Black Tuesday - The Bruery

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle, no bottled-on date, poured into a snifter.

A- Pours a deep brown color, nearly black, some mahogany hues at the edges, produces a thin brown head that recedes to a collar, leaves no lacing but has some nice legs.

S- Very big, rich aroma, lots of bourbon and dry wood. The aroma also has some sweet notes of chocolate, vanilla, and molasses. Some coffee and roasted grain as well. Surprisingly it isn't that boozy for 18%.

T- Lots of sweet sugar and vanilla up front, as the sweetness subsides flavors of chocolate, caramel, molasses and bourbon become more prominent, there's also some roast and coffee flavor towards the finish, which is fruity and has caramel flavors. Really delicious stuff, it's very sweet and very boozy but not in an overpowering way, very drinkable and balanced.

M- Full-bodied, thick and chewy feel, moderate to low carbonation, boozy warmth is noticeable but isn't hot.

O- A delicious beer, the richness and complexity of flavor is really incredible, it's a fantastic sipping beer but is also not as hot or sweet as you might expect for such a massive beer, this is my favorite beer from the Bruery, which is really saying something.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 12:14:01 | More by WillCarrera

iadler

Minnesota

2.73/5  rDev -39.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

'11 bottle. Thanks for bringing this exitmusic00. I've been curious in trying this after having Chocolate Rain Batch 1.

A- Pours a deep black with a thin mocha head that leaves no lacing behind.

S- Harsh alcohol, dark fruit including prunes and raisins and some sugary sweetness. The 18% is making itself known.

T- Bourbon hits the palate followed by loads of candied sugar, roasted malt, prune juice, raisins and black cherry. Damn, this is incredibly sweet and is pretty much diabetes in a bottle. Really no balance or complexity for that matter. Maybe some chocolate and caramel, but the alcohol and sugar overpower pretty much any flavor.

M- Medium carbonation and a syrupy body with the heat lingering on.

O- It's amazing how undrinkable this beer was. Way too much sugary sweetness paired with the harsh booziness. It was a chore to drink 3 ounces. The hype behind this and Chocolate Rain confuse me as both are just hot boozy messes.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 23:28:06 | More by iadler

Mora2000

Texas

4.43/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to GregSVT for sharing this bottle. I was beginning to doubt whether I would ever get to try this one.

2011 vintage.

The beer pours a very dark brown to black color with a few brown bubbles but no real head.

The aroma is awesome. I get a ton of bourbon and molasses notes, as well as some raisins, chocolate and roasted malt. The other barrel-aged notes also come through and contribute quite a bit of maple and oak.

The flavor is just as good, if not better than the aroma. The first notes are some sweet chocolate, which is quickly followed by a heavy amount of bourbon. I also get some great maple, oak and vanilla notes from the barrel-aging process, as well as some coffee and brown sugar. The alcohol is very present and the beer is extremely sweet.

Medium to thick mouthfeel and low carbonation. Thanks again Greg for sharing this bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 03:00:24 | More by Mora2000

Luk13

Quebec (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle 2010 vintage shared with many people, thanks to Weisguy! Beautiful opaque black brown with red shades, although very little head. Extremely volatile, the alcohol brings an wide aroma spectrum: dark fruits, cherries, bourbon, molasses and coconut. Flavors are pure chocolate (almost brownies) and bourbon with some cherries. Rich bodied and low carbonation, almost like a syrup. It was very tasty but too heavy to be pleasant to drink in large servings. An event in itself.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 17:42:01 | More by Luk13

1Adam12

Indiana

4.45/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Finally decided to open one of these. About 6 months on it I believe ,give or take. Pours jet black, with zero head. Nose is a bit boozy, but huge "usual" stout smells. Wayyy more chocolate than a typical stout though. The bourbon blends in nicely and doesn't overpower the beer at all. Just so much chocolate. A bit hot still, but I suppose that'll happen with 18% +. Mouthfeel, to me, for the size of the beer, is actually a bit small. Not as thick and vicious as I would expect, but still pretty full. Overall, this is one that I cannot wait to age for the next 5 years. Fantastic beer that lives up to the hype. So glad I finally got to try this.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 00:55:07 | More by 1Adam12

Mavajo

Georgia

4.7/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pitch black and minimal cream head. Booze/bourbon, chocolate aroma. Delicious taste. Chocolate, sweet, bourbon. Mouthfeel is syrupy, but just short of thick. Remarkably smooth for 18%, with a very bold chocolate smooth taste.

