Labyrinth Black Ale - Uinta Brewing Company

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer #46 in my great Utah Brew Hunt.

Well, I can tell you what Uinta does not need with this Crooked Line series: tighter corks.

Been a long time since I have had a big stout. And this definitely fits that description. Big, chewy, meaty. There is definitely a good but of licorice here, but thankfully it doesn't go overboard. I hate licorice. But, I like how it is incorporated into this beer. Gives only an accent and doesn't hijack the beer at all; which I definitely appreciate.

Overall, a good impy stout. Very thick and robust. Could deal with some aging to mellow things out. But as it stands, it works out fairly well.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 04:18:13 | More by RblWthACoz

julian89

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

So my buddy and I drank this after drinking several other beers shortly before, I was fairly buzzed but he insisted I rate it... so here is my exact rating. The rating is probably low due to the fact that I didn't really know what I was really rating. I put my current comments in parentheses. Scudder for your humor...

Laby rinth 22oz into pint glass
Black ale

Appearance: Opaque blackness with a 1/2 inch off white head with minimal retention.

Smell: Dark choclit espresso like normal. Such darkness and malt (redundant and useless statement). ABV is prononced. Sweetness is high.

Taste: Such licorice and dark sugars & malts. Very strong and sweet. Can't associate with a hop profile. Good but I'm ready to sleep now after 4 previous beers of 6-9%.

Mouthfeel: medium-light bodied-light carb.

Drinkability: Licorice and dark sugar dominate. It is very warm for a thick stout.

Sooo... basically I write even more like a blithering idiot when I'm fairly boozed up. This is kind of humiliating. I have drank this since and it is fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 15:45:17 | More by julian89

Bfarr

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Bottled 6/11
Black with a foamy brown head with no retention. Toasted oak, chocolate and a light herbal aroma. Molasses and cocoa with a strong chocolate sweetness and herbal and licorice notes. Thick feel with virtually no carbonation.

I wonder why this was even corked with so little carbonation developing. It really pours more like a wine than a beer without having a lot of the complexity. I’ve enjoyed other subtle Uinta offerings and the flavor is good while being a nice sipping high ABV beer, but its overall look and feel make it a little more average. At least in name it was a great pairing with “Anonymous”.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 13:27:17 | More by Bfarr

maximum12

Minnesota

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

Blessings on MarkVegas for this appealing extra in a recent trade. 750ML bottle split with my wife.

I was confused by the 'black ale' label - big stout. OK. That's clearer. Pours like it, too, with plenty of pop in the cork. Nose brings serious wood to my shorts - great roast, whiskey, vanilla, sweet honeyed malts, chocolate. Dead-on yippee.

Labyrinth is a credit to its genre...wow. Wow. Did I say wow? This is a work of artistic genius. The nose is amplified & amped up. Great whiskey-soaked chocolate up front, backed by insanely rich sweet malts. Roast & vanilla sweep through the midsection. Smooth. Cleaner than the cleanest IPA, the only aftertaste is the lingering roast, then I'm ready for the next sip. Having trouble not sucking this down like a Hummer at the pump. I mean, well, you know what I mean.

This is a gorgeous beer. If you haven't had it, seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 02:44:16 | More by maximum12

XicanoBeerRun

Texas

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

I got this on draft at the Todd English PUB next to the Aria hotel in Vegas. It was 106 degrees outside, but I did not want to pass up the chance to drink this double stout. It was a great beer experience regardless of the heat outside.

Black pour with cocoa brown head. Not too thick like some stouts, and well carbonated.

S: malty, roasty. T: chocolate, barrel, roasty, some bitterness from the hops comes through especially in the finish. I had an ipa before drinking this so I feel like I missed out on some potential complexities. It was fantastic.

FYI the Whole Foods sold the 750 ml bottle, and in retrospect, I should have picked it up

I'll have another.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2012 18:44:13 | More by XicanoBeerRun

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours pitch black with very little head, thick and viscous in the glass. Lots of licorice in the nose, and not too sweet- dry and almost dusty. It almost smells chewy. Surprisingly smooth and mild given the huge abv. Lots more licorice in the mouth with additional notes of bitter chocolate, ash, vanilla, and some roasted grains. Not charred tasting, but the ashy minerality contributes to a slight smokiness and drys the beer out quite a bit. Some sweetness from the licorice. Again, the tastes seem chewy, but the beer is silky smooth. Nice. Probably the best beer I've had from Uinta- and not just another run-of-the-mill RIS either. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 02:40:32 | More by Georgiabeer

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Labyrinth Black Ale
Uinta Brewing Company
Style: American Double / Imperial Stout
ABV: 13.20 %

LOOK: Dark, oily, with little head, oil slicks. Scary mean looking bruiser of an Imperial Stout fashion.

