Black Toad Dark Ale - Black Toad Brewing Co.

asabreed

New York

3.93/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: Fairly light for a Porter, with an off-white head and little lacing aside from streak-hints of such.

Smell: Mild black coffee, roasted malt sweetness, low-end bitter chocolate, and some citrus. Balanced and complex enough to enjoy.

Taste: Roasted malts, dark bitter chocolate, a hint of black coffee. Finish is mild black coffee for the most part, with a bit of roasted malt sweetness. Also there's an interesting hint of orange candied citrus going on, which adds a cool element to the overall experience.

Mouthfeel: A bit watery and thin for the most part, though it doesn't hurt the flavors coming through as much as I thought it would initially.

Drinkability: A decent Porter for the price. Could be a little darker and have more flavor, but that would of course jack up the price. And it's light enough to drink on a summer day without being too thick or overpowering. I'd drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2009 20:16:10 | More by asabreed

jwinship83

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle with a best by date of october 22, 2009 poured into a standard pint glass.

A- this one pours a very dark brown colored body. ruby red can be seen around the edges when held up to the light. a small khaki colored head forms and quickly becomes no more than a crown.

S- roasted malts and sweet milk chocolate are the first things i notice. a small amount of coffee/hops at the end.

T- the roasted malts and chocolate come through strong. theres also some coffee/hops at the end, just like i could smell. theres really not much else. it tastes good, its just really not complex at all.

M- a little thinner than i would have liked. pretty smooth despite the high level of carbonation for the style.

D- easy to finish and at one dollar a bottle, this is a fantastic bargain. something ill pick up again and a pretty good porter. im not sure its as good as alot of the eastern european porters, but its different. check this one out, trader joes has some pretty good "no name" beers.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2009 01:02:46 | More by jwinship83

porterwoobie

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served out of a 12oz bottle into a standard pint glass.

A: medium brown, very slim off-white/semi-tan head, no lacing

S: some chocolate and coffee, a roasted smell. the aroma is kind of faint.

T: roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, and caramel. finishes slighly sweet.

MF: light to medium bodied, medium-high carbonation

Drinkability: decent beer, very drinkable. i'm sold on pretty much all the beers you can get from Trader Joes. very good beers for the price.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2009 20:33:36 | More by porterwoobie

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.45/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

As they say on the bottle, this is a walnut color with a fairly monstrous head. Tall and whipped, leaving thick ass rings of lace. Pretty impressive. The nose is quite fruity, with a little bit of buttered toast and even a hint of roasted coffee toward the back. Relatively mixed nose, seems to hint towards a British style of dark ale.

The flavor is fairly middle of the road, but does pack a certain chunkiness - the carbonation and mouthfeel leave a smooth, full, creamy impression. The malts are sugary up front, with raisin and even caramel eventually giving way to a bit of roasted grain and an acidic, short finish.

This is a great price for a beer. This is a great beer for the price. Not a great beer, but not a bad price. Get it?

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2009 04:50:40 | More by BretSikkink

cdkrenz

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Sampled straight from the dark brown bottle. This label, black with a vertical oval of tan as a background to its name and a golden seal displaying the shadow of a toad.

S - Mild chocolate aroma.

T - Burnt chocolate and robust coffee flavors. It also has a hint of malt near the start.

M - The texture is coarse and abrasive throughout. From the tip of my tongue all the way to the swallow.

~ Krista brought back a sixer from Illinois a few weeks back. I didn't share these with anyone.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2009 23:46:15 | More by cdkrenz

Buebie

Minnesota

3.78/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a brown long neck twist off bottle. Went into a pub glass and formed just over an inch of tan head.
Leaving some pretty clingy thin coatings of lace.
Color is brown with some redish warm hues when held to light.

Aroma of cereal grains, alot of molasses, dark fruit, and a little bit of hops.

Taste is also picking up a good amount of molasses, chocolate grains and lots of cereal grain flavors. As well as dark fruit, figs and plums through the swallow. Some grassy hops at the finish with just a touch of bitters mixing with the very grainy taste. Not husky.
Too much molasses flavor.

Mouthfeel is crisp with carbonation adding to its drinkability to kinda smooth out the heavier maltyness.
Its super drinkable and excellent about the style. But, there was somthing in there that just didnt taste like my thing with the dark fruits and molasses.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2009 01:57:33 | More by Buebie

emerge077

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Drinking this now, it seems like either a "Porter Lite" or a Munich Dunkel with substance. It has the roast and lactic sweetness of a Porter, but the light passes through it, and it glows crimson red when backlit. There was a sizeable head of tan foam, some fragmented lace. The faint aroma was sweet and nutty.

