Dark Force - HaandBryggeriet

kaimcm

California

4.43/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

16.9oz bottle poured into a La Fin Du Monde glass. Batch # 75, marked Best For May 2010. 9%ABV. Review penned 12/2/07.

A: deep opaque body topped off with a super creamy, super fluffy head. mostly lots of tiny bubbles but a few big ones abound. reminscent of some witches cauldron. dark horizon eh? no lacing. one of the best looking beers Ive seen in a while.

S: Smells like a bakery or cafe in the morning. lots of sugar, chocolate, coffee, pastry grain. a bit of alcohol and some alcohol soaked fruits.

T/M: The wheat is readily apparent in the mouthfeel and flavor up front. Kudos to Haand for retaining the guts of this beer in what is a unique and adventurous "style". Soft but full bodied, the grains wash up front followed by the bakery. All that coffee and chocolate hits hard. Some carmelized sugar follows, a bit of twang from a subtle acidity I actually quite enjoy. A tannic husky-ness follows and the finishes lingers a bit drying. Sugar on the teeth and warmth in the belly this one begs for more. Mouthfeel throughout is rich and creamy.

D: For 9%ABV and the hefty price tag, this goes down way too easy. Would love to enjoy regularly.

Thank god for this beer, or more appropriately, thank the Norwegians! Im am enjoying every drop of this. Its been a while since a new beer really made me take a step back and Im glad it was this one. Cheers to HaandBryggeriet for this beer and the Sheltons for bringing it in. Now, if only we can get more of it. Label says "Double Extreme Imperial Wheat Stout"...sillyness aside, this beer kicks ass. Seek out. Now.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2007 03:31:51 | More by kaimcm

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.43/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Double chocolate fudge brown with the suggestion of lightening at the edges, though no actual highlights. The massive crown is the color of dark brown sugar, has a mousse-like texture and is beginning to deposit attractive lace in tattered sheets. What's not to like?

The nose is rock solid as well. Dark Force doesn't smell as devilishly dark and as pungently powerful as some versions, but it definitely gets the job done. I can appreciate quite a bit of dark fruitiness and more than a handful of hops. 65 IBUs will do that. Warming kicks things up a notch.

The brewery claims that DF is the only known wheat stout in the universe. Doubtful. They also call it (in small print along the bottom of the label) a 'Double Extreme Imperial Wheat Stout'. That's a pretty big boast, so this brew better bring it.

Although I could never have identified the fact that mainly wheat malt is used, it makes sense after the first big gulp. Not in the flavor (there's too much roasted maltiness for that), but in the lighter than usual body and the silky softness of the mouthfeel. Yeah, but does it taste good? You betcha.

Dark Force is reminiscent of a Baltic porter (in some respects), although the stated style is much closer to the mark. There's a huge charred barley character, complete with rivers of chocolate liquor, black coffee and blackstrap molasses. Grapefruity hops crash the mouth party at the midway point, and then come on like gangbusters at the finish.

For all of its smooth silky softness, mouthfeel doesn't quite keep pace with flavor and drinkability. It came up just short of 'very good' in the end.

Dark Force is my third Haandbryggeriet beer and is easily the best. It may not be Double, Extreme *and* Imperial, but it's a delicious RIS that I would love to drink again and again. Since I'm not a Star Wars geek, I'll refrain from some lame joke about The Force. If you're an RIS geek, you should pick this one up whenever you run across it.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2008 15:37:57 | More by BuckeyeNation

adamette

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Review from notes taken while I enjoyed this beer on tap at The Bavarian Lodge in Lisle, IL with (among others) my two brothers-in-law Steven and Mat August 21st, 2010. Mat lives within minutes of this place and we enjoy visiting there when I am in town. Poured into a tulip glass.

A Dark brown head over a completely black body. You simply have to love the look of these foreboding RIS's as the look of them is so full of attitude and presence. I certainly do love the look of this beer. 5.0

S Deep, dark roasted malt with molasses sweet notes. Just awesome! 4.5

T Great, complex flavors of the sweet molasses, dark roast malt in a really good, obviously carefully crafted beer from the Norwegian micro brewer. 4.5

M Thick, luxurious, silky. Really, really good feel! 4.5

D Huge beer with bodacious tastes and that silk like smoothness but it is really easy to drink despite all of that. 4.0

Notes: Consider me blown away by this, a world class Russian Imperial Stout! Also: my first review of a beer from Norway!

