Dark Seas - Mission Brewery

ThickNStout

Georgia

3.64/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle from Bruisin Ales (Asheville, NC). 3.49. No bottling info. Served in a Red Brick snifter.

Pours black with a dense half finger deep tan head that leaves wide swaths of lacing down the glass.

Smells of sweet bakers cocoa, sugared dates and burnt caramel.

Taste is a mixture of dark chocolate, stone fruit, creamed medium roast coffee, burnt caramel, charred wood, mild vanilla, anise and a tickle of bitter pine sap towards the finish. There is a lottle booze but for the most part it is well blended behind the other flavors.

Creamy medium body with light to moderate carbonation. Bittersweet cocoa and pine finish.

A pretty nice take on the Russian imperial stout. Well balanced between the malty chocolate flavors and a decent bite of bitter pine.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 05:33:38 | More by ThickNStout

kaseydad

California

3.96/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up as a single....not sure of the scurvy within a sixer.

Pours a black ale with a nice sized beige foamy head. Very light lacing.

I am getting huge green olives in the aroma. No clue why. Some minor roastiness but again...green and now black olives. Dark chocolate. Dark fruits as it warms.

The taste makes up for the aroma. Roasted malt is big. Smokey and dark chocolate is present. Actually pretty darn good. Very flavorful. Long bitter aftertaste. Definitely a RIS on the bitter side so if you are looking for sweetness...this ain't it.

Mouthfeel is pretty full and silky.

Overall I was impressed with this offering. I think this is one of the better Mission Brews out there. The aroma threw me for a loop, but the taste is what we are all after anyways. Roasty and full bodied. And 10.5%. Couldn't ask for much more. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 23:57:46 | More by kaseydad

Bung

North Carolina

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

12oz. A nice thick looking black pour, half finger of light brown head.

Aroma, very chocolatey, some road malt. Lighter caramel and anise.

Taste, Roast malt up front, some anise. Heavy chocolates throughout the middle. Cocoa, coffee and some piney hops and anise again in the finish.

About full body, the carbonation is just a little too high to pass for creamy. Very nicely coating, just a little warming. Rock solid. Would definetely get again.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 02:13:52 | More by Bung

themind

New Jersey

3.05/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not a bad stout, I enjoyed it. Pours a dark small head and has a good mouth feel. First time trying a beer from this brewery and I would go back for seconds. Brew is worth a look. Notes of molasses make this stout a decent beer in the World of Stouts.

Bottom Line: I would not turn it down.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 01:43:36 | More by themind

arizcards

Arizona

3.65/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a bomber at Total Wine in mid-September for $6.99.

Beer poured black with a beautiful brown head that is leaving lacing behind.

Nose is chocolate and roasted malts.

Taste is pretty much the same as the nose with a lingering bitter hop finish. Detecting a bit of an acidic aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is a medium body with a bit of viscosity.

Overall this is a bit uneven and a bit light for the style. Not a bad beer but nothing great either.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 01:06:56 | More by arizcards

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap 11/28/2012 at Track 84, in Warwick, RI served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a deep black color, with a short brown head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains rich chocolate, roasted malts, some coffee and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a strong creamy chocolate flavor followed by some flavors of dark fruit and coffee. Then a hearty roasted malt character comes in. The hops presence is very mild as it should be in this type of beer and creates a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and a little crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, strong kick, good representation of style, it’s a solid big stout but there are others in the style that I would pick first.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2012 02:15:59 | More by TheManiacalOne

FosterJM

California

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

1633rd Review on BA
Bottle to Snifter
12oz

2012 release
Purchased a single 12oz from Total Wine, Rancho Cucamonga, CA

App- A huge inky black pour with a ton of brown highlights around the edges. The head was a good 2 fingers and clung well to the side of the glass. A nice density center and very deep saturated.

Smell- A bit like a chocolate milk, mixed with coffee only a bit deeper and less grainy. The chocolate is very aromatic and pairs well with the malts and then the coffee comes in with a bit or roast and toast behind it. A bit smooth and creamy as well.

Taste- This was a nice and creamy RIS. A good amount of balance was there between the malts and the chocolate coffee flavors. The bitter was a bit toned downed in relation to say Narwhal which I had the day before reviewing this. This had more richness and cream as mentioned and dialed up the chocolate.

Mouth- A very thick medium almost bordering on being a low bodied/thick stout. The carbonation was fairly dense and a bit creamy. Got a bit thicker and denser as it warmed.

