Night Stalker - Goose Island Beer Co.

AshHousewares

Minnesota

4.8/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Beer pours like motor oil, the head is very thin (about half a finger) and a deep caramel color. I held the glass up to a light and nothing penetrates the surface.

Taste is strong up front - fruity (currents?), moderate hoppiness, subtle sweetness, and a chocolate finish. Alcohol is noticable in the slight burn, but not remotely unpleasant.

Overall this is a fantastic, rich, complicated Stout. Like dessert in a bottle. I found an entire bomber to be a bit much for just me. I'd be really interested to see what this beer does at it ages.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2010 20:16:01 | More by AshHousewares

hawks10

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

8 oz serving on tap at Brixie's in Brookfield, IL tonight, tapped within a couple hours of me trying it...

Pours a thick, viscous black liquid with a nice dense one finger tan head that hangs around for a while before dissipating...a hazy film of head caps the brew for the whole drink...

Abundance of coffee in the nose to begin...a strong scent of rubbing alcohol starts showing itself with burnt/roasted grains and a bit of anise/black licorice...

Taste is sweetened with a hint of molasses before becoming bitter with the roasted chocolate malts and mild hop presence. Nice chocolate hints with a mild alcohol burn. Beer tastes like it's been "pre-aged", not hot at all, very smooth and balanced...delicious...

Super smooth, creamy, coating, delicious. Mouthfeel is incredible. The 11.7% seems really well hidden, as there is only a slight, inviting alcohol burn. Thick, with a beautiful taste that lingers for a while...

Have had this on tap a few times and fresh from the bottle (bottled 2.19.2010, consumed 3.3.2010) and it has been near perfect each time. An incredible offering from Goose Island, I much prefer this to Bourbon County Stout and I'm really glad I picked up a case!

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2009 07:53:35 | More by hawks10

klewis

Ohio

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On-tap at the Catskeller - Cincinnati, OH 4/3/09

A: Pours pitch black with a small, bubbly head. Light lacing.

S: A soft smell with a coffee aroma and light floral hops.

T: Full and complex. Coffee, molasses, and a touch of anise. An unusual (but delicious) herbal and minty hop character. No alcoholic presence or astringency.

M: Full-bodied with light carbonation. Extra thick and syrupy.

D: This beer is worth murder.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2009 18:12:00 | More by klewis

darklordlager

Wisconsin

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed at the Happy Gnome in St. Paul.

(From notes)
A: Pours midnight black, with good head retention. Medium tan head.

S: Dark malts, chocolate, layers of caramel, dark fruit, and citrus.

T: Rich, sweet chocolate and bourbon, caramel. Citric hops, and a lingering caramel milkshake. Chocolate covered dark fruit, and pineapple-citrusy hops.

M: Velvet. Dead on--nothing more to say about this one.

While I thoroughly enjoy BCS, the bourbon character is just so huge. The hops are a great addition to the base of this beer and add a marvelous complexity. I will be seeking this beer out in the future...

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2010 16:44:40 | More by darklordlager

Bubba83

California

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a snifter at around 50 degrees. Special thanks go to Kegatron for including this bottle as an extra, yes you read that correctly.

Pours a deep dark brown color, mostly black unless held up to the light. The head was 2 fingers width, creamy, and dark tan. Good retention and excellent lacing down the sides of the glass.

Aroma is quite complex, lots of hop character in the forefront. The hoppy characteristics are of the citrus variety, but it is also quite grassy and fresh tasting. From the malt and alcohol, I'm getting, black licorice, alcohol sting, cherries, roast, and chocolate.

Wow, it tastes exquisite. Chocolate at first, but not overly sweet chocolate, more like bitter-sweet. This is followed quickly by TONS of black licorice, with some roast and cherries in the background. I'm not really getting any coffee flavors, but I also get a lot of dark fruit flavors like raspberry and blackberry, which I absolutely adore. Finishes up with a bunch of citrusy hops which seem to blend seemlessly with the dark fruit flavors and the alcohol cherry flavor.

Feels great too, oily and viscous, smooth, creamy, and coats the mouth fully. Exactly what I am looking for in an imperial stout.

I know they made this beer with aging in mind, but I honestly can't imagine it improving past the point it is at now. A mammoth of a beer, and one that I can say is decidedly better than its bourbon barrel aged counterpart. Some alcohol is present in the swallow currently, but I think it's actually at a good level now and contributes to the overall profile. Went down smooth and easy as it warmed. What a lovely beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 06:58:33 | More by Bubba83

ImperialStoat

United Kingdom (England)

4.78/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2010 bottle

Appearance: It's a nearly-12% Imperial Stout - what do you think it looks like? There's only so many entries for 'black' in my thesaurus.

