Night Stalker - Goose Island Beer Co.

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes:

Growler received in a past trade with beerloco. Thanks a lot Alan and thanks a ton for replacing the first growler which broke in transit.

Pours pitch black and completely opaque without even the faintest trace of lighter color and a two finger frothy, pillowy dark mocha head. Excellent retention, only slowly fading into a lastic cap that coats the glass with rings, streaks and splotches of soapy lacing.

Extremely roasted malt aroma with lots of acrid ash, wood, charred earth and burnt coffee bean in the nose. There's also hints of toffee, oatmeal and faint chocolate bu the aroma is dominated by the insanely roasted character. Hopefully it tastes a bit more complex than it smells.

Full bodied with much more balance and flavor than the aroma suggests. There's still a prominent smokey roasted character but the other flavors are more evident especially as the beer warms. Lots of silky chooclate notes that are slightly bittersweet with hints of oatmeal, coffee/toffee bean, licorice and toffee. There's also some faint hop bitterness but it's very minimal. This beer is all about the malt and thankfully it's not like sucking on used coffee grinds. Slight creaminess mid-palate adds complexity and mouthfeel. The ABV is well masked with only slight heat in the finish making this beast surprisingly drinkable.

Overall this beer is pretty good and much better balanced than I expected. It's not all that hit, even a a young age, but it's still a bit too roasty for my liking.

Serving type: growler

02-25-2011 01:49:43 | More by corby112

PEBKAC

New York

4.47/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Twenty-two ounce hand-filled bottle from a couple months back. The mini-fridge of plenty always provides. It "should" be okay. "extra air quotes just in case"

Ommegang Anniversary glass. Half an inch of russet-colored head is all it provides. Straight black coffee-color body, but a touch more hearty, like coffee brewed twelve hours ago. :P

Smell is thick with molasses & a generous helping of mixed greens. A green chili intensity without any heat. Rich, half cooked dough. The fumes are invigorating, enchanting, & barely approach anything resembling noxious, unless you are already under the table.

Initial feel is like I added two packets of cream to my coffee(Or maybe some cornstarch). A spritz of carbonation at the beginning, but the body turns into gooey old coffee once it turns that corner. Thank god it's tasty.

Dank & delicious. Loads of doughy, just barely roasted malt. Heaps of pungent green & citric hops. Garlicky & heavy. Pruney like a good Baltic porter. Cola & just about no coffee. A lingering amount of earthy, dank hops. I just about fail to notice any bitterness coming from the roast. All that residual sugar, wow...

Triple chocolate death cake or bust. What else can you pair this with?!

Serving type: growler

06-10-2010 04:39:53 | More by PEBKAC

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bierkraft filled 22 received in trade with gory4d... Greg hooked a brother up.. and this was shared with my good buddies.

Dark tan head.. great lacing.. expected black brew... nice retention..

great roasty profile is punctuated by a heavy handed citrus hoppiness... some brown sugar.. rich IS characteristics but the hops really shine.

flavor has a great hoppy bitterness... char is there, but has a lite smokey quality.. plenty of citrus hops.. some perfumy floral hoppiness with warmth.. nice cocoa.. brownie batter wonderful malts.. nice body and carbonation...

I can not wait to try this out of the new bottling.. very very good..

4/4/4.5/4/4

Thanks again Greg.... This was an awesome trade...

Serving type: growler

03-31-2010 07:39:46 | More by JohnGalt1

portia99

Massachusetts

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

22oz growler cp filled at Bierkraft. Received in trade with Hoppymcgee. Thanks Greg! Shared with nonstick - poured into a Dogfish Head signature glass.

A - Pours absolutely an opaque pitch black with a decent collar of cappuccino foam and the thinnest cap of bubbles on the surface of the beer.

S - Smells largely of molasses and licorice, some alcohol and even a slight touch of bourbon and some milk chocolate. Very faint roasty aromas and maybe a hint of dark fruit. As it warms, a touch of smokiness creeps in, adding more complexity.

T - Dark molasses flavors up front followed by some dark roasted malt with a some dark chocolate and a coffee finish. Dark fruits in the middle of everything along with some alcohol flavor and an overall light sweetness.

