Event Horizon Cascadian Dark Ale - COAST Brewing Company

JCaweinstein

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This ale is black with a light tan head. The head was two fingers, very smooth and creamy looking and had very good retention. There was also some nice lacing left down the glass.
I first smelled chocolate and coffee. As it warmed I was able to smell what I believed to be raisins and also the grapefruit hop aromas.
The chocolate and coffee flavors dominate this beer. The grapefruit hop character is also present, just not quite as strong.
This ale is medium bodied and silky smooth despite the decent level of carbonation. Starts with the slight hop flavors then finishes with chocolate and coffee combo. It leaves a nice rich and slightly bitter coffee aftertaste.
This is an outstanding ale, very complex and rich. It is slightly expensive at 10$ for a 22 oz bottle but I'd buy it again and probably again.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 01:32:54 | More by JCaweinstein

Freethyhops

Alabama

4.75/5  rDev +12%

05-09-2013 10:20:01 | More by Freethyhops

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -5.7%

03-31-2013 21:45:20 | More by mikeincharleston

JISurfer

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

03-02-2013 03:19:04 | More by JISurfer

sendbeer

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

10-29-2012 15:46:11 | More by sendbeer

Mattybz28

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

10-08-2012 13:26:06 | More by Mattybz28

LauraAlberts

South Carolina

2/5  rDev -52.8%

09-03-2012 14:42:49 | More by LauraAlberts

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.3/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - over a finger of nice mocha colored head. Some large bubbles in the middle surrounded by tiny ones. Very strong lacing. Body is pretty pitch black. I'm getting light through at about 5-7mm.

S - Tons of fresh hops and then when you dive it lots of chocolate and nuts. The fresh hops overtake this one though.

T - Bitter chocolate, coffee and tobacco. Slight harsh hops. Way too bitter for me. As it warms, things start to mellow out and meld.

M - Great carbonation and full body.

O - I'll admit, I'm not a black ale fan, but this one takes it to a new level. Too much tobacco, bitterness, and harshness. Maybe this was a bad bottle, but not for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 22:10:19 | More by RuckusDu

RussBecker1

5/5  rDev +17.9%

08-18-2012 02:48:16 | More by RussBecker1

Schlais

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

08-15-2012 05:11:14 | More by Schlais

Ryan011235

Ohio

4.9/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into an Allagash glass on 8/9/12

Bottled on: 07 18 12

Many thanks to PDXHops

Dark, inky brown; somehow it manages to stay away from look black in the glass. Even though no light gets through, this is just a really dark brown a sandy, light brown scourge of bubbles hits the two and a half finger mark before slowly deflating. Good retention and webs of dry, crackly lace. Lace is thicker on the second pour.

While in the bottle Event Horizon smells of green, sticky pine. Once in the glass, the hops are just as green, though the outright pine note isn't so loud. Regardless, it's plenty hoppy and with a good deal of dark roast to balance it out - cocoa dust, hints of coffee and some dark bread. Overtones of nuts and earth. Some zesty citric tones emerge as it warms.

The flavor skews the balance meter back toward the hops; though not as green as the aromas, there is more piney bite and snarl. Bitterness is on the high side of moderate but remains pleasant. The dark roast is in a supportive and steadfast role adding some burnt notions and roasted coffee bitterness. Wow, I'm more impressed with each drink I take.

The feel is medium-full and inky and, but for a moment, I consider stretching it to nearly silky. This notion doesn't last long as vigorous carbonation rattles the upper tier of the mouthfeel and dry grittiness unseats the lower. This trio of distinct feels may seem at odds, but I find they work incredibly well. The finish even manages a coating feel that is actually enjoyable as far as coating feels go. By the time I'm to the second glass, the feel has settled into perfection.

Even Horizon is nearly perfect. The flavor and feel pull together fantastically. Overall drinkability is ridiculously high. This is exactly what I think about when I think about Cascadian Dark Ales. COAST continues to impress me time and time again. I can't recommend this enough. Thanks, Jeff!