Smell: Intoxicating.
Alcohol, raw bread dough, 90% cacao chocolate, rye, vanilla, and mild orange peel.

Taste: Once every few months or so a beer comes along that causes me to question whether I - in some narcotic coma - crawled to the Crossroads and vouched my soul to Beelzebub in exchange for an elixir of such indescribable brilliance that I regret not taking out multiple loans in order to secure every bottle available. Rather ridiculously I've now had two such beers in the months subsequent to Christmas - Parabola and this.
Anyway, the prominent taste is LIQUORICE on top of dark chocolate; the orange-peel characteristic noted in the smell; the boozy-sweetness of a cherry liquor; roasted malts; and fresh vanilla.

Mouthfeel: Thick like melted ice cream and creamy like whole-fat milk - perfection.

Overall: I'd take this over both BCBCS and BCBVS any day of the week/month/year/decade/centenary/millennium - a brewing masterpiece. Hats off to Goose Island.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2011 00:54:22 | More by ImperialStoat

dirtylou

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

on tap at brasserie V, paired with brunch...$5 for a 6oz pour

cell phone notes

appearance: served in the standard goose island chalice, opaque body with a chocolatey cap and light retention

smell: freshly hopped, very roasty, dark chocolate, espresso, dark fruits, chocolate covered cherry

taste: awesome stout from GI - much different from the thick BCS, this one is a lot smoother and comes with a bit of a hoppy kick (ala surly darkness), dark cherry and other dark fruit, malty, dark chocolate, very roasty, creamy coffee, touch of vanilla, hazelnut

mouthfeel: rich and smooth, abv nowhere to be found

drinkability: high, seek this out

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2009 18:50:56 | More by dirtylou

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Clybourn brewpub the day after Dark Lord Day 2009.

A: Pours a very, very dark brown; nearing black with a tiny head and some minimal lacing.

S: Lots of hops going on here; rivaled likely only by Bear Republic's Big Black Bear Stout in terms of the hops it has. Good, complex roasted malts character rounds everything out, but the hops are what's really surprising.

T: Roasted chocolate malts and dark fruit with a tiny bit of coffee. The hops then loom fairly large, creating an exceedingly-balanced stout.

M: Very full bodied with a medium amount of carbonation.

D: Very well-balanced and wonderfully drinkable. Glad to see this is already on GI's website and will hopefully be a standard yearly offering. Overall, a very solid counterpart to Bourbon County.

Serving type: on-tap

05-01-2009 13:51:52 | More by Thorpe429

aaronh

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pitch black topped by a cappuccino brown head. Aroma of hops is very powerful. Notes of dark chocolate, espresso, and alcohol sweetness push through the hop perfume. Flavor is very well balanced between roasted malt, alcohol esters, dark chocolates, and that wonderful hop bitterness. Mouthfeel is also very rich and smooth. Drinkability - I only give it a 4.5 because after I had this, the bourbon county stout, the imperial brown goose, and a coffee bender I stumbled a bit on my way down the steps. Otherwise - it would be a 5. No way I thought this was nearly a 12% abv brew! An awesome stout.

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2009 03:03:33 | More by aaronh

cnally

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer is beautifully titled.

It is black as night in its body, with a nice brown head rising quickly.

My first notice of the aroma is how surprisingly hoppy it is, and how downplayed its smoky burnt elements are. Bravo for giving me the unexpected.

The flavor is intense and surprising. The burnt malts kick right up front, but the finish is laden with chocolate, cherry, a little coffee...very transcendant.

The feel is a bit syrupy but still balanced.

Just the perfect example of a sipper. thick like port wine, flavored perfectly, a treat to share.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2010 01:19:14 | More by cnally

Reaper16

Alabama

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

22oz. bomber - dated 02/19/10 - served into a snifter

Pours a very dark brown; not quite black at any point. The edges of the beer are a nice cola brown. This high gravity beer only produces a few millimeters of beige head. It actually laces some, which I didn't expect given the tiny amount of foam. I can't fault it for anything; this is how imperial stouts are supposed to look.