Serving type: on-tap

08-30-2010 03:09:38 | More by adamette

TheJollyHop

California

4.43/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cocoa, charred dried fruits, smoke and roast scents; sea air as well.

Solid, fluffy, molasses hued head; jet black body.

Smoke upfront, smooth chocolate, smoked malt, roasted barley, and a touch salty. Finish is salty sweet.

Complex medium to light body, effervescent, and highly carbonated. Wheat manifests itself in the mouthfeel while the alcohol adds a pleasant warming character.

Finish isn't excessively lingering yet the flavors are all for the most part balanced. An interesting, albeit delicious brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2010 02:59:53 | More by TheJollyHop

bruachan

Rhode Island

4.43/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

super opaque brown with a good half finger of toffee-colored froth. head was enthusiastic at first, no doubt thanks to the wheat

smells deeply roasty, with enough sweetness to keep balance. earthy hops and some fusel heat

strong hop presence, which couples with the strong kilning to make one intense beverage. strong bitterness tangos with heat and a sensible kilned astringency. wheat keeps mouthfeel manageable and active, whereas some RIS feel stagnant. chicory flavors, anise perhaps some dried cherry

some might chirp that this is porterish...meh

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 01:29:33 | More by bruachan

Vancer

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks mucho to me amigo limesmut for this beer sent via another great trade.

Pours a gorgeous coal black, capped with a perfect brown mountain of rocky head, sticking around like a street bum at a convention.

Aroma is thin, subtle hints of chocolate malt with cherries tossed in for good measure. Quaff is great - thick and rich mixture of the dark fruit, anise and the sturdy backbone of wheat malt. First wheat stout, and it is a beauty! Can't see any downside to this brew - no hint of any alcohol anywhere. Quite a treat to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2008 20:46:23 | More by Vancer

jbphoto88

Texas

4.4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a tall, slim 25oz bottle with a modest white sticker on the back noting the batch # of 75 and a "best for" date of May 2010? Actually its hard to read and a lot of the other notations don't make a lot of sense. What it does tell me is that there has been some care put into this beer as the label appears to be hand applied. The beer itself is as black as car tires and has a cappuccino colored head that rises a nice 1/2 inch above the beer.

Smell is pungently dark. Heavy malts mix with dark fruits and a molasses covered cereal. There is a nice hop profile but it is shrouded by a solvent like alcohol scent. The solvent characteristic is mild and not the main scent but still noticeable.

Taste is quite good. There are a lot of nice dark flavors in there that range from rum soaked currants and raisins to roasted malts. A strong backbone of coffee and chocolate flavors balanced by some strong citrus hops and scorched malts. A sweet molasses finish with a slight bitter twang (but in a good way.)

There's a bitter finish from both the slightly aggressive hops and the roasted malts and grains. A mild carbonation doesn't mask the flavors and a smooth start combined with a tart dry finish make for one helluva brew. All this and the label says its the only imperial wheat stout!! Very innovative, interesting and unique. The wheat really makes a difference in the body of this beer, not letting it get to heavy. Wow, Dark force where have you been all my life?

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2008 02:41:08 | More by jbphoto88

ATLbeerDog

Georgia

4.4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours pitch black completely opaque. A huge frothy three-finger caramel colored head crowns the beer then very slowly recedes. Aromas of coffee, chocolate, wheat, alcohol, and raisins comprise the nose. First sip is an incredible balance between the coffee, chocolate, and touches of tobacco. There are also notes vanilla and licorice. Medium to heavy bodied, very creamy, the beer is bitter from start to finish. There is a complexity here that matches the balance and pushes Darkforce into the style's elite.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2009 22:25:04 | More by ATLbeerDog

dgilks

Australia

4.4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Inky black with a big, creamy, dark tan head. Decent head retention.

Bright, spicy alcohol combines with sweet malt and sweet, milk chocolate. Very nice.

This is a really interesting beer because the inclusion of wheat makes it so smooth. The rounded, chocolatey roasted wheat combines with spritzy alcohol, a touch of roast, mild bitter chocolate and an earthy hop character. A few esters add complexity. Really nice.

Medium-full body with moderately-low carbonation. Good.

A smooth, rounded Imperial Stout that shows off the versatility of wheat in a beer. The roast character is different to what you get with barley and I really enjoyed this.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 11:16:58 | More by dgilks

CHADMC3

Connecticut

4.4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch NR 93, Brewed Sept 07

Pours an opaque black body beneath the viscous mocha head that patiently dissolves to leaves a sticky, yet thin lacing around the glass with traces of the mocha head lasting throughout.

