Your Black Heart Russian Imperial Stout - O'Dempsey's

csparace

Illinois

4.14/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Picked this up back home as I sampled all the local flavors. Currently working as my night cap and is working perfectly for that task!

Smell (4.25) – The biggest thing present here is chocolates and roasted grains. Hints of fruits and coffee notes. The smell makes me think its going to be sweet and even a little milky. Once it's poured the coffee notes come out a bit more. If you really really look for it you can potentially smell alcohol – or something else that smells similar.

Appearance (4.00) – Pours a pith black tar with a two finger nutty brown head. No light penetrates. Huge active bubbles in the head which comes down quickly. Once the head comes down you can see slight amounts of carbonation coming to the top.

Taste (4.25) – Initial impression is that of roasted grains and coffee with a hit of hops. The coffee fades while the roast continues. The hops come out more a few seconds later. A slight smoke feel is present throughout. The roasted flavors are huge in this beer but not overwhelming at all.

Mouthfeel (3.75) – This stout has a moderate thickness. Lips are decently sticky. Its definitely a slow drinker but not to the extent that you're chewing it.

Overall (4.00) The main idea of this beer seems to be in the bitterness that the roasted body delivers. It's pretty satisfying as a stout and delivers a complexity that includes chocolates and coffee.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 05:26:32 | More by csparace

horshack7

Massachusetts

4.51/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Incredibly dark in fact down right black. The head is a dark beige pushing brown.

Aroma: Heavy dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate with some milk sugars. Light char, dark roasted hops with a floral note. A few dark fruits in the back.

Taste: Very malty in the front that has so many chocolate malts. Silky smooth mouthfeel, hops are roasted very dark. Milk sugars, and some char.

Notes: Very tasty all over and would pick this one up again. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 23:17:06 | More by horshack7

AmitC

Indiana

4.08/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

A very thick pouring brew, dark brown to almost black in color. Pitch black inside the glass. A good shining brown colored less than a half finger thick head that stays really well. An excellent lacing on the sides. Opaque.

Aroma is of dark roasted malts and some hops. A bit of coffee aroma, not really ground. Strength is mild to only moderate. A good burnt up nose. No alcohol. Difficult to pick up mainly due to fading aroma.

Flavor is that of burnt up and charred malts. A good and balancing hop profile. Finish is dry to slightly bitter. Some chocolate and coffee in the taste.

Mouth feel is full bodied. Low carbonation. No astringency of any kind. Drinks really nice and easy. A good alcohol warmth.

Nothing really wrong with the brew but no wow factor either.

Style Rate: 4
Personal Rate: 4.25

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 02:56:40 | More by AmitC

tdm168

North Carolina

4.24/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - pitch black with a thin lacing of dark brown head that has good retention

S - chocolate, roasted malts, faint coffee, sweet sugary notes

T - roasted malts, coffee, some faint chocolate, mildly bitter finish

M - full bodied, well carbonated

This is a rich beer. It may not have the depth and intricacies of some of the great RIS out there, but this definitely has some character. It's dark and malty, rich and drinkable. This isn't the best RIS out there but it ain't bad either. It's worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 02:08:56 | More by tdm168

sammib528

Iowa

4.55/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A – This beer poured thick and dark with a small dark caramel head the disappeared quickly

S – There was a deep rich coffee smell like fresh espresso, hints of molasses and caramel

T – The taste was surprising. While there was a strong coffee flavor, it was rich and deep. There was a chocolate taste that made it smooth on the tongue.

M – Heavy, rich and inviting. Not overly carbonated. Left my mouth dry, wanting another sip

Overall – this was a very satisfying glass of beer. Rich flavor that teased my tongue and then disappeared with a dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 23:26:31 | More by sammib528

rajendra82

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

The dark brown pour had ruby highlights while coming out of the bottle, but looked nearly pitch black in the glass. The head was nearly two finger thick, and khaki in color. The smell was very foreboding, with dark chocolate, dark coffee, and dark skinned fruits. The taste was not quite as aggressive as the smell hinted at. There was sweet cocoa, caramel toffee, dark roasted coffee, and vanilla in the taste. Some bittering hops showed up in the finish briefly. The body was appropriately dense and chewy. The beer was good, but could have used a bit more boldness.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 05:11:42 | More by rajendra82

zuperman

4.91/5  rDev +24.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Great Imperial. Nice balance and taste. Not too high abv. The coffee notes in the smell are great and the bittersweet taste from the dark chocolate masks the alcohol perfectly. Pour it to sip in enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 16:17:59 | More by zuperman

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up recently at Buy-Rite in Jersey City, having never tried this before. Beers like this are rated pretty highly on here so I didn't think this would measure up but in some odd way, it held its own. This wasn't the top of the line for its particular style but in terms of taste, strength, and drinkability, I enjoyed this a lot, especially the fact that this wasn't as harsh as some of the more popular Russian Imperial Stouts.

