Black Damnation III - Black Mes - De Struise Brouwers

DenMar

4.36/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Thick and oily and pitch Black with a small dark brown head.

S - Coffee, Chocolate and lots wood, I love the barrel nose in this one.

T - Coffee, and dark chocolate up front, Molasses and a slight peat, There's a ton of wood flavors in here. Very sweet with bitter aftertaste, no signs of alcohol whatsoever, so beware!

M - Really low Carbonation for a Struise Stout, almost flat.

O - Great Imperial Stout, highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 20:35:11 | More by DenMar

jegross2

Illinois

4.16/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Reviewing the Black Damnation III (Black Mes) from De Struise Brouwers out of Belgium. This is Black Albert aged for two years in single malt Islay Scotch Whiskey barrels (1995 "The Distillers Edition" barrels) from the Caol Ila distillery out of Scotland.
Score: 92

Unknown vintage bottle from "Lot 4533300911." This beer is presently retired. Served in a snifter glass and enjoyed on 02/04/13. Major thanks to Adam (crosamich) for hooking me up with this major want!

Appearance: Pours a coffee color with a half finger layer of mocha colored head that settles to a thin covering that coats maybe half of the top of the beer. Below average lacing, average retention. Some spotty lacing remains behind after the beer runs back down into the glass. 4/5

Smell: At first, right out of the fridge, the aroma is heavy on burnt chocolate/licorice. As it warms up, however, the "burnt" characters mellow out. Bakers chocolate, burnt brown sugar, faint smoke, and a mild amount of cherry and dark fruit. Some wood towards the back of the aroma too. Some of the elements of the nose are appealing, but the components overall do not meld together smoothly. The nose is a bit rough around the edges. 3.75/5

Taste: The aroma initially put me off, but the taste is much better incorporated. There is more cherry flavor and chocolate and substantially less "burnt" qualities on the palate. The peatiness is still pretty faint, but still more pronounced. The smokiness does not add much flavor, so much as it adds a little prickling sensation on the throat after the swallow akin to peppers in a beer. The licorice is also pretty faint, and a mere accent in the finish. Some molasses too, primarily towards the finish. Hint of oak. More chocolate flavor prevails as the beer warms up. 4.25/5

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, minimal carbonation. Slightly sweet, but miles away from cloying. Has a very dry, almost chalky, finish that accenuates the viscosity of the brew. 4.5/5

Overall: I've been told by several people that this beer was a "Black Mess," but found that I enjoyed everything about this beer except maybe the nose (at least until it warmed up). The smokiness present in this beer is about as subtle as smoke can possibly be in a beer. Although I found this variation of Black Albert inferior to the original (as I did with all of the other variants of Black Albert that I have tried), I think that this was one of my favorite barrel treatments. The mouthfeel is very viscous thanks to a dry finish, and that is how I prefer my stouts. This may be the best beer I have ever had aged in Scotch barrels.

Recommendation: Seek a bottle of this out if you want to try a good example of a well-aged beer in Scotch barrels.

Cost: $12 for an 11.2 oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 04:40:37 | More by jegross2

UCLABrewN84

California

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Wowcoolman for sharing this one at jmgrub's tasting.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down either. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, scotch, and wood. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick and a peaty finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is really tasty but strong.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 04:18:36 | More by UCLABrewN84

ADZA

Australia

4.26/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours black as night with a one finger creamy head and little lacing,the smell is whiskey,peat,cola,booze and mocha,the mouthfeel is full bodied and silky smooth with moderate carbonation and has tastes of dark rich chocolate,milky cappicino,whiskey,booze,candy and finished with a nice mocha bittersweetness and overall its nice and id buy it again cheers.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 12:35:19 | More by ADZA

blakelive784

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

11.2 fl oz brown glass bottle served in a snifter, reviewed live:

A - Pours a non translucent black color with 2.5 fingers of dark chocolate, creamy head. Retention is outstanding. Incredibly inviting.

S - Bitter chocolates and cream are evident. A good amount of alcohol on the nose. Restrained roasted malt. No caramel. Seems bitter based on the nose.

