Pepe Nero - Goose Island Beer Co.

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 12/20/2011. Pours hazy and cloudy very dark reddish brown color with a nice 2-3 finger foamy khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice dense foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of big raisin, prune, fig, apple, clove, pepper, molasses, dark candi sugar, toast, light roast, light smoke, and yeast earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/spicy esters with big malt presence; and good strength. Taste of raisin, fig, apple, pepper, clove, toast, molasses, roasted malt, dark candi sugar, light smoke, and yeast earthiness. Lingering notes of dark fruit, pepper, clove, molasses, toast, roasted malt, and earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice complexity of fruity/spicy yeast esters with a great dark malt balance; and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a fairly slick, crisp, and lightly prickly mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent black saison style. All around nice complexity and balance of fruity/spicy ester notes with dark malt flavors; and very smooth and crisp to drink. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 04:06:40 | More by superspak

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

4.14/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

765ml bottle purchased at the LCBO for $12.95.. a bit steep. Alcohol is listed as 6.4%.

Pours into a Chimay chalice an intriguing dark brown veering on black with a rocky tan head that dissipates too quickly. Dried fruit, demerara sugar and a bit of cocoa in the nose. Apples, lemon, cherry, fruit esters, fresh mown hay and nutty dark malts all mix in the complicated, sweet taste. Hops are quite restrained throughout. The mouthfeel is lighter bodied than the appearance let on, with a moderate carbonation level.

This is a nice beer, sort of a style bender. I'd say its worth a try if you're a fan of Belgian Dark Ales. It veers away from Saison territory quite a bit. Still worth a try for sure.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 02:30:17 | More by CAMRAhardliner

breakingbland

Michigan

3.59/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle marked as "04/28/11 0149" into a tulip.

This beer gave a lively pour with a persistent one-finger, medium tan foamy head. Below the head, the beer itself is an opaque black/brown in the glass.

The aroma is a sweet funk (bubblegum?) with practically no hops.

Predominating is a slightly sweet chocolate taste, followed by a somewhat astringent black coffee taste as it goes down. A very slight bitterness lingers. Overall, the flavor profile is fairly simple but with a very deep character.

This beer has a very full mouthfeel: Good body and a pleasant level of carbonation.

Overall, this was a fun beer to drink. I didn't realize initially that I was drinking a 2-year old aged beer. I'd definitely look for this one again. Another winner from the Goose.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 11:09:50 | More by breakingbland

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled: 05/22/12

Nearly black with a big khaki head and some spotty lacing.

Aroma is dry, peppery, musty. Some raisin and rye malt shine through. Interesting yeast character.

Similar to nose, black pepper, more yeast quality, some bitterness, dryness.

Supremely dry after a year. Lively carbonation.

Very interesting dark saison. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 02:31:53 | More by TheMultiYeast

alex_hart

Massachusetts

4.01/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

appearance: A beautiful dark, opaque, black with a thin tan head.

Smell: Honestly, the smell is a bit confusing. Maybe coco nibs, some burnt coffee, a bit of belgian yeast, and something a bit tart. Very intriguing.

Taste: It really does follow the nose. When I first looked at the beer I never would have guessed this smell and taste, but it completely works. So unique.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with good carbonation across the tongue.

Overall: This is so different than anything I have had before. Unique and tasty. Definitely one to try.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 03:17:00 | More by alex_hart

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.69/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Vintage 2011.

I picked this up for a friend on a visit to WI last year, and he cellared it and brought it to a bottle share today. Poured my allotment into a snifter.

Pours a deep black, with a thick tan head on top. This is a really pretty beer, though it is far darker than I expected. No lace left behind. Big yeasty nose, hasn't faded a bit in 2 years. Some allspice, fruit, and light char.

Bubbly beer, yet it retains a thickness that corresponds to its heavy color well. Light prickly feel, not surprising. The boldness in this one is tamed by time no doubt. Some yeast spiciness, mild sweetness pulls through, and a decent roasted aftertaste. This is more in line with a Belgian Stout, rather than a Saison, but whatever. Not bad. Thanks, Jacob, for the pour.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 01:46:03 | More by Onenote81

hardy008

Minnesota

3.03/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours dark black with a two finger mocha head with good retention and lacing. The aroma has Belgian yeast, bananas, dark roasted malt, and pepper.