The aroma is magnificent, rich with roasted malt and wheat with hints of cocoa nibs and slightly boozy.

The flavors are fantastic as well, again with the generous amounts of roasted malt, coffee, and wheat with fainter notes of milk chocolate. The finish is part smoky and part boozy.

Much lighter in body than your standard Russian Imperial Stout, which is suitable given the beer. Carbonation is generous and the finish is boozy and warming.

This is a fantastic beer. This batch was brewed in 9/07, so it is approaching 5 years old which probably lends to some of the character I am experiencing. I can’t say I have ever had a beer like this before.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 02:38:41 | More by CHADMC3

rallison

California

4.38/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This one sounded incredibly interesting, so I had to order some from Liquid Solutions (having never seen it in Southern California).

Pours a murky black color with a nice 1 finger creamy tan head. This eventually dies to a nice covering.

First smell is very, very interesting. What is this - dark fruits? Molasses? Burnt sugar? Port? Not what I was expecting, but very welcome!

Taste is full of dark fruits and port wine. The smells definitely show up in the taste, along with a good bit of chocolate and roasted coffee. There is a wheat background as well that integrates nicely into the dark fruit flavors. Very unique taste - I like it.

Mouthfeel is very rich with a truly velvety creaminess. Lovely.

Drinkability, for what it is, is very good.

Highly recommended. A truly unique beer, and a style I wouldn't mind seeing more of. You owe it to yourself to try this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2007 06:36:34 | More by rallison

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a weizen glass)
Described as a Double Extreme Imperial Wheat Stout on the bottle
A-This beer has an opaque black body with a strong carbonation of micro-bubbles that glide up the sides of the glass. The super thick head of tan sticks to the glass after each sip and last for the full beer.

S- The smell of white wheat and fresh white paper has a yeasty note and a burnt marshmallow. There were some dark black roasted malt notes that come through as the beer warms.

T- The taste of dark burnt flavor has a soft wheat dough note followed by a black coffee malt flavor and bitterness that lingers. There are notes of light smoke and tar notes. There is a nice bubble gum note that is dry and soft adding a nice twist to the black malt. There are also some fruity dry prunes notes and yeasty notes that come through as it warms.

M- This beer has a medium-light mouthfeel with a tight fizz in the finish. There is no alcohol heat until the beer warms and in boost the bitter finish nicely.

D- This beer has a wonderful robust big black malt flavor with a nice twist of wheat beer flavors. This does have the black roasted flavor to qualify as a double imperial stout. I bet some age might as a nice twist to this.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2007 03:16:20 | More by rhoadsrage

jamie2dope

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

An Imperial Stout from Norway brewed with wheat, I'm in. Poured in to my new Ommegang goblet a cool black color, with a head that looked rather dark at first, but upon settling, looked more white/tan. The heading also held up very well, clinging to the sides of the glass. Smell brought on some black burnt coffee beans, perhaps some dark unsweetened chocolate, and a very smoky presence.Taste is very very roasted and smoky, more so than I was expecting. Definitely has coffee flavors, and a very earthy personality. The wheat on this brew was not all that prevalent, however I suspect that the other strong tastes mask it. Mouthfeel is pretty damn big on this brew. Alcohol is also well hidden, which is a good thing considering all of the other flavors. This is a most interesting and enjoyable stout from this brewery, which until now I had not heard of. If I see more of their beers at the store, I will definitely be picking some up. Cheers

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2007 23:00:24 | More by jamie2dope

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.38/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle, Batch NR90, brewed Aug07. Poured into a tulip glass, this was a very black beer with a thin rim of orange head. It had an aroma of dark fruit, dark roasted malt, and chocolate. The dark fruit was tasted, as well as the chocolate. A wonderful espresso taste became apparent, and it lingered a long while, ending in a pleasant bitterness. Really liked this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2008 19:36:51 | More by lordofthewiens

cvstrickland

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Batch 75
500 ml bottle with a bottled-on and best-by date on the label, poured into a snifter yields an opaque ebony body capped with a thick finger of creamy, melted-chocolate ice cream-style mocha-colored foam that retains at a thick sheet and leaves a bit of sticky lacing on the glass.