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 01:36:25 | More by Ryan011235

jrohrbacher

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -5.7%

08-06-2012 02:53:34 | More by jrohrbacher

LibrariansLoveBEER

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

08-04-2012 20:38:55 | More by LibrariansLoveBEER

ADTaber

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

08-04-2012 19:57:52 | More by ADTaber

fehrminator

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

07-30-2012 00:26:40 | More by fehrminator

mecmd

Georgia

4.75/5  rDev +12%

07-29-2012 02:32:00 | More by mecmd

ahatcher78

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

05-04-2012 01:25:47 | More by ahatcher78

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served from growler into a Mikkeller oversize wine glass. Poured a massively dark brown with a one finger khaki colored head that subsided to a minimal amount very slowly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, roasted malt, dark chocolate, citrus, citrus hop, and orange peel. The flavor was of sweet malt, roasted malt, citrus, citrus hop, dark chocolate, orange rine, and subtle nuttiness. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. I was really quite impressed with this one if I am honest. I’m usually not a fan of this style, but this one had a nice balance of roastiness and citrus to carry it into a class all its own in this style. It really felt more like an IPA than a Black Ale, but I was perfectly okay with this fact. Definitely a must try for anyone out there who has not and worth trying again if you already have.

Serving type: growler

03-17-2012 13:56:41 | More by thagr81us

whitekiboko

South Carolina

2.5/5  rDev -41%

12-27-2011 00:40:35 | More by whitekiboko

exposur3

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -5.7%

12-22-2011 16:26:35 | More by exposur3

welldigger888

South Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours an opaque black with a nice tan head and outstanding lace down glass.

HOPS....Chinooks? Cascade? definatly of the C veriaty. Piney citrus laced goodness that stands up to a nice roasty grain bill. Even better than the last brew of this, more roasty.

Grapefruit coffee roastiness that seems to play well together. The roasty goodness does not seem charred but right on with a good coffee, playing well with the hops.

Medium full creamy mouth that rolls down the tongue leaving a wanting for more.

COAST does an outstanding job again.

Serving type: growler

12-15-2011 22:06:52 | More by welldigger888

CarolinaKev

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

12-11-2011 03:52:02 | More by CarolinaKev

scottyshades

Florida

4.35/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler from GBX

A: Pours a pitch black color with a massive khaki colored head. Retention is excellent throughout the glass.

S: Caramel, roasty/toasty malts, big fresh piney hops, citrusy hops, coffee, resin. I would say that the nose on this is comparable to Stone's 15th; very fresh

T: Coffee, roasty/toasty malts (maybe even a little char), beautifully balanced by hops. This is one of the most complex examples of this style that I have tried. Cascade and Citra hops are clearly identifiable along with bittersweet chocolate.

MF/O: Big big body, slightly chalky feel to it, smooth carbonation, alcohol is not present. A real easy drinker

Notes: For all of you that wished Stone's 15th wasn't as boozy, this is it. Also more complex. Nicely done COAST...I am now convinced that you cannot make a beer that I won't like

Serving type: growler

12-07-2011 21:42:04 | More by scottyshades

fear025

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to MikeInCharleston for this bottle!

Aroma:A little char notes in the aroma, a little malty sweetness, not too much hoppyness.

Appearance:Dark, nearly opaque. Good cappuccino colored head.

Taste:It's a very mild cascadian dark ale. The hops, while there, are subdued. There is a huge chocolate and roasty backbone. On the foretaste is a good amount of bitterness without a ton of hop flavor. It tastes more to me like a hoppy stout than a cascadian dark,.

Mouthfeel:The body is medium to thick. Nice carbonation.

Overall:This beer reminds me a lot of surly mild. It's a delicious beer, although I'm not sure I'd label it a cascadian dark.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 18:47:00 | More by fear025

CSQ1111

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

11-21-2011 22:28:12 | More by CSQ1111