SMELL: Roasted malts, over ripe fruits, alcohol, hops.

TASTE: Lots of roasted flavor, dark chocolates, whiskey, coffee, strong boozy rye notes. Alcohol , dark malts, strange fruit.

FEEL: Thick, oily, med/low carb.

OVERALL: Whats not to like about a beer like this. A merciless beast who you can conquer with a dessert of chocolate malt brownies.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2012 22:57:14 | More by Stinkypuss

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Looks misty brown-black in this dim light. Head didn't form/hold. Enjoying my intro to Uinta!

Bittersweet cocoa, spry oak, vanilla bean, and earthy hops. Black licorice and hefty roast. Smells pretty damn nice.

Sweet stout-like flavors of roasted sugars, chocolate, light coffee, oakiness, dark vinous fruits, licorice, and a warming alcohol note. Lots of woody tones of oak spirals. Minor whiskey notes. Too thin a feel for a stout. I think they may have been going for an Imperial Stout flavor-wise, but missed the mark.

Excellent black ale with amazingly-disguised strength. Feels like a 9.5% sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2012 03:52:07 | More by thecheapies

DavoleBomb

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter.

5.0 A: Black color. Two and a half fingers of light brown, creamy head. Retention is very good, especially for a brew this big. Glass covering lacing is left.

4.5 S: Lots of licorice in this, which I'm usually not a fan of, but it works so well with the rest of the aromas. Deep supple roastiness, rich dark chocolate, loads of molasses, and creamy caramel. The rye barrel plays a complementary role and adds a spicy earthiness and light leather. Very nice.

4.5 T: Taste is as good as the nose. Licorice starts things off again. Rich maltiness in the form of molasses, caramel, and dark chocolate. Heavy, though manageable roastiness. Rich and decadent - the flavors presented run deep. Again the rye adds a spicy earthiness and a bit of leather and vanilla. Booze doesn't come into play at all.

4.5 M: Heavy body. Good moderate carbonation. Nice creaminess and superbly smooth.

4.5 D: Really fucking tasty. I'm a bit surprised how much I like it. Big bold flavors that merge seemlessly

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 02:58:06 | More by DavoleBomb

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.18/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle into a snifter

A: Pours pitch black with a finger of dense brown foam. Retention is above average.

S: Tons of dark chocolate with molasses, light licorice, and peaty whiskey. Almost smells as though this was aged in a scotch barrel.

T: Tons of dark chocolate mixed with toffee, caramel, smooth coffee, and light licorice. I get quite a bit of oak and a bit of peaty scotch, though not as strong as the aroma. Though a bit on the sweet side, this beer is extremely complex.

M: Quite thick with light, but adequate carbonation.

O: I'm really upset I waited so long to try this beer. I never tried it since I'm not a licorice fan and the beer boasts of licorice as a flavor. This beer is extremely complex and very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 01:12:30 | More by coreyfmcdonald

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.93/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from 10/2010 notes. Poured into a Nostradamus flute glass. Pours a black with hints of dark red. Thin, medium brown head with lacing. Dark malt, coffee. bourbon and alcohol aroma. Strong dark roasted malts and coffee up front, some chocolate and mild dark fruits. The bourbon does not show up much in the taste, unfortunately. Finishes dry and bitter. The high ABV, bitter finish and dominance of the burnt, roasted flavors seems a little unbalanced.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 18:57:33 | More by LiquidAmber

Mavajo

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours black with a brown head. An aggressive pour yields a thin head. No lacing. Aroma is oak, bourbon, caramel, roast and hops. Taste is licorice, with roasty/charred notes, and a mild bourbon backbone. The char/roast lingers long on the palate. Sticky. Mouthfeel is medium with average carbonation - a bit watery.

Aroma is pretty good. Taste is OK. There are better bourbon barrel stouts out there. The long roasty aftertaste is a major downer. Even 15 minutes later, that roastiness was still parching my palate.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 01:13:21 | More by Mavajo

tdm168

North Carolina

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

Thanks to jtd1969 for sharing this bottle with me.