Smell is dark, burnt oak with herbally hoppy notes and chocolatey dark roasted barley. A whiff of tangy molasses wafts from the glass and aroma of caramel-covered toasted nuts and Devil's Food cake emerges as the drink warms.

Taste is silky-blackness! Burnt malt, dark roasted malt, dark coffee, dark chocolate, smoky, smutty black malt... charred and malty with a caramelized burnt brown sugar note. I want to say I can taste the wheat, soft and mellow, floating along helplessly in the roasty swirl of darkness, but an incinerated jag of smoky chocolate drowns the grainy essence in sooty cocoa goodness. A fruity, hoppy note arrives to the party late, bringing a twinge of grapefruit and bitter herbs to the roasty, bittersweet party.

Full-bodied and magnificent. Great drink that might become too much for me were I to venture beyond the 500 ml serving that seems just about perfect.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2008 22:57:50 | More by cvstrickland

YankChef

Louisiana

4.38/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500 ml bottle poured into la fin du monde glass. My bottle also says 9% a/c

Appearance: Pitch black, just looks like motor oil when you pour it... yes. Coffee tan head that slowly forms and then clings to the sides of the glass and doesn't want to let go.

Smell: Big time banana nut bread aroma, all of those aromas, nutty, toasty, banana, and yeasty. There is also some roasted coffee going on and maybe a little vanilla

Taste: First sensation is of the wheat, almost like a weizenbock with the banana breadiness on the front with the malty roasted flavor of an imperial stout. The beer finishes decidedly bitter with a strong flavor of espresso, but not completely dry there is some maple like sweetness going on in here, this stuff is pretty complex if you ask me although others may disagree.

Overall: A very interesting beer, never had one quite like it I dont think its a RIS but thats just me. Still a delicious and highly enjoyable beer that every stout lover must try.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2008 02:23:53 | More by YankChef

rhinos00

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a snifter (Batch #73; Brewed April 2007).

A- Jet black with hints of hershey brown. Solid two fingers width of tan head formed. Slowly dissipated over time.

S- Strong, pungent smell of alcohol, malt, and dark chocolates. Scents of dark fruit could be detected as well, however the aroma of alcohol dominated.

T- Very mellow. balanced taste of chocolates and roasted malts. Hints of vanilla and various fruits meshed very well with the dominant flavors.

M- Smooth and creamy, yet not as thick as suspected. Pleasant surprise.

D- Highly drinkable. For an RIS, this is incredibly smooth.

Overall, a well crafted brew. Very pleased to have built up the courage to pull this one of the shelf and give it a try. Definitely a great tasting beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2009 02:26:21 | More by rhinos00

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a 10oz tulip for $7.50 with the menu indicating an even 9% ABV. Sampled 1/15/11.

A: The beer arrives with a small tan head that is quick to disappear and settles in without any film, collar or lacing. The color of the body is a notch below pitch black. Zero transparency - even at the edges and the thinnest parts of the glass.

S: The nose presents rich roasted (nearly burnt) aromas of coffee, bitter chocolate and ash. The smell is straight to the point and everything a RIS should be. In my mind, the integration of aromas is damn near perfect.

T: Very strong malt character with enough hop presence to back it up. Again, extremely roasty with rich, bold flavors of coffee, chocolate and charred wood. A less than acrid bitterness holds the final taste impression together and ensures the next sip will be soon after.

M: Soft, very rounded mouthfeel with a low level of carbonation that compliments the luscious texture. So smooth. I am a big fan of the wheat in the grist, which I think has the perfect impact on mouthfeel and consistency.

D: [DRINKABILITY] Excellent. Very little room for improvement from this serving type. The bottle I had was good, but not nearly as impressive.

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2012 15:05:25 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

zaphodchak

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Nice thick tan head, retains a thin layer throughout. Dark brown.

Nose is rich, wheaty, almost a rauch, Pork, almost.

Interesting. Totally a wheat, but with enough dark malt to exceed dunkelweizen and go striaght into imperial stout territory. And there is a bit of a rauch character here which is an unexpected but welcome surprise. Trace of molasses at the end.

Big and thick, definitely wheat feel.

The style for this beer seemed made-up, but it was definitely as described.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 02:03:37 | More by zaphodchak

ThickNStout

Georgia

4.36/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

500mL bottle from Bullock's (Marietta, GA). 6.49. No bottling date. Served in a Dogfish Head Snifter.

Pours black with about a half finger deep tan head. It doesn't lace much at all but a beautiful thin ring of dark head remains around the edges most of the way down.

