Outblack - De Struise Brouwers

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Lot 01/01/2011 bottles 02/FF
(Served in a snifter)
A- This beer pours a opaque black body with a sea of microbubbles that support a thick meniscus of beige cream.

S- The clean dry earthy black molasses hint has some dark raisins and tannin hints come through as it opens.

T- The soft dark roasted toffee flavor has as slight chewy oats taste with some soft tartness mixed in and a dark dry candy note in the finish. There is some woody molasses flavor that takes on more of a black licorice aftertaste. Some vinous sherry hints grow in the finish as it warms aswell.

M- This beer has a medium-light mouthfeel with no alcohol heat till it is pretty warm.

O- The flavor is very light with lots mysterious qualities. There are lots of hints and nice flavors but it is all very soft and a bit underwhelming. Some dark sugar and different grains are pleasant but just too soft to get much character.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 20:54:44 | More by rhoadsrage

VWBuggirl

South Carolina

3.64/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

This pours a nice dark brown that is quite cloudy. You can hardly see light through it. There is a small creamy tan head that doesn't last long, but leaves a nice lacing on the glass.

This has the expected sweet scent to it for such a high abv brew. I get hints of licorice and maple syrup. This is about what I expect from this beer.

There is not as much sweetness as I would expect from the scent. It has a fair amount of plum to it that is quite enjoyable.

There is a nice sharpness to the carb that helps break through the thick sweetness and helps to balance out the overall feel.

Overall, this is a very nice, balanced beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 00:53:32 | More by VWBuggirl

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Otterbrown pour appears a deep black while sitting in the vessel. A light walnut brown head dominates the glass with a towering presence and soapy large voids along the glass walls. Retention is good while leaving whispy lashes of lace with spacious proximity.

S: Boozy sweet licorice and fresh prunes for first impressions on the nose. Alcohol is even toned at 10%. Burnt caramel raisins with a touch of bready yeastiness.

T: Flavor of sweet roastiness and chocolate, sugary figs with some dark fruit of prunes. Boozy licorice tones combine with raisins and a soft burbon presence and sweet dark malts. Dates, sweet plums, with a roasty fade closes things out with a good fresh bready yeastiness touch.

M: Syrupy slick mouthful, quiet carbonation nice resistance on the tongue.

O: Nice complexity of dark fruit and sweetness with a well mannered abv. Very easy to consume and enjoyable, smooth and polished.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 17:47:38 | More by beerthulhu

ehammond1

California

4.08/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle (2011)

Texas Wine
Carlsbad, CA

(Aged for 1+ year)

Nearly black in color with a huge, quickly forming, very persistent dark brown head of very large bubbles. Once this recedes, it leaves messy splotches of big, sticky bubbles all the way down the glass. Pretty, though perhaps some excessive carbonation.

A very interesting, complex, and unique aroma: initially, there's good amounts of earth, mint, tobacco, and faded hop character, but as the beer warms some roast, earthy yeast, clove, and dried leaves come to the forefront. There's perhaps some pepper and floral notes as well. Like I said, this is quite complex.

Lots of dark roasted dark malt, toast, some clove, anise?, dried leaves, and tobacco in the flavor, with incredibly well hidden alcohol. I probably wouldn't have aged this one on purpose if I had been aware they used the term "black IPA," in the bottle description, but it has aged incredibly well, turning into something quite complex: a Belgian, hoppy, black saison, if you will.

Medium bodied with moderate/high carbonation, though not at all prickly. Long, lingering roasty finish. A joy to tip.

With very few expectations, I came away loving this beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 04:55:09 | More by ehammond1

Amalak

New York

4.16/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A. It has a pure black color with a good tan, foamy head and some lacing.

S. It has an extremely strong scent: minty scotch scent.

T/M. It has a very toffee taste. Very carbonated. Full bodied. It has a figgy, chocolate taste to it. A dark fruit raisin taste underneath. Perhaps some plum. Sugary. High in alcohol.