Black Tuesday is one-of-a-kind. That said, World Wide Stout scratches the same itch, IMO, and WWS is so much easier to get. But don't get me wrong -- Black Tuesday is without a doubt the superior beer. So incredibly smooth for 18%.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 23:35:38 | More by Mavajo

BrewsoBrewco

Oregon

4.43/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Hop Valley snifter. Celebratory beer for making it through a week of the Olympic Track and Field Trials being in town.

A-Opaque black. Darker then the darkest night. Pours with little carbonation and not a lot of head. This is surely a big imperial stout just by the look.

S-Licorice, notes of cherry, and bourbon. Burnt wood/ leathery. Smells delicious

T-The first thing I get is the sweetness. Expected from a beer this big. It's not overly sweet. I think the barrel aging helped it out. Then the bourbon comes through along with the deep roasted notes. I get cherry on the pallet, much like I did w/ Dark Lord. Toasted vanilla and charred oak

M-Motor Oil. It is think and sticky and awesome. The body lingers on the mouth for long after the beer is gone.

O- This beer is a beast. And at 18%+ it drinks like 10%, which isn't saying much because that is still big. the alcohol burn is there, but not what you would expect from something this big. I has Melange #3 which i thought was fantastic. This beer has reached the expectations that I had for this beer. I will seek out again for the cellar. When the Patrick and Tyler do it right, they do it right.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 03:07:54 | More by BrewsoBrewco

Bendurgin

Maine

3.08/5  rDev -32%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks for this one goes to Grant. Thanks a lot homey! Poured into a wine glass. This one pours a thick looking black with a finger of dark tan head.

The aroma gives off lots of rich molasses and cinnamon spice with hints of spicy cinnamon. Lots of richness and heavy bourbon in the background. This one is super sweet on the pallet with spicy sweet cinnamon and molasses. It's good at first but after a couple sips the bourbon comes through quite a bit but it wrecks the pallet after a few.

The body on this is heavy and thick. Syrupy even with soft carbonation.

Overall this one has tons of flavors that work together alright. After a few sips I think this just destroys the pallet. That's really what kill it for me; you can only taste it for the first few sips, afterwards your pallet is just hot ruined.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 17:54:07 | More by Bendurgin

andrewinski1

Maine

3.98/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a red wine glass. The color is black with a nice medium tan head. this looks good.

The aroma has a nice dose of vanilla with loys of dark fruit. Bendurgin mentions cinnamon and I notice that too.

The taste is very sweet with a good portlike flavor. I get a lot of raisin in the flavor. Pretty good, but it might be a bit too sweet for many. The alcohol flavor is well integrated in this one.

This is of course a full bodied slow sipper with subtle carbonation. I like this. I would get it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 17:54:07 | More by andrewinski1

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

4.85/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle shared at a bottle share. Poured into 5 oz glasses, let warm over time. Thanks tbadiuk (Bruery Reserve member) for sharing this gem!

Pours a thick dark oil like body with light tan head that rings but doesn't lace. Liquid chocolate. Hints of liquorice & bourbon. So easy to drink. No heat at all for the high ABV. Sweet, but with a thinner finish. This is dessert in a glass. I could drink a whole bottle of this to myself, and then find myself under the table...

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 02:55:19 | More by kjyost

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes from The Bruery tasting I hosted Saturday night. 2011 vintage

Poured from 750 ml bottle into a Half Acre tulip.

A- Pours black with a 1 finger light tan head. Small bubbles form along the edge of the glass and reside quickly.

S- Big chocolate, bourbon, hint of vanilla, and some leather.

T- Very sweet chocolate, licorice, lots of bourbon, and some heat at the finish.

M- Full body, medium carbonation. Huge beer, definitely a sipper from the heat this beer brings.