This is what I've been waiting for; a super hoppy imperial stout. The hops explode out of this beer. Pine and generic citrus and leaf all make for a lovely, IPA-like hop base. Chocolate flavors, brownies mostly, come up right after the initial hop blast. A kiss of dark fruits here, a bit of nuttiness there, a touch of soy sauce. I'm loving the hops here. Your milage may vary, especially if you don't like Black IPAs/India Dark Ales - which this beer is reminiscent of, only definitely on the maltier side of things.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips and roasted cocoa come at you hard and heavy. This is a lot of chocolate, and that is a good thing. The hops are very flavorful here, as one would expect from the aroma. Legitimate grapefruit and orange lupulin tastes, with a bitter, pine finish. Few beers pull this off: hop bitterness AND heavy roasted malt bitterness at the same time. I love contrasting bitternesses in beers, it is the reason that Boulevard's Bully! Porter is my favorite American Porter. And it is the reason that I will score Nightstalker a 5.0 in taste. The finish is all about contrasting bitterness, with a little plum and grapefruit (contrasting fruit flavors - one from the malt and one from the hops!). The is fucking delicious.

A damn satisfying mouthfeel; this is among the thicker imperial stouts that I've had in recent months. It is viscous, rich and velvety in texture. Drinkability is hampered by the nearly 12% ABV - and it does catch up to you - but you hardly notice the booze while drinking because the hops work to bitter away any alcohol sweetness. I'd score this a 5.0 out of sheer deliciousness and semi-dry (for the style) finish but you can tell that the alcohol will catch up to you - use for proof the fact that I used "bitter" as a verb in the previous sentence.

I had this beer once before, on-tap at Goose Island's Clybourn St. brewpub where Nightstalker was only available prior to the bottle release. I was a bit disappointed in it; the hevay dry-hopping that I was told was a major part of Nightstalker just wasn't apparent on that draught pour. Hilarious right? Increasingly I feel as if I was served a different beer, like the base beer w/o hopping or something. This bottled version has been nothing short of a revelation. It is drinking Heavenly right now and I need to procure more bottles. Quickly.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2010 01:55:00 | More by Reaper16

milwaukeeclassic

Wisconsin

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

I've had the Night Stalker each of the last three days at the Malthouse in Madison. I think this has become my new favorite stout.

Aroma is chocolaty malts and hops. There is the slightest amount of booziness, but it does not take away from the drinkability very much at all.

Tastes of sweet dark fruits and anise. This reminds me of a cross between some of the anise elements from the Abyss and the sweetness and hoppiness of Darkness. It isn't as sweet as Darkness and I think that is a good thing.

The long and short of it is that I will continue to drink the wonderful beer every day until the keg kicks and I would encourage tryng this beer if you have the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2009 14:34:36 | More by milwaukeeclassic

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

will4240

Minnesota

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

Had on tap at the Happy Gnome, compared it with Southern Tier's Choklat as well as Founder"s Breakfast Stout, all three of which were world class.

A- Everything that one might expect from an Imperial Stout. One can hardly see through it even when held directly into the light. Black black black... One finger head that didn't exactly stick around. Good lacing throughout.

S- Fantastic... the usual chocolate-y coffee-ish goodness... Amazing to say the least...

T- Absolutely exceptional... Chocolate, smooth, wonderful... within my top five all time...

M- Although this is an imperial stout, it was in no way overwhelming in the mouth. Definitely should be considered full bodied, but at the same time VERY enjoyable.

D- HOLY BALLS, is this really 11%? I do not believe it... I could drink this all night.

An excellent brew by an excellent brewer. I prefer this over the BCS

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2009 06:38:16 | More by will4240

jampics2

Ohio

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

Big ups to TurdFurgison for the heads-up that this was on tap just 20 minutes down the road in Kent at the Riverside Wine and Beer joint. I've been wanting to try this for a long time.

10-12oz or so, served in a Matilda chalice - looks like a wonderful RIS. Black with slight brown and ruby highlights on the edges when the light catches it just right. Looses a half point b/c of minimum head, I like a bit more of a creamy look to my RIS.

Smell is wonderful. Typical roasted malt leading to chocolate and coffee impressions, but a sweet dark candy and licorice smell is there too. This isn't burnt, it's magnificently roasted. A little more and this would be perfect, but it's damn close.

Taste - my notes say "HOT DAMN!". Perfect molasses and sweet sugar on top of roasted malt. Wow. Sure, there's a touch of alcohol, but it's expertly hidden and really well integrated. Creamy finish, superb lingering taste! This beer tastes like it's already aged and gelled. To die for, honestly, this is one of the best normal RIS's I've ever had. I have no choice, stalker in the night, I must award you a perfect 5 - I was wishing SO much I didn't have to drive. At 11.5, this is a one and done because the booze is so well hidden.

