Black Betty Imperial Stout - Reserve Series Aged In Whiskey Barrels - Nebraska Brewing Company

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

So I don't mind paying a lot of money for a beer thats really going to knock my socks off. What I really don't like is when I spend a good chunk of money on something like this brew... I want to start off by saying that it's a good beer, there's no doubt about that. However, I feel there are beers out there, of this style, that are far cheaper and are possibly better tasting all around. Now that I got to vent I'll begin my review.

Black Betty pours out as a nice deep looking black color. Oily thick looking body to this brew with a dark brown colored head on top. The smell of the beer is heavily roasted and has some burnt chocolaty aromas to it. The taste of the beer is also pretty good also, plenty of chocolate flavors with some coffee and wood notes to it. The mouthfeel was smooth but could have been a little thicker I think. Overall this beer is good, but it's just too freakin' expensive in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2011 22:01:58 | More by Knapp85

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Extraordinary, rich and complex malt, chocolate malt, some roast, huge head. Big black body.Roasty and whiskey aromas. Whiskey was so boozy for mid-day, but hey it beats bourbon. Thick and tasty.The 83 IBU hops is in the finish and builds up for quite a hopfix as I finish the bomber.The 9% seems like 13%. Points for not being overally coffee.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2011 21:05:44 | More by northyorksammy

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

3.48/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Almost black but not solid black, thin tan head with a bunch of sticky spotty lacing.

S - Whiskey and oak and lots of it. Smells more like Jack Daniels than a bourbon barrel. Vanilla, hint of roasted malt but mostly whiskey.

T - Reminds me of a bad idea of making a home made barrel aged stout by putting a shot of Jack Daniels in an Imperial Stout. Whiskey, oak, vanilla with just a touch of stout hidden in the background.

M - Medium body with low carbonation.

D - Not very smooth. Not worth the price even though I found it on sale for $16.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 02:16:30 | More by brewcrew76

brentk56

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a pitch black color with a relatively thin beige cap that doesn't hang around for long but leaves a nice swath of lace behind

Smell: The barrel is most prominent in the aroma, leaving a strong whiskey element with vanilla in the background; overwhelms the expected imperial stout aromas

Taste: Rather boozy, up front, with burnt brown sugar and roasted malt flavors joining the whiskey and vanilla; the booziness continues, after the swallow, overwhelming the other elements

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation and considerable warmth; lacks the full-bodied mouthfeel for the style

Overall: This is a decent beer but just doesn't measure up to great examples of the style; in and of itself, that is not necessarily bad but the beer is priced as if it belonged in the top echelon

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 23:50:30 | More by brentk56

beerexplorer1973

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +25.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: brown, thin head; long legs; rich dark color, almost black

Smell: mild whiskey but sweet nose

taste: Very mellow on the pallet. Character improves as it should with a quality stout as it airs and warms. The whiskey surprisingly subsides as it warms. Hard to believe its 9% ABV.

Mouthfeel: medium body

Overall: I was very hesitant to buy this at $20 for the bottle. I, as well as my beer exploring friend, was very glad that I did. If my income would support it, I would buy a case next time I had access!

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 17:14:46 | More by beerexplorer1973

AgentZero

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark brown beer that gets a little ruby on the edges. Had a bit of a tan head that left some spots on the sides.

S - A bit of bourbon, barrel, oak, alcohol, bit of vanilla. Slightly harsh, little too much alcohol, but has a couple of nice things going for it.

T - Some wood, more vanilla, bourbon, alcohol. Not particularly smooth, little bit of coffee. It's not bad, has some decent flavors.

M - Medium bodied, lower carbonation.

O - Not a bad beer, could be smoothed out a little bit with a little less barrel focus, but this was alright. Wouldn't mind this one again.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 03:54:34 | More by AgentZero

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

poured into snifter glass.

Appearance: black bodied beer with about one fingers worth of tan head. Receeds quickly to a thin cap of head on top the beer.

Smell: Really whiskey forward. Hints of oak and roasted malts.

Taste: Really awesome flavor, nice balance of the whiskey barrel and the stout flavors. Roasty malts and expresso coffee notes. The oak and whiskey taste subtle. Vanilla sweetness and some dark chocolates. Molasses and tobacco in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Just a bit too thin for the huge flavors roaming around in this beer. Medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. Carbonation is really close to spot on, but not quite there all the way.