T - Opens creamy to a roasted and chocolate malt body. Not as bitter as I'd thought based on the nose. Well balanced. Heavy chocolate notes. Alcohol is prevalent, though not obtrusive.

M - Full bodied, thick and creamy. About right.

D - A nice stout, but really nothing special. Well balanced and well built. High quality and drinkable but largely unremarkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:47:34 | More by blakelive784

kojevergas

California

3.68/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

330ml brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap acquired from Belgum and served into a bubble nonic glass in me friend's gaff in high altitude Fort Collins, Colorado. Reviewed live. Expectations are through the roof; I loved Black Damnation II. Cost was about $10.00.

Served after a warming period from the fridge and allowed to warm futher over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a three finger rich tan colour head of beautiful cream and thickness, and downright amazing retention for the wine-esque 13% ABV. Body colour is a nontransparent opaque dark brown-black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Cream, caramel, dark malts, subtle java/coffee with some accompanying roast, hints of chocolate, and roasted barley. I get some slight alcohol. No real yeast character. A pretty strong aroma.

T: Rich coffee and accompanying roast, with subtle dark and chocolate malts comprising the unobtrusive rich foundation. Caramel, cream,and even a hint of subtle spice (as in hot spice, not kitchen cabinet spice). The coffee is great, but there's not enough of it. Real well balanced, though some alcohol does trickle in. It's not as complex as I expected, but it's tasty.

Mf: Smooth, wet, rich, and nicely thick. Carbonation is near perfect. Complements the flavour profile quite well.

Dr: Drinkable for its high ABV, but some booze does enter in unfortunately. Still, for 13% it's quite well concealed. I do like it, and it's another good offering from De Struise, but I arrogantly hoped for more. It's a solid beer within the style, but it's not amazing. Mocha Bomb was better. Certainly worth a try, and I'd like to see how it ages. I wouldn't want to kill a bottle by myself; it's certainly a sipper.

High B

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:47:23 | More by kojevergas

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.48/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

330 ml bottle. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. The brew smells like roasted malt, Scotch whisky, smoke, coffee, bittersweet chocolate and some wood. It tastes like roasted malt, chocolate, Scotch whisky, dark fruit, coffee, wood, smoke, and some caramel and molasses. It's sweeter than I was expecting it to be, not that I'm complaining. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's a bit slick and creamy with a moderate amount of carbonation. Drinks way too easy for being 13% ABV. I think this is a good overall brew, definitely worth trying!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 23:31:57 | More by bluejacket74

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle served in a snifter glass.

A: Pours an absolutely black oil color forming a medium thick creamy brown head. Good retention and some spotty lacings left. A thin bubbled brown layer remains forever on the top

S: Delicious smell of roasted malts, dark chocolate, oak and liquor. Notes of vanilla, caramel, yeasts and flowery hops. Light alcohol can be felt on the end despite of the considerable ABV

T: Damn roasted and bitter. Dark chocolate. Notes of coffee. Evident Black Albert backbone: thanks god! Strong notes of oak and Scotch. Absolutely tasteful beer. Upfront is slightly sweet but it quickly changes to a deep roasted and bitter taste. A beer to beer geeks

M: Thick and creamy body. Slightly molasses too. Medium carbonation (not bad to such high ABV). Aftertaste is a intense roasted bitterness

O: A masterpiece., simply. As good as a Black Albert. Very intense experience. Not an easy beer, but who cares about the easy ones?! :p

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 20:47:25 | More by eduardolinhalis

Etan

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

330ml bottle.

A: Pours a glassy black with a huge tan head. Good retention.

S: Ground coffee beans, earthy cocoa and some peat, a hint of acrid smoke.

T: Scotch barrels are there in a big way, but aren't too overwhelming. Notes of chocolate, bitter coffee, some yeasty dried fruit aspects come out of a bed of woody peat.

M: Medium with a decent amount of carbonation.