M - This is a super thick and syrupy beer. Carbonation is on the low side. Feel is super creamy and full bodied...flows over the tongue slowly. Feels like it coats my teeth in roasty and syrupy goodness.

D - 11.2% doesn't lend well to drinkability. Alcohol is quite noticeable...pretty boozy - but definitely less so than a fresh GI BCS. Split this 22 with another BA, which worked out to be just about right. Very good beer, but if I had the whole bottle, it might be an early end to an evening.

Serving type: growler

02-06-2010 23:25:22 | More by portia99

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A 1-liter swing-top growler (looks exactly look the photo above(!); replace the huge '?' with a handwritten tag 'Goose Island Night Stalker 1/2/10'), poured several times to a snifter to end the evening. Huge thanks to SpeedwayJim for supplying a tough one to snare (though it sounds like bottles are on the horizon).

A: Top pries loose with hardly a 'poof' of air and shows a bit of crusty brown residue around the seal, not sure what to make of that... However...pours a rich, perfect blackness, seemingly impenetrable even at the outer fringes. Decent little head, nearing a 1/2-finger of ginger-yellow cream at its acme. Clings as a slim ring, wispy smoke-like swirls grace the surface once most of the head fades. Lace flecks sprinkled liberally.

S: Smells of dark roast (a creamy chocolate, a little mineral/ashen) and wafting sweet-ish (spicy?) pit fruits...a less subtle alcohol fume warms and engorges the nose.

T: The requisite dark chocolate and coffee roasts, heavy and pungent, with a deeper syrupy fruit (blackberry and a tart fig). Robust and yet sweeter cake/fudge darkness holds true, wavers between a charred/burnt grain and sweeter molasses/vanilla. Has a ton going on and teeters between either extreme - ultimately settling for a deeper, darker bitterness with an almost-forgotten green hop leafiness way in the back. Fun to sip and contemplate.

M: Thick and chewy, like the best of the big stouts. Heavy, but with less blatant booziness than some others and taking creamy smoothness to a whole new level.

D: Whew! A creeping beast that packs a punch in subtle waves. Very easy to drink, but don't be fooled into thinking this demands less than a full belly and ample time. fortunately I had both after an earlier pasta dinner with a buddy; unfortunately (or fortunately?) this growler was a solo venture later in the evening. Grateful for the try (cheers, Jim) and heartily recommended.

Serving type: growler

01-23-2010 05:03:33 | More by msubulldog25

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

An aggressive Imperial Stout with unrelenting malts and resiny hops; reminescent of Bell's Batch 7000 when it was young.

The beer pours black, opaque, and with the impression of thick viscocity and motor oil. Light on head formation but the lace of foam holds on for the majority of the session. Stouts just don't get darker or thicker.

Serious malts are actually dwarfed by the resin, pine, and fresh cut grass aroma. But still, the espresso, roasted grains, and bittersweet cocoa make a lot of headway towards the end.

The malt sweetness shows a tons of toffee and molassas that edge on toasty and roasty character. Espresso notes do the most damage with a robust attack on the palate. Hop flavor creeps closely behind with the same pine and resin notes as experienced in the nose. As the beer warms, a mild note of anise shows the only hint of ester. This beer is pretty straight forward with the roasted malts and sharp hops.

Thick, heavy, chewy, and strong; this beer is all that it is billed to be. Much like the Bourbon County Stout, this beer is a Goliath of a beer, at least in the textures. Oily, rich, and fulfilling the beer is intimidating. Hop bitterness helps to cut through the malts, as do the 12% alcohols.

The Bell's Batch 7000 rounded out in a year to a near flawless beer. I expect the same out of this one.

Thanks Cheezdawg! (04/10/10)

Serving type: growler

10-09-2009 04:26:12 | More by BEERchitect

heliosphann

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

64oz Growler. Served in an a oversied Duvel Tulip/Pint Glass. I've had the pleasure of trying this a few times, and this is a combination of both experiences.

A: Jet black pour which swallows up the light. Fitting for the name of the brew. A very small amount of mocha head departs quickly. Some lacing left over.