Overall: really good beer, but the price tag kills me! 20 bucks for a 750 bottle. I expected a bit more from this beer with the big price tag.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 04:21:52 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Paul. Enjoyed while sitting on the dock of the bay.
The beer is black with a giant, foamy tan head that completely costs the snifter in lacing. The aroma brings a healthy whiskey presence, followed by roast, vanilla, and oak. The flavor is very whiskey forward, though not hot. Smooth and well balanced. Good stuff. The price is a bit steep at $25 per bottle. I would have this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2011 01:18:39 | More by Huhzubendah

FosterJM

California

4.38/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

536th Review on BA
Bottle to Snifter
750ML

Purchased at NS Liquor in Lincoln, NE

App- A very dark dark brown with garnet edges. About a finger of head that was quick to recede and didnt leave much in terms of lace.

Smell- Roasty light malts with a little bit of bitter hops, slight really. Nice light dark chocolate aromatics as well.

Taste- This was amazingly smooth without the gigantic ABV bite. It was very well balanced and had a lot of barrel and chocolate behind it.

Mouth- Medium bodied and medium carbed as well. A roasty chocolate aftertaste was left behind.

Drink- This was so smooth and rich and smooth. I want more of it but such a large price point, it is well worth it. The flavors are so balanced and the booze is so well hidden. A very well crafted beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2011 04:19:07 | More by FosterJM

IKR

California

3.8/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark brown color with which in the dark almost appears black but appears as dark brown when held up to the light. Fairly generous head for an IS.

Smell: Slight whiskey notes, mild roast malts, and some traces of alcohol. The nose is fairly subdued.

Taste: Mild whiskey notes reminiscent of Abyss, mild roasted malts and some hops creep through in the finish.

Mouth-feel: Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation.

Overall: A good beer but here is my problem with it. I paid over twice what I paid for Abyss and basically the same that I paid for Black Tuesday and Older Viscosity. The taste is somewhat comparable to Abyss, though I prefer the Abyss and to me it's not playing in the same league as Black Tuesday and Older Viscosity.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 04:55:49 | More by IKR

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours the darkest shade of brown bordering on black but still lets a faint bit of light through. Thinnish Khaki head shows a moderate desire to hold its place at the top but is inevitably sucked back into the abyss. Smells of bourbon and chocolate right off the bat. Vanilla, licorice and molasses are mixed with hints of burnt sugar. Some harsher alcohol comes out as she warms up, but I could smell this thing all night if you let me. The taste leans towards the sweet end of the spectrum. Creamy rich dark chocolate covered espresso beans dipped in bourbon then dredged into dark brown sugar just about sums up the flavor here. Lingering roast and bourbon on the finish. Creamy smooth mouthfeel, thick body, and a light level of carbonation. I really enjoyed this one, although it is certainly a sipper and maybe a touch too sweet. I'm glad I got to try this but at north of 20 dollars for the 750 this is one and done for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 00:38:49 | More by johnnnniee

jhdrislane617

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

watching the beer into my snifter, I was a bit let down. seemed light for an imperial stout. Final presentation was a deep brown with ruby hues and a healthy sized khaki head that subsided to a patchy crown with solid lacing. ups and downs.

Great nose here. bourbon is pleasant and not overwhelming. Nice vanilla and wood, burnt malt with a buttery notes.

The taste has won me over. Very nice balance of bourbon/oak and rich dark beer. Sweet in the front, slight hop bite with a bit of heat on the back of the tongue. Excellent.

Yep, the feel is thin. Not watery, creamy, just a bit thin.

I can let the let the "non black" appearance slide, I'm more concerned with flavor and this beer meets expectations in that regard. Not as hearty as a IS should be but the taste certainly makes up for it.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 05:24:15 | More by jhdrislane617

zeff80

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a jet black color with a one-finger, light brown head of bubbly foam. It left streaky trails of lace on the glass.

S - Good aroma of chocolate, whiskey, vanilla and oak.

T - Delicious balance of roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla and an oaky/woody flavors.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A full bodied ale with a warm alcohol presence.

O - This is a really tasty aged RIS. Nebraska does some good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 19:14:39 | More by zeff80

IdrinkGas

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a snifter. Pours pitch black with a huge tan head. This one looks great! No light gets through this pitch black stout. Smells mostly of whiskey, oak, and hops. Taste like it smells. Dominated by whiskey with a bitter hop and chocolate finish. Medium bodied. Thinner mouthfeel than I expected. I would prefer a little more carbonation.
Overall its good tasting stout. Would probably purchase again if it were cheaper than $ 28.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 01:33:09 | More by IdrinkGas

KAP1356

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Last bottle before my hiatus from beer until finals are over. 750 ml bottle purchased today and poured into a snifter...

A - Pours black to me! Squid ink black with a nice creamy espresso colored head about 1 finger thick. Nice lacing is left and the retention is actually quite good. For a barrel aged stout, carbonation is visible.

S - Nice warming bourbon whiskey and oak come right out along with chocolate and roasted malts. The malts almost seem burnt or charred in a way. Vanilla and some coffee follow things up rounding the nose out nicely.