O: The more Scotch barrel-aged stouts I try, the more I think stouts shouldn't be aged in Scotch barrels. This is one of the more balanced ones out there, but the flavors just don't do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 05:05:25 | More by Etan

dtmets84

New York

4.08/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From bottle to snifter.

Pitch black throughout and a very thin light brown head.

For 13% it is not overly boozy. A bit of smoke that comes in play with minimal chocolate and coffee notes. very interesting.

Very drinkable for such a big stout. Would seek it out again.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 01:46:46 | More by dtmets84

julian89

Georgia

4.68/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From tap to tulip glass at Brick Store pub.

Appearance: A glorious dark brown to almost black with a coffee colored 1 inch head with great retention and minimal lacing.

Smell: A fantastic scotch ale smell that is quite chocolaty. Sweet brown caramelized sugar smell. It has an earthly base smell to it.

Taste: Oh wow, it’s quite complex and smooth. The chocolate and sweet roasted malts make it an earthy brew. The scotch base helps with the smoothness, but somehow the high ABV is masked quite well.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, full rich feel. Excellent carbonation.

Drinkability: An excellent brew, I was waiting all week for this one at Brick Store.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2012 15:56:33 | More by julian89

kscaldef

Oregon

3.43/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Oily black pour with a thick mocha head. No lacing, but lots of legs. A roasty, nutty aroma, with a slight fruitiness. Whisky in the nose is quite restrained. Overall, the aroma is a bit sedate. The taste is predominantly burnt coffee and dark chocolate. Again, there's less whisky influence than I'd like. Picks up a strangely acidic note as it warms further. Despite the large head on the pour, there's very little carbonation in this, but it still avoids being cloying although it's definitely heavy. Overall, this is a bit of a letdown for me, as Caol Ila is one of my favorite whiskeys and it doesn't seem to have really shown up here to any significant degree.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 05:24:25 | More by kscaldef

CuriousMonk

Virginia

4.23/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black Damnation III was made with Black Albert that aged for 3 months on Paul Melia’s (Mes) favorite Whisky, the "Caol Ila’s Distillers Version 1995". Poured from .33cl bottle into snifter glass at a tasting. Pours black with a beautiful brown head that dissipates too quickly. Aromas of scotch whiskey and roasted malts. The flavor suggests the predominate traits of Black Albert here along with the vintage bottle of Scottish whiskey. Thin and sticky mouthfeel. Overall, not too shabby.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 17:39:54 | More by CuriousMonk

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

33cl bottle into a goblet. Enjoyed with breakfast on my last day in Belgium - great pairing with a chocolate croissant, btw. Big thanks to beerpirates for providing me this bottle in an in-person trade.

A: Opaque black, even when held up to direct sunlight. Some dediment is floating around, but that's my fault for pouring forcefully; the upside of the pour is a rich, magnificent head of fine mocha-colored foam. Good retention, nice lice. Simply massive.

S: Huge. Major molasses, coffee, dark chocolate. Dark fruit and oaky vanilla. Not much Caol Isla per se, but there's definitely some barrel presence. Oh, there's also some significant booze, but that's to be expected. Quite nice.

T: Starts out sweet and fruity, with coffee, chocolate, and alcohol pushing in on the middle. The finish is boozy and oaky, with some lovely Islay sea salt and peat sneaking in on the aftertaste. I wish the barrel were more prominent, but it's still very good despite its slight lack of balance.

M: Smooth, full, sticky, and perfectly carbonated. Just what I want out of a huge stout.

O: Incredible beer, but definitely not as good as Mocha Bomb. I wish the Scotch had been more evident.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 16:00:50 | More by woosterbill

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -27.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

First had: on tap at Farmers Cabinet, Philly, PA

Hmm. Looked fine enough: opaque black with a large, creamy, tan head that retained well and left some soapy lacing on the glass. Aroma was strangely faint, with distant scents of smokey malts and booze. Taste was unusually light, flavors of roasty malts, grainy alcohol, an underlying caramel sweetness, and an almost rubbery character like I was drinking out of a water balloon. Kind of lacking in the flavor department. Mouthfeel was a bit thin as well, almost watered down. Not too impressed by this one at all.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2012 19:16:47 | More by Rifugium

4thelvofbeer

Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is one of my favorite Struise beers. The Islay aging is great. Some of the other Struise beers are over the top with too much alcohol taste, but this one is just right. It is tough to find, but if you see it, pick up enough to drink and enough to put some up for a while. Nice classic Struise "Damnation" taste with a nice addition. Very, very nice!

