Black Damnation III - Black Mes - De Struise Brouwers

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a snifter)

A- This beer pours a inky dense black body with a thin dark cinnamon rocky ring of foam. It is to dense to see any carbonation.

S- There are some woody vanilla notes with and inky black roasted malt note to follow. Some graham malt notes come through with a peat and spent grain musty note in the finish.

T- The leather and chocolate malt flavor blends and are pretty mellow with a raisin and other dark dried fruit quality to it. Thee is a fruity tartness to the scotch and peat hint in the finish. There is a touch of black malt bitterness that lingers and takes on an inky hint as it warms.

M- The medium-full mouthfeel has a slippery finish and no alcohol heat at all.

O- The well blended smooth and subtle black malts and barrel grows a bit when it is pretty warm. It is a nice stout that is well aged and the barrel is less oak and more bright scotch fruitiness.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 21:32:31 | More by rhoadsrage

DaveJanssen

British Columbia (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330 served in De Struise galss at Kulminator. Reviewed 9 June 2011.

Ar: Roast, burn, very earthy, scotch/whiskey, heavy burn/smokle, coffee, dark baking chocolate, anise, tobacco

Ap: Very thick fine tan head, great retention, thick lace, black

T: Burn, whiskey/scotch, very dark, strong earthyness, coffee, burnt malt, rich bark malt, strong anise, molasses, tobacco-like earthy sweetness, nice oakscotch/vanilla character, slight chalkyness at end

M: Creamy and full, medium carbonation, alcohol warmth, slightly chalky

O: Burnt but good, rich and full, too much bornt character for me but good, anise

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 19:47:53 | More by DaveJanssen

jbeatty

New York

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

Tasted 8/10/2011

A: Pours deep black, thick fluffy light tan head that lasts for quite a while. This looks great.

S: Nose has a milk chocolate base, vanilla notes and a spicy Islay character on top, subtle brine, some smoke.

T: Roasted dark malts, some coffee bitterness, massive whiskey finish with peat, spice, and smoke. Dry, bitter alcoholic finish.

M: Creamy in the mouth, though the aggressive whiskey notes make this a little rougher going down.

O: As a fan of Islay whiskeys, this was always a favorite of mine, but tasted next to the other Black Damnation beers, I see there is a trade off between the strong whiskey character here and the richness found in the first of the series.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 00:33:05 | More by jbeatty

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

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

330ml bottle 13,0% Abv.
Served lightly chilled in a snifter
Reviewed in 2010 - finally have time to type up the review!
Again thanks to Thijs for the bottle.

Appearance: Pours a beautiful inky black - absolutely no light is getting through this baby! Huge (would you expect anything else from Stuise?), mocha coloured head that displays amazing retention and leaves good lace for the abv.

Smell: Mmmmm, what a nose! Beautiful smokey whiskey notes right off the bat - perfect since I love Islay scotch!
The nose is also bursting with charred malt, cocoa, coffee and oak. Some warming yields a lot more oak and whisky character - peat, smoke, sea spray etc. Hints of vanilla and a touch of hops are also noted.

Taste: First sip and I can already tell you this is my favorite of the BD series! Charred malt, coffee, dark chocolate, tons of whisky (earthy peat, smoke, oak barrels) and some welcome hops in the finish. A little Alcohol heat is noted, but it’s right at home with the whisky character.

Mouthfeel: Perfect body - thick and chewy! Carbonation is equally good, mild but smooth.

Overall: Superb stout and best of the BD series thus far.

6 months on and this is on the top of my list to taste again!

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 19:28:33 | More by Thehuntmaster

drabmuh

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer served in a small wine glass. Beer is black with a dark brown big head, small bubbles, some lacing, low carbonation, looks nice I like the head on this one.

Aroma is weaker than the Black Damnation 1, some oak, some roast, some liquor. Interesting.

For being 13%, this beer hides it so well. It is smooth but thinner than expected, finishes with a nice but odd bitterness and some oak notes, the scotch is kind of a subtle flavor to me but overall a very nice beer. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 03:31:05 | More by drabmuh

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

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

Bottle shared by drabmuh. Thanks Matt!

