Black Albert - De Struise Brouwers

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rAvg: 4.25
pDev: 10.12%
Reviews: 769
Hads: 320

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Brewed by:
De Struise Brouwers

Belgium

Style | ABV
Russian Imperial Stout | 13.00% ABV

Availability: Year-round. bottle (715), on-tap (54).

Notes:
Originally brewed exclusively for Ebenezer's Pub in Lovell, ME.

View: Beers (52) | Reviews (7) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by starrdogg:

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.18/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I'm not a huge stout guy typically (especially non-barrel aged stouts), but this beer really stands out as a fine example of the style.

Beer is almost black in color with a foamy tan head. Smells of sweet malts and hints of alcohol. The taste is dark chocolate with a little bit of sweetness up front and some roasted malts in the finish. It's really not very bitter for a stout, something that typically turns me off in the style. Instead it has a little bit of dark fruit flavor, almost along the lines of a quad. It's very carbonated, a bit creamy and almost light-feeling, though definitely not thin-bodied. It's extremely drinkable for a beer at 13% ABV. It's actually pretty incredible how well this beer hides the alcohol flavor without resorting to being overly sweet. Very well-balanced.

Overall this is a pretty impressive beer that can be enjoyed by both stout lovers and those who aren't as fond of the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2010 23:18:57 | More by starrdogg

More User Reviews:

dalepryor

Kentucky

4.75/5 rDev +11.8%

05-23-2013 03:02:31 | More by dalepryor

bootdown21

Connecticut

4.25/5 rDev 0%

05-22-2013 18:03:53 | More by bootdown21

straightlambic

California

4.25/5 rDev 0%

05-22-2013 16:40:26 | More by straightlambic

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

4.5/5 rDev +5.9%

05-20-2013 04:02:31 | More by Kmat10

mkennedy119

Illinois

4.25/5 rDev 0%

05-20-2013 02:44:55 | More by mkennedy119

ADTaber

South Carolina

4.5/5 rDev +5.9%

05-19-2013 17:26:00 | More by ADTaber

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.25/5 rDev 0%

05-19-2013 15:44:49 | More by ShawnMH

Photekut

Azerbaijan

3.5/5 rDev -17.6%

05-18-2013 22:21:39 | More by Photekut

brian4beer

Indiana

3.75/5 rDev -11.8%

05-18-2013 03:20:49 | More by brian4beer

carlosega

Ohio

4.25/5 rDev 0%

05-17-2013 19:20:21 | More by carlosega

jkane101

New Jersey

4.25/5 rDev 0%

05-16-2013 22:17:00 | More by jkane101

deekyn

California

4.25/5 rDev 0%

05-16-2013 04:16:37 | More by deekyn

BBP

Ontario (Canada)

4.4/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Pours somewhat standard for a stout of its calibre, but a little thinner in appearance. Carbonation was as expected.

The aroma is sweet, with subtle booze, and some slight chocolate.

The taste is quite strong, and appealing at first. There's quite a balance to this stout, and the IBUs are quite far from obvious (although not something I'd prefer), and it really comes across perhaps too smooth. For 13%, this is very easy drinking, and the booze is there, yet works with the drink rather than against it. Chocolate, coffee, and vanilla are all here; A bit of sweetness as well. Perhaps raisin and vanilla. Sweeter than most imperials, but not by a long shot.

The body is full, and the carbonation plays its role without bringing attention to itself, which is all I could ask from a stout.

Overall, this was quite a tasty stout, and perhaps one of the best stouts I've tasted outside of North America. It's really nice to see a Belgian brewery strive to branch out beyond the typical styles that they're known for and this was a big success.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 20:00:38 | More by BBP