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 17:35:29 | More by 4thelvofbeer

warnerry

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours pitch black with three fingers of brown head. Head has very good retention and leaves quite a bit of lacing.

S - Smoke, char and earthiness, with some definite Scotch notes up front. Eventually, some chocolate and oak come through

T - More chocolate up front than in the nose, followed by some Scotch, smoke, char and earthy roasted malts. There is a slightly tart dark fruit taste that I didn't get at all in the nose. Finishes quite dry with the roasted elements lingering. There is a substantial char character to the taste, which I often don't like, but I didn't think it took away from the taste in this case.

M - Medium mouthfeel, not overly heavy, with a dry, roasted finish.

O - A very good stout. I liked Mocha Bomb and regular Black Albert more, but this is pretty tasty and I didn't notice any alcohol in the nose or taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 04:05:13 | More by warnerry

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Dogfish Head snifter.

Call me crazy, but the label reminds me of the cover to Rammstein's "Sehnsucht". Anyway, this stuff pours a bleak black-brown (which comes off pretty much as black) topped by a finger of sienna foam. The nose comprises husky roasted malts, soft oak, cocoa, brown sugar, and a vague sense of smoke in the background. Damn, my nostrils are thrilled to be smelling this right now! The taste holds notes of roasted malts, coffee, scotch, light peat smoke, wood, and bitter dark chocolate. Things are a bit more astringent than in the smell, a bit boozier as well, but still generally pleasant. The body is a lithely stolid medium, with a very light moderate carbonation and a smooth feel. Overall, this is the best of the Albert variants I've yet had. Damn fine stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 08:07:48 | More by TMoney2591

s1ckboy

Massachusetts

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

A - Black, tiny amount of bubbles around edges.

S - Bready, a bit of booze from the barrels, dark fruits.

T - Initially bitter at frist, bready, green grapes, dark fruits, roasty, a bit of booze from he barrels in the middle, very sweet finish.

M - Thicker side of medium, small amount of carbonation

O - It's alright. Reminds me a lot of their quads.

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2011 18:59:29 | More by s1ckboy

ehammond1

California

4.05/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle

Pour It Black
Stone Brew Co.
Escondido, CA

Pitch black throughout and a very thin light brown head. This doesn't leave much more than a few small spots of lace down the glass. Gorgeous color.

Balanced and not overly strong aroma, but what's here is very nice. A nice combination of roasted malt, a bit of smoke and wood character, some chocolate, and a touch of coffee. Complex and not at all overpowering.

Simple, straightforward, though delicious flavors of roast, mild coffee, some chocolate, and a touch of smoke or wood. Incredibly well rounded and highly drinkable, especially for the incredibly high ABV.

Medium to thick bodied with low carbonation and no presence of alcohol whatsoever--a miraculous accomplishment.

A very well rounded, complex, and highly drinkable big stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 01:47:40 | More by ehammond1

Brabander

Netherlands

4.13/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Our beloved buddy Doopiedoopiedoo (Erik) took this special bottle to the Borefts festival for us. What a nice treat. Thanks Erik!

Poured in a the Molen tasting glass this beer looks very nice. Pitchblack with a reasonable head.

There was something with the smell which was hard to ignore. A bit of an earthy taste, like the barrel was a bit moisty in a late octobermorning.

About the taste enough has been said, i am glad i had the chance to try this one. I had some bottles a year ago but gave them all away or shipped them to BA's.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 19:13:44 | More by Brabander

Mar02x

Netherlands

4.47/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I believe this was the base for 'the messy'. I drunk it after the messy on Borefts. It was a gift from beer buddy Jeffo or one of his friends, I don't exactly remember because I was a bit turned of by the messy.