The taste has dark roasted malt, Belgian yeast, pepper, bananas, and some tartness. Nothing really tastes bad, it's just that what I am tasting doesn't work well together. The most likely problem is the dark roasted malt. It doesn't seem to belong with everything else. It doesn't taste bad, but it just doesn't fit in.

There is a bit of a grainy feeling to this beer. Medium bodied with modest carbonation. There is a dark roasted malt aftertaste, which is too noticeable. If it played a smaller supporting role, it might be okay. As it is, I am glad I tried this, but don't plan to seek it out again.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 23:22:57 | More by hardy008

MrKennedy

Australia

3.38/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle thanks to Knapp85, 2012 vintage. Into a Mikkeller wine glass.

Darker than i expected, almost matt black, just a little ruby to it around the edges. Beige foam on tap that holds well and sits just above film.

Smells of rye bread and that stays for quite some time before it turns into pepper and yeast. and a little bit of chocolate.

Tastes of pepper with some more chocolate than the nose of it. A little bit of rye as well.

Solid body to it. Carbonation isn't massive, so it drinks pretty well. Softer carbonation as well. The chocolate smooths it out further. Still, for a black saison it isn't really hitting the spot.

A decent beer to drink. Not really a top example of a black saison though. Fun to try.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 09:52:15 | More by MrKennedy

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.74/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12oz Bottle from the Wegmans Dewit NY for 4$

Appearance - Dark brown colour with a large size fizzy beige coloured head. It's too dark to make out the amount of carbonation showing and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for around 3-4 minutes.

Smell - Malts, caramel/butterscotch, dark fruits, anise

Taste & Mouth - There is an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste caramel/butterscotch and malts. There is also a light smokiness, some anise, and some dark fruit. It ends with a bitter slightly burnt aftertaste.

Overall – Perhaps a touch too carbonated, but a nice flavour that is potent but not too robust. Not something I could drink a whole lot of, but definitely an interesting beer that is well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 00:05:47 | More by spinrsx

Clonies720

Texas

1.61/5  rDev -57.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.75

Bottled 03/04/2011. 22 oz bomber poured into a tulip

Appearance: Oily black. Nice tan head.

Aroma: Dark fruits. Can't get much else.

Taste and Mouthfeel: Malt forward, with a spicy kick in the finish that cuts the sweet malt. High carbonation that is somewhat unpleasant to me.

Overall: I really would not buy it again as the taste is too dull when there's so much more out there.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 15:28:03 | More by Clonies720

champ103

Texas

2.59/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a nearly opaque brown color. A two finger bubbly white head forms and gently recedes after a minute. Light lace.
S: Burnt toast, pepper, liquorish. Kind of metallic and tinny. Very astringent in the nose.
T: Follows the nose with a large burnt toast flavor up front. An ash like flavor, metallic, tinny, astringent. Blah. This is not good.
M/D: A medium body with moderate carbonation. Fairly thin and watery. I do not care to finish this. Probably going to be a drain poor.

This is not a good offering from Goose Island. It comes in a beautiful bottle now though. I won't be buying any more, and would recommend people avoid this.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 22:10:17 | More by champ103

tittymcj

Connecticut

2.69/5  rDev -28.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

Very little smell at all. Just a bit fresh and bubbly.

Pours jet black with a light bubbly head that doesn't stick around long. The black color is beautiful though.

Taste is thin with a little bit of chocolate/coffee in the background. Not a very impressive taste profile.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 23:06:54 | More by tittymcj

ckollias

Maryland

4.2/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Enjoyed this 750ml bottle out of a Belgian tulip glass.

A: Pours a dark blackish hue with ruby highlights. Has a whitish 2-finger head that quickly dissipates quickly into a wispy lace leaving a partial trail down the glass.

S: Sweet fruity aroma with a slight spicy pepper scent.

T: Dark raisin and sweet malt aroma with a nice Belgian yeast background.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Another excellent brew by Goose Island. I would grab this again and cellar it for awhile.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 02:50:26 | More by ckollias

Dave1999

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours pitch black with a small white head.