O. Very strong and only good in doses, but it is really very flavorful and well made. It will put you on your ass, but it is very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 02:57:40 | More by Amalak

superspak

Michigan

3.8/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

330 ml bottle into tulip glass, lot 01/01/2011. Pours cloudy fairly pitch black color with a nice 2 finger fairly dense dark khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big raisin, chocolate, roasted malt, light char, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, pepper, herbal, earth, and yeast spiciness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity; very unique. Taste of dark chocolate, roasted malt, cocoa, light char, raisin, prune, caramel, toast, coffee, brown sugar, pepper, clove, herbal, earth, and yeast spiciness. Lingering notes of chocolate, roasted malt, cocoa, light char, raisin, prune, caramel, toast, coffee, brown sugar, clove, pepper, earth, herbal, and yeast spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice flavor balance and complexity; with a nice malt/spiciness balance; and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a creamy and lightly chalky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is extremely well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very good Belgian dark ale. Nicely complex with unique flavor and nice balance; and very smooth to sip on. I enjoyed this quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 05:28:48 | More by superspak

ngeunit1

California

4.38/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - Dark black, bit of brown around the edges, finger of frothy khaki colored head. Fades fairly slowly.

S - Roasted milk chocolate malts and caramel malts, grapefruit, orange, citrus, and light pine hops, rye, wheat, Belgian yeast, spices, light booze.

T - Roasted milk chocolate malts, caramel malts, grapefruit, orange, pine hops, bitterness, spicy rye, wheat, Belgian yeast, spices, hint of coffee, light booze.

M - Medium-full bodied, moderate carbonation. Smooth with a roasted, bitter, dry, warming finish.

D - Really nicely balanced and complex.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 03:47:54 | More by ngeunit1

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

4.2/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into Globe glass.

A. Poured 3+ finger head. Head is a light tan. Thick lacing. Really good retention. Color is big surprise, black.

S. Very interesting. Not sure I have smelled a beer like this. Almost smells like a cookie. Quite a bit of spices, fruit, and sweetness. Fruit cake comes to mind. For pure novelty of smell I almost have to give this a 5. Cinnamon, raisins, molasses, brown sugar, baked goods.

T. Very interesting taste as well. Quite a bit of spice going on in the flavor of this. Molasses, spice, dark chocolate. Can't really describe what the spice is almot mint like, cinnamon. Very unique tasting beer.

M. Medium/full bodied. Medium/low carbonation. Finishes with some spicy sweetness.

O. Can't say that I have had too many beers that smelled or tasted like this one. The spiciness is pretty unique. It is hard to pin down beneath the big body of this beer, but almost reminds me of mint or juniper. Its a unique and good enough beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 22:12:39 | More by siradmiralnelson

sweemzander

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11.2oz bottle poured into a tulip. Lot# 01/01/2011

(A)- Pours practically pitch black. Produced a giant head of frothy tan colored foam. Superb retention and lacing all over the place.

(S)- Deep aromas of a woody roasted pecan and raisin. Bits of cocoa and even more wood that turns slightly yeasty to an almost earthy funkiness.

(T)- Very similar to the smell. Loads of a nutty pecan and raisin/prune combo up front that turns into an almost creamy but earthy cocoa yeastiness.

(M)- A great smooth carbonation level. A smooth balance too. While it has some dense fruit characters to it, this is the essence of a creamy smooth profile overall. Was surprised this is at 10%ABV.

(O)- Honestly, I was rather impressed with this. With a little age on it, it sure is smooth city despite the ABV and dense flavors. A fun play on the style for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 21:28:58 | More by sweemzander

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.35/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Purchased from Acquistapace’s Covington Supermarket in Covington, Louisiana. (Bet you never thought your beer would make it to a random shelf in Louisiana) for like $6. Awesome.

Poured from 11oz bottle into tulip. Lot 01/01/2011...bottled on or bb..not sure.
Pours a spectacular deep brown with amber hue and a crazy tan thick foamy head. It looks soooo creamy and good.
wow..big chocolate aromas, dried plum (prune), and sugar aromas pretty much dominate this one. Taste is so unique. Really dark chocolate, cinnamon/spice, dried fruit, spicy, then the dark chocolate hits again. I dont get much of the IPA on this, but I deff see the belgian dark.
Its a super tastey brew, creamy yet a slight sharp/bitter mouthfeel, but you would never know the abv... overall this is a fantastic brew. De Struise is just simply amazing...way to go Carlos! (and Stillwater).

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 03:29:56 | More by DrinkSlurm

pixieskid

France

3.93/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured into my De Struise "Cervoise" glass.

Deep brown color, almost black with a foamy light beige head.

Nose: Notes of spice and dark, ripe fruits dominate (raisins & black currant) a touch of chocolate; don't pick up on any hop aroma...probably due to the fact this bottle has been around for a while.