S: Sweet bitter dark chocolate dominates along with some nice roastiness. Noticed some oak, vanilla and carmel notes as well. Hops are there, but somewhat muted. Also detected some booziness is as well.

T: Lots and and lots of chocolatey goodness. Hops are noticeable and provide some bitterness, but not overpowering. There's some alchohol burn, but it's far from a bomb. Finish is nice and sweet.

M: Somewhat deceptive as it starts out lighter, but finishes super think and creamy. Carbonation is just about right for an RIS.

D: For a big stout, this drinks very well. The almost 12% ABV doesn't discourage much here. I could drink a few pints of this give the chance (and I have!).

Being that Night Stalker is the base of BCS (one of my favorite beers period), it's hard for me not to love it. The dry hopping adds a nice touch, and helps bring out some of the other flavors you don't get in BCS. I'd be nice if Goose Island would bottle this as well. Then more people would be able to enjoy it.

Serving type: growler

09-21-2009 01:29:33 | More by heliosphann

Goldfish19

New York

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

~ Purchased this 32 oz growler from Big Z Beverage in Huntington, NY. Pours jet-black and immediately you can smell hints of chocolate, dark fruits, and roasted malts. With a name like "Night Stalker" and this bad boy coming in @ almost 12% ABV, you would think this beer would be a little intimidating? Not at all! This goes down surprisingly very smooth and as I let it warm up, all the flavors came rushing out making this one a very special and complex brew. Highly recommended! Watch out though, if you try to drink this one too fast, it'll creep up and hit you like a freight train! ~

Serving type: growler

09-15-2009 00:25:49 | More by Goldfish19

tpd975

Florida

4.15/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a nice shade of black with a small tan head. Ample carbonation allows you to bring back a head over and over again. Okay lace.

S: Rather sweet aromas. Fudgy chocolate, caramel, brown sugar and molasses. Light roasted malt notes as well.

T: Roated malt up front with a big blast of coco. The sweetness hits you next with molasses and brown sugar leading the way. A touch of alcohol and a hint of bitterness round things out.

M: Medium in body, nice carbonation.

D: Pretty good. Great beer that I thought would be outstanding.

Serving type: growler

09-04-2009 13:41:41 | More by tpd975

Floydster

California

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 ounce growler from Bierkraft courtesy of tpd975, thank you very much for this treat Greg, opened with my dad tonight to celebrate my second birthday here on Beer Advocate, poured into my Charles Quint goblet, color is black and it looks nice with a creamy dark brown head that lasts around ten minutes, which is not too big but stands it ground with great retention and decent lacing, aroma reminds me of the Rolo candies, for some reason I kept getting a sweet caramel scent inside a nice milk chocolate, roasted malts mixed with a bit of smokiness, earthiness, toffee, vanilla extract, burnt sugar, good amount of booze, and cinnamon, flavor starts off with roasted caramel and toffee with creamy cocoa flavors following in the middle, roasted malts dominate the finish but there is still that dark chocolate flavor that keeps lingering behind, slightly hot in the aftertaste but not nearly what I was expecting after smelling it a few times, warms up with dry hops oddly, expected these to stick out more at first when it was more chilled but they finished nicely with an earthiness followed by sweet chocolate, flavor sweetens up by the end with dark ripe fruits that almost gives this stout a liquor feel, awesomely balanced beer with a lot to like about it, roasted, bittersweet, and warming mouthfeel, full bodied, medium level of carbonation that probably kept it from being overwhelmingly full, taste lingers for a very long time, drank half of this no problem, wish I had not shared it afterwards in a way, light and inviting for how big of a beer it is alcohol is hidden well in the flavor but stronger in the smell, this stuff went down like it was three or four perent less in ABV, nice and smooth, stoked I got to try this draft only beer that is sitting in the Top 100, one of my favorite beers from Goose Island and one of the better stouts I have had in a long time, wish they bottled this stuff, great beer and glad it was preserved so well in this great Bierkraft bottle, would love to drink again, recommended

