Dark Horse Fore Smoked Stout - Dark Horse Brewing Company

chanokokoro

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass

The color of the pour resembles motor oil with a one and a half finger head that looks like bubbly chocolate milk. The smell of chocolate dominates with slight undertones of smoked wood. Chocolate malt up front transitioning to hroasted malt that finishes with slightly bitter woody smokiness. Wonderful mouthfeel, much more creamy than expected with lush carbonation. A very enjoyable smoked stout. The smoke complements the other flavors that are present and never dominates adding complexity to this solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 02:28:25 | More by chanokokoro

Gyle41386

South Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a dark black. I'm not seeing a whole lot as I hold it to light. About a finger of mocha-colored head retains pretty well, with a slight foam cap remaining until the very end. Not much at all in the way of lacing.

There's definitely a large smoke component in the nose. However, it certainly isn't overpowering. That's a major bonus. There's not enough smoke that it completely covers up smells like dark chocolate, licorice, maybe some dark fruits. It's not an overly strong nose, but I don't think that's a bad thing with this style.

Fortunately, the smoke is the same way in the taste. There's never a harsh, charred flavor. Instead, it's subtle smoke all the way. There's a little bit of chocolate sweetness but not a whole lot else. I'm enjoying the sweet/smoky contrast.

Body is medium with an appropriate carbonation level. Texture is never too prickly or syrupy. Dryness in the finish. I was shocked to see the ABV at 8%, because it's never noticeable. The well-masked alcohol and subtle smoke make this a very, very easy drinker for the style. I was pleasantly surprised.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 02:07:47 | More by Gyle41386

minterro

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Crunchy's in East Lansing

Tan head hangs around as a thing but retained layer. Jet black colored beer. Spotted lacing. Doesn't appear to be super thick. The smell is a mixed of dark chocolates and woody smokiness.

Big dark chocolate notes up front. Black coffee midway. Pretty smokey and bitter in the finish. Not very complex but still pleasant to drink. Very smooth, on the low end of medium bodied and medium carbonation. I would like to see more body and less carbonation on this beer but it's still pretty good.

Overall it was good. nothing spectacular but good. Two side notes:
1) It was much better overall then the Rogue chocolate ale that my gf was drinking while I tried this one.
2) I recently had the most interesting smoked beer of my life. It was this european smoked beer and it legitimately smelled like bacon it has had a pretty meaty taste.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2012 17:33:24 | More by minterro

brystmar

New York

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

My gf's favorite style, an my least favorite. Opposites attract, right

Nice appearance; aroma is actually quite pleasant. Lots of smokey malts yet nicely balanced by sweet malts and hints of chocolate.

Flavor is malty and roasty to start, then turns smokey but still retains its roasted malt backbone. I normally hate smoked beers, but this isn't that bad. The gf loves it though, so as long as she's happy I'm happy.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 06:04:49 | More by brystmar

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pretty close to black. Some deep reds and browns come out when held to direct light. Head the color of fresh espresso drops to a thin ring in short order. Pours heavy, but not thick.

Smell: Big, but not massive smoked component. Sweetness and booze. Roasted malts are in high gear. Lingering tobacco. Like a freshly-finished pipe. Slightly ashy. Chocolate malts and touches of old coffee. Lots going on, but it's far less aggressive than the other iterations in the series. Nice balance for a smoked beer.

Taste: Big roasty malts. Char and ash. Burnt meat ends. Some sweetness. Smoky, but not offensively so. Lingers like a pull from a cigarette. Faintly meaty. Chocolate and cocoa round out the finish. No hops to speak of. Oak?

Mouthfeel: Way thinner than expected. Almost glides across the tongue, but carries an acrid smokiness in the wings. Creamy at times and pretty easy to drink for the style. As it warms it thins out almost too much. Becomes almost watery.

Overall: Nice balance of sweet malts and smoke. Builds over time, but well done overall. I'd love to drink all five of these in a horizontal.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 00:58:49 | More by Goblinmunkey7

hoptualBrew

Florida

3.73/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pitch black pour with a wicked looking deep reddish brown head, but doesnt stand long. Legs stick all over the glass, moreso than I would think for 8% booze. In the glass the beer just looks flat though - limp, wet noodle, erectile dysfunction - no lacing anywhere! Aroma is beautiful, doting touches of sweet milk chocolate in the midst of roasted smoked wood. Caramel, toffee, and booze are also detectable and create a well rounded nose. Caramel & smoked wood hit up front with a strong combination of dark chocolates and alcohol heat in the back. Carbonation is about right here, but the body is too thin, in my opinion, and would match the smoked character better with some more "meat" to it.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 05:26:07 | More by hoptualBrew

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle from last year (winter 2010-2011). Bottled 26 Jan 2011, I believe.