A - Like a light messy

S - Oak, dark cherries mixed with yeast.

T - A very smooth taste, spicy beer (cardamom and cloves).

M - Smooth carbonation, warming and bitter in the after taste. No alcohol is present. A very, very good brew.

O - Also very good.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 13:14:24 | More by Mar02x

Damian

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Drank from a 33cl e. bottle purchased at De Struise Brouwers, Oostvleteren, Belgium
Best before M(arch) 2015
Served in a snifter

Outstanding appearance. The beer poured pitch black. A three-finger tall crop of tight, coffee-colored foam topped the liquid. Terrific head retention. With every sip, a thick sheet of lacing coated the glass. The crown slowly dissipated to a thick, lasting ring.

The nose was fantastic as well. It was incredibly deep and dark with intense, smoky, peaty and roasty notes. Super smooth. Lots of semi-sweet chocolate and brown sugar as well. Coffee came through strong. Quite pleasant overall and nicely balanced. The nose became sweeter and boozier as the beer warmed.

The flavor profile was initially dominated by peaty, smoky, salty and dry, scotch-like notes. There was also a fair amount of oxidation. A characteristic "wet paper" flavor was apparent. Tons of dark malts came through up front. Coffee and roast appeared in the center. Lots of brown sugar sweetness as well. Somewhat woody and oaky. The peaty saltiness was really noticeable on the dry, tannic and alcohol-rich finish. Quite whiskey-like. Some bitter espresso came through as well. A touch acrid. The beer really seemed to mellow out as it warmed. Both the oxidation and the acridness settled down. The booziness was still quite prevalent however.

The mouthfeel was certainly the most disappointing aspect of this beer. It was surprisingly thin and watery, especially when considering that this is a 13% ABV imperial stout. Also, because the carbonation was so subtle, the beer felt nearly flat. The residual sugars in the liquid were quite noticeable, and they left a sticky coating on my lips.

Although this beer may not be for everyone, I found it to be quite interesting. Because of the not-so-subtle influence of the Caol Ila barrels on the beer, spirit lovers should take particular note of this offering. If you have an affinity for the peaty, salty, smoky stuff, you will likely enjoy this beer too.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 04:19:16 | More by Damian

drseamus

New York

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap at Ebenezers

A: Completely black body with a dark brown head.

S: Very tight nose. There is a touch of smoke but this is a sleeper of a beer.

T: Super rich stout up front with heavy roast. Thick malt immediately after the stout and the smokiness comes in from the scotch. Finishes with a dry roasted malt. A great taste from start to finish.

M: It coats the entire mouth. Very think, almost syrupy. Definitely super thick bodied.

D: I couldn't drink more than 5 pints of this on an 80 degree day. The smoke is perfectly balanced with the beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2011 21:32:09 | More by drseamus

mulder1010

Australia

3.05/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

330 ML bottle

Thanks to Baggio for the bottle

A-- Poured black, no light penetrating the body. Big, massive dark brown head with tints of cinnamon on the sides. Three finger height at start that worked it's way to one finger and slowly to film. Good head retention and body shape. Very clean and left no lacing through drinking. Just quick running alcohol legs on the sides of the glass.

S-- Lots of soft notes. Dark chocolate, dark fruits, peat, and wood.

T-- Odd sour fruitiness to the start of this. thought a chocolate covered cherry soaked in brandy. Lots of fruitiness in the taste that quickly dripped off to chocolate, licorice, peat and wood.

M-- Very thin. Lots of brandy or rum soaked fruits. Ah, fruitcake and spice, with hints of char and ash. Low carbonation and medium feel with a lot of char, ash and stewed cherry finish to this.

O-- Easy to drink and well hidden alcohol but not sold on the brandy or rum covered cherry aspect of this. Loved one and II but this is different. I think my issue is more towards the Islay scotch than the beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 14:51:33 | More by mulder1010