The pour to this was nice, with a full and dark brown hue and a nice, thick head that looked like it came from a dessert serving of chocolate mousse. Lots of milk chocolate and cocoa nibs in the aroma which was repeated in the mouthfeel. This wasn't powdery or had a lot of alkali in it but it leaned more towards the espresso end of the coffee spectrum. Not a large amount of carbonation here and hardly any lacing to be seen but this still went down easily with just a hint of molasses and a burnt, roasted tone in the back. This had a nice warming effect to it to without overpowering the taste or balanced body to this.

Even the alcohol was just right as I could only feel it once I finished up my serving. By itself, this was a great beer and a good introduction to the style for someone who has never tried one before. This would rate higher if there weren't so many better examples out at the present but in terms of surprises, they don't get much bigger than this. Certainly worth a try for anyone who loves Stouts or something dark, fairly strong, and easily accessible.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 09:44:07 | More by JerzDevl2000

Mojo

Alabama

3.93/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle poured into a snifter

This beer pours a deep black, as black as the heart of my ex girlfriend, as black as the void. A one half inch caramel colored head forms, then dissipates quickly. There is minimal lacing. The nose is actually pretty mild. I mostly got raisins and some alcohol. Taste is good. It is very sweet and molasses like on the front giving way to a massive coffee finish with some alcohol warming. Mouthfeel is thick and satisfying. A pretty good offering. Not quite Ol' Raspy, but pretty dang good!!!

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 05:06:06 | More by Mojo

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dropped into the snifter with some chunk; a nice sludgy black with about a half of an inch of mocha foam. Looked really thick coming out of the bottleneck.

I smell creme de cacao, plummy fruits, heavy roast, milk chocolate, cocoa nibs, and a light backdraft of booze and piney hops. The hops are overpowered by creamy dark malts that have a berry fruitiness and some mild coffee after-effects.

Big and burly with espresso-laced cocoa, dried berries, and a lactic sweetness; but, not to outdo huge roast bitterness and peat. There's some nice, simple hop character both upfront and in the finish; mostly of the pine variety, but offering even more earthy notes. Almost tastes minerally like the way topsoil smells. I really enjoy how beefy this is on its own. Quite excellent.

There are some big bubbles in here and it really stirs up the body, which is nice and thick, but not one of the thickest. There's a lovely mouth-coat upon the sip, but the loud carbonation is exactly that. Still has a great feel with a warming alcohol that does its job for a lower-tiered strength R.I.S.

Awesome chocolate notes and big-time Imperial Stout flavor and body make this a superior offering. This beer should have more reviews than it does, because I have a feeling that it's the cream of the crop from this brewing company and an excellent example to compare many other Russian Imperial Stouts to. Not to say that it's average, just that it executes in all of the qualities a RIS should have, but isn't showy or exceptional. It's close, however, where the only fault is a bustling effervescence and a coming-up-short lack of great complexity.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 03:31:41 | More by thecheapies

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours jet black with a chocolate brown head. In the aroma, a sweet malt and notes of sweet chocolate. In the taste, a sweet dark chocolate malt. A small bite and a medium bodied mouthfeel, with a dry coffee and small sweet chocolate malt in the aftertaste. Big chocolate and nice coffee presence in the end, a super nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 16:32:13 | More by OWSLEY069

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: dark and opaque except for some cola highlights around the edge.slight, dark mocha head.
Smell: mild chocolate and bread pudding. Not as in your face as a typical ris. Not complex, but nice.
Taste: much like the nose. Quite mellow. Drinks more like a 'not' imperial stout.
Overall: good not great. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 00:49:23 | More by cindyjeffsmith

tvv375ia

Iowa

3.98/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

poured from 12oz bottle into pint glass

A-almost black with about 1 finger of head that leaves some lacing as it fades

S-lots of dark chocolate and maybe a touch of coffee

T-chocolate shows here as well maybe not as dominate as the smell but a fair amount

M-medium body but a little short on creaminess

O-pretty good imperial stout that is easy to drink

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 10:17:00 | More by tvv375ia

socon67

New York

3.68/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark inky black pour. Foam retention is good. Thick and coates the glass.