Smells like vinegar and dark fruits, very interesting.

The taste is cloves and Belgian yeast with sweet malts. A little on the weak side.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation.

Overall fairly good, taste is a bit weak though.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 22:29:13 | More by Dave1999

fx20736

New York

4.48/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Chimay chalice, served at room temp.

opal black beer supports a 2 finger cotton candy confection of a tropical khaki,tannish head. lacing is magnificient and enshrouds the glass.

aroma: Belgian yeast, sugar, spices, maybe pepper and cloves.

mouthfeel: soft, creamy, silky

taste: dark roasted malt, pepper, some dark fruit

notes: tasty, imagine a porter with Belgian yeast and a few spices. very unique, quite good.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 23:09:50 | More by fx20736

flagmantho

Washington

4.26/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 22oz bomber into a tulip. This is the 2011 Pepe Nero.

Appearance: entirely black with a two-finger head of creamy dark-tan foam. An attractive brew.

Smell: dark-fruity aroma of plum and raisin with a little bit of pear in the works. Perhaps a little tobacco as well; there's a good complexity here. It's approaching a good quad in its richness of aroma; I love it.

Taste: fascinating. The flavor starts off with the same light, sweet fruitiness as the aroma, but quickly builds a smoky character; this is then followed by a roasty ashiness, a phenolic character, and a little bit of saison funk. I love the dynamism expressed here! It's a little rough around the edges, but in general I love how the complexity develops across the palate. Yum!

Mouthfeel: medium body with a big carbonation and a massive, satisfying creaminess. Mouth-filling and delightful. Love it!

Overall: this beer has a lot going on. I imagine the fact that this particular example was bottled 2 years ago (3/4/11) doesn't hurt. But this could end up being a go-to brew for my cellar; just great.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 20:36:52 | More by flagmantho

brewsclues

Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle on 3/14/13

Really interesting brew - quite a bit different than I was expecting for a Saison. The peppercorn nose is noticeable at the start, but what struck me the most on the nose: Kalamata olives (not making that up). A little salty and olive-oily smell, which was actually quite pleasant (once you got past that it was a brew you were drinking.) A grassy/earthy combo on the malt-backbone with plenty of pepper spice to it, which was a unique take on the Saision genre. Smokey finish - again, different than I was expecting.

A nice quaff - I like it for the unique combo of pepper/spice and smokey after-taste. Also: big plus for the Kalamata olive nose. A brew I'd drink again.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 03:46:10 | More by brewsclues

bum732

Maryland

3.69/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

S: Slightly grassy, pepper, floral, just a touch of roast.

L: Jet black, light tan creamy head. Huge retention and lacing.

T: Peppery, slightly roasty malt. Medium herbal bitterness with slight coffee notes. Classic saison yeast notes follow. Finishes quite dry and slightly peppery.

M: Medium high carbonation. medium bodied.

Interesting, sort of works, but not sure how much of this style i would enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 02:59:46 | More by bum732

pants678

California

3.38/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Looks like most porters but with a frothy Belgian head.

Just barely slight sweet and pepper on the nose.

These black saison's are never subtle, but that's fine. Dark raisin or plum from the yeast, a bit of a bite from the hops and a little pepper. There's a pleasantly dark chocolate under that, a bit of a roasted tinge, too. Would you imagine anything different from the style? The first third or so was also saison but there's a better balance toward the middle that pushes this more in the realm of dessert.

Viscous texture of a stout and dry. I'm not as into the milky stouts so this plays well.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 04:57:01 | More by pants678

Ammertime

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft, served in a nonic.

A: very dark reddish brown. A little bit of a lighter brown head formed and did not swiftly dissipate.

S: rather non-descript.

T: the rye is prominent, adding a delectable spiciness to this saison. Slightly piquant up front, nice maltiness in the main body, with a pleasantly dry finish. The yeastiness is very low.

