Holy Mackerel Mack In Black - Gordash Brewing Company

scottyshades

Florida

4.03/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I am glad that a good dark beer has finally come out of Florida

A: Pours a deep black color with amber around the corners with a frothy beige head that leaves a good lace

S: Toasted malts, dark fruits, coffee, and chocolate

T: Wow! very rich with chocolate, coffee, toffee, pomegranate juice (wouldnt have identified the fruit without the bottle tellin me), and a sour finish

MF: A borderline Medium bodied beer, very thick and syrupy feeling. It has a unique sweet/rich taste that transitions into a bitter taste

D: This is a sipper beer

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2008 16:28:09 | More by scottyshades

cjgator3

Florida

2.1/5  rDev -39.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1

2008 listed on the bottle. This is an "Imperial Black Ale" brewed with pomegranate juice and a Belgian yeast strain. 12oz bottle. Pours a dark black color with a light tan head. The aroma is dark roasted malts with a fruitiness (from the pomegranate juice). The taste is dark and roasty, with a sour finish with a strong boozy finish. They sweet and sour nature of the taste combined with the strong boozy finish make this beer undrinkable for me resulting in a drain pour. I can count on one hand how many times I have poured out a beer before finishing it, and this is one of them. Don't know if I got a bad bottle or what, but I could not stomach the taste. Overall, I was not really impressed by Mack in Black and would not purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2008 04:12:39 | More by cjgator3

Nic8612

Louisiana

3.88/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

Ok, first review so give me some slack.

A: Pours a very dark brown, almost black. Not very much head at all. Very small amount of carbonation. But thats not such a big deal with a beer like this.

S: I can smell some sort of roasted nuts along with the underlying aroma of pomegranate.

T: The initial taste is that of a malty chocolate. A roasted flavor also lingers near the end that is accompanied by the slight pomegranate bitterness.

M: Very smooth and light on the palate. Although light it does still retain some creaminess like a stout.

D: This beer is a bit on the lighter side for an Imperial type ale, but that makes it a very drinkable beer that also is pretty tasty.

Overall this was a pretty good beer and I would drink it again if I could get it in my area. Thanks go to sincereNC for the bottle!

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2008 04:44:40 | More by Nic8612

meatyard

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appears a very dark opaque with a short, light brown head that falls to a covering without leaving any lacing.

Smells a bit of the pomegranate but more of dark roasted malt and coffee with a little chocolate.

Tastes of the pomegranate which is kind of sour. followed by a malty and coffee taste.

Mouthfeel is medium.

Drinkability is OK.

This is an interesting stout which is fine. It's not as smooth and is too sour compared to stouts that I like. Worth a try for those who like stouts.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2008 17:56:08 | More by meatyard

israel

New York

3.93/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

thanks jw347
poured into an ommegang tulip

A - pitch black with a quick to diminish off white head.fair amount of bubbles peircing the surface of the beer.

S - recognizable aromas of dark roast coffee but with something unfamiliar lingering in the background.

T- coffee quickly overwhelmed by a pucker that lingers, but doesn't overwhelm the coffee.

M - slight syrup sensation which is quickly wiped away from a decent amount of carbonation

D - I could have a couple of these but probably at the end of the night..

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2008 22:38:38 | More by israel

paulthebeerguru

Florida

3.38/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Gordash Holy Mackerel - Mack in Black

A: snifter. pours a pitch black, obsidian color with a nice light tan head on top that has a fairly good retention rate and good lacing.

S: nice chocolate tones. some bitters and sours as well. Has a sour fruit aroma, and a strong alcohol burn. light hint of coffee.

T: nice fruity flavors, mostly pomegranate, which gets quickly covered up by the chocolate, coffee, and toffee from the roasted malts. such an interesting palate.

M: a little rough, but mostly due to the sours. thick, hearty and a mild carbonation rate.

D: maybe two of these, but one is about all I could put down. The sweet and sour turned me off a little bit.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2008 08:31:06 | More by paulthebeerguru

tpd975

Florida

3.95/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark blackish brown hue with tints of red showing thru. The head is rather puney but spotty lace is noted.

S: Nice roasted aromas with tons of dark fruit wafting from the glass.

T: Very nice stout that is very Belgian in nature. Nice chocolate malt with tons of dark fruits. Figs, raisins, and pommegranate can be noted. It does have a bit of yeasty goodness to it as well. Rather good I must say.

M: A bit thin, but smooth and creamy.

D: I really enjoyed it and would say it's down right drinkable even on this hot Florida summer day.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2008 16:57:44 | More by tpd975

mhewes

Colorado

3.2/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A : Pours a nice black with a brown head, nice lacing

S : Pomegranate, roasted malts, and microwave burnt popcorn

T : You can definitely taste the pomegranate and it provides an interesting twist to the flavor. Not sure whether I like it or not. There's a good roasted malt backbone to the flavor also

M : Thin, good carbonation

D : It's one I could try again but it was just a weird combination of flavors to me.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2008 19:42:30 | More by mhewes

Drew966

Florida

3.95/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Holy Mackeral Mack in Black pours an opaque black with a brown head from a twelve ounce brown bottle. Roasted malt is noticeable in the aroma as is a fruity thing that must be the pomegraniate. This beer is really a stout (the label calls it an imperial stout), roasty flavors abound and there is a subtle fruity flavor in the background that must be the pomegranate. The mouthfeel is a bit thiner than I would like. Better than I expected, definitely worth a try. Contract brewed for Gordash by the Florida Beer Company

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2008 23:43:31 | More by Drew966

atsprings

North Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this one at the Raleigh Would Beer Festival and had been looking forward to trying a whole pint. Poured a nice opaque black with a thin diminishing head. Aroma was a nice blend of pomegranate and subtle choocolate. The taste a very complex blend of dried fruits, dark chocolate and slight Belgian spice. The beer is medium bodied with hidden alcocol. This is an enjoyable beer on a 100° day that will only get more enjoyable in cold weather

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2008 17:43:02 | More by atsprings

AgingWarrior

Florida

4/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bartender poured into a standard beer mug, a coal black color with nice dark reddish brown head that provided some lacing. The smell is dark malts and fruit. The bartender stated that it was made with pomegranates. I don't know about the taste of pomegranates, but you could definitely smell some type of fruit.

Tastes like a stout, but a bit more drinkable than many. I really enjoyed drinking this one and will have more in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2008 00:18:45 | More by AgingWarrior

bluegrassbrew

Georgia

4/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap into a wine glass.

Listed as an Imperial Black Ale. The brewer said this was brewed with a Belgian yeast strand and pomegranates. It is a stout with definite Belgian characteristics. Tasty beer. Congrats on releasing this Bob, if you read this that is.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2008 04:14:03 | More by bluegrassbrew