Taste was nice, moderate cocoa sweetness, some toffee, and traces of almond or walnut in the aftertaste. Minor roasted barley and leafy hop flavor in the back, not bitter at all though. Feel was good, ample carbonation, slight fullness to it, but went down easy. Overall I was pretty impressed with this, and it can't be beat for the price.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2009 23:48:42 | More by emerge077

tai4ji2x

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle from trader joe's, with best by date of 06/07/09. tasted in mid-late march, 2009

dark brown w red ruby tint. gemstone clarity under the light. tand head is relatively thick, then fades to wispy layer and ring, then eventually nothing. very thin lacing up top, then some slightly thicker rings, then nothing for the bottom part of the glass.

aroma: faint estery fruitiness (dried fruit) and gentle dark caramel and roasted malt. grassy hop and charred malt whiff, with subtle notes of coffee.

taste: combination of roasted malt, caramel, coffee notes. hint of grassy hop, with moderate bitterness (both from hops and roasted malt), then trace of fruit or molasses, into acidic coffee tones, and then moderate coffee-like bitterness.

light to medium body, some astringency and acidity in the finish. carbonation is prickly but not overdone.

not bad for the price.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2009 01:04:30 | More by tai4ji2x

cadenwhitaker

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Smells of dark roasty malts, biscuity, coffee and all that stuff that comes with a porter.

Taste is the same, mouthfeel is good - slightly carbonated and has a nice thick mouthfeel.

I'm going to ignore the fact that this is $5.00 a six pack... because if I keep factoring that into my reviews all Trader Joes brands will be A+. Seriously, the product for the price is well worth it. Now if I compare it to the other porters I've had (which are usually twice the price) I would call this right in the middle average. Maybe even above average.

I'm not sure if I would get again, when it comes to porters I don't mind spending the extra couple dollars for some of the offerings we have around town.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2009 20:39:38 | More by cadenwhitaker

tbeck

Washington

4.2/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a dark brown with very little light coming through. Has a decent tan head that dissipates quickly into a good collar. Laciness was thin. Fruity and malty aroma. Taste is earthy and nutty. Beer has a bitterness that stays in the background that keeps it interesting. Light and crisp mouthfeel, good medium body. I really enjoyed the flavor, very mellow and complex. This beer sits light, a number of these can be had in a sitting.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2009 04:06:08 | More by tbeck

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear, dark brown body with a thin, wispy, white head.

Smell: Dark, roasty malts with rather light notes of chocolate and fruit. Light notes, mind you.

Taste: Dark malts with a taste of chocolate-covered roasted grains and a nutty caramel sweetness. Minor hint of fruit. The bottom drops out and things get a bit watery midway. Light floral, herbal hops with a mild bitterness. Finishes dry and crisp.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Well, it's be no means outstanding, but it's certainly one of the better beers from the Trader Joe's lineup.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2009 19:53:37 | More by ChainGangGuy

selecter70

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

One of nicer Trader Joe's beer offerings, actually made by the venerable Goose Island, this dark lager does hold up, although not quite to some other dark lagers out there. A rich brown-black pour to black, with beige thin 1 finger head & good lace. The aroma is definitely of hearty roasted dark malts & orange-spiced coffee, a bit odd, but ok. The mouthfeel is a bit oily but the body is good, medium & rich, with good malt flavors with the slightest hint of hops. Not the most complex one out there, but a good, readily available dark lager.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2009 22:49:05 | More by selecter70

Jimbo87

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

In a US pint glass.

Dark brown, hazy, pale head.

Smell: Roasted malt, coffee, slight fruit.

Taste: same as nose. Hops are detectable in a bitter enough finish.

MF: pretty thin, good carbonation.

Very drinkable. A very good beer. I highly recommend picking up a bottle to try the next time you're at Trader Joe's. It's a great deal, being 5.99 a sixer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2009 15:21:44 | More by Jimbo87

bsend

Massachusetts

1.85/5  rDev -48.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

Poured this 12 oz. bottle into a standard pint glass.

This beer pours a dark blackish color and produces a a small frothy head. Definitely a standard looking American porter.

The smell was less than pleasant. Along with the roasted malt, I am picking up hints of grass and even fish?!?

After the first sip, I was less than impressed. I was hoping for more malt, but I didn't get it. Instead as was with the aroma, I got hints of what I can only describe as fish.

The mouthfeel was genuinely decent, except I didn't want it to linger on the pallate for veyr long. It really just made me unhappy.

This had very little drinkability from me. Between the flavor and aroma, I didn't want to be around more than the six pack I got.

Final Thoughts - This beer really had some serious problems. The aroma and flavor were really that bad. I will have to investigate this beer again. The $5 price for a six pack seemed too good to be true, and ultimately it was. Further investigation is needed.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2009 20:50:51 | More by bsend

Troyone

California

3.9/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A twisty that poured a black color with a hint of an amber hue, minimal tan head, no visible sediment, and can't see tha action.

Maybe a sour roasted malt aroma.

Sweet roasted malt taste with some grapefruit flavored hops.

Medium/full bodied, resinous, with soft carbonation.