Smells of rich dark chocolate and stone fruit.

Taste is a great blend of chocolate, cherries, mild licorice, sweet raisin bread, caramel, roasted malts, smokey bark, leather and creamed coffee. I guess there's some booze in there too but it's covered by layers of flavor that make this go down smoothly.

Rich, creamy full feel that coats the tongue. Carbonation is fairly light but appropriate. Long bittersweet cocoa and dark fruits finish.

Wasn't sure what to think of a wheat stout but apparently more breweries need to be trying it. The wheat adds a nice sweet complexity to the heavy dose of roasty flavors. I'll definately be picking up another bottle or two and recommend any fan of imperial stouts give this a whirl.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 05:11:51 | More by ThickNStout

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500 ml bottle purchased in Buffalo. Shared with biegaman and grub.

Pours an opaque brown/black, tan head, very thick and healthy, drops tons of lace chunks, settles to a thick layer. Smell is fruits, pineapples, dates, toffee, chocolate roast, grass, nice lactic acidity. Taste is milk chocolate, fruits, pineapple, toffee, dates, licorice, roast, very rich, nice bit of sourness. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with medium to high carbonation, goes down pretty smooth though. Unique beer, very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2008 07:29:35 | More by Viggo

hero27

Iowa

4.35/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16.9 oz bottle.
9% abv

Batch #75.

A self-proclaimed "Imperial Wheat Stout"..well that sounds interesting enough to try.

A tar-like pour renders a very dark, thick liquid. Assertive head of heavy khaki cream develops and has no intentions of subsiding.
Vanilla, dark roasted coffee, and chocolatey aroma..
Phenolic overload...wow. Cloves, black coffee, and a thick roastiness play jump-rope with my tastebuds.. The alcohol isn't really hidden as much as it is displayed..chocolate malt comes into play behind the huge abundance of roasted malts & dark fruits. The body is a bit thick & laboring, but the texture is soft & smooth going down. This finishes with a slight alcoholic tang and nice roasty bitterness..

A robust & hearty imperial stout that uses the wheat to it's full extent...definitely an experiment that turned out well.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2008 07:59:46 | More by hero27

popery

California

4.35/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

This is a very good Imperial Stout that has a wonderfully smooth feel from the wheat content. The flavor is chocolatey and deeply roasted. There is a fair bit of hop bitterness, maybe a bit more than I want, but the effort is appreciated. HaandBryggeriet does wonderful work with their beers, and this is no exception. The feel is silky and creamy like no other Imperial Stout that I've ever had. It's also a great looking beer with deep black-brown liquid topped with a mocha head. I wish that their beers were lower in price, but this brewery continues to impress me with well-crafted and unique beers.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2009 06:12:29 | More by popery

GilGarp

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 116
Brewed: Dec. 2007
Best Before: Dec. 2011

I really like that the information above is printed on the label. There's even an ingredients list and phone number!

Served slightly chilled from cellar temp. Pours into a pint glass, absolutely black in color with thick brown head. Great retention but no lacing to speak of.

Aroma is sweet and malty with a hint of red wine.

Flavor is full of depth and complexity. Lots of dark chocolate and roasted coffee. The sole use of wheat gives it a unique flavor. Nice and spicy but smooth. Lots of bitterness from both hops and dark malts.

Mouthfeel is dominated by big body, lots of bitterness, and a bone dry finish. Not the easiest thing to make a session out of but this bottle seems the perfect size.

Very nice overall and I look forward to trying others from Haandbryggeriet.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2009 00:33:07 | More by GilGarp

burnstar

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours black with a big dark tan head. Aroma is strong dark roasted malt with a bunch of herbal hops. Also notes of chocolate and dark fruit. Taste has huge chocolate note. Pretty balanced between sweetness and bitterness from the roasted malt although perhaps it tends toward the sweet side. Plum and light raisin notes. Hops in the finish but they are somewhat subdued. Tasty. Mouthfeel is full bodied. Very drinkable for the style. Overall this is a very good and unique Imperial Stout. It claims to be a "Double Extreme Imperial Wheat Stout" and it does have a somewhat unique flavor and smell that are hard to pin down. Actually way better than I expected since I had no idea what this was when I picked it up. Plus it's called Dark Forces.. and it's from Norway. So make sure you put on some Darkthrone (or your favorite Norwegian Black Metal) while you drink this.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2009 00:29:02 | More by burnstar