Taste: Mellow milk chocolate upfront, dark fruits, a touch piny resign and citrus hops balanced with a brown sugar sweetness and mild bitteness. Finishes with some roasted malts, brown sugar, and lingering burnt toast/ bakers chocolate...some warming alcohol as well.

Mouthfeel: insanely creamy and smooth; just amazing.

Overall: as it warms up, the complexities really come out but the real draw to this beer is it's ridiculously creamy/milky mouthfeel that makes it quite memorable.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 17:26:14 | More by pixieskid

Dope

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle is labeled: Lot 01|01|2011| Bottled 02/FF

A: Pours a dark brown with lots of floaties. Big fluffy medium brown head. Fades slowly leaving tufts of fluffy lacing on the glass.

S: Prominent raisins and earthy belgian yeast. Has a roasted malt character though I think - a little chocolate in there? Nice combination, like a bsda and a porter mixed together.

T: Nice mellow fruitiness up front with some raisin and fig. Turns bitter in the middle with a little bit of chocolate and a hint of char. Very earthy in the middle and into the finish. My mouth feels dirty, almost. Hints of dark fruit and chocolate in the lingering aftertaste.

M: Medium bodied, not nearly as heavy as you'd expect for 10%. Fairly smooth.

O: This is a tough one to rate. It's basically a BSDA and a black IPA combined I guess. Decent roasted malt, decent bitterness, decent earthiness to boot. It's got good flavors and an even better aroma. But somehow it just doesn't quite work for me and I can't exactly place why. Just an odd mix, albeit unique.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 03:27:21 | More by Dope

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appropriately black colored beer. Meaty head makes my goblet look like a St. Bernardus snow globe. But with beige snow.

Smells like cola, real cola (with real sugar, not corn sugar), licorice and brown sugar in a rich, complex melange.

Corresponding with the aroma Outblack tastes rich and complex. Molasses and brown sugar sweetness with some hoppy dank spice for balance. Not as hoppy as I would have guessed but noticeable. Little sour tang in back which is non sequitur. Soft, tongue massaging mouthfeel.

Good stuff. Haven't had a less than great beer from these guys and or gals.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 00:16:18 | More by donkeyrunner

impending

California

3.6/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

B

33cl into a wine glass. Pours a deep black walnut, dense light tan head retains nicely as a cap, ok lacing.

Aroma is yeasty, cocoa with a bit of citrus hops, burnt coffee and rye.

Taste includes dark fruits that were absent in the scent. Earthy with bitter chocolate and an underlying roastyness. A mild bitter in the finish but more of singed coffee than hops. Aftertaste fades fairly rapid. Medium bodied creamy mouthfeel.
No conclusion that this has the breeding of an ipa, seems more stoutish.
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 06:24:34 | More by impending

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.65/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A 330ml bottle with a BB of Feb 2016. Bottled on 1/1/11 (?) - New Year's day? Acquired from a Belgian webshop and cellared in my garage for quite a long time. A collaboration brew between De Struise and Stillwater - a blend of Belgian strong dark ale and US black ale. Not sure what the bizarre eclipse picture on the label is supposed to represent.

Poured into a Duvel tulip. A thick layer of yeast sediment clings to the bottom of the bottle. Dark brown; appears totally black in the glass. Produces a huge head of creamy tan foam with great retention; this slowly reduces to a thick surface layer. Aroma of sweet, faintly fruity malt with a herbal character. Notes of brown sugar, dried fruit, mild liquorice and hints of coriander, peel, bay leaves, eucalyptus, rosemary/thyme and earthy yeast. A warming whiff of booze in the background, though this blends nicely with the other aromas.

Tastes of rich dark malt with a fruity, herbal character and a dry, bitter finish. Notes of molasses, brown sugar, roasted malt, coffee/cocoa, coriander, orange peel, herbs and earthy yeast. A warming, solventy hint of alcohol in the background. Pretty dry, with a restrained bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is thick and smooth, with a spicy quality. Feels somewhat flat and undercarbonated. Rather astringent, with an aftertaste of sweet malt and a herbal bitterness.

Unusual - rather hard to place this beer. To be honest I have a hard time even picturing the style that this is categorised as, which doesn't help. It's big and well crafted, just odd. The herbal notes are the mystery, as the ingredient list only mentions grains and hops. I was expecting more of a black IPA character, but perhaps the hop aromas have faded and left a herbal flavour behind. Sweet, fruity and boozy, but dry and herb-like. I'm surprised there isn't more of a yeast ester presence. Overall, it's charismatic but weird. Worth trying once, though I'm not sure I'd revisit this.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 02:40:45 | More by jazzyjeff13

vfgccp

New York

3.63/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Creamy tan head with fantastic retention and nice lace. Cherry cola body.

