Xbeeriment Black Force One - Xbeeriment I/S

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours jet black, with some dark head. Above average mouthfeel, slick oily. Decent, but a tad of the off mouldy taste I have had from other xbeeriment beers was in there. A fresh bottle. Decent drinkability.I liked it, my mate didn't want more than a sip.Smoke in aroma, and not overwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 02:37:07 | More by northyorksammy

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pitch black as night with a light tan head of maybe an inch and a half across the top. This faded down to about a quarter inch but never got any lower then that. Lots of side glass lacing all over the sides as it went down. The aroma was a touch boozy, with tons of chocolate and roasted malts coming through. Almost a licorice like smell as it warms, incredible. As I take my first sip I am floored, rich vanilla and cocoa taste with a large dose of roasted malts. Tons of flavor here, with bourbon notes really coming through on this one. I am literally drooling as I write this that I dont have any left. The finish was soo smooth, and chocolate filled, it was a dessert beer to the extreme.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 23:50:56 | More by mikesgroove

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a snifter at The Firkin.

This thing sounds like some kind of awesome blaxploitation film, doesn't it? It pours a straight darkness topped by a finger of ecru foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, chocolate syrup, light-ish coffee, and dark chocolate powder. The taste veers more toward the hoppy end, though, with notes of bitter coffee, bitter dark chocolate, darkly roasted malts, dark greens (we're talkin' spinach dark here, people), and leather. The body is a hefty medium, with a very light moderate carbonation and a feel that yearns to be chewy. Overall, this could have been a great stout, but the bitterness is just an inch too much and the body is just an inch too light and thin.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2011 01:12:35 | More by TMoney2591

metter98

New York

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is jet black in color and poured with a quarter finger high tan head that died down but consistently left lacing on the surface as well as a thick ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of roasted malts in the nose along with some hints of hops. The smell improves as the beer warms up.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste has flavors of burnt and roasted malts and coffee and has notes of smoke from the peat and a moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied and somewhat dry on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer isn’t overly difficult to drink, although the bitterness and roasted flavors can get in the way of its drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 02:17:52 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle purchased at Discount Liquor. Served in a Jester King tulip.

A - Big tan foam settles to a thin ring and wisps, leaving behind tiny spots of lace. Black body with a glint of brown at the fringes.

S - Surprisingly hoppy, even after a few months in the bottle. Once you get past the initial pine and herbal notes some of thepeated malt comes out, along with some dark chocolate and espresso. It's also got that distinct Scandinavian yeast character to it.

T - Taste is unfortunately more charry and astringent. A mix of herbal hop bitterness, roast bitterness, anise, and smoked malts. There's some mild caramel sweetness but it's well in the background. Not bad, just not great.

M - Medium-full body, dry, tannic, and roasty, with moderate carbonation. Some residual sugary stickiness coats the mouth. I was surprised by the 10.4% ABV.

D - It's an unusual beer - an aggressively hopped smoked stout - but it doesn't totally succeed. I'd try it again if it showed up on-tap and I knew it was fresh, but I wouldn't pay the >$10 sticker price for a bottle again.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 23:11:01 | More by MasterSki

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap 4/16/2011 at Armsby Abbey in Worcester served in an over-sized wine glass.

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

S: The aroma contains dark roasted malts, dark chocolate, some dark fruit and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a hearty roasted dark malt character followed by dark chocolate, some dark fruit and a touch of alcohol. The hops presence is very mild but works well for this beer. The after-taste is bitter-sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, strong kick, good representation of style, this is a decent big stout to drink for a while.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2011 19:29:02 | More by TheManiacalOne

Halcyondays

California

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours black with a medium off-white to tan head. Spotty lacing. Good head retention.

S: Strong notes of dark chocolate and mocha, robust full scent.

T: Dominated by exceptionally bitter (in a good way) dark chocolate, with a hint of cream and caramel in the finish. Nice flavour and very much to style.

M: Medium-bodied in the style, not the smoothest Imperial Stout for me.

O: A well made Scandinavian Imperial Stout as they tend to be from this part of the world. Well worth a pick up.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2011 01:24:14 | More by Halcyondays

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Pizzeria Paradiso, a later raucous dinner.

A: The stout is dark, pitch black in the snifter. A darker, tan-hued head sits atop the blackness.

S: The nose has dark fruits, chocolate, coffee and heavily roasted malts, all in one sniff. Very rich with sweet vinous streaks running through it.