The beer is black with a beige collar that leaves a thick sheet of lacing on the glass. The scotch character emerges more in the flavor than in the nose. Roasted malt and whiskey working in harmony. Soft scotch aftertaste in the finish. Very well done. Overall, a terrific beer, especially if you appreciate single malt scotch.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 23:12:46 | More by Huhzubendah

tmoneyba

Ohio

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

Poured a black color with an average frothy brown head that lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate to heavy toasted chocolate and alcohol aroma. Medium to heavy bittersweet woody malt flavor with a medium to heavy bittersweet and small alcohol bite finish of moderate to long duration. Medium to full body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. This is a standout beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-12-2011 00:06:44 | More by tmoneyba

thagr81us

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Massive thanks goes out to cmrillo who shared this one with the group at the "Evening Wood" tasting graciously hosted by cmrillo as well! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller flute. Poured pitch black with a half finger light brown head that subsided to a minimal amount slowly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, roasted malt peat, and wood. The flavor was of sweet malt, roasted malt, wood, and peat. It had a heavy feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a good brew. I am not a big fan of peat flavors in my beers so this one suffered a little bit on the scoring due to that fact. The base on this brew was quite good however and it does shine through but the peat just overtakes it for me. Was lucky enough to have this one back-to-back with the series (except V) and this was my least favorite of the group, but it still wasn't bad at all though, just in tough company.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2011 16:42:53 | More by thagr81us

Neffbeer

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at rattle n hum.

A: It pours the color of midnight oil with a wisp of a tan head. There is evidence of some brown hues in the light. No retention and no lacing.

S: The nose is an on slaught of smoky wood, whiskey, and a heavy dose of charred malt. As I keep smelling it the peaty nature is really pronounced. There are also notes of anise and dark chocolate.

T: It is full of scotch whisky goodness, peaty and woody as hell. There is a pleasant apple flavor that creeps in behind the barrel and manages to soften the blow. Anise and chocolate are not forgotten on the palate as it finishes bitter and surprisingly dry.

M: full bodied with minimal carbonation. It is really slick and viscous.

O: Extremely impressive, I wish I could get my hands on this on a regular basis.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2011 20:30:14 | More by Neffbeer

05Harley

New Hampshire

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

Best before 3/2015
Lot A

Purchased through Cracked Kettle, Netherlands

Price - $13.52/bottle U.S.

Pours pitch black, midnight black with a beautiful brown two inch creamy head. A thin creamy film remains after a few minutes accompanying the ring along the edge. Due to the viscous nature, the dots of lacing fail to make a big impression. A gentle swirl is all it takes to reinvigorate the brown head, wow.

Aroma is dominated first by a heavy scent of black licorice and whiskey followed by dark fruit and oak.

The flavor is both sweet and spicey. Pretty complex with a lot going on. Whiskey, roasted malts, vanilla, coffee and dark fruit.

Thick and chewy with a huge body. I can definitely feel the heat of the 13% punch as I near the end of the bottle. Finishes with a bite of hops which provides a slight dryness.

Overall this was enjoyable and has it's place huddled up near a fire on a cold night.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 19:59:55 | More by 05Harley

rtepiak

Poland

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

i would not have expected it to be anyway near this high an abv... i'm not sure if it was because it was on tap or it this is secretly this smooth. it felt like it was in ballpark of about 9-10abv. Although very evident malting. sticky to the touch. pour is as it should be with a nose most immediately of peat and forest berries... the forest berries dissipate rather quickly to be replaced with a peat malt and coffee malt. this is the predominant quality the beer. palate wise it was a toasty sweet peat coffee with an amarillo, centennial aromatic end. hints of walnut tannins in the finish. easy to drink but a conversation piece... more so in the fact that you can drink it for an hour and the consistent coffee/peat quality doesn't dissipate. and that you can tell your friends... can you believe it? its 13abv.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2011 04:15:02 | More by rtepiak

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap 4/16/2011 at Armsby Abbey in Worcester served in an over-sized wine glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark black color, short light brown head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains roasted dark malts, licorice and dark fruit.

T: The taste starts out with a rich roasted malt character and flavors of dark chocolate and dark fruit. There are some flavors of smoke and licorice in the background. The hops presence is very mild but creates some balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and a little crisp, medium-to-heavy body, light-to-medium carbonation, finish is sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down dangerously easy, not too filling, very strong kick, good representation of style, decent big stout and better than the regular Black Albert but not as good as Black Damnation II.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2011 21:31:57 | More by TheManiacalOne

cosmicevan

New York

4.55/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

a - popped the bottle and poured into a lost abbey tulip. deep and dark like a black hole with a thick dark brown head. the head was creamy and substantial and very milkshake like.

s - coffee, roasted malts, a bit of vanilla and cream. kind of like one of them this-or-that-a-cino drinks you get at an overpriced coffee shop. desserty.

t - deliscious. much like the smell but dominated with chocolate. a mix of milk chocolate and dark chocolate with a strong roasty, almost smoky flavor to it. the barrel is definitely present in the flavor and a super nice compliment on the beer. i've tasted some other whiskey barrel aged brews and found the barrel to not compliment the beer nicely, but goes to show what difference a barrel makes since this barrel is a nice marriage with black albert and enhancing the base beer in my opinion.

m - leaves a really wonderful tingle in my mouth. the booze is hidden amazingly well. creamy and cooling.

o - overall, this is way better than black albert. the flavor is great and the feel is also top notch.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 05:17:05 | More by cosmicevan

portia99

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Armsby Abbey at Stoutfest 2011. 6oz pour in a stemmed glass - sampled side x side x side with Black Damnation 2 and 4.