A - pitch black with a thick cap of brown head that has great retention

S - big chocolate notes, licorice, roasted malts, faint coffee

T - chocolate, bourbon, bitter, black licorice, anise

M - full bodied, very warm, a bit boozy

This is a BIG beer. It has great flavor. It's incredibly enjoyable but a sipper. The alcohol and big body really slow you down. This is definitely worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 15:17:51 | More by tdm168

farrago

New Jersey

4.55/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Moderately aggressive pour fills half the glass with outrageously dark brown foam, tightly woven and dense, not much dimpling but there’s random explosions of larger bubbles which act like fireworks on the surface, very nice stick to the lacing, broad streaks which eventually settle back downwards. The liquid is black as night, fully impenetrable, not a hint of color anywhere, the only sign of bubbles was as the pour resolved itself. The nose is rife with coconut custard, German chocolate cake, black licorice, caramel and orange zest, fistful of grainy hop bite, peach, apricot and cherry cobbler accents, pushes the limit of desirable sweetness, toasty bread notes help relieve its density. Full-bodied, starts to foam towards the roof of your mouth, even the carbonation scaled to make an impression, give it credit for helping manage the sweetness. Less noticeable licorice here, more toffee, caramel, butterscotch, vanilla bean and coconut oil. Were it not for an herbal sting at the finish it would be all but completely a “dessert beer.” Floral dew and pine sap bring the malts and hops further into accord. The fruit flavors more mixed than distinct. Over time starts to suggest barbecue grill smoke. The generally creamy mouth feel persists completely start to end, again, fights hard to ensure nothing distracts you from it. Hard not to respect its powerful statement, just be careful in choosing when to open it, by no means a casual quaffer.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 19:07:22 | More by farrago

IKR

California

4.14/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Very dark brown, appears black when the beer is full in the glass with a generous medium beige head that slowly faded. I saw some good lacing with this one.

Smell: Chocolate, mild whiskey, brown sugar, and a bit of oak and vanilla. I also pick up some roast malt notes.

Taste: Following the nose, chocolate, mild whiskey, brown sugar, a bit of oak, vanilla and some roast malts. The finish is fairly dry. The alcohol is very restrained for the ABV.

Mouth-feel: Medium bodied with a good level of carbonation.

Overall: A good unheralded beer. If the grading system had 0.25 increments I'd bump the taste up to 4.25 (corrected on January 27, 2013). As it is I'm on the fence with my score.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 22:48:53 | More by IKR

ehammond1

California

4.1/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Black throughout with a small brown head that leaves small dots of stick down the glass. This doesn't look particularly heavy or thick for the style.

Very nice aroma and typical of the style: chocolate and roast, mild coffee, and distinct though welcome bourbon notes. There's a nice balance here between beer and barrel.

The flavor is very well integrated, with the barrel adding nice earthy, woody, and vanilla notes to a decadent chocolate and roast-forward stout.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Very nice and quite unexpected.

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2012 02:32:34 | More by ehammond1

oberon

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this last night after work and felt it with a dull headache this morning.Poured into an imperial nonic jet black with nicely formed deep tannish colored head atop that never completely settled.Dark roast,char,vanilla/oak,and sweet alcohol in the nose,it's got alot going on and is pretty complex.Sweet chocolatey notes at the onset flavor wise with vanilla and dark fruit soaked in sweet alcohol,the saving grace of the beer is at midway a nice earthy woodsy drying effect comes in.Wow there is alot going on in this beer it's big and brash,a real sipper with alot of components to it.Very good.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 18:37:02 | More by oberon

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

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

Bottled on 07/26/11. Poured in to CBS snifter.

A - Poured dark inky black. One finger of medium brown head formed and receded to a thin layer with good retention. Spotty lacing.

S - Big roast aroma up front that is complimented by oak, rye, licorice and a touch of vanilla. A nice semi-sweet chocolate aroma is present as well. Very complex.

T - Starts with roasted malts, charred oak and licorice. Whiskey and chocolate enter in the middle. The finish has more roast with light espresso notes and licorice. Extremely robust and complex.

M - Medium to full body with a very big chew. Light carbonation.

O - An excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 17:33:03 | More by TheSevenDuffs

sjverla

Massachusetts

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

Nose: Thick and sweet. Molasses is prominent. Prunes. Cocoa. Black currant jam. A touch of alcohol. Slight anise notes - black liquorice definitely. Something like a Good & Plenty.

Appearance: Jet-black and 100% opaque. Kicked up about a quarter-inch of tan head. Looks like a glass of motor oil.

Taste: Phenominally complex. Roasty and sweet, the flavors really move and change. Starts off candy-sweet, but is quickly overpowered by dark flavors of burnt sugar, coffee and dark chocolate. Slightly fruity, but mostly bitter. The finish is woody and faintly alcoholic.