Drink- I really enjoyed this. A good deal in a 12oz bottle. I will have to grab more of these. Nice semi-local beer. Gotta love all the stuff out of SD.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 16:09:40 | More by FosterJM

SHODriver

California

3.73/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: poured into a snifter thick as used motor oil and pure black topped with a dark tan head that is small but quick recede to a small collar around the glass
S: smells of roasted barley and chocolate with a little bit of fruit and charred wood
T: roasted barley and bitter dark chocolate some of that fruit and a bit of smoky wood flavor. aftertaste is a bit of dark roast malt and more chocolate
M: smooth and velvety with soft carbonation that builds nicely on the palate. mouthfeel is full but on the lighter side of it
O: not bad at all, kinda simple and low on complexity but a solid beer and good for the price.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 04:56:35 | More by SHODriver

bound4er

Wisconsin

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A. Near perfect dark tan head of two fingers. Jet black appearance. Screams RIS from the look of things.

S. Grain, earth, chocolate, coffee, roast - nice.

T. Roasted malt, chocolate and coffee followed with just enough bitterness from both the dark roasted malt and hops. Finishes very dry with a lingering aftertaste.

M. Medium bodied with just enough carbonation.

O. This is a solid, well crafted RIS that I really enjoy drinking a couple of times per week. Not an overly hyped beer and that may be part of its charm to me. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 00:28:21 | More by bound4er

BuxMontBeerLover

Pennsylvania

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

Bottle was purchased at The Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA on a recent visit to southern Virginia.

Poured and sampled from a DFH Signature Glass

A - Beer pours a totally opaque, midnight black color. A nice, foamy, beige colored one finger head on the initial pour. Lots of sticky lacing left after drinking.

S - A roasted malt, coffee-like aroma. Smells really good.

T - A very tasty stout that has a ton of flavor. The beer is a mixture of heavily roasted malts, coffee, and a sweet chocolate taste that ends with a mild bitterness. A very smooth, creamy brew. The ABV is lurking there in the background but it never overpowers the taste or enjoyment of the beer.

M - A thicker consistency. Low to medium carbonation.

O - This is my first beer from Mission Brewery and I was impressed. It is a top-notch stout that hits all the right notes. I'd gladly have this again. Recommended.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 21:24:54 | More by BuxMontBeerLover

Durge

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A really opaque black brown colored stout with a solid light brown head and lots of cascadding lace. The aroma comes out with deep dark chocolate malt and light coffe charcoal. Pretty much a classic quality hint of things to come but not a huge note for this style. The flavor brings in thick charcoal malt and light grassy raisin-prune. This stuff his full bodied with a near oily feel. Carbonation is tingly stuff. A serious entry for the style, no session brew but tasty and satisfying!

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 05:39:53 | More by Durge

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Smells of lightly roasted malts chocolate and cream.
A very deep mocha head sits on top of deep brown brew. A fast fading head that leaves some soft surface foam.
Unlike the nose there is a deeply roasted malt taste. An ashen or char grit is on the palette with sutle alcohol warming way towards the back.
A good beer to drink no doubt but is one demensional and lacks real depth of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 11:41:42 | More by micromaniac129

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

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

Poured into a glass mug.

A: Dark black with two-finger, dark tan, creamy, fizzy head that lasted several minutes. Good lacing.

S: Sweet caramel malt and chocolate. Less roasted than expected, but still good.

T: Light sweetness and light to moderate bitterness. Roasted malt and bittersweet chocolate

M: Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Somewhat smooth and nice a warm going down.

O: I liked that Great Divide Yeti better than this Russian Imperial stout, but this one is still good.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 00:35:15 | More by SolipsismalCat

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at TJ's, Paoli, PA

Served in a snifter, dark black pour with a small tan head that receded to nearly nothing, leaving a few stray bubbles behind. Great aroma, toffee, chocolate, anise, licorice, touch of dark dried fruits. The taste was similar to the aroma, but not quite as good, dark chocolate, dark malts, toffee and Werther's candy, subtle red wine / brandy, and a bit of anise and hop spice. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel, on the heavier side of medium-bodied, with a bit of inevitable alcohol warmth. Quite the pleasant sipper overall, I'd say.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2012 04:12:38 | More by Rifugium

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.53/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle poured into a snifter.
9.8% ABV, no date.

A - Darker and thicker than used motor oil, this beer pours quietly into the snifter generating an almost red dark brown head which floats above the midnight beer briefly before capsizing into the abyss. Frothy waves of lace are left on the snifter.

