Darkness - Bourbon Barrel Aged - Surly Brewing Company

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BA SCORE
99
world-class
-
59 Ratings

rAvg: 4.58
pDev: 12.66%
Reviews: 16
Hads: 43

Ratings Help

Brewed by:
Surly Brewing Company

Minnesota, United States

Style | ABV
Russian Imperial Stout | 10.30% ABV

Availability: Rotating. cask (8), on-tap (6), bottle (2).

Notes:
Huge Imperial/Double Stout aged in a fresh bourbon barrel.

View: Beers (31) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by ucis:

ucis

Minnesota

4.5/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Overall I wanted to love this beer like a red-headed step-child. I can't believe it has taken me this long to sip this monster. It's oily and resinous and smells so amazing, but the mouth isn't as pleasing as regular darkness. I think it's a hard formula to f- with. It kisses your lips like oily garlic bread, but the smell is what your in it for. So amazing-- So clean. It's absolutely worth a taste if your ever given the chance.

The sweetness is numb and the hops are subdued by the bourbon. Even though the pine resin is there. Don't get me wrong this is one sweet mamma jamma. It is wonderful that it doesn't taste like Darkness with a splash of bourbon. It is something entirely different.

Note to self: I love this beer and would drink it if they ever bottled it. Maybe it will be a regular staple at the new brewery--hint, hint.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2011 12:52:55 | More by ucis

More User Reviews:

xtrastoutalex

Illinois

4.75/5 rDev +3.7%

04-25-2013 12:50:18 | More by xtrastoutalex

Sparky44

Illinois

4.25/5 rDev -7.2%

03-23-2013 22:17:48 | More by Sparky44

Coldsnack

Florida

4.75/5 rDev +3.7%

03-11-2013 15:55:19 | More by Coldsnack

Jayman931

Mississippi

4.79/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A: Dark....minimal head
S: Superb
S: Sexy
T: Not quite Darklord but damn its good..
M: GREAT

Top Tier Beer.

So my comment must be 250 characters so let me wax poetically about the greatness of this beer. Tastes greaaat!

In all seriousness its exceptional...second only to 3F Darklord.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 02:09:58 | More by Jayman931

CaptainNomihodai

Illinois

2/5 rDev -56.3%

02-25-2013 05:37:27 | More by CaptainNomihodai

Hopsiam14

Minnesota

5/5 rDev +9.2%

01-24-2013 03:38:17 | More by Hopsiam14

spycow

Illinois

3.5/5 rDev -23.6%

01-10-2013 00:56:07 | More by spycow

jrallen34

Illinois

3.75/5 rDev -18.1%

01-09-2013 03:27:32 | More by jrallen34

josephwa

Minnesota

5/5 rDev +9.2%

01-08-2013 17:31:54 | More by josephwa

benjaminahudson

North Carolina

4.75/5 rDev +3.7%

01-04-2013 19:34:32 | More by benjaminahudson

joedevivre

Illinois

5/5 rDev +9.2%

12-21-2012 16:27:36 | More by joedevivre

Philly82785

Minnesota

5/5 rDev +9.2%

12-18-2012 18:37:07 | More by Philly82785

Curt1

Minnesota

5/5 rDev +9.2%

11-30-2012 23:17:52 | More by Curt1

KingCharles

Minnesota

4.75/5 rDev +3.7%

11-30-2012 17:00:10 | More by KingCharles

Samwhyz

Minnesota

4.75/5 rDev +3.7%

11-28-2012 04:15:54 | More by Samwhyz

sliverX

New York

4.25/5 rDev -7.2%

07-12-2012 11:30:06 | More by sliverX

jimelee108

Illinois

4.5/5 rDev -1.7%

04-28-2012 22:24:55 | More by jimelee108

hansgruber

Indiana

4.5/5 rDev -1.7%

03-15-2012 23:33:36 | More by hansgruber

KAF

Iowa

4.5/5 rDev -1.7%

01-18-2012 22:43:37 | More by KAF

brycelarson

Minnesota

4.9/5 rDev +7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is a simply magical brew. Darkness is, on it's own a powerful brew. It's nutty, fruity, malty and as the bottle says - dark as hell. This adds a new layer to that fantastically complex and powerful beer.

This beer pours almost like a syrup. It coats the glass with a thick, dark film. The head, since it was a cask pour was moderate - but the thickness held it well. It's utterly light-proof in the glass.

The nose starts a bit harsh - the high alcohol content mixed with the bourbon note hits you immediately but mellows to the background aromas quickly. The overall list of what you can smell is nearly unlimited. There are fruits, malt, there's a hop back end and some spice. There's a moderate sweetness in there as well - caramel, coffee, chocolate, cherries, raisins and tons of other scents. The bourbon lays on top of all of those - adding a second layer to everything.

There's a density of flavor that makes this beer extremely difficult to pin down. It rotates in your mouth through almost every descriptor you could apply to a beer.

The mouth feel is heavy and thick and pleasing.

Overall this is a utterly fantastic beer.

Serving type: cask

01-10-2012 16:14:18 | More by brycelarson