Overall: This is a hell of a beer - probably the biggest I've had to date. It's going to take a while to get through, but damn it's good.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 00:33:01 | More by sjverla

elgiacomo

Georgia

4.23/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottled April 18, 2011. just over a year old. Served at nearly room temp.

Pours black with a one finger brown head that quickly recedes to an island and small ring...leaves just a few spots of lacing behind.

Aroma is chocolate, vanilla, whiskey, oak, coffee, dark roasted malts, black licorice, a touch smoky, some alcohol. Very good strength.

Flavor features black licorice, whiskey, chocolate, oak, vanilla, charred wood/smoke, some coffee, caramel, noticeable alcohol, but this is 13.2% after all. Not bad or obtrusive at all. Minimal hops. Very rich and flavorful.

Mouthfeel is full-bodied, sticky, low carbonation.

This one has been on my "to-do" list for a while, and it’s every bit as good as I had expected it to be. The aroma and flavor are huge on this one and more than make up for the low carbonation which impacts the appearance and mouthfeel a bit. The rye whiskey barrel comes through really well...a lot of charred oak and vanilla notes throughout. Uinta continues to impress!

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 03:58:56 | More by elgiacomo

litheum94

California

4.48/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 10/25/11. Reviewed 3/24/12.

Pours a very deep, oil slick black body. Produces a very big head, dark brown in color. It leaves behind a small, yet thick head, with nice lacing.

Tons of smoked malts on the nose. Wood tones. Hints of licorice and plums.

Dark roasted malts, with bitter-sweet chocolate. Big mouthfull of smoked wood, with licorice root flavors. Bitter coffee flavors. Warming alcohol burn on the finish, with a lingering bitterness from the coffee flavors.

A monster of a beer, with so much complexity and booziness that it pretty much kicks your ass and leaves you begging for more. A must try beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 04:17:16 | More by litheum94

brentk56

North Carolina

3.4/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Quite a scary pour, as the beer streams out like motor oil into the chalice, forming a modest tan head that leaves squiggles of lace behind

Smell: The rye barrel and brewer's licorice elements dominate the aroma, with undertones of dark chocolate and prune

Taste: Charred wood and dark chocolate, up front, with the brewer's licorice, hops and molasses flavors building by mid-palate; after the swallow, the rye barrel emerges, bringing along a boozy, charred character that dominates the finish

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation and a lot of warmth in the gullet

Overall: Tried two from the Crooked Line series today (for the first time) and really didn't enjoy either one of them; while this had an interesting range of flavors, it was ultimately too boozy and harsh on the tongue to be enjoyable; I am not familiar with the Utah laws but it is almost as if, having finally been freed up to brew high ABV beers, Uinta is unleashing the brewed equivalent of a testosterone-overloaded adolescent

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 00:29:47 | More by brentk56

david18

New York

3.83/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had this on a recent visit to the Public House in Las Vegas. I had been hearing about this brewery and was anxious to try the beer. It was very good, among the best in the style, but a little bit strong, particularly at lunchtime when I had it.

Appearance is a dark roast color, very dark head, good carbonation and good lacing.

Aroma is roasty but with a little bit of alcohol even in the nose.

Flavor is very roasty, some hops but, again, a little bit hot.

Overall a great beer that I would recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2012 19:38:36 | More by david18

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.48/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep, rich, warm, chocolaty sable with a fairly thick tan head. Smoky, slightly salty aroma has notes of molasses and chocolate and a hint of caramel. Rich flavor fills the mouth with molasses, semi-sweet chocolate and caramel with hints of toffee and coffee and a subtle smoky overtone. Smooth, firm texture has a respectable amount of fizz. Fortunately, you shoudn’t have to go through a labyrinth to find this one, but it would be worth the trip.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 22:27:54 | More by Cyberkedi

BarkingMonkeye

4.73/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Im not an experienced beer connoisseur, but i have had enough experience to know a good beer when i see it. And this is one of the best in its category which can be found in Utah in my opinion. Id doesnt have that hard water taste of international dark beer, which im happy to do without. This beer is great for anyone who wants a high ABV and full flavor with thicker viscosity. I pretty biased for the malt type beers so i score this one higher.

Personally i love everything about the beer. IF i had more experience with beer and a better spectrum to judge, i would give it 5.0.

If your looking for something different in the RIS category you owe it to yourself to try this beer!

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 20:51:32 | More by BarkingMonkeye