S - Dry cocoa and heavily roasted chocolate malt slaughter the aroma with presence while chunks of alcohol-soaked raisin and plum follow through. Dark Seas has an interesting wood-paneled basement aroma though; dust, old funk, and dark-leaf tobacco in a humidor. Sweet molasses and brown sugar claim the last word and sweeten the aroma a tad.

T - Milk chocolate overcomes the molecules of dark, bitter chocolate chunk but cocoa still resounds, as do the dark fruit nuances of the aroma; raisin and plum. Dry, light wood caresses dryness along the beer's lingering finish which works well with the molasses component to it.

M - Don't look for it and you almost might forget this beer is carbonated. Small bubbles dance on the tongue if pause is given to see past the incredibly smooth, rich, and full-bodied beer. Roasted but balanced, this beer marries sweetness with acrid roast well for a great finish that lands a touch dry.

O - Mission, I'm glad you've decided to dock here in Wisconsin. Dark Seas is a fantastic Russian Imperial Stout that churns with rocky waves of malty depth for an incredible outcome of rather epic proportions. And the price is right which makes it that much better. I will be sure to secure more of this beer for the winter months.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 02:00:48 | More by BeerFMAndy

magictacosinus

California

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Seriously, look at how spooky that label is! It was enough to intrigue me overall. Poured out of a 22oz bomber into a tulip glass.

Pours a dark, petrol-like slick into the glass, and even with help from the Duvel glass and slight aggressive pouring at the end, it doesn't produce too much of a head (about 1.5 fingers max). The head is milk-chocolate brown, and the beer is as black as an imperial stout can get. The alcohol leggings are massive on this thing, and it overall looks like an intimidating if not amazing looking drink.

The initial aroma is really powerful, consisting of an enormous alcohol smell, followed by smoked chocolate and coffee aromas that get quickly buried underneath it. With the alcohol being most predominant, I'm getting raspberry fruitiness, raisins, rum, and sweet smells that I usually don't find in even the most ridiculous imperial stouts. There's a lighter zest of hops way at the back, but not enough to be really noticeable. That alcohol is really freaking me out here. I do hope the flavor is a more balanced experience.

And with one sip - you don't want to *gulp* this - I'm instantly proven wrong. I can't even TASTE the alcohol here!! On the other hand, I get crisp, smoked malts that reminisce coffee grounds, vanilla, dark chocolate, but actually more subtle than you'd think. At front there's only a bit of coffee crispness, and the back is a little bit more full-bodied and coated with some hops. There's not much of an alcohol finish, but I must admit that this does it fact get substantially sweeter as it warms up. It took a while to finish this, even when splitting it with a friend. It's really thick, with a pudding like consistency, but the flavors aren't as explosive as I expected. At least it's not an alcoholic disaster, but I definitely expected more ridiculous amounts of chocolate and coffee beans here. It's very smooth and creamy, and definitely has dessert beer properties.

Interesting take on the RIS style, but probably not one I'd necessarily revisit again for being a bit too inconsistent with the aroma and flavors of what I personally enjoy in the style. Slightly too sweet and astringent at the finish. Complex, but not explosive enough. I definitely could have this in smaller quantities, but probably not half a bottle. It's a good one in the style, and I could probably bring myself to appreciate it again if I had it once more.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 21:35:05 | More by magictacosinus

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.7/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Cigar City snifter.

A: Looks like a melted dark chocolate bar with a creamy nougat on top that was a couple of shades lighter than the abyss below it. It didn't stick around long, though.

S: A tad disappointing on the nose: I didn't really get chocolate per se.... more like roasted barley. It just didn't have that deep, spicy component that I usually look for in RISs.

T: Tons of bitter chocolate on the taste though. Sure, it was a tad one-dimensional, but it still was tasty. It reminded me more of a milk stout than a RIS. It had that lactose sugar quality and bleached -out spice component.

M: Thick and creamy, and you peeps who love your Imperial Stouts more on the dessert side are going to love this. The prickly I got from the carbonation was absolutely perfect here.

O: I was a bit let down since I had heard so many great things. I will say that this one is an absolute bargain on the wallet, therefore, I see another round with this one in my future.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 21:33:07 | More by Chaney

Minkybut

Virginia

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

I poured this excellent beer into my tumbler at 45 degrees. The beer poured a really black glass and had the darkest head I believe I have ever seen. The bubbles were very fine and the head creamy. The beer smelled really good with serious dark chocolate smells boiling out the top of the glass. The taste was wonderful. Burnt chocolate without being bitter and great lacing to boot. I will buy this again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 22:44:53 | More by Minkybut

troysoy2

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip glass.