This is a good session beer, good as a Brown Ale and well balanced. Keep an eye out on the date for twisties.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2009 03:01:47 | More by Troyone

biggred1

Indiana

3.73/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark amber with a nice collar of tan head that quickly fades into a skim, leaves some lace. Smells of cocoa and nice roasted grain. Tastes of chocolate, honey, appleskin and coffee with a decent bitter in the finish to balance the sweet flavors. Lighter bodied and easy drinking. I really can't think of a better value than this stuff. Brewed by Goose Island for Trader Joe's.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2009 23:25:00 | More by biggred1

AdmiralDiaz

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12oz bottle to pint glass.

A: Pours a dark brown with amber edges and a nice two-finger slightly off-white head.

S: Pretty noticeable hops with some sweet malts and some earthy tones and spice.

T&M: Sweet malts up front with some earth tones and a nice hop balance. Well carbonated and stays crisp.

Overall: Not a bad little porter, not an amazing taste but very drinkable and worth the price. Thank you Trader Joe's, this is one of your better.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2009 04:57:16 | More by AdmiralDiaz

jneiswender

Massachusetts

2.17/5  rDev -39.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass

A--light tan head, very thin, and lacey. reddish, walnut body

S--sweet malt, husky and light caramel smell

T--smokey malt, very sweet front, almost a mushroom like middle and a light hop end.

M--thick, slick

D--very one dimesional brew. It doesn't taste "bad" in an off flavor sense but just seems to have a flavor that is non-distinctive.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2009 23:02:56 | More by jneiswender

adamks

District of Columbia

3.25/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

a: dark brown but translucent, one-finger tan head that fades quickly with some decent lacing.

s: chocolate with some earthiness to it, hints of roasted malts, but i had to hunt to get much of anything.

t: same as the smell, not much there. hints of chocolate and roasted malt.

m: very thin with medium carbonation.

d: it's drinkable, but that's because it doesn't taste like much.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2009 00:28:09 | More by adamks

xhcadamx

Maine

3.2/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - a dark dark translucent brown with a creamy white head and a tad bit of lacing.

S - Very little going on. Very subtle hints of roasted malt and slightly fruity smell.

T - Much like the smell there is little going on in the taste dept. I want to say there is some light roasted flavor and then there is some bitterness. Very one-deminsional.

M - thin and easy to swallow somewhat overcarbonated

D - decent beer and even better for the price. It just needs a little more "umph"

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2009 03:25:58 | More by xhcadamx

alexgash

Connecticut

2.6/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 oz. bottle.

Light cola brown body. Small, ephemeral, dirty beige head. Nose of sweet caramel malts, Hershey's syrup, licorice, and light roasted barley. Lightly roasted malt and cardboard up front. Caramel and cola sweetness follow. Old roasted coffee bitterness mixes with astringent graininess near the finish. Doughy, caramel sweetness sticks out in the finish. Moderate body with a fizzy feel. Not terrible, but not that good.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2009 02:25:36 | More by alexgash

ATLbeerDog

Georgia

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

From a twelve ounce brown twist off bottle - Pours black with red overtones that lets just a tad of light show through. Fruity smells of raisin, dried plums, and apricots define the nose. First sip throws a curve as it tastes thick but it did not pour that way. Again the fruits dominate with apricots, raisins and dried plums comprising the majority of the flavor. Not much hop presence here...just fruits and malts.

Pours a root beer color with not much carbonation. Smells of roasted malts with some nutty aroma notes present in the nose. First sip is heavy malts that are roasted almost burnt. There is some caramel and toffee flavors detected with only a little hops detected. There is a grassy flavor that is not welcomed.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2009 04:05:18 | More by ATLbeerDog

danimal22

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served from a bottle, drank in standard pint glass.

Pours a dark, near opaque brown with minimal head which dissipates quickly with no lacing.

Smokey dark fruit smell - very pleasant.

Nice tasting beer. Full bodied malty/smoky taste. Minimal hop flavor.

Nothing special on the mouthfeel. Mild carbonation accents the dark fruity/smokey flavor.

Very drinkable, but not a 12-pack kind of beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2009 01:42:06 | More by danimal22

hopdog

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle shared courtesy of TomDecapolis. Poured a d

ark brown color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of chocolate, light roast, caramel and light smoke. Tastes of bitter chocolate, coffee and nutty. I found the body to be a little on the thin side.

Notes from 12/22/06

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2008 17:04:25 | More by hopdog

kemoarps

Washington

3.7/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

pours a nice deep brown, but with little to no head, and only decent lacing.

The aroma is a little thin, but that which does work through is sweet and chocolatey.

A little more bitter than the nose would suggest, but tasty. Round chocolatey malt, with an oily hop profile somewhere in the between.

Not too heavy, not overly carbonated, not bad. reasonably drinkable, well balanced beer (albeit coming from a big malt fan, not that into hops), drinkable, and worth at least checking out.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2008 20:37:50 | More by kemoarps