O- What can I say? Huge beer with a ton of sweet chocolate and big bourbon notes.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 13:26:36 | More by kawilliams81

TATURBO

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours very dark black with minimal carbonation no head or lacing.

S: Bourbon up front with some dark fruits. Bourbon dominates.

T: Strong Bourbon and alcohol. Followed by some sweetness and marshmallow flavor. Some dark chocolate and vanilla notes present.

M: Full bodied with a strong heat from the alcohol.

O: Awesome beer, had back to back with Chocolate Rain. This one has a strong alcohol heat that leads to an intense sweetness. As it warms to 70 degrees appx, It really smooths out. Another sipper. Take your time and enjoy this one. It's a solid 4.4 to me.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 15:45:58 | More by TATURBO

Rau71

California

4.55/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This beer poured about as black as possible. Smelled very sweet, maybe fruit and chocolate. Taste was very much like the nose, Raisins and dark fruits took over on my pallet. I could get a hint of some chocolate mixed in but was not featured. I could taste a little of the bourbon barrel, but once again back seat to the fruitiness of the raisins. A solid beer I wouldn't mind having it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 15:56:41 | More by Rau71

xenjoiii

New York

4.05/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2011 Vintage (18.3% ABV)

A: Dark as night with a medium brown head: think caramel or toasted almond. About two fingers that quickly receded to a ring of film that rested around the walls of the glass.

S: Initially the nose is dominated by bourbon (really pleasant vanilla notes) and a considerable amount of heat; there is a decent amount of oak that lingers in the background.

T: Big bourbon notes upfront, which are followed by a considerable amount of bitter dark chocolate/caramel sweetness; a bit of dark fruit is showcased out the back (raisins/figs/sweet plum).

M: light carbonation with a syrupy consistency.

O: "Its too much of a heavy muffin." However, there are really interesting flavors being showcased in both the taste and aroma. If the beer was toned down a notch in the alcohol department, it would really allow all of the other aspects to shine at their full potential. One last note: as the beer began to warm, the sweetness increased exponentially.

*Anything in "quotes" was said by my girlfriend.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 02:46:25 | More by xenjoiii

Prospero

Colorado

4.23/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a thick deep brown and a nice dark tan head. The aroma is overwhelming of bourbon and sweet chocolate. Just by the aroma you can tell it's a strong beer.

Taste is very complex and rich, dark chocolate mixed with coffee and maybe some vanilla, bourbon and oak are strong as well without one flavor dominating, it's a bit hard to put a finger on what your tasting at a single moment. The bourbon might be the most dominate which kinda detracts from the beer goodness I know is underneath.

The mouthfeel is indeed very thick and rich and to be honest a bit hard to drink by itself and needs a nice food complement to I think fully enjoy the nuances of this beer.

Overall a great beer, but a couple things need to be better balanced to hide the bourbon a bit more and to ease the drinkability... needs to be smoothed out. I had a 2011 bottle so it's likely aged bottles will be better balanced.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 20:08:06 | More by Prospero

mgp2675

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Finally getting to this, shared with a few friends.

A- Dark brown, a little light and a little thin on the pour for a traditional stout. Black Tuesday had a decent head on it which really surprised me, good amount of noticeable carbonation.

S- I've been told that the aroma is the best part of this, and while I'm not 100% sure if I agree with that, the aroma was awesome. Instant flavors of vanilla and bourbon come through primarily, followed by some burning on the nose from the alcohol. There isn't too much booze in the aroma but you have to expect some when a beer's ABV is this high. There weren't many particular qualities of a stout that I could smell though, I didn't detect any coffee or chocolate which I was expecting. It was very sweet.

T- Incredibly smooth. If I had to guess what the ABV was I would've said it was significantly lower than 18% which is impressive to me. It tastes very sweet, but those vanilla and bourbon flavors are very present. Although it has a predominant bourbon flavor though, it isn't overpowering at all and it doesn't take away from how smooth this beer is.

M- I like a stout to be thick, and although it looked a little thin on the pour, it was actually pretty close to perfect. It coats the mouth and glass very well. Not much carbonation on this one, and I wasn't expecting it.