S - Surprisingly bright, tart and tangy sour cherry.

T - Wow, just like the nose the taste is exceptionally bright. Concentrated cherry cola, brown sugar, and pop rocks. Aggressive sweetness. Lightly tart backend.

M - Lively carbonation and a medium frame. Thick sweetness.

O - A really interesting flavor profile, I can't say I've had a beer like this before, but overly sweet.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 14:45:16 | More by vfgccp

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.23/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

330 mL bottle poured into a De Struise chalice. I love it when I coordinate. Bottle dated 1/1/2011, maybe?

Appearance - Dark brown with a huge khaki head. Settles quickly, but never vanishes. Contiguous layer of foam on top that climbs the sides of the glass.

Smell - Whoah. I don't even know what I'm smelling. Like a fruity coffee aroma with strong herbal tea notes. Remarkable.

Taste - More along the lines of a BSDA, I suppose, but still way out there in terms of flavors. Coffee is strong. Herbal hops are also strong. Hefty fruit presence, but hell if I can identify what it is. This is a very interesting. Maybe cola? I think that's what it reminds me of.

Mouthfeel - Medium heavy body. Medium carbonation. Delicously creamy.

Overall - I'm impressed. Struise never ceases to amaze me the way they flip styles around. I expected a standard BSDA, but this is truly fascinating. Herbal, cola, tea, and coffee all at once with a nice earthiness. I'd love to have this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 00:42:12 | More by Alieniloquium

dgilks

Australia

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy dark brown color with a billowing, light tan head. Decent head retention.

Unique herbal, spicy aroma. Nice sweetness. Slightly honeyed. Eucalyptus. A little strange but it works.

Sweet malt flavor with some spicy yeast character and interesting herbal hop flavor. Lightly fruity with some echinacea and anise notes.

Medium body with moderate carbonation. Good.

A solid beer and truly unique. Curious flavor profile but I quite like the way the whole thing comes together.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 10:24:31 | More by dgilks

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My first beer from De Struise, finally. Have a few others waiting to drink, but this one is calling my name.

Pours very dark brown, essentially black in the glass. Despite that, I could tell from the pour that it was clear, and light behind it shows deep reddish hints at the edges. Two big fingers of dense medium coffee-tan head. Fantastic retention - come on, I want to drink the beer! And big clumps of foam sticking up the sides of the glass. Wow.

Smell... I'm not really sure what to expect. Candy sugar, some light herbal hops. Smells fuzzy. It's faint, but I like it.

Where the smell was a little bump, the taste is a big strong punch in the mouth. Bold and rich, with tons of dark fruits, followed by an alcohol burst that carries some a mild hop bitterness with it. I've heard people describe a leather taste in beer before, but never experienced it until now. Interesting. Prunes are the predominant fruit. It's rich, malty, and quite varied. I like it. Aside from that initial punch I felt, the alcohol is quite well hidden.

Mouthfeel is silky smooth. Mouth-filling, with tons of tiny little bubbles generating a soft foam in my mouth. Finish fades away like I'm chewing foam.

A very tasty beer. Not sure what I'd call it, but BSDA seems close enough. Big and malty, with a medley of interesting flavors all blending together well. Yum.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 02:20:04 | More by zeledonia

Falcon91Wolvrn03

California

4.15/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Appearance – Very dark brown, but translucent enough to see considerable sediment in the beer. A very thick head, and good lacing.

Smell – Malt, honey, and some crazy spice. Hard to place exactly, but maybe wintergreen. Sounds bad, but it’s actually nice.

Taste – A nice, sweet maltiness and some wintergreen.

Mouthfeel – Silky smooth with a nice sweet spice that masks the alcohol.

Drinkability – This is a very drinkable beer. Goes down easy for 10%abv.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 05:42:10 | More by Falcon91Wolvrn03

Bubba83

California

2.23/5  rDev -43.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Bottle is dated 1/1/2011. Poured into a small tulip.

The appearance is quite nice indeed. Very black body topped by a nice two finger widths of light tan head. The head is comprised of very small bubbles. Lacing and retention are both great.