Pitch black, with a nice finger of light tan head. The retention isn't the best, though, and lacing is nearly non-existent.

Dark, dark roasty malt, a bit of anise, and maybe a whisper of vanilla on the nose.

The taste mirrors the smell, and boy is it roasty. A tad straightforward, but well executed, nonetheless. Slightly slick, decently thick mouthfeel. Alcohol is well hidden, making for a drinkable, yet respecatable RIS.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 05:08:13 | More by troysoy2

Brushkanna

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - dark dark black body, someone wrote "pitch black", head is dark chocolate brown and comes back with a swirl of the glass
Smell - light smell with a little alcohol vapor wafting up, when does a smell on a stout really come up very much?
Taste - love this kind of dark toasted malty stout, more on the sweeter side, not bitter almost tastes like a it is made with lactose sugar
Mouth - great mouth, lasting chocolate coat in the mouth
Overall - I really like Imperial stouts like this, not to bitter but dark full flavored, give this one a try

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 23:47:37 | More by Brushkanna

Phelps

Arizona

3/5  rDev -26.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Enjoyed at World of Beer in a snifter.

Pitch black, as dark as the bottom of the ocean. One inch of thick cream like sea foam. Light, sandy tan.

Light aroma. A little anise, torched bread, dark chocolate. Bitter, black stuff.

Same deal here. Very black, with malts burnt to a crisp. A little acrid, with licorice, a touch of cocoa. Splashes of sweetness at the swallow and a touch of oatmeal as it warms.

Medium body. Smooth, with velvety carbonation. Only a hint of alcohol heat, but more than a hint of burnt bitterness.

Meh. Too light, too bitter and burnt for my tastes.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2012 07:08:34 | More by Phelps

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, no date. Label says 9.8% abv

appears jet black in the glass, very dark brown head that fades to just a thin ring. great rich aroma of booze, chocolate, figs. Taste is similar, with bold flavors of dark chocolate, smoke, plum, raisin. body is thick, coats the mouth. low carbonation. could maybe be smoother.

overall - well executed RIS. Seems they maybe have used some Special B malt with the prominent dark fruit notes.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 02:55:14 | More by jmdrpi

brystmar

New York

3.6/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Fully opaque, black body rests below frothy brown head and lace. Pretty good retention on the latter, not so much on the former. Dark chocolate roast and booze greet my nose, lacking the delicious complexity I was hoping for.

Dark roast, bitter baker's chocolate, strongly boozy. Flavors integrated better when cold; depth seems to suffer as the bitter alcoholic bite at the end strengthens when the beer warms. Regardless, its thick body pleases my palate.

Glad to tick this extra, but it's impossible to justify purchasing this beer when Founders' stouts adorn my local shelves.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 01:32:43 | More by brystmar

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle. Pours a rich black color with a dark brown finger of frothy head. Strong retention and good lacing. The look is right on. Aroma is too, packing a lot of chocolate, roasty, charred malt, a hint of anise and coffee, subtle booziness. Everything you’d expect for the style if not an overwhelming bouquet.

The flavor follows the nose; there’s moderate sweetness and a pretty assertive chocolate presence, subtler anise, medium char/roastiness, a touch of coffee and booziness. Lightly hopped with a sticky, lip-smacking finish and a bit of lingering bitterness from both hops and roasted malt. The booze presence is there but it’s restrained, appropriate, and pleasantly warming.

Medium-full bodied, a little chewy, smooth and creamy carbonation. Excellent feel.

This is a really good non-barrel aged RIS and thankfully it’s in an affordable 12oz package. Definitely my favorite beer by Mission so far.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 18:36:37 | More by tobelerone

FickleBeast

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a nonic. Bottle says 9.8% ABV and not 10.5% listed here.

Pours pitch black and ultra viscous. A half finger of mocha foam struggles to break the surface of this beer. Aroma is full of dark roast malt, coffee, chocolate, plum.

First sip is chewy, roast malt sweetness, and firm bitter finish. Smooth alcohol burn. Surprisingly smooth for the ABV. Huge mouthfeel. This is a very well made RIS. Not overly hoppy but a decent amount of bittering.

All in all, a very nice RIS!

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 02:24:27 | More by FickleBeast