Dark Horse Reserve Special Black Ale - Dark Horse Brewing Company

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From BeerAdvocate Magazine Volume II, Issue II:

Here we have a great example of originality in American craft brewing. Put a donkey on the label and say that it is somewhere between a Stout and Porter, and it is a Strong Ale as well. Odd label, not an exact style, we love the concept. Dense tiny bubbly brown lace forms off of a hard pour. Is there anything darker than black because this is one sooty beer. Aromatic with molasses, dark chocolate, dark roasted ice coffee, black currants and a mild ester alcohol. Super smooth with a feigned semi-syrupy body, light on the carbonation. Charred wood, molasses and intense dark cocoa flavors lock down the taste buds for a good while. Some sweetness breaks out in the middle with a juicy nugget of burnt black berries. Hops are mild with a slightly balancing bitterness and vague herbal flavor. Ends with a bitter burnt flavor that never seems to go over the top.

The darker the better and one hell of a kick to the taste buds. Big, bold, complex and in-your-face. No need to debate on whether it is a Stout or Porter or even a double of the style, its good drinking. Enough said.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2009 19:12:40 | More by BeerAdvocate

Todd

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz brown bottle with a very amateur drawing of a donkey (?) on the label. Noted as a "Black Bier Ale" but there's no denying that this is an Stout.

Pours thick, ultra-black, topped with a 3-fingered creamy coffee coloured head containing signs of cascading and holds amazing powers of retention and climbing stickiness. Unfiltered.

Lovely aroma. Robust. Full of roasted black malts with notes of grain husk, astringency, wood and chicory.

Smooth, rich, solid medium-bodied and extremely robust. Astringency is dominant and assertive. Flavours of dark ripe fruits, wood, earth, sherry, nuts, black-strap molasses and a twang blends with a limey citrus hop character (what one might find in a Schwarzbier). Notes of aging (oxidation) are also present within the wood and wet paper flavours. Finish dry with lingering lime and molasses flavours.

Quite the brew ... would have sat better with me if the brew hadn't shown so many signs of oxidation, and without a freshness stamp there's no real way of telling how old my sample is. Still, very worthy of a try ...

Thanks to trbeer.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2003 12:38:10 | More by Todd

beertardis

Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

05-21-2013 00:17:06 | More by beertardis

shamrock071521

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

05-19-2013 19:14:54 | More by shamrock071521

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

05-18-2013 06:43:39 | More by DrunkinYogi

mdfb79

New York

3.89/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 05/15/13 notes. Had this on tap at Pony Bar on the UES in NYC. This was a want of mine so glad to see it at their anniversary party. 14 oz. pour in a pint glass.

a - Pours a dark brown mahogany color with one inch of light tan head and moderate carbonation evident. Some light lacing on the glass.

s - Smells of roasted malts, burnt malts, toasted malts, caramel, chocolate, some light coffee, and some molasses. Nice nose, tons of roasty notes and malts.

t - Tastes of roasted malts, bitter coffee, bitter dark chocolate, toasted malts, burnt malts, caramel, and some vanilla. Nice taste, a decent amount of bitterness. I like the nose a bit better.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Pretty easy to drink, light bitterness.

o - Overall a pretty nice beer; lots of roasted notes and malts throughout, with some bitter coffee and chocolate in the taste. Reminds me more of an american stout but whatever, it's a pretty good beer. Would have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2013 17:11:58 | More by mdfb79

GinsuDave

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

05-17-2013 00:55:10 | More by GinsuDave

buckyp

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

05-16-2013 22:44:42 | More by buckyp

HarmonMW

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

05-12-2013 02:34:33 | More by HarmonMW

BtownIrish20

Indiana

3.25/5  rDev -18.1%

05-11-2013 20:30:47 | More by BtownIrish20

barczar

Kentucky

3.96/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours an opaque onyx with minimal deep tan head that dissipates to almost nothing.

Booze, chocolate, roasty malt, and coffee form the initial aroma. Tobacco and nutty notes add complexity. There's a hint of soy and plum sweetness.

Flavor is roast malt dominant, initially a little sweet and chocolatey, but turning coffee bitter and a touch charred at the finish. Underlying notes of resin and grapefruit are present. There's a bit of toasted malt nuttiness, but roast overpowers.

Body is on the thick side, velvety, with minimal carbonation and slight alcohol warmth.

Lots of roast malt character and coffee, with an interesting underlying hop citrus profile. Just enough chocolate to add character, though I'd rather it be more prevalent.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 23:56:01 | More by barczar

Slay40

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

05-10-2013 21:11:01 | More by Slay40

leedorham

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

05-10-2013 02:08:59 | More by leedorham

Summer78

Illinois

4/5  rDev +0.8%

05-07-2013 03:26:37 | More by Summer78

Balvenie

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%

05-06-2013 13:20:22 | More by Balvenie

ehammond1

California

3.51/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Bottle (2012)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, joshrosborne!

An appropriately pretty black ale: black throughout and a small, but persistent, creamy brown head of small bubbles. I can't exactly say why, but I thought this really looked like Bell's Expedition Stout as it poured from the bottle. Sticky, lined, brown lacing left down the glass. No doubt about it, this is a pretty beer.

Plenty of roasted malt and baker's chocolate make up the abundance of the aroma, along with a touch of a cream sweetness. A mild pine hop presence as well.

The flavor follows the aroma: lots of roast and black malt, a touch of chocolate, and coffee creamer sweetness, interestingly. There's a touch of licorice as well. Nice flavors. Comes together nicely. The flavors fall apart though as the beer warms and the thin mouthfeel shines through.

Thinner in body than anticipated. Lower-medium bodied with low, but creamy, carbonation.

A nice, sweeter stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 01:36:53 | More by ehammond1

akttr

Michigan

3/5  rDev -24.4%

05-01-2013 04:12:45 | More by akttr

Lukass

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%

04-29-2013 00:51:34 | More by Lukass

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: Pours an opaque yet clear jet black in color with minimal amounts of visible carbonation and some very dark amber highlights. The beer has as finger tall foamy dark mocha head that reduces to a very thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer and a medium thick ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of dark roasted malts with some light notes of roasted coffee and pine/resin hops.

T: Upfront there are strong flavors of dark roasted malts with some notes of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and just a touch of smoked malts. There are some light to moderate flavors of pine/resin and earthy hops. Moderate amounts of lingering bitterness in the finish.

M: Medium to full bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth with some moderate amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: Very easy to drink for the style (American Strong Ale) and the higher ABV - drinks like a smaller beer and is pretty enjoyable.Nice complexity to the flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 03:28:24 | More by dbrauneis

CB2maltygoodness

District of Columbia

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

04-21-2013 02:32:50 | More by CB2maltygoodness

Giggy

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%

04-19-2013 22:56:36 | More by Giggy

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%

04-19-2013 01:10:32 | More by TwelveOunces

beersvh23

Illinois

4/5  rDev +0.8%

04-14-2013 04:39:29 | More by beersvh23

MidwestMaverick

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +0.8%

04-14-2013 01:18:00 | More by MidwestMaverick

twkirkby

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%

04-14-2013 00:32:01 | More by twkirkby