S - Strong smell of cocoa powder and chocolate. Rich dark malts give a slight smoky smell. As it warmed in the glass, this smelled even stronger of chocolate.

T - Flavor was not quite as strong as the smell, but did have notcieable flavors of chocolate. A mrich malt flavor gave the a "big" stout taste, though there was no warming burn and the ABV was hidden.

M - A big stout that was east to enjoy and not really a sipper. Might be a bit thin for some stout lovers, but was quite drinkable.

O - Glad to have a frined share this one. Haven't heard of this brewery before.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 23:34:29 | More by socon67

aasher

Indiana

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a full bodied dark chocolate black with a nice one finger, foamy dark khaki head. The nose is soft and full of sweet milk chocolate and dark roasted malt. The flavors too, loads of milk chocolate. It's smooth and bitterness is minimal. If a chocolate bomb is what they were aiming for then they nailed it. It is just so smooth and easy to drink. It's big but the alcohol isn't present at all. I don't know if its 100% up to RIS standards but its definitely a solid imperial stout. If you're looking for chocolate then definitely try this out. It's a great bang for your buck.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 04:59:53 | More by aasher

TSJ4000

5/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Yeah. I'm going to have to say this is a bitchin' Russian Imperial Stout. Rich and creamy and hop freshness on the finish which keeps this refreshing for a RIS. A+ This beer is not syrupy at all. Boy, this is pitch black with a touch of mahogony on the outer edges. Several really tight lacing rings make this beer awesome. I'm buying these little 4pks again.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 00:13:25 | More by TSJ4000

GetTheYayo

Colorado

3.85/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Purchased a 12oz. bottle from Hop City in Atlanta for $1.99. Served in a pint glass.

Appearance: Pours an opaque black with roughly an inch of dark tan head that dissipates quickly. Decent lacing throughout the glass.

Smell: Mild espresso, cocoa, and a whisper of peanut. Dark fruit and chocolate comes through the more it warms.

Taste: Bitter chocolate presents strongly with faint espresso notes accented nicely by hints of fig. At 8% ABV alcohol is well hidden.

Mouthfeel: Viscous, semi-heavy.

Overall: A simple, solid stout. Not the best I've had, but definitely not bad. Would drink again. Plus it's a local beer, and I like to support local breweries.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 04:29:17 | More by GetTheYayo

sendsilk

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up in my annual visit to North Carolina. I have never seen or heard of this beer before. After reviewing my notes, I did have the 2 other offerings by this brewery at this same time last year.

I did not look at any reviews on this beer before reviewing so this should be pretty unbiased:

A- Nice, very dark pour with some nice lacing. Seems a bit high on carbonation.

S- I'm a little excited now since I have let it warm for about 10 minutes. I am seriously getting a very strong smell of peanuts from this beer. If there is an excellent stout and someone added peanuts/peanut butter to it, I would absolutely hunt it down.

T- A little bit of a let down on the PB, but pretty solid none the less. I'm pretty impressed by how easily I could easily knock of this bottle.

M- Nice. Who cares, I can taste peanut butter in this beer!

O- I will have to pick up some more of these in the next week that I am here!

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 04:26:09 | More by sendsilk

Bung

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz. Used motor oil black/brown, nice layer of light brown head.

Aroma, roast malt, some earthy peat, chocolates. Some herbal hoppy notes.

Taste, it is quite chocolatey. Caramel and roast malt as well. Cocoa finish, not too much coffee or roast here. Just a faint hop bitterness, more from a bitter chocolate though.

A little thin to carry all that sweetness, otherwise mid bodied and fairly easy to drink. Abv not noticeable.

If it had just a little more heft to it, would not mind having again. More like an American Double since it doesn't have the hop bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 02:32:38 | More by Bung

DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.53/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Your Black Heart, 12-oz bottle bought at The Charleston Beer Exchange.

Appearance: Served in a plastic glass at a cheap motel near Savannah, Georgia, YBH comes with less than a finger of persistent head that lasts forever. Great lacing too. Black color throughout.

Smell: Roasty-toasty, burnt grains, coffee, oatmeal, Midwest agriculture and campfire.