Pours black with a one-finger dark coffee-brown head. Head fades fast, leaves a bit of lacing. It's a darker color than the other Dark Horse stouts I've had.

Smells of yummy chocolate malts with a bit of coffee, and just an accent of smoked wood. The malts bring a solid richness, and it has real depth, though the smell is pretty faint. As expected, it smells a lot like the base of their other stouts, with a smoky layer on top.

Taste is quite a bit more smoky than the smell, with some char and some faint smoked meat flavors. The richness of the malts comes through well, again bringing chocolate, but a whole lot of woody character.

Medium-bodied and mouthfilling. Carbonation is on the low side. Finish just fades away. Fine, but nothing special.

A tasty smoked stout. I like the balance - the smoke doesn't overpower the other elements of the beer, but complements them really well.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 05:15:16 | More by zeledonia

secondtooth

Indiana

4.2/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours motor oil-black, with a dark tan head. Shallow lace.

Aroma is smoky, but almost sweet as well, with hints of cocoa. Nice.

Taste isn't overly smoky at all, but more like a rich dark chocolate with touches of coffee and smoke. As it warms, Fore gets silky smooth and easier to drink, and with little evidence of the rather high 8% ABV.

Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 16:57:44 | More by secondtooth

beagle75

Iowa

4.05/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Opaque black color with a peripheral ring of light brown bubbles. Scant lacing remains on the glass.

S: Malt is potent, dark and roasty, suggestive of roasted nuts. Smoke qualities are mostly left to the imagination, with the smell ably staying in the intermediate zone between chocolate and coffee, smelling of neither. Savory earth is inconsistent, rising and falling in intensity. No alcohol is detected.

T: Begins off-dry, with deeply roasted flavors of grain that dry out and become more husky toward the finish. Acidity leans toward moderate intensity but does not really detract. Coffee and other unctuous flavors are suggested at times, while woodsmoke is understated even at its most intense. Bitterness is pronounced, but seems more strongly tied to the roasted qualities than to any hops presence. Long after the finish seems to end, meaty smoked qualities resurface. While they are not intense, they are remarkable in the lateness of their arrival and in their savoriness. No alcohol is detected.

M: Medium viscosity, labile yet creamy on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: This stout is a fine, if relatively strong, example of export stout--but it's smoked qualities hardly define it. This is the first of Dark Horse's numbered series of stouts that I have had, and I can't help but wonder just how similar they are to each other. In the final tally it is particularly malt-focused and still remains easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 01:31:24 | More by beagle75

britzdog

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pouring a nice solid black with about an inch of brown head sticking to the glass. Good retention and some lacing.

Not surprisingly there is a smokey aroma and some roasted malt The smoke is not to strong though. There is a descent coffee aroma and once again not to strong, just right.
None of the coffee or woodsy flavors is to dominating. This is a very well balanced stout
Medium mouthfeel with just a hint of creaminess. The level of carbonation is subdued to just the right level.

As usual this is another well crafted offering from Dark Horse. I'm telling ya these people know their stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 03:21:18 | More by britzdog

areich6

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoying with my good friend pschul4

A: very dark with dark copper colored head.

S: Slight roasty smell, along with some dark fruity smells that one does not detect in a lot of stouts.

T: Pretty good roasty characteristic that lingers in the mouth for a while. Also, there is a hint of fruitiness, somewhat like the smell. Can't quite put my finger on what fruit it is.

M: Pretty smooth and unextraordinary. Nothing special. Not thick, but not too light.

O: Decent stout. The best part of this beer is the taste which demonstrates the finer qualities of a roasty stout brewed with some fruit.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 04:42:43 | More by areich6

pschul4

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sharing this one with my buddy areich6

A- Very dark right from the pour with a crazy dark brown head of only a 1/4 inch

S- Not smelling a lot of smoke. Definitely some coffee and roast scents taking the nose by surprise (but not a huge surprise given it is a stout)

T- Still quite minimal on the smoke. Lots of roast character and some coffee flavors, perhaps a hint of smoke but not much given the style of beer

M- Nice, thick and coating. I wish more stouts had this mouthfeel but to be a perfect 5 would need a little more thickness. I love a rich thick as molassis stout

O- I enjoyed this beer as a regular stout. I don't know where the smoke comes in as a big portion of it but it's still worth seeking out