Serving type: growler

09-04-2009 04:32:44 | More by Floydster

hoppymeal

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

22oz 'growler' from Bierkraft. Pours black in color with a good sized 3 finger rusty tan head that slowly dissipates. Aroma is big and rich, some strong vinous notes, dark fruit, bit of chocolate and a hint of some ashy roastiness. Taste follows with a nice dose of sweet chocolate and caramel followed by some more of the fruit flavors, ripe grapes, almost a cherry and apple like flavor mid taste, molasses in the finish and aftertaste along with a hint of smoke, some hoppy bitterness and a brush of alcohol. Mouthfeel is very nice, it is definitely big thick and chewy, and yet also smooth and creamy. The malts are heavy and you can feel the weight and strength of the beer, but it stays on the verge and does not get overly cloying or thick. Soft creamy carbonation, a bot of alcohol and hop bite in the finish along with some alcohol warmth. Overall a delicious stout imo, definitely a sipper, a very big beer, but also a very well crafted beer, a great dessert or night cap.

Serving type: growler

09-04-2009 02:57:24 | More by hoppymeal

craytonic

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Motor oil, no lacing but more head than I expected.

Smell: Little coffee, I get massive massive dark malt, fudge, chocolate, toffee, caramel, brown sugar vanilla, molasses, figs, dates and other dark fruits.

Taste: Some breadiness, massive dark malt, fudge, chocolate, toffee, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, molasses, figs, dates, and other dark fruits.

Mouthfeel: Extremely creamy without being overtly heavy.

Drinkability: Like BCS, this belongs in a 12oz serving that will last quite a while. You will feel the ABV, although it is barely present in the taste and smell.

*NB - I believe that BCS is far superior.

Serving type: growler

08-10-2009 02:56:57 | More by craytonic

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.95/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured out of a growler from New Beer distributors into a snifter.

A: A relatively fine deep caramel 2 finger head that dissipated quickly. This brew poured jet black like used engine oil.

S: Cherries, licquorice, raosted chocolate malts, and alcohol. This one was distinctly lacking a coffee aroma that I expected it to have. Don't know why though since it's closely related to the GS Bourbon stout.

T: Very sweet throughout. Taste of cherries, licquorice, dates, roasted chocolate. A strong alcohol taste in the finish that really seems to linger in my mouth. Much hoppier compared to the Bourbon stout.

M: Medium to full bodied with little carbonation. This beer is deceptively silky because the alcohol really becomes apparent at the end.

D: This brew opens and sits in my mouth amazingly but the harsh alcoholic finish makes it a real sipper. Very good, but I'd much rather have the Bourbon stout than this.

Serving type: growler

07-31-2009 02:44:40 | More by SpeedwayJim

capra12

New York

3.5/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Reviewed with the help of Speedwayjim on 7/6/09, served out of a snifter glass.

Appearance: 2 fingers head which dissipates quickly and is jet black.

Smell: Initially it smelled like an IPA but with further inspection there were hints of dark currants and smoked dark chocolate.

Taste: Opens slightly carbonated with roasted malts. The sweet dates and dark fruit come through in the middle with some earth notes as well. The earthy notes remain as thet are accompanied by subtle hop profiles and hints of sour notes.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a silky smooth finish but finishes with a strong alcohol kick which lingers.

Drinkability: I would have another but not on the same night, but definitely worth a try.

Serving type: growler

07-27-2009 03:24:35 | More by capra12

petroos

New York

4.4/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a viscous, deep brown black. Forget motor oil, it reminds me of tar. There is a dark tan 2 finger head, which dissipates quickly. The lacing is serious on this one.

S: Coffee, chocolate, roasted malts, earthy hops and citrus peel. Very complex. There is a very pronounced soy sauce characteristic that I guess is a product of the fermented malts that I'm not digging at all though.

T: Wow! Roasty malts give way to caramel and coffee. There is a ton going on in the midpalate. Figs, grapes, black fruits and licorice with a hint of citrus peel. The finish is chocolaty and smokey. Alcohol warms the palate but not in a bad way. The finish lasts forever, with a bit of licorice and that great milk chocolate flavor. Every sip brings more flavor nuances.

M: Absolutely huge, creamy mouthfeel. The alcohol is present, but complimentary, not detracting from the other flavors and textures. Very well integrated carbonation is perfect.