M: slightly richer than normal, yet still quite bubbly

O: I don't normally prefer saisons, including Sofie, but found the dry spicy pepperiness of this one to elevate it beyond the normal expectations of the style. It's easy drinking, perhaps a touch too strong to be a true session beer. This would make for a great ballpark brew. One surprise for me, however, was that while I normally like most beers to be on the cooler side, particularly the lighter styles, Pepe Nero continued to improve as it approached room temperature, releasing its full flavor profile and becoming significantly more complex.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2013 03:09:58 | More by Ammertime

smcnulty1981

Rhode Island

4.68/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours with a dark brown color with a red hue when held to the light has a 3 finger light brown rocky head that goes away after a short time with only a small amount of lacing on the glass

S: has a deep hint of malt with slight pepper with a hint of yeast funk however there is a hint of oxidation with the beer

T: strong malt flavor with a nice hint of roasted malts followed by a pepper spiciness on the backend

M: had a full mouth feel followed up with a dry finish

O: had the 2011 version but it s a good take on a farmhouse ale

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 05:51:34 | More by smcnulty1981

stephens101

Oklahoma

3.23/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Has a dense tan head that fills out sturdy well above the rim of the goblet. Color is dark brown with purple hues at the light. Retention is phenomenal.

An aroma of grape juice, spent grain and some dark chocolate arises from the glass.

Tastes bitter and tangy with a background of grain, wild yeast and limited spice. A little chalk is noticed. A bit of ripened black grapes and some hops are noticed. Despite all that there's not much flavor.

Body is dry, crisp and light.

I'm not going to go looking for things that aren't there so that's about all I have on this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 23:32:52 | More by stephens101

flayedandskinned

California

3.36/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled on 4/17/12
Poured into a Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Pours an opaque, impenetrable black with a massive 4-5 finger tan head. Great head retention and plenty of lacing.

Aroma: Big herbal yeastiness with some peppery highlights right up front with an underlying herbal hop presence. A nice roasty and spicy(rye?) malt presence becomes more apparent as the ale warms in it's glass.

Taste: Spicy, slightly funky wild yeast hits your palate right away and doesn't let go. It definitely gets in the way of really picking apart the grassy, herbal hops and the whisper of roasted, almost nut like malts. The beer end with a dry, bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Plenty of body, slightly creamy with high carbonation.

Overall: An interesting brew for sure, but I feel that the yeast is overbearing and hides the complex malt base way too much. The Brettanomyces bottle conditioning has really taken over the beer since it has been bottled. I would definitely like to try this fresh before the Brett really has a chance to overwhelm the malt back bone.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 04:37:54 | More by flayedandskinned

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle - $3.49 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Bottled On: 06/13/12

Appearance: Pours out a very dark brown, near black body with a tall crown of beige foam. The mighty soon recedes but never quite fades from sight. Minor lacing.

Smell: Bittersweet chocolate-coated roasted barley, but, then there's a notable floral aroma accented by the spiciness from the phenols but also the p-corns and a light dark fruitiness.

Taste: Dark chocolate, roasted malts with a soft coffee tone. Modestly sweet. Plum-ish fruitiness, a tiny pinch of cloves, a little pre-chewed gum, and handful of nosegays. A little subtle pepper spiciness showing from time to time. Then, a little bit of licorice, but also some more chocolate. Spicy, choco-roasty, crispish finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-plus carbonation, mouthfeel is moderate peppy, yet it's still rather smooth in a way.

Overall: Pepe Nero is not your everyday saison, or even your every other day saison, but I liked it well enough.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 00:21:15 | More by ChainGangGuy

Belgianbeerbunny

Illinois

3.84/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another solid Belgian-style ale from Goose Island. I expect my saisons to be blonde and was surprised that a beer this dark is designated by as a saison. Live and learn.

A - A cola-colored pour with a 2-inch head, which was quickly replaced by a good amount of lacing.

S - Only smelled yeast. I don't get the coffee and nuts and the like that other reviewers got.

T - Has a slightly yeasty taste. Didn't get that yeasty punch at the end that I've noticed with other saisons. Solid one-note ale. Simple and easy to drink.

M - Smooth and on the thin-side.

Overall - Not as complex as a Goose Island Sofie, another saison, but a pleasant experience. I would choose it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 03:12:58 | More by Belgianbeerbunny