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 04:40:10 | More by pschul4

adman08

Wisconsin

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours very dark brown, almost black, with a good amount of brown foam that fades quickly. When served cold there is almost no head but at cellar temp there is plenty of head.
S-Lots of smoke aroma up front with an underlying aroma of chocolate and caramel malt with some herbal hops.
T-Very smokey, maybe too smokey. There is a good stout flavor profile underneath with flavors of chocolate and herbal hops and some caramel malt sweetness.
M-Full bodied with very light carbonation. Fairly dry overall.
Overall, a pretty decent smoked stout. I think it's a little too smokey, they could dial that back a bit but the stout base beer is quite good. It's worth a try but I couldn't drink more than one at a time.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 23:17:56 | More by adman08

Giggy

Michigan

3.38/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served a large draft mug from Crunchy's in East Lansing.

A: Pitch black pour with a dark dirty white head that didn't last.

S: Rich dark smokey chocolate. Roasted malts.

T: Coffee chocolate beginning, subtle smokey flavor in the middle, dry fish, slightly bitter.

M: Smooth full bodied. Thought it would be thicker based on appearance. Low carbonation.

O: Very nice but could only drink one per session

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 23:33:45 | More by Giggy

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Still working my way through these seasonal stouts...this has been taking me way the hell too long... This one pours a straight oily black topped by a small bit o' dirty tan foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, dark hickory smoke, molasses, and a touch of dark cocoa powder. The taste generally follows suit, though the smoke comes off more hickory-style this time, drying things out a bit and distracting from the rest of the flavors. The body is a stolid medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a lightly chewy feel. Overall, a very nice smoked stout, though one that could do with a touch more balance if it wants to be truly great.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 06:27:21 | More by TMoney2591

warnerry

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours black with three fingers of creamy brown head and a decent amount of carbonation sticking to the glass. Good retention and leaves some lacing.

S - Not surprisingly, smoke dominates the aroma. Smoke smell has a decent amount of wood character. Also some roasted malt present. While the smoke is predominant, it is by no means overwhelming.

T - Taste is initially chocolate and coffee malts with smoke coming through in the middle and on the finish. From the smell, I worried that this might be a bit one dimensional, but a nice balance of flavors are present. Some slightly bitter coffee persists.

M - Medium mouthfeel, actually a little thin, with some creaminess. Nice carbonation level.

O - I'm not a huge fan of smoked beers, but the smoke works well here and is nicely balanced. Another solid stout from Dark Horse.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 15:17:42 | More by warnerry

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Jet black with a tiny, short-lasting brown head. Looks like it's flattening out. No lace worth mentioning.

Dark roasts, char, peaty smoke, slight earthiness from the hop, black grains.

Nice roastiness with a tangy, semi-lactic coffee flavor. The smoke is mild, but there. The alcohol pairs with an almost astringent malt bitterness. Decent balance with the spicy hop presence. That spice is retained and sustained in the finish. A little peppery. Pretty good stuff.

Big, chewy malt-crusher. Heavier body whooshes around in the mouth. But, it needs more carbonation. Somewhat disappointed with the carb.

Tough style to nail. This is still a good example. Tasty and comforting.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2012 02:49:25 | More by thecheapies

BB1313

Ohio

3.08/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Pours jet black, mocha head which fades with decent lacing and retention. There seems to be lack of smoke. Lots of chocolate and expresso, but it's faint and almost metalic. The flavors are typical for a stout, nothing special and definitely nothing overwhelming. I wish the flavors and aromas were more intense and developed more, but everything seems one note. Mouthfeel is nice, thin but smooth, nicely carbonated. I found myself nursing it although the alcohol goes unnoticed. Where's the smoke?

Average, nothing really special, especially compared to Dark Horse's other stouts like Plead the 5th, One, Too..

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 21:06:16 | More by BB1313

MBrausen

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes. Poured from a bottle into a CBS snifter.

A. Pours a deep brownish black, minimal head covering the top, quickly falls to a thin mocha chocolate ring.

S. Smells of dark chocolate, toffee, sight smoked of charred wood.

T. Tastes of dark chocolate, slight smoked wood, burnt toffee with a bitter chocolate finish.

M. Thick and heavy body, medium carbonation, very chewy.

O. A good beer, not as smoky as I would expect from a beer called "smoked." But still has solid bold flavor, with a hearty thick feel. A filling beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 20:00:56 | More by MBrausen

beesy

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a standard pint glass. Fresh in today's shipment to Columbus Ohio - I've been waiting for almost 10 months for this to show back up.