D: This is seriously drinkable. It keeps calling you back to the brew because every time I take a sip I taste something a little bit different. More seriously, the 11.70 % ABV is seriously well integrated, which makes me think that I'm really asking for trouble with this one.

This is without a doubt one of the best stouts I've had, and if it weren't for the soy sauce aspect, it would have scored even higher.

Serving type: growler

07-23-2009 20:40:00 | More by petroos

grub

Ontario (Canada)

4.65/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Viggo brought this one over tonight to sip on after some brewing chores. huge thanks eric!

1L swingtop. sampled july 16/09.

pours deep inky black, nearly opaque except at its thinnest when coming out of the bottle. a very dense brown head forms, dropping fairly fast yet leaving a solid sheet of lace behind.

aroma is great. rich dark and milk chocolate. coffee. anise. cocoa. caramel and a bit of toffee. toasted biscuit and multi-grain bread. faint alcohol. lots of dark fruit. raisin, date, plum. earthy and woody. bit of vanilla.

taste is great. the richest dark chocolate. cocoa. bit of milk chocolate. medium roast coffee. lots of dark fruit, slightly sweet. raisin, date, plum, fig. bit of red grape too. light caramel and toffee, but most of the (light) sweetness seems to come across as fruity rather than sugary. lots of licorice and anise. earthy and woody. the alcohol is well hidden, but it doesn't take long before the warmth starts to spread through you. toasted biscuit and multi-grain bread. bit of cracker. touch of vanilla. the one thing that seems absent is much roast. there's just a hint in the coffee-like character, but even that is far from a dark or espresso roast. i'd just like it to be a little more present and a little more assertive. it's the one thing i'd say i'm definitely missing from giving it full marks here.

mouthfeel is excellent. nice big body, but fairly restrained sweetness. silky smooth medium carbonation level.

drinkability is excellent. perfect balance, showing but a fraction of its alcohol. great depth and excellent complexity. overall this is surely a world-class beer.

Serving type: growler

07-17-2009 02:56:56 | More by grub

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

HUGE thanks to Beerloco for the hookup on this. I owe you big.

Pours a deep and dark opaque black, no light gets through this bad boy, very thick and chunky tan head forms, slowly settles down to a thick ring around the glass and a thin layer, lots of lace chunks stuck to the glass, looks pretty fantastic. Smell is insane, very rich, toffee, chocolate, roast, vanilla and wood, raisins and dates, maple, molasses, some alcohol, almost a doppelbock like breadiness, biscuits, lots of dark fruit, very nice. Taste is similarly good, very intense burnt sugar sweetness, toffee, raisin, chocolate milk, roast, dark fruit, rum and molasses middle, maple syrup, dates, alcohol, big sweet finish that balances out with an acrid bitterness, lightly smokey with wood and vanilla at the end, very long finish. Mouthfeel is full bodied with low to medium carbonation. Alcohol is a bit sharp but still comes through buttery smooth, this is damn good stuff. Fantastic finish, like a Werthers. This definitely lives up, I dig it. Thanks a ton Alan!

Serving type: growler

07-17-2009 02:34:07 | More by Viggo

brundo4

Illinois

4.7/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 64oz. growler into a 16oz. pint glass. The brew is jet black, like a good stout should be. A small espresso head forms, but dissipates almost instantly. A small, tan ring of lacing is left. Does not appear too carbonated. Instead appears delicious. Let's stick our nose in it.

On the nose a smoky caramel scent comes on strong, along with molasses, syrup, brown sugar, and a good oak note. Reminiscent of a good, sweet breakfast stout, but smells more strongly of alcohol. Scent really is as dark, mysterious, and inviting as the brew itself.

Per a few recommendations I have let this beer warm up a bit before drinking. First taste is quite sweet, syrupy. Definite caramel, brown sugar, molasses flavors shine through, as well as a bit of bourbon and brandy. Very well composed flavor. Deep and complex. Alcohol is fairly well hidden but a good sting does hit the nose. Nice bitter aftertaste complements the initial sweetness exceptionally. There is a strange, grassy herbal character as well as some sweet candied fruits (plum, cherry, maybe a subtle pomegranate) dancing just beneath it.

