Black Damnation XI - Special Kay - De Struise Brouwers

PapaEugene

Netherlands

4.68/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I had to give up my free evening since rvdoorn went to Brugge and came home with some special kay... and couldn't wait to open one!!! I gladly accepted!

A: Black, I mean BLACK with a nice espresso foam like head on top.

S: Espresso (or should I say Ristretto), cacao, dark fruits and peaty.

T: Yes, defenitley Ristretto, Cacao, oak, port notes and dark fruits... and some alcohol warming.

M: Thick, creamy, smooth and perfectly carbonated for this style.

O: A great new brew from Struise and my only remark is the alcohol warming. With some aging this will just become better and better.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2012 10:48:23 | More by PapaEugene

rvdoorn

Netherlands

4.58/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up some bottles for myself and some fellow BAs in the struise shop in Brugge. Thanks again Bart for the nice customer service last week, and David for the nice talks and beers in the shop. Only between 300 and 400 bottles are made of this one. I wanted to wait a bit longer before tasting this one, but couldn’t resist the evening I came home from Brugge.
Look: the beer pours a deeep black color, with a dark espresso brown thick head.
Smell: coffee, roasted malts, dark chocolate, dark fruits and fruity port notes.
Taste: Dark fruits, freshly roasted coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla, oak port notes. A bit spicy, warming alcoholic aftertaste. There is incredibly much going on in this one.
Mouthfeel: Thick creamy body with low but perfect carbonation
Overall: This beer is extremely well made. Right now, still a bit sharp/spicy, however, age will do this one very well and will surely make it a true worldclass beer! Can wait to open one of my other bottles in the future!

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 13:44:47 | More by rvdoorn

fewa

Belgium

5/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I had this one on draft at the Kerstbier festival in Essen and from a 75cl bottle. The beer is pitch black, with a dark brown head. Smell is heavy roast, chocolate, vanilla, coffee and malts. Taste is very similar. Bitter coffee, chocolate, warming alcohol and spices. Moutheel is thick and sticky. The bottled version was much milder and less boozy than the draft version. Bottled this is a fantastic beer, which is hiding the alcohol much better than the draft version. Equally brilliant to the BD5 in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 21:13:06 | More by fewa