T: Oh the darkness! Sweet cocoa, bittersweet chocolate, espresso, dark fruits and darkly roasted grains. And that's on the first pass when the stout is still cold. As it warms, the strength, a morass of all of the aforementioned aromas, increases. A boozy interpretation, content in its power. Compared to the Smokehead that ksak had beside it, this is syrupy sweet. A good beer to sip through, a deep complexity is left in its wake.

M: The mouthfeel covers all the bases, rich and full from first sip to last. And surprisingly a good match with quattro formaggi with proscuitto de parmi.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2011 01:52:47 | More by akorsak

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Armsby Abbey Stoutfest.

Creamy head, lots of lacing, over pitch black color.

Nose lots of earthy spicy hops, fresh hops, pine, some dark earthy malts, choc, roast, oats, etc.

Taste similar, oats, choc malts, light bakers choc, roast, tons of hops, bitter earthy and spicy hops, pine, chewy malts and oats, very light smoke and minerality briny taste, fairly bitter and gets more on the finish, drier finish.

Heavier body, good carb, light boozy taste.

Overall fairly good, nice darker malts, nice hops, oats, nice flavors and decent aroma, nothing off.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2011 00:55:37 | More by jlindros

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Armsby Abbey, Worchester, MA

A heavy, imperial stout, that was apparently only brewed once, so I was fortunate enough to have it on tap at Worchester's amazing Armsby Abbey brewpub. (Though I believe I saw this on deck at TJ's, mid-Sept. '11...just FYI.)

Poured into a snifter, an opaque obsidian, with a finger of tan head that retained and laced well. Roasty aroma, as would be imagined, dark malts, chocolate, dark fruits, and hints of wine. Taste followed the aroma: roasted dark malts, dark chocolate, cocoa bitterness, coffee notes, raisins and black cherries, brown sugar, with a mild earthy hoppiness just barely detectable. Definitely one to enjoy nearer to room temperature, or at least not "ice cold." Rich and full-bodied, and very enjoyable overall.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2011 07:03:28 | More by Rifugium

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Purchased from Healthy Spirits in San Francisco, where Dave warned me it was a particularly smoky stout. That sounded more like an endorsement than a warning to me, so I picked it up with relish.

The pour is excellent, and in fact the head forms in such a blissful layering of melted icecream-like creaminess, leaving a tense and rigid, but still frothy head of mild chocolate brown. Lacing is excellent. The body is a deep brown-black, but it just hints at a translucent thinness at the edges that I feel really should not be there. Otherwise, a truly excellent looking brew. The head in particularly just makes me fall in love.

Nose is wonderfully deep and smooth, with mocha coffee coming through really pleasantly above a deeper darker base. The smokiness is actually rather refined and subdued, forming more as a part of the dark roasted grain rather than a character in and of itself. It integrates it better, but makes it less obvious as a result. Overall, it's a really pleasant nose. More towards the "normal" Imperial Stout realm than I expected, but good even for that.

Taste is smooth and full, with the body to support everything else put on top of it. Yes, there is more smokiness touching the palate, but again it lingers as an afterthought to the charred grain, forming more of an integral part of the beer than I expected—rather than the oddly skewing character I thought it might be. The sweetness is just enough to gentle caress and bathe the palate as a whole, making it supple and pleasant. Feel is smooth, but a little light. Really, once you're at post 10% ABV, you can afford to have a biog, meaty, chewy, chunky and otherwise obesely thick palate.

Overall, I enjoyed this a very great deal. While the smoke does provide an interesting side-note, the most impressive part of the beer is how well everything is integrated. It's complex but coherent. A great start in my book from another interesting Danish brewery.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 10:30:36 | More by lacqueredmouse

kojevergas

California

3.25/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

1 pint .9 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into an EKU 28 snifter in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. I've never had an xbeeriment beer, but my expectations are high.

Served refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger head of slight tan colour, nice cream and thickness, and impressive retention for the high ABV. Colour is a predictable solid nontransparent opaque black. No yeast particles are visible - probably due to the nontransparency.

Sm: Exquisite roast, smoke, and chocolate, and caramel. A bit simple but very pleasant and inviting. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Pleasant smoke is present throughout without being overbearing. Nice chocolate. The roast is extremely problematic. Alcohol comes through. Simple for an experimental beer. Not at all subtle; the few present flavours beat you over the head. No real layering. No yeast comes through. Badly balanced but built decently.

Mf: Astringent - a huge problem. Smooth, wet, and thick. Poorly executed for the style; it should be coarse and dry (and not at all astringent). Methinks there was an error on the brewer's part; maybe they boiled the mash by accident.

Dr: Drinkable for the high ABV but boring and bland. Overpriced. I certainly wouldn't get this again. I'll give the brewery a few more stabs, but this doesn't bode well.