Mouthfeel is thick and luscious. Very smooth and heavy. Low carbonation, like many tap stouts. Powerful on the tongue, silky going down.

If this beer wasn't the high octane drunk-fuel it is, I'd swear I could drink it all day. So smooth with a perfect sweet/bitter balance. I will most doubt have another, and another, and another, and then another when I wake up from my stupor.

Serving type: growler

07-08-2009 23:01:32 | More by brundo4

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Got this from PEBCAK, cheers Adam! Per Adam's suggestion I've let this warm up!

Pours a ruddy mahogany with 2 fingers of fluffy mocha colored head. Good lacing & some head retention

Slight bubble gum twang there up front, then brown sugar & brownie notes as this warms.

T: Boozey, oak & mocha, & hints of rubber bands & leafy hops up front. Vanilla, oakyness & bitter sweet chocolate dominate as this warms. This beer screams for a brownie or three... Cherry & bourbon notes are prominent as this finishes, with gooey chocolate & a kiss of coffee, too mouch booze & some weird fruittyness prevents a 5.0, but I can learn to love all that...

MF: Creamy/chewy with some biting carbonation, Becomes super rich as this warms

Drinks pretty easy, but too complex & warming to session on..

Serving type: growler

06-27-2009 04:08:17 | More by russpowell

beerman207

Kentucky

4.28/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Deep, dark black with a reddish hue to it

S-Chocolate in the nose, as well as alcohol, dark fruits, and some malt.

T-Very rich flavor - the expresso comes through as well as chocolate, and maybe even a bit of oak?

M-Very light bodied (could be due to the growler sitting a few days)

D- Fantastic beer that I'm happy to have sampled. Thanks to Bamadog for the hookup! I wouldn't mind having a good bit of this to have an extended sample. Even with the high ABV, I believe this is highly drinkable.

Serving type: growler

06-18-2009 02:14:02 | More by beerman207

kels

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Bamadog happened to mention last night that Night Stalker was on tap at Party Source and Party Town. We immediately made an impromptu trip for a growler to split. Review is on a pour into a tulip.

Appearance: Pours a very rich, super dark chocolate brown, really black, with a short, 1/2 finger tan head that retains decently with light rings of soft lacing following down the glass. The liquid is completely opaque.

Smell: Aroma isn't nearly as strong as expected. Light scent of milky, creamy chocolate and a fruity sweetness like chocolate covered cherries. Subtle roastiness from caramelized malts comes through with a hint of earthiness, somewhat like tobacco. The alcohol comes through in a slightly sharp sting in the aftertaste.

Taste/Mouthfeel: The taste is very full and robust, strong with roasted coffee, hot alcohol, slightly present citrus hops, chewy, almost syrupy malts and a distinct sugary sweetness that develops more over time as the beer warms. It is almost maple syrup-like. Feel is a bit of a contradiction - viscous yet bright, sticky yet smooth.

Drinkability: Lower for the style even. The sticky sweetness pairs with the alcohol heat to be a little overwhelming. As with the Bourbon County Stout, I'd probably prefer it with age. Too bad a growler won't work that way.

Serving type: growler

06-16-2009 12:12:04 | More by kels

kmpitz2

Tennessee

4.72/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to RoyMunson for this one.

Nice hiss as I opened the cap letting me know that the cabonation held up on this one in transit. It poured an opaque onyx color with a small coat of brown head that falls to a broken film after settling. The aroma brings notes of anise backed by a mild but detectable alcohol. There is a bit of fig fruityness and some chocolate notes in there as well, but both are married well with the anise. It is a little lighter on the nose than I anticipated. The flavor on the other hand is huge. The first to hit me is a spicy anise that moves to a chocolate-covered fig on swallowing the beer. The aftertaste brings espresso and almost a hint of cherry fruityness with a detectable bitterness on the sides and back of my tongue. This one is sweet, but not cloying. The alcohol is certainly apparent in the flavor, but it does not take away from the experience; instead it enhances the flavors in the brew. As I drink more of it, I'm finding some tropical fruit flavors (pineapple and coconut) right as I swallow the beer and lingering into the aftertaste. It is a very unique combination of flavors. The mouthfeel is thick, leaving a good residual coat in my mouth after swallowing the brew. The carbonation is minimal but present and suiting this beer very well. Overall, I am thrilled to have had a chance to try this brew. It is incredibly complex and I think I like this more than after resting in barrels. Drinkability is as expected for the style. I'm not going to sit down and kill the growler tonight, but I can probably make it through a few glasses for sure.