A - Pours a deep, dark black with a low tan head that is just off-white.

S - Whiskey, salt/sea water, smokey, peaty, boozy.

T - Not much (surprised!), flavors are low and not that distinct. I do pick up boozy/whiskey flavors, smoked and peaty malt and some hop bitterness. Smoke is a bit over the top.

M - Low to medium carbonation with a medium thick body. Very smokey - the defining aspect of this beer.

O - OK...not crazy about the smokey aspects. A bit overdone for my tastes and definitely different from most stouts - very definite Scottish Highlands aspect here...not sure it works though - at least for me.

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2011 00:26:49 | More by portia99

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Armsby Abbey Stoutfest.

Pours essentially pitch black color, a lighter darker creamy head.

Nose has smoky cheese, tons of peat smoke, bit harsh.

Taste is chewy, dry, little booze, bitter earthy malts and hops, lingering bitterness, light oats, spicy, light oak and vanilla, some roast and black patent malt.

Mouth is med to slightly heavier body, decent carbonation.

Overall pretty good, nice malt flavors, a bit overkill on the smoke though, not much booze.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2011 00:52:15 | More by jlindros

alpineclimber

Alberta (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A sleek brown bottle with a cool graphic on the label, popped and poured into my chalice.

A good tan head on the usual black brew.

Dark fruits are very prominent on the nose, candy sugar and the malt used in the brewing process. Overall a very sweet nose.

Lots of dark fruit, plum, black cheery and the sweetness of an apple sauce. The distinct Belgian taste is there with the yeast and sugar.

A thick and creamy mouthfeel

Always and interesting experience with De Struise stouts. I rather enjoy the unique taste of the Belgian stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 02:41:14 | More by alpineclimber

corby112

Pennsylvania

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

33cl bottle received in a recent trade with PALMEJ1. Thanks again Jacob!

Pours pitch black and completely opaque with a one finger dark mocha head that quickly settles into a lasting ring. Sporadic spots of lace left behind.

Nice smokey aroma with a good balance of sweet and roasted malt as well as some dark fruit and earthy whiskey barrel. At first there is a very roasted malt character with hints of toast, dark chocolate, oatmeal and coffee bean but it doesn't smell burnt or acrid. As it warms, the barrel character becomes more prominent with hints of toasty oak, peaty scotch whiskey, faint vanilla and possibly some licorice.

Chewy full body with some tight carbonation and a bone dry, extremely roasted dark malt flavor. Lots of smokey toasted character with hints of bitter dark chocolate, oatmeal, burnt toast, deeply roasted, almost burnt espresso bean and a very prominent smokey peat barrel character. Plenty of dry toasted oak accompanying the prominent dry, smokey peat flavor. As it warms, the sweeter notes become more evident with subtle hints of dark fruit as well as some boozy whiskey. Although the beer has a boozy flavor, there is hardly any heat or warmth to speak of. The ABV is very well masked and although this beer is very smoky, roasted and somewhat acrid, it's actually very quaffable.

Overall, this was an interesting take on the Black Albert/Damnation series. The single malt scotch barrel aging is very unique and adds a good amount of smokey peat without killing the base beer. It's a bit one dimensional and heavy on the roasted, almost acrid side but I still really liked it. If you like Islay single malt scotch and or roasted, smokey stouts then this beer is for you.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 08:03:55 | More by corby112

pleasewearpants

California

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

Nice appearance - pitch black with a tight, well retained tan colored head. Light scotch notes and hints of bitter chocolate in the aroma. Not super boozy or sharp. Really great body - well carbonated sugary flavors up front that roll off into a scotchy finish. Really drinkable for such a high ABV. This is the second beer of this series that I've had. These guys do a great job on this style.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 21:25:34 | More by pleasewearpants

Cmack15

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I was fortunate enough to have this on tap at The Kulminator and felt very lucky to have the beer served this way. Thick chewy inky black stout. Coffee notes with a hint of chocolate just draw you into this beer. Like all of De Struise's beers I instantly fell in love with it. Alcohol is well hidden and this is a nice stout to unwind with.
Cheers

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2011 21:08:12 | More by Cmack15

mikeyv35

New York

4.38/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Date: 08/01/2010
Vintage: 2010
Type: 11.2oz. Bottle
Glassware: Portsmouth Tulip

Brew poured a dark brown mahoghany in color w/ a 1 finger tan head that left medium lacing. Nose was of chocolate malts, scotch whiskey, roasted notes, and peat. Taste was similar being of chocolate, whiskey, oak, vanilla, roasted peat, and a finish od subtle hop bite. Mouthfeel was thick and lush. Very smooth w/ well hidden ABV, very tasty.