Mouthfeel is great. Chewy but creamy. Brilliant but just a touch thin.

Overall, a phenomenal beer that just embodies power and finesse. This was a treat and I can't WAIT for the bottles this year, I will be lining up for a case - easily one of the best stouts in the world and well deserving of it's praise.

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2010 21:36:49 | More by jampics2

carlborch

Michigan

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

Dense, thick, totally black pour. 3 inch head formed but settled into a thick, creamy 1.5 inches. The initial nose suggests dark roast, smoke, vanilla, and hops. Thick, sweet, medium dense body. The front speaks to vanilla and hints of anise. The middle is rich and shows the alcohol, which, fortunately, is balanced against the chocolate and roasted notes. The nose over time blossoms into extensive hop and burnt sugar notes. Nice Belgian lace forms. The finish is rich, warm, lingering and makes me think of molten chocolate and brandy desserts. This is an excellent beer. It is moreish, but given the high ABV should be consumed with care. This is a cerebral ale! Excellent after-dinner or dessert beverage. Would also do well with grilled, smoked and BBQ-ed food.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2010 17:20:33 | More by carlborch

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

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

Presentation: 22 oz. bomber bottle poured directly into a Smuttynose Big Beer snifter in two parts. Bottled on date of March 2010.

Appearance: Midnight black in color. No light penetrates through this. A slight, dark brown head that recedes into lacing very quickly. Definitely one of the thicker, darker beers out there.

Aroma: Fudge, espresso, and a citrus/herbal note. The sweet chocolate flavors go together extremely well with the bitter hops. Very nice balance there.

Taste: Dark chocolate and sweet fudge brownies deliver a nice, full well rounded cocoa flavor to this beer upfront. Supporting notes of vanilla and espresso also blend perfectly. Citrus and herbal notes finish each sip. Beautifully balanced.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and full bodied with just enough carbonation. Spot on for this type of beer.

Drinkability: The ABV is very well hidden. I find this very easy to drink for the style, but still better suited for sipping.

Overall, an intense, flavorful and perfectly balanced beer. The interplay of chocolate notes and hops really helps this stand apart. Shattered my expectations. My highest recommendation.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2010 14:29:20 | More by Gosox8787

ElGrecoVerde

Michigan

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

Look:
Black with a creamy consistency and a foamy brown head.

Smell:
Surprisingly bitter, almost like an IPA, but with traces of chocolate and candies. Crisp yet malty, quite unique.

Taste:
Creamy dark chocolate leads straight into bitter grapefruit and floral hops. Hints of toffee, brown sugar, espresso and cream. Alcohol is perfectly blended, leaving a warming feel and no aftertaste. Complexity really stands out as it warms, and never becomes astringent or sour. Truly one of my favorites.

Feel:
Thick and creamy. Adequate carbonation that doesn't interfere.

I really wasn't expecting so much from this beer. Well done! I will buy another bottle as the label says it ages well.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2011 05:32:18 | More by ElGrecoVerde

cradke

Texas

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

Appearance: Char Black with fine, caramel head. Once the head dies down, it's dark enough to see your own reflection in in.

Smell: Hazelnuts, toffee and vanilla fill out the aromatic head. Not as overwhelming as some other stouts but very smooth and pleasant.

Taste: Very malty presence ends with a nice balanced sweet note. Very flavorful but extremely well balanced. Taste evolves and reveals great complexity. One of the most complete and balanced stouts.

Mouthfeel: Viscous and smooth. Very pleasant. Spreads across the palate well and leaves a great after taste.

Overall: A fantastic Imperial Stout. Very complex and well balanced with quite the aftertaste. Great mouthfeel and afternotes. One of the best stouts of the season.

Pour: Bottle aged for one year in cellar, poured into celebrator glass.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 02:47:44 | More by cradke

beergirlblog

New York

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

Had this on tap. The beer pours almost black, and had almost no head. It smells like chocolate, like a hot delicious cup of drinking chocolate, with roasted aromasand like a delcious fresh cooking caramel. The taste is an insanely delicious balance of dark chocolate, caramel, with roasted nut flavors, with a thick maltiness. Think of every dark, savory, deep flavor, and there's a hint of it in this beer. It feels thick and sweet in the mouth, like melted chocolate. I loved it. It was rich and fantastic. It'd be hard to drink a full pint of this, but I'd keep doing it just because it tastes so good.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2009 17:04:56 | More by beergirlblog

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

tavernjef

Minnesota

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

Pours darker then dark chocolate cake brown, nearly black, thickly settling like a ebony ink pot capped by a samllish dark tan fluffy foam. A sifted sheeting of lace dusts itself across the glass and sticks with might.