O- I really liked this beer, but I think I liked it the least out of everyone who tried it with me. The drinkability is exceptional and the flavors are well balanced. My palate just doesn't agree with sweet beers and this one got sweeter as it warmed up. I will definitely enjoy this again when I open the bottle I'm aging, I just couldn't have more than 1/4th of it. I will say though that this is by far the best Bruery beer I've had because thus far they haven't impressed me very much.

Next up: Chocolate Rain!

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 12:53:25 | More by mgp2675

billab914

Virginia

4.23/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Irishcolonial for sharing this the other night. 2011 vintage poured from a 750ml bottle. It poured dark brown in color, and pretty close to black. A very thin tan lacing formed along the edges of the glass.

The first thing that is immediately noticeable in the aroma is the boozy and hot alcohol presence. I do get a lot of nice, rich, dark chocolate and roasted malts to it coming through that I really like. The bourbon seems to add to the hot alcohol presence to it and the notes of vanilla, oak and brown sugar are a little overshadowed by that. It has some very nice, rich flavors to it, but the alcohol showed too much for me.

The taste is rich with dark chocolate up front and bitter roasted malts in the finish. I get some really nice notes of vanilla and booze soaked fruits to it. The bourbon comes through as mostly alcohol heat with some brown sugar and oak notes trying to come out.

The mouthfeel Is oily and a little thick with carbonation being low. Overall, it was pretty good but not as great as I anticipated. The hot, boozy alcohol overshadowed some of the really great flavors to me. I can easily imagine this moving from very good to great with a few years of age on it. Hopefully I'll get a chance to revisit.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 12:24:43 | More by billab914

mrtripod

4.78/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2011 Vintage

A: Pours thick and rich and is pitch black in the glass with only faint red edges revealed by a strong back light. A rough pour yields a small, dark tan head that did not dissipate that quickly.

S:Rich chocolate, plenty of sweet dark caramel and rich bourbon with notes of light vanilla, thick molasses and oak.

T:Decadently sweet, chocolate, caramel and bourbon explosion that is ultra smooth and no lingering taste of alcohol.The alcohol is only noted through warming in the esophagus and stomach.

A must taste - yet as a side note - many of the bourbon barrel aged beers at the Bruery are very similar.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 02:40:42 | More by mrtripod

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.23/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to merc for sharing this

The beer pours jet black with no head except for a thin halo around the edges. The smell is slightly bready with tons of booziness. The cloying sweetness is absolutely absurd at first considering it's far sweeter than most barleywines I've had. However, the magic that this sweetness works is a beer with an 18%abv is now suddenly very drinkable and the alcohol that made this beer smell nearly toxic at first has literally vanished from the beer's profile. The taste leaves a lingering caramelized sugar/maple syrup sweetness followed by a slight burn from the alcohol letting you know it's still there. It has a potent, warming mouthfeel and I can see why this beer made such an excellent addition to the melange 3. This beer did me in for the night...couch time.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 18:56:19 | More by ThePorterSorter

Dope

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 Vintage

A: Pours pitch black with a smallish and fizzy chocolate-milk colored head. Fades pretty quickly, leaving almost no lacing.

S: I can smell this one across the room. Overload of bourbon with tons of caramel, toffee, vanilla, rum-soaked raisins, figs and oak. Roasted malt isn't overpowered, there is plenty of char and chocolate in there too. Just a hint of brown sugar. Boozy (duh).

T: Very similar to the smell. Loaded with stinging bourbon up front. Caramel, molasses, toffee primarily. Then the fruit kicks in with raisin, fig and oaky vanilla. Brown sugar is stronger here in the middle. Bourbon fades leaving the massive roasted malt. Chocolate mainly, lots of it. Just a hint of coffee and char mixed in with the lingering bourbon flavors. Super sweet molasses and brown sugar in the aftertaste, not unlike a big english barleywine (ie: JW Lees). Decent alcohol burn but not as bad as you'd expect (something like WWS is much harsher). The extreme sweetness helps balance it out.

M: Heavy, thick, smooth other than the alcohol burn.