A - pours an inky black with a two finger dark brown head that surprisingly dissapears fairly quickly.

S - aromas of smoke and chocolate ooze out as this brew as it is poured. Others aromas include coffee and roasted malts.

T - smoke, coffee, and dark chocolate dominate. Somewhat one dimensional considering what should be all going on in here - I think it's the thin mouthfeel that's ruining it. There's a hot alchohol on the back end of this one - needs to sit and meld a little.

M - a little thinner than expected, bordering on medium-light. I expecienced this in several of their other winter stouts. Either increase the mash temp or change to a less attenuating yeast to fix this!

D - low. The smoke and other full flavors keep this one from being drank too hastily.

Overall, I really enjoy all the Dark Horse winter stouts, especially this one, but wish they would fix the thin mouthfeel by increasing the mash temp or switching to a less attenuating yeast. The mouthfeel appears to hurt this one more than othe others in the series. I rememeber this being a little smootherr - maybe it needs some time to sit an rest.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2012 02:55:06 | More by beesy

WoodBrew

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The Dark Horse Fore Smoked Stout was a decent stout. The beer poured pitch black with tan head. The smell was one of cigarette smoke and coffee...like a high school librarian. The taste followed the smell quite closely. The mouthfeel was a full body beer with smooth carbonation. Overall it is a good stout and should bring back memories of old.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 01:00:36 | More by WoodBrew

innersanctum

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Fore pours and seven years ago...

This is no Gettysburg Address, but Fore pours a jet black liquid into my tulip glass with lots of sediment on the bottom of the bottle. There's a thin dark horse brown, espresso-like head which looks fantastic. Smoke is most apparent in the smell of Fore, with some additional whiffs of chocolate and toffee. The taste is a medium body beer with additional flavor notes of hops, roasty charcoal, dark chocolate, orange rind and licorice. Unlike a Schlenkerla there is not a strong smoke flavor present in its taste. It ought to be noted that there's a persistent taste of something like hop/charcoal/salt which is a bit distracting, but it dissipates somewhat after the brew opens up.

2/21 Need to make an update to this review, and a big shout out to my 'northside brew expert C Brown who say's "you got da roll dat bottle"! Indeed, take the time to roll Fore so the sediment will pour which will greatly enhance the taste of this brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 20:33:52 | More by innersanctum

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Sampled 8/29/11. 12oz bottle to snifter. $3.75 for the single.

A: Two fingers of medium brown head diminish rather quickly. A thin ring remains for a couple of minutes then disappears, leaving an almost completely still black body.

S: Very roasted. The smoke has receded to the background after 8 months, but lightly charred wood and soy sauce are still evident. A swirl of the glass brings about hidden notes of prunes and molasses. A regretful move - nearly rendering the mouthfeel useless - as the little amount of carbonation that *was there* initially is now gone.

T: Fairly complex with lots of subtle flavors. Tar, charcoal, leather and peaty earth with underlying notes of chocolate. Right in between sweet and dry, favoring the dry end of the spectrum on the finish.

M: Medium body and slick texture. Average effervescence before agitation. There is no indication of ABV on the bottle (or Dark Horse's website for that matter) but the BA listing of 8% is very believable.

O: Fore is a nice smoked beer. I'll probably buy a future batch to compare a fresh bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 14:16:09 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.15/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

An awesome extra from Aaron, thanks man! Poured into a Rogue pint glass.

A: Looks very viscous on the pour; opaque black, with a very dark brown head that recedes relatively quickly. Almost no lace.

S: Great subtle smoke smell...close to a distant clean campfire smell. Medium, creamy roasted character, light sweetness, malts, light chocolate, a bit of dark fruit and molasses.

The smoke is really closer to being subtle than smoke-forward, which I prefer. Really impressed so far.

T: Follows the nose; roasty smoke, creamy chocolate and malt sweetness, light caramel and darker fruits, a hint of licorice and molasses.

MF: Lighter carbonation lends a very smooth character...medium/full(ish) body that is creamy, subtle and balanced.

O: Awesome subtle smoke beer...pretty much a stout in my opinion with smoky characteristics, which is perfect for this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 14:40:23 | More by Scotchboy

mattboyer182

Indiana

4.13/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - pours dark black but in like the others it has a darker head that dissipates much quicker.

S - obviously super smokey smell. Layered with some sweet malt underneath.

T - nice light smoke. Some sweetness lies underneath.

M- heavy bodied with light to medium carbonation.

O - maybe my favorite so far. The perfect amount smoke.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 02:28:15 | More by mattboyer182