beer and I just aren't on the same page. It's not a bad beer, but I really don't understand why everyone goes crazy over it, it's too sweet and doesn't have a whole lot else going on.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2012 14:17:04 | More by starrdogg

Agold

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Darknesss...
Pours with a nice short off white head that recedes to a small ring around the edge of the glass. Very very dark beer. No lacing. Aroma is a bit fruitier than I would have expected. Some roast and cocoa. Flavor goes fruitiness, coffee, then cocoa. There is a mild smokiness as well. Mouthfeel is a bit lighter than I would have expected for this beer. Was looking for a bit more body. Good carbonation though. Not too sweet, not too bitter, very enjoyable beer. Lived up to the hype for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 05:47:13 | More by Agold