O: Huge and delicious beer. Honestly, it tastes like someone mixed a big stout with a big english barleywine and barrel aged it. There is a SUPER sweet molasses and caramel element to go along with the bourbon and roasted malt that really reminds of of a barleywine. It cannot be emphasized enough how sweet this beer is, it is pure craziness. I actually wish there were more roasted malt to help balance out the sweetness, but given the huge ABV it would probably make the beer very harsh. Regardless, an intense beer that isn't just intense for the sake of a laugh. It's actually very tasty, reasonably well balanced and pretty drinkable given the ABV. I enjoyed it a lot. All 1200+ calories. Whew.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 03:28:37 | More by Dope

comfortablynumb1

California

4.88/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

An awesome birthday present from my lovely wife. Split two ways with my brother...

2011

750ml bottle

A - Pours pitch black with a one finger tan head that dissipates quickly. lacing is minimal...

S - Chocolate, molasses, caramel, vanilla, oak, and a good dose of Bourbon. Bourbon does not overwhelm as I was expecting. Very enticing...

T - Chocolate, molasses, oak/vanilla, and sweet caramel. Notes of roasted barley come through, but they are faint. This one is deliciously sweet. Bourbon and lingering vanilla on the finish. Bourbon is extremely smooth considering the abv. Amazing...

M - Smooth and creamy. Very impressed with how incredibly smooth this is. Drinks like a much smaller brew. Sits somewhere on the lighter side of full bodied scale with a moderate amount of carbonation...

O - Believe the hype. This one is fantastic. The Bruery definitely hit one out of the park here. Very excited to revisit this in the future...

Cheers...

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 00:30:35 | More by comfortablynumb1

Holland

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: thick black with a huge brown head. This one was a gusher since I served it at just under room temperature. The head dissipated after some time and left a bit of lacing.

S: huge amount of bourbon, sweet caramel, some slight roasted notes, but mostly the bourbon, caramel, and vanilla.

T: yes, it comes with a lot of heat on it. As it should be. The taste is dominated by bourbon flavors, which is beautiful with the huge stout flavors that lie below the surface.

M: I can't believe it was this carbonated for a stout this big, even if they force carbonated it. Thick body, medium-high carbonation.

O: fantastic brew overall, but I wish it hadn't gushed on me. Lost a couple dollars of beer in a few seconds. Anyhow, this is a beauty, but it's not worth having if you don't like big bourbon flavors or if you're turned off by alcohol. If you like those things, it's a fantastic stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 23:13:57 | More by Holland

mdaschaf

Washington

4.48/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes. 2011 Vintage.

A: Pours black with a small khaki colored head on top with decent retention. No lacing.

S: Lots of bourbon, oak, vanilla, and dark fruits, mostly rasins and a little bit of plum. There is a slight boozy note to it, which didn't really surprise me at 18%.

T: Up front there is a lot of brown sugar, molasses and chocolate. The oak comes through a little, and then there is nice rush of bourbon and vanilla.

M: Full bodied, very smooth with the abv surprisingly well hidden.

O: A fantastic beer, not something I could drink everyday from the abv, but a great beer to share.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 00:17:44 | More by mdaschaf

4thelvofbeer

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed a bottle of this with my brother on 19 April 12. We chilled the beer for a while, but probably cooled it down a little more than we should have. I prefer some of these bigger stouts with a slight chill, and sometimes close to or right at room temperature. This beer started out really strong on alcohol...the alcohol almost overpowered the flavor and taste of the beer. We probably took about 25-30 minutes to go through the bottle, and by the time it warmed up closer to room temp it was getting really, really good. The last sips were the best. I have another bottle of BT and will be drinking it a lot closer to room temp (60 degrees or so).

A: pitch black
S: Licorice, alcohol, figs, molasses
T: See above, at cooler temps alcohol smothers underlying flavors, takes away from the beer
M: silky smooth, very thick
O: really nice...can't wait to enjoy another!!

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 18:59:48 | More by 4thelvofbeer

afksports

New York

4.55/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Have you ever had half a BT solo? I'm doing it. And it's awesome. sweet, vanilla h, bourbon, roast, malt, chocolate, heat. beautiful. it executes what it wants to be. its big and hot, and awesome. there's a reason that people like stirs, and this beer game shouldn't be ask about dots when beats like this exist.

cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 22:51:47 | More by afksports