Smells like a lot of candi sugar was used, has that kind of quadrupel type smell to it, but it is too heavy on that artificial cherry cough syrup smell. There's some other dark fruits too, like raspberry and black currant, but it's mostly that artificial cherry. Minty herbal/medicinal to the max.

Tastes much like it smells, but there's a little more going on. It is definitely loaded with residual sugar and has a big artificial cherry flavor like cough syrup. Underneath that is a bit of char and oxidization, along with some earthy, minty, herbal hop flavor.

Mouthfeel is medium, and the head texture feels fine.

Overall I am very unimpressed. I'm not sure if this is a bad bottle or if it was kept improperly before it got into my hands. I'd find it hard to believe the beer is intended to be this way.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 07:49:32 | More by Bubba83

yamar68

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 330ml to Duvel tulip:

Pours with very minimal clarity and an excited medium brown head. Milky, stubborn consistency with decent lacing. Head is incredibly dense, like insulation.

The nose is scattered with caramelized sugars. Honey, oats, milk duds, not much of an alcohol presence, cocoa, brown sugar, hot chocolate bits.

Taste is extremely unique. The nose suggested something run of the mill but this is far from it. Grapes and booze up front... all those various chocolate hints don't show themselves as clearly on the tongue. Some Belgian yeast surfaces after a bit of warmth. Very interesting.

Overall, this is exactly what I want from a pricey brew - not a textbook example of the style, but an adventurous take on a genre that you thought you knew. Very good.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 03:54:51 | More by yamar68

mavbrew

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Deep dark brown, once in the glass looks black. The head is nice and full, light tan in color and slowly dissipates.

S: Roasted malts are coming through, with some piney hop scents and some Belgian yeast as well.

T: Very interesting taste, sweet and boozy up front with hints of caramel malts coming through, followed by the hops and yeast.

M: Light to medium in body with average carbonation.

D: This beer is very different, has a lot of interesting characteristics. It's very malty, but also has some hoppy tastes as well. Not my favorite but it was pretty solid overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 00:16:51 | More by mavbrew

Damian

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Drank from a 330 ml e. bottle
Lot 01/01/2011 goed tot, a consomer avant 01/02/2016
Served in a tulip
Thanks to Douglasjamjak for including this as an extra in our trade.

The beer poured super deep and dark brown/black and was topped by a billowing, three-finger head of bubbly, tan colored foam. Streaky rings of lacing trickled down the sides of the glass. The head slowly faded to a persistent ring of froth.

The nose was rather tame. Chocolate malts were noticeable, as was a dry, powdery yeastiness. Slightly roasty. A touch of piney hops came through as well. There was also an interesting herbal (perhaps sage?) component. Some booziness became noticeable as beer warmed. The aroma also turned much sweeter and fruitier.

The flavor profile was dark, roasty and quite hoppy, yet it also contained some Belgian-like characteristics. A dry, powdery, Belgian yeastiness appeared on the front end. Chocolate and roasted malts were also noticeable. Slightly fruity and spicy in the center with discernible raisins notes. The finish was dry and hoppy and had a moderate alcohol bite. The hops were quite piney and bitter and they resonated on my palate after each sip. The hoppiness also intensified as the beer warmed.

The mouthfeel was fairly average. Medium bodied with a crisp, bubbly, lively effervescence. The liquid could have been smoother and creamier.

De Struise's Outblack is a unique but forgettable beer. Furthermore, it is a bit rough around the edges. I was expecting this to be a nice melding of a Belgian strong dark ale and an American black ale, but the flavor profile seemed to lean much further toward the latter.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 03:23:16 | More by Damian

rinhaak

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

11 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass.

Pours a thick, dark black with faint hints of red. There is a very thick and foamy browned head.

The nose is intense with smoked malts, chipotle, coffee grounds, spearmint, prunes,

The taste is wild with an absolute collision of flavor. At first the tongue tastes a sort of postage stamp flavor, which matures into a smokey mint. Strong herbal notes with wild roots (sarsaparilla? burdock? dandelion?). The hops are present, though generally covered by a dark caramel/coffee/ash combination. A strong booziness throughout, it finishes with a bit of campfire smoke.

The beer has a velvet mouthfeel and coats your tongue with its silky goodness.

Overall, this is not a beer for the faint of heart. It just might be the most unique beer I have ever tasted, and I give De Struise props for thinking well outside the box. The ABV notwithstanding, it's far from a session ale; I almost recommending splitting a bottle with a friend. It is so intense it can almost be too much.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 03:33:04 | More by rinhaak