This was a pleasure to drink and I really enjoyed the flavors. Should only get better w/ age.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 18:03:32 | More by mikeyv35

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

on tap at monks in philly

Pours a completely ink black, a coffee head fades into rings of lacing with a softer layer of film.

Bittersweet dark chocolate with light licorice notes, dark fruit and a bit of sweetness in the nose.

Smooth, slick sweetness with dark fruit. Raisins, dates, and plums with some rich sweetness and a blast of coffee. Dark bittersweet chocolate with molasses and syrup. Finishes a bit warm and soft with dry hoppiness.

Full syrupy body, lower carbonation, sticky, soft, and dry. Drinks insanely well for the abv, not to mention the great flavor and feel.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2011 05:27:57 | More by xnicknj

maximum12

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to beerisheaven for this cute bottle from across the pond. Base of Black Albert? Something about barrels? How can this not be good? 330 cl. bottle. Dumped into one of the unbranded, heavy, quality glasses my wife bought me years ago when the beer madness first infected us.

Pours with a big damn head for such a big beer; my only complaint is there's so much damn yeast that I only get about 10 ounces of legit beer. I swig the bottom stuff, not so good, too many yeasties. I always regret doing that. Another six or ten years & I might stop. Smell is subtle but touching, deep, deep sweet malts & that distinctly British lick of barrel. Islay. I'm going to have to try that stuff.

Black Mes brings a smoke-infused whiskey shot to the Black Albert franchise. Full of peat & malts, with an earthiness that fits hand-and-glove with the heavily roasted malts. As the beer warms, the whiskey comes out, but with a dignified reserve. It melds so well with the base beer that it's bizarre they weren't created together. I can almost hear the bagpipes. Scary drinky for such a big beer. Glad they only put it in kiddee bottles.

Very good beer. This certainly brings a new twist to Black Albert, but I still prefer the original. Hopefully I'll get to sample all the others in this series, too!

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 03:31:56 | More by maximum12

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at 72 Hours of Belgium yesterday

Looks like every other Black Albert variant out there - jet black with a dark brown head. The nose is surprisingly muted when compared to the bottle I had. Peaty, salty barrel character is present, with dark chocolate quite noticeable. Moderate tannins, this is quite roasty. The palate opens salty and peaty, the barrel really comes through and quite strongly, if I may add. Whelming the base beer, only the roast stands out on the mid-palate. Drying on the finish, this is enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2011 14:43:59 | More by DefenCorps

oline73

Maryland

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

I had this on-tap at Max's Belgian Beer Festival.

Appearance: This one pours pitch black with a bit of tan head that goes away almost immediately.

Smell: Sweet coffee roast dominates along with some dark fruit notes. There is also a bit of dark chocolate and some whiskey as well.

Taste: This one is quite roasty with a lot of dark chocolate and coffee flavor coming through. There is some dark fruit in the sweet flavor as well. The finish is a bit alcoholic from the whiskey and a bit bitter from the roast.

Mouthfeel: This one is thick, but not motor oil thick or anything like that. The body is also quite smooth. There is some mild carbonation and a somewhat dry finish.

Drinkability: I think this beer is quite good. The only complaint I would have is some of the other flavors might have to fight a bit much to get through the alcohol. I would try it again if I ever have the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2011 04:00:08 | More by oline73

akorsak

Pennsylvania

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

On-tap at Max's. That's all one needs to know.

A: Repetitive? Yes. Deep and dark, nearly black as black can be. Another off-white head along for the ride. At least the old guy didn't knock this one over.

S: Roasted malts, offset by sweet whisky and peated notes. Coffee hangs around throughout, a nice pairing. A Scotch presence is a nice balance to the stout.

T: Roasted malts, coffee and burnt toast along for the ride. The whisky barrel gives a distinct flavor to the stout, calming down the dark flavors. In their place, peated malt, salty as a sea breeze, take over. The whisky isn't sweet, rather it lends gravitas to the stout.

M: The mouthfeel, mostly stout, has enough barrel to keep me happy. The sea salt and peat are a soothing presence against the coffee stout.

D: 13%? I'll share with ksak. Even a small glass is too much within this setting.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2011 22:08:30 | More by akorsak