C+

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 04:48:58 | More by kojevergas

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from bottle into a Mikkeller oversized wine glass. Poured pitch black with a three finger light brown head that subsided to one finger slowly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, roasted malt, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, alcohol, and subtle smoke. The flavor was of sweet malt, caramel, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, cream, subtle alcohol, and slight smoke. It had a heavy feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. This one wasn't otherworldly but it was quite tasty for sure. Smelled great as it was very complex and had me guessing the entire time on what all I was picking up on. The flavor was also quite nice and complex as well which was very nice to see. A definite must try for anyone out there.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 19:52:03 | More by thagr81us

avalon07

South Carolina

4.63/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a pitch black color and a thick, totally opaque consistency. Some floaties, but a negligible amount. There was a big, tan-colored, long-lasting, foamy head. Excellent lacing. A great-looking beer.

S: A nice aroma of malt, hops, chocolate, and a hint of coffee.

T: Tasted of malt, chocolate, coffee, hops, and barley. Not as heavy on chocolate and coffee as some stouts, but the flavor is extremely robust and very tasty.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a surprisingly smooth and dry finish. Medium- to full-bodied.

D: This is one of the best stouts - certainly one of the best American Double/Imperial Stouts - I've tried in a while. Drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2011 11:31:57 | More by avalon07

jrallen34

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to Alex for this bottle, and representing the buzzed beers... dark brown body with a nice light tan head... nose is pretty decent, smoke with a bit of cream... the taste is more char than anything, too bitter and harsh, ok... wouldn't have again

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 00:22:44 | More by jrallen34

smakawhat

Maryland

4.45/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured on tap at Pizza Paradiso Dupont DC into a snifter.

Gives a wondeful super tight creamy head with super small pin sized tan bubbles. A simple dark walnut black/brown body and great sheets of lacing. Looks fantastic.

Varied nose. First sense is of an almost sweet pipe tobacco, then coffee. Malt follows through in the back ground with a hot roast character. There are also hints of rauchbier beechwood smokyness but small. Incredibly complex and wonderful.

Taste at first is a suprising hop bitter that finishes with a grapefruit oil bitter on the palate. Dark chocolate, with a great almost oatmeal stout feel of that dry husky chew that you can just bite into the grain. Feel is not thick but almost close to wet but luckily not getting there.

Overall a serious winning beer here and easily drinkable for it's high abv as well.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2011 17:32:58 | More by smakawhat

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500 ml bottle. Served in a snifter, the beer pours very dark brown/black with about an inch frothy tan head. The head sticks around a long time, and there's also a good amount of lacing left on the glass. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like roasted and smoked malt, chocolate, coffee, and some dark fruit. Taste is similar to the aroma, it tastes like roasted and smoked malt, coffee, bittersweet and milk chocolate, piney hops, dark fruit and a bit of licorice. Nice balance between the sweet and bitter flavors. I don't think the smoke is strong in either the aroma or flavor. It is noticeable, but it's closer to being subtle than it is strong (which is a disappointment since this is labeled as being a smoked imperial stout). Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's coating and has moderate carbonation. Even though this beer wasn't as smoky as I was expecting it to be, it's still a good overall brew and I liked it.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 22:39:40 | More by bluejacket74

dgilks

Australia

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown colour with a creamy tan head. Fair head retention.

Rounded sweet roasty malt and some coffee. Slightly earthy. Good.

Big, peaty smoke with some piney hops. Moderate coffee. Nice and very curious.

Medium body with a sharp medium carbonation.

A big flavoured stout with lots of peat. Almost a little OTT for me. Good.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2011 12:22:42 | More by dgilks

Mebuzzard

Colorado

4.18/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Well, for a 10.4 abv, this is pretty darn good drinkable.
Pours just a shade lighter than pitch black, kind of like the moon was half shining on it. Off-brown, dense and mostly thick head that dissipated slowly.

Aroma is roasty, smoky, someone bitter. Baked caramel and chocolate. Black coffee beans unroasted. Black plums and prune

Taste is a good balance with the malt, smoke, hops and dark fruit. The hops come through in the end bite making the malt characteristics snap away. Prior to that the molasses and smoke malt primes the chocolate and black coffee. These aren't the most intense flavors, but they do well together.

This is a nice stout, very drinkable and it doesn't get too much into itself. I could easily have another

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 08:15:29 | More by Mebuzzard

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Mugs Alehouse in Brooklyn, NY

A: Pours a very dark black in color with some subtle brown hints when held up to the light. The beer has a very thin tan head that reduces to a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Lots of dark roasted and slightly charred malts along with light hints of chocolate.