T - Charred/burnt malts, whiskey, oak, vanilla, chocolate and coffee all swirl around nicely and complement each other. a bit of eathiness towards the end of the profile which is quite interesting.

M - Thinner than expected for the style. Medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. Smooth and creamy despite it being thinner than I would want.

O - Pretty nice beer. Not one that I would buy again given the $23.99 price-tag, but a nice beer to start my beer hiatus nonetheless. Flavors really do all work together nicely. Probably won't visit this one again for quite sometime.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 00:20:26 | More by KAP1356

radioscooter

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Just picked one of these up last week at HO1KB in New Ken. $28 seems ridiculous for a retail, unaged, new release 750ml, but I paid it to be able to bitch about it or forgive it if it was worth it.

Pours dark, but not black - odd, that's your name, Betty...

Sides fall away to caramel color leaving it a little oily looking. I had this one in the freezer too long so am letting it warm up a bit.
Wow, well this one is a sad disappointment.

Tarry, roasty, malty approach. Hints of black pepper, coffee, chocolate and - that's about it. Not getting much barrel or any whisky her. Not much of a boozy profile. Which isn't bad - I just was expecting more.

I just cannot see the justification for the price or the hype on this one.

Worth trying, get a glass from a friend.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 21:15:44 | More by radioscooter

mdfb79

New York

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From 03/25/11 notes. Shared by nimbleprop; thanks Mac.

a - Pours an almost black brown color, with one inch of tan head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of bourbon, vanilla, oak, chocolate, and roasted malts.

t - Tasted of bourbon, oak, vanilla, roasted malts, chocolate, and caramel malts.

m - Med body and low carbonation, very smooth and creamy. Great mouthfeel.

o - A very nice RIS I enjoyed a lot. Lots of nice, balanced things in the smell and taste. Would like to have again.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 02:31:30 | More by mdfb79

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a nice thick dark brown foamy head with good retention and good lacing. Aroma of bourbon and vanilla is quite powerful with some light coffee notes. Taste is also a slightly unbalanced mix of bourbon with clear vanilla notes with some roasted malt notes and a dry finish. Body is quite full with good carbonation and light warming alcohol notes. Unfortunately this one was not as balanced as I would have hoped for but still very good nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 02:26:47 | More by Phyl21ca

Gtreid

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Another thanks to Dave for sharing. 750 ml bottle poured into a tulip.

A: Pretty much black, but with some ruby highlight around the edges. What head did appear quickly faded to a thin rim.

A: Charred malts, chocolate, small coffee notes. And then, yes, the whiskey. It's not overpowering, just accentuates the base beer.

T: The charred malts are a nice accompaniment to the whiskey. Notes of dark chocolate, vanilla, espresso, and earth. Finishes dry and slightly sweet.

M: It is a little to thin here. I would say medium body, but really needs to be full bodied.

O: I thought this was a very soild BA stout, and one that I would have again. To thin on the palate, but other than that a very tastefully crafted brew. Skal.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 14:01:18 | More by Gtreid

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

therealnomayo hooked this one up.. shared with my normal few friends... Thanks Jason, I would have opened this up at the RIS tasting, but there were too many bottles and it would have gotten lost.

This is an example of a great BA RIS that needs no aging.. the brewery did it for you... fantastic right out of the gate.

Nice dark tan head.. the brew pours not thick or thin.. just about perfect... okay retention and decent of lacing.

Nose shows everything good about a Bourbon aged RIS.. bunches of roasty qualities and nice chocolate combine with vanilla and hints of dried cherries.. well mixed..

Bittersweet chocolate and a tad dry roasty malts emerge out front with some well integrated barrel notes mid palate.. I like the fact that this bottle is a bit on the dry side... what malty sweetness that is present only pushes the RIS flavors up to the front... the bourbon meshes well with some minor cherry essence.. vanilla and dark chocolate without the sweeness is very nice.

Body may be on the light side with the hyped brothers, but I believe this is very nice right now.... almost awesome.. I don't think it will age well, as there isn't a lot of room for movement.. but this is imminently drinkable and not the most palate bombing brew ever, it is damn good right now.

Thanks again Jason... I truly appreciate it.

3.5/4/4.5/3.5/4.5

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 09:16:11 | More by JohnGalt1

number1bum

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Part of the NEPA BC split from back in November. Pours a pretty dark brown, darker in the glass than on the pour but certainly not the "black as night" noted on the label. Head is more bubbly than dense and produces about a finger and a half of foam, which settles to a bubbly, uneven lace without much stick on the sides.

Smell has a pleasing whiskey aroma up front, with notes of vanilla and wood. Behind it is some sweet malt, chocolate and caramel with some roasted notes and a hint of coffee as well. The malt base is pretty light, however, and lacks much depth. It smells thin, which for a barrel aged imperial stout does not seem to portend good things...