Aroma is a bit unexpected as its wrapped in a big blanket of tropical orangeyness, pineapple, and mango dashed with a slight earthy dryness, pepper, and tobacco. Not even close to being chocolatey, roasty, dark, and the like that normally follows the Impy stout style. A unique and invitingly different nose.

Wow! The flavors are incredibly complex as all the unique items found across the nose are now found in the flavors mixing with cold pressed espresso laced latte, dark caramel, chocolate rum, and oily hops. Quite a multifarious taster with lots going on and all balanced in for an amazing tongue tantlizing treat. A sweet mango, orange, and pineapple middle, as found in the aroma, is swiftly replaced before it ends with a huge birth of complex dark rummy warmth pinched with pepper spice, dry earthy tobacco notes, chocolate, banana, and dark caramel. There's a slight return of pineaplle and mango then slips back into the chocolate again.

Lush and super smooth full body with a wonderful chocolatey rummy warmth, impressioned with a hint of bourbon all the while keeping a tender soft texture of milky bready cake mix. There's so much going on it's quite difficult to get a full grasp of it. But there's a nice little hint to pepper in there as well as that really pulls it all together late as the chocolate warmth creeps around the throat while the oily hops help in the silky malt backbone.

Quite the sipper to be sure, but still takes no time to fill the lips and belly with complexing goodness. Goose Island has themselves another big time winner that compliments their BCS in every way imaginable. Different, but same. Crazy I know, but it's true, and it's super damn yummy!

Oh...what the hell - Not to compare apples to apples or anything, and yes to be bold and daring enough to say that the tropical fruit center is akin to Surly Darkness along with its milky chocolate warmth, but this has extra dimension to it with its peppery pinches and its ghostly tobacco-esque earthyness that gives it a bit more complexity and flavor. And I didn't have to stand in line for a half day or trade my first born to get it. It was happily sitting dust free at my tiny little liquor store two blocks from my front door.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2010 00:23:48 | More by tavernjef

drpimento

Wisconsin

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

Whoa, over the top. Poured with a small, fine, cream colored head and a little lace. Color is opaque black with brown notes. Aroma is roasty malt, hop, and dark ripe fruit. Flavor is mammoth and like the nose but jacked way up and kicked in with huge alcohol. Body is a great contrast between silky and mess u up. Finish is like flavor and likewise enormous. Incredible beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2010 03:24:33 | More by drpimento

fdkayti

Illinois

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

Birthday Weekend Beer #1

A - Blacker than the blackest black, times infinity. Tan head atop a beautiful body. Great lacing.

S - I could smell this from about 3 feet away. Really dark, bitter chocolate/mocha smell with a lot of hoppiness to follow. Boozy with a touch of sweetness.

T - Tastes like it smells. Very smooth down the hatch.

MF - Creammmy, gets smoother with every sip. Low carobonation. Heavy mouthfeel. Decadent? Yeah.

O/D - A sipper if I've ever had one. Certainly tastes as boozy as it is. I really like this beer. Thanks new birfday tulip glass!

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 03:42:26 | More by fdkayti

AgentMunky

Alabama

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

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into an Ommegang glass. Bottled on 6 February 2011. From notes. Reviewed 24 June 2011.

A: The pour is noticeably viscous. No head, just dark brown edges on an infinitely black beer. Needless to say, it is completely opaque.

S: Hops? Hops! Hops bursting with pine and complemented by grapefruit. Large amounts of sweet molasses. Complex, dry, and bitter.

T: Holy good god! A-fucking-mazing. The divine offspring of an imperial stout and a double IPA. Lots of grapefruit and lighter citrus. Big alcoholic notes. Delicious and fantastic! Honestly one of the best beers I've ever had. Dark chocolate and a surprising coffee bitterness.

M: Almost creamy, but oh-so-good. Scintillating, hoppy, and just plain tasty.

O: I have nothing but love this bottle of beer. Drink it. Drink it! Love it. I certainly do. [Ed: Last beer of the night.]

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 20:44:28 | More by AgentMunky