Black Damnation III - Black Mes - De Struise Brouwers

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

GRUUMSH

Belgium

5/5  rDev +20.2%

05-12-2013 19:59:29 | More by GRUUMSH

BierMeJohn

Germany

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

04-21-2013 12:30:31 | More by BierMeJohn

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

04-12-2013 22:45:11 | More by mendvicdog

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

04-12-2013 03:53:54 | More by cadaugherty

Mike

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

04-04-2013 04:20:42 | More by Mike

DruRho

Maryland

4/5  rDev -3.8%

03-31-2013 23:55:12 | More by DruRho

BAsbill

California

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

03-30-2013 04:05:55 | More by BAsbill

Sparky44

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

03-24-2013 01:42:05 | More by Sparky44

nmann08

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

03-09-2013 02:51:47 | More by nmann08

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

DarthKostrizer

California

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

02-13-2013 09:06:39 | More by DarthKostrizer

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev -3.8%

02-08-2013 00:43:37 | More by starrdogg

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

imperiallibations

California

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

01-30-2013 22:37:32 | More by imperiallibations

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

Wowcoolman

California

4.75/5  rDev +14.2%

01-28-2013 01:14:43 | More by Wowcoolman

drewone

California

4.75/5  rDev +14.2%

01-28-2013 01:13:43 | More by drewone

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

BobZ

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

01-08-2013 02:27:32 | More by BobZ

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

M27

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

01-01-2013 01:03:09 | More by M27

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

Scamboogery

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

12-16-2012 23:13:48 | More by Scamboogery