T: Lots of dark roasted malts with some subtle hints of bittersweet chocolate. Very smooth and very complex. Some bitterness in the finish.

M: Medium to full bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: Really enjoyable and definitely one to pick up again - I guess I'm lucky that my local bottle shop carries this one. I really liked the complexity of the flavor and the smell.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2012 15:57:55 | More by dbrauneis

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a very dark black color with a finger of frothy chocolate colored head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of chocolate malts, smoke, coffee, molasses, black licorice, and vanilla with a touch of dark fruit and booze.

T - Starts off with some chocolate malts with some molasses, dark fruit, vanilla, and black licorice. Through the middle, some coffee comes through with some good smoke flavor. The finish is a mix of chocolate malts, with smoke, dark fruit, molasses, black licorice, and a bit of booze.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a smokey, sweet, and warming finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice big smoked stout. Good balance of flavors with some nice smoke character.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 05:47:25 | More by ngeunit1

oline73

Maryland

3.8/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had this on-tap at Max's in Baltimore. Poured into a goblet.

Appearance: Pours black with hardly any head except a ring at the edge of the glass that leaves some lacing.

Smell: The smell is mild. Roasty with a hint of dark fruit.

Taste: Very bitter from the roast and hops. Tastes a bit burnt and smokey. Hints of sweet dark fruit. The finish is really, really bitter.

Mouthfeel: Medium to thick body, smooth tingly carbonation, and a mildly dry finish.

Overall: This is a very bitter stout. Not a whole lot else going on. Still not bad, but I'm not sure I want any more.

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2011 21:14:15 | More by oline73

superspak

Michigan

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

500 ml bottle into snifter, no bottle dating. Pours almost pitch black color with a very nice 1 finger dense khaki head with great retention that reduces to a thick cap that lasts. Some nice soapy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of big dark chocolate, roasted coffee, charcoal, caramel, dark malts, tobacco, citrus, herbal hops, biscuit, and a touch of alcohol. Nice and well balanced aromas. Taste of big dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee, charcoal, black malt, biscuit, caramel, toffee, pine, herbal hops, and a bit of dark fruits. Fairly intense pine and citrus bitterness on the first sip that mellows out as you drink to reveal the malt backbone. Lingering notes of dark coffee, chocolate, pine, herbal, and biscuit on the finish for a while. Despite the big hoppiness; there is a nice malt flavor balance in this beer. Medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a fairly creamy and slick mouthfeel. Alcohol is well hidden with only a slight warming after the finish. Overall this is an excellent and enjoyable Imperial stout. Quite an intense experience with the hoppiness, but is a nice sipper.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 01:50:22 | More by superspak

ehammond1

California

3.83/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On Tap

Urge Gastropub
San Diego, CA

Black on black with a thin light brown head. Lines and sheets of lacing down the glass.

An atypical big stout. There's a pretty substantial pine and earthy presence in the aroma along with the typical offenders of roasted malts, chocolate, and some mild coffee. A nice, if unusual, aroma.

A moderately bitter, somewhat piney, big American stout. The roasted coffee and chocolate are present but not quite as dominant as in most others within the style. There's a touch of alcohol warmth and sharpness here as well.

Big, luscious, thick mouthfeel. Decadent and lovely.

A decent, if confused, big stout.

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2011 22:37:01 | More by ehammond1

laituegonflable

Australia

3.7/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very, very dark brown colour, just glimpses of colour up to the light. Head is a gorgeous hue, ochre, with nice density, settles out to a thinnish film. But some lovely clingy lacing left behind. It's a cracker.

Smell is toasty and pleasant. Not too heavy, but a bold, strong roast to it giving charred wood, espresso and some black pepper. Notes of honey-glazed meat and some walnut characters as well. Also a slight hoppy note on there lifts it. Really quite good, but maybe a little too savoury; has a slight staleness to it after a while.

Taste is quite nutty and malty as well. Really rather sweet, with a touch of molasses, vegemite and some prunes, sticky date and caramel as well. Midway the roast hits, adding another dimension but not quite quashing the sweetness, just guides it gently with a final dark bitterness. OVerall, doesn't quite plumb the depths of flavours it introduces - the sweetness floats and dominates through it all, and the roastiness could have saved the day if it were a bigger complement.

Full, nice boozey texture, but manifested as dryness on the back without a lot of heat. Not bad at all.

Yeah, not as great as it could have been. Nice big characters, but there's a lot of homebrewers who could throw together these characters on a small scale and produce a similar beer. Not quite enough wow factor for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 10:29:23 | More by laituegonflable