Serving type: growler

06-11-2009 21:40:25 | More by kmpitz2

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours black with a thin tan head. Nose is seeming like a fruity thing at first but then it morphs to a slightly roasted tone. Then I get a tar thing as well. Flavor is thick and hearty. Lots and lots of malty body to it. Minor roasted tones. Yet that sweet malty stout character lingers in the back. I am leaving it out to warm up and see how it matures with a temperature climb. THe liquid body of this is extremely thick. I mean we're talking pretty viscous here. I have seen comments on how Dark Lord is quite thick and I am wondering how that bottle in my cabinet will compare to this. Carbonation is minimal, yet still slightly attacking on the mouth. Interesting. Definitely a sincere endeavor by Goose Island. Better than Bourbon County Stout? Hmmm. I would have to say no as of this moment. However this is an early draft version, so I am quite willing to try future bottlings in order to compare.

P.S. The booze really kicks in quick on this one.

Serving type: growler

06-01-2009 04:33:50 | More by RblWthACoz

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

After not being able to make it to GI during Dark Lord weekend to have some in person I owe a big THANKS to fellow BA mcallister for hooking me up with a 16 oz flip top mini growler! Been saving this one for a night to sit down with and enjoy!

A-Deep, dark black with a medium dark, reddish tan head. This slowly reduces to a thin film that leaves spotty lace. A surprising amount of carbonation for a month plus old growler.

S-BIG chocolate blast initially with an impressive and complex melding of dark roast, espresso, dark fruit and molasses. A bit of hop spiciness creeps in as it warms up.

T-BOOM---my first impression--A dark chocolate and espresso covered beef jerky bar! Big flavour with tons of deep, dark notes. This is big, bold and oh so tasty! An impressive melding of rich flavours.

M-Full bodied, rich, smooth and luscious. This brew is almost chewable! Big, long lasting flavours and earthy, spicy bitterness.

D-I often think I will not like BIG stouts as much as I end up liking them! This is simply and outstanding brew! I really like BCS but I have to say as a stand alone RIS this is one impressive stout. In fact I like this more than BCS. One big, beefy, roasty, flavourful and GIANT tasting stout. Thanks for the opportunity mcallister!

Serving type: growler

06-01-2009 01:08:49 | More by Deuane

JohnQVegas

Tennessee

4.63/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

32 oz growler, filled on Friday and capped on foam, into a red wine glass.

Pours opaque black, not a hint of brown even around the edges, with a thin dark brown, fluffy head that dies down fairly quickly.

Nose has lots of citric hops plowing through big notes of molasses and mocha, a bit boozy. Everything in this just works - so big and rich.

Taste is out of this world. Big thick chocolate and molasses notes, espresso, and a fantastic citrus note and noticeable hop bite and bitterness. One of the hoppiest stouts I've had, but the malt backbone just shrugs it off. It's like someone took a dark chocolate milkshake, threw in a shot of espresso, and then dry hopped it. Fantastic. Works best at cellar temp, interestingly - towards room temp the hop bitterness and acidity runs a bit rampant, trying to drown out the fantastic chocolate/molasses/espresso notes, though it does bring up some very interesting red fruit notes. Finish is long, rich, citric hops and loads of espresso. Booze is kept well in check for a beer this size.

Mouthfeel is the classic Bourbon County thickness - rich, viscous, and as close to motor oil as I've had. The hoppy acidity in there cuts it just a bit, but it's still so unbelievably smooth and rich, with just the lightest carbonation.

Drinkability is all relative in a beer this size, but I've positively flown through the first 16 ounces of my growler. The next 16 don't appear likely to last long. Deserving of the hype. Only beer that I've had that's anything like this is a Smuttynose Imperial Stout after about a year; this is very similar, but taking one notch further.

Serving type: growler

05-30-2009 21:27:08 | More by JohnQVegas