Taste is, as the nose predicted it might be, pretty thin. It just lacks the depth of flavor that an imperial stout, barrel aged or not, should deliver. It has some roasted and coffee notes, with a bit of sweetness, but those then wash almost completely away as the whiskey flavor asserts itself. It's not that the whiskey is overpowering, because it's not - it's actually pretty nice - it's just that the stout itself is very weak. The whiskey is pleasant and has some vanilla flavor as well, plus there is a woody quality in the finish. Just a touch of alcohol heat. The whiskey actually saves this from scoring even lower.

Mouthfeel is woefully thin for an imperial stout. It's a medium body, but barely, and lacks a creaminess to make it feel fuller. Carbonation is fine and it's pretty smooth, but I like my impys with more meat on their bones. This just does not cut it.

The whiskey qualities here are pretty nice, aggressive without being overdone, but the stout itself falls flat. It's too thin and lacks much character, making the final product pretty subpar, particularly in a category with so many outstanding beers. The whiskey saves it from being a complete disappointment in fact. Once I finish a sip and the palate is clean, it feels as though I'm drinking a highball of whiskey rather than a beer; that being the case, I'd rather just drink the whiskey.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2011 02:34:02 | More by number1bum

stakem

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes taken on 1/21/11. 750ml split with a bunch of inactive BA's (wishuwerebeer, smoked and hoser81.)

Poured into a snifter, this brew appears black in color with no light shining through. More than a finger of dark tan head swells up and slowly recedes leaving spotty lace about the glass.

The aroma is oaky with a tangy alcohol character that is accented by whiskey and a touch of fruity hops. Chocolate malt is evident throughout the body smelling like baker's powder. A very pleasant roastiness. As it warms there is a touch of sulfur and some minor vanilla notes.

The taste is oaky with a dry tannic quality. A pleasant tangy character of whiskey infused alcohol is right upfront but not bold, it blends well with a flavor of bitter chocolate malt. The bitterness seemingly comes from the roast of the grain which lingers with a taste of coffee and light vanilla.

Medium bodied with a modest amount of carbonation. Very well balanced and enjoyable. A lingering dry grain roast quality is pleasantly mixed with the whiskey. The tangy alcohol provides a solid warmth in the back of the throat with every sip. Not the best barrel aged stout but decent. For the big price tag I probably wouldn't purchase this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2011 18:10:21 | More by stakem

mcallister

Ohio

3.13/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1

Deep brown in color slightly light and not black with a small head that leaves good lace.

Wet cardboard in the nose almost like a corked wine. Mildew, chocolate, wood, hints of vanilla, with black fruit esters.

Not a bad beer, easy drinking, light and not overly complex, but a dick load of alcohol on the finish. Some dark fruits in the middle with wood tannins on the finish. Hints of whiskey, wood, vanilla, milk chocolate, and plum.

Mouth is full but yet not thick and big like you'd expect with a beer like this. I normally don't consider price with drinkability but considering this bottle cost me $25bux this may be the most overpriced beer I've ever had, and I'm not one to complain about pricing.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 18:13:07 | More by mcallister

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750mL bottle poured into tulip glass

Pours totally black with a thin tanned head. Little retention and lacing along the glass.

Plenty of whiskey up front in the nose with molasses, chocolate, and toffee alongside faint hops. Not particularly inviting.

Some dark chocolate sweetness up front with whiskey warmth. More chocolate, toffee, and molasses with caramel malt. Roasted flavor with dark fruit sweetness including raisins and dates. More boozy sweetness towards the end which smacks of plain whiskey.

Fuller medium body, lighter carbonation, lingering heat and stickiness in the feel. Alcohol appears to be heavy and the dark fruit sweetness doesn't appear to mesh completely with the whiskey.

I really wanted to love this beer, but the flavors didn't seem to work for me, and I was missing some of the barrel aging flavors I typically love. Also, there was a bit of astringency (possible tartness) which reminded me of the possible onset of infection, although I'm not ready to go crazy over it yet.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 05:36:24 | More by xnicknj

bonkers

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I picked up the bottle at Pinnochio's a few months ago( $25) and I split it with my cousin over the holidays. The pour was from a bomber into multiple snifters, jet black pour with a thin tan head. The aroma has lots of chocolate and coffee, light notes of oak and whiskey. The flavor had more chocolate and molases than I was expecting, light vanilla, oak and whiskey. The finish lingered with light booze, not overpowering at all. I was expecting a stronger whiskey prescence. The body was lighter than expected, decent carbonation. A decent BA stout, but way overpriced. I would not buy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2010 17:49:44 | More by bonkers