Taste: Chocolate powder, dairy, milk. Tastes like a milk stout! Super smooth, some hops on the back. Watery coffee, a tad too thin at the end.

Mouthfeel: Too low on carbonation, but good flavor and body. Milky, creamy, smooth, never dry. If anything, too watery around the edges.

Overall: Drinkable, pleasant enough, unremarkable but tasty.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 04:17:56 | More by DoubleSimcoe

avalon07

South Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a jet black color and a thick, impenetrable texture. There was a big, creamy, tan-colored, long-lasting head. Good lacing.

S: A nice aroma of coffee, malt, and a little dark fruit.

T: Tasted of coffee (though not as much as I would have thought), a hint of chocolate, malt, hops, and possibly a little dark fruit. Doesn't have quite the punch that a lot of RISs have. Not a bad flavor, but closer in character to a typical American stout.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a surprisingly dry finish. Medium-bodied.

O: A decent enough beer with some good attributes, but there are other Russian Imperial Stouts I would choose first.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 12:05:14 | More by avalon07

ThickNStout

Georgia

4.18/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle from Sprayberry Bottle Shop (Marietta, GA). 8.99/ 4 pack. From the initial bottling batch released 10/2011. Served in a Terrapin snifter. 

Pours pitch black with 2 fingers thick mocha head. The froth recedes within a few minutes but leaves a few spots of lacing here and there. 

Smells of roast, chocolate and coffee. Overall smooth and subtle with some dark fruits noticable as it warms. 

Taste follows the nose- nice roast malts hit first with a pleasing blend of bittersweet cocoa, mild coffee and molasses mixed in. Slight plum/ raisin and almost leathery (in a good way) notes. Obviously well-hopped with a long, balanced bitter aftertaste. The relatively low abv (for a Russian Imperial) is covered by the layers of flavor. 

Medium to thick mouthfeel. Carbonation is good and mellow. It could stand to be thicker but it's quite drinkable as-is. 

I'm glad I waited 6 months to review this. I enjoyed it fresh but time has really helped the overall feel and blend of flavors- making it rich, creamy and pleasing. While I'd be lying if I said this is the best RIS available, it is a solid brew and my favorite of O'Dempsey's releases (with the exception of the one-off collaboration with Jailhouse Brewing, "Community Service" Wee Heavy- that stuff was/is outstanding!). Like most stouts, if you have the patience to wait a few months to enjoy Your Black Heart you'll be duly rewarded. I'm happy to have a few more from the same batch downstairs "developing" for a later date

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 18:18:44 | More by ThickNStout

raszputini

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From a 12 ounce bottle....it pours jet black, like you would expect with a creamy brown head - larger than you'd expect for an Imperial Stout. The dissipates quickly but around 1/2 inch stays around, along with decent lacing. The nose is somewhat mild, but include roasted malt, smoke, and coffee along with a hint of alcohol. The taste is abrupt and includes bitter chocolate and coffee and then finishes somewhat cleanly for a big stout. The mouth is a little watery for the style. Not bad, I've certainly had many better, but this is a very drinkable stout for the ABV, which is well-hidden. Solid, but not special.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 00:02:39 | More by raszputini

RescueKitty

4.03/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brew poured black like motor oil-old motor oil. I mean this is totally opaque in the glass. Even held up to the light, I can see nothing but black, so it's aptly named. Has a half imch dark brown head. Smells nice and roasty, but not too strong. Faintly floral over the coffee base. Mouthfeel is creamy but not too thick. Taste is overwhelmingly dark, rich coffee and bitter dark chocolate. There's a nice high note of hops and a bitter, dry finish. This very drinkable as the lower ABV of 8.0% is well hidden. I was pleasently surprised by this beer. As it warms, the favors really stand out. Thankfully, it is not sweet but nicely bittered.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 21:44:22 | More by RescueKitty

oberon

North Carolina

3.4/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

My first O'Dempsy beer to try,brewed at Thomas Creek.Poured into a nonic jet black I mean no light getting thru this beer,a thick one finger deep mocha colored head atop.Aromas are really light for the style and ABV. of the beer,faint cocoa and even more faint roast,I hate to give it such a low score but I have to.Alot of roasted char on the palate with a little sweet alcohol and bitter chocolate,very much like a French Roast coffee with a bit of chocolate.It's not bad it lacks in some crucial things but I kinda liked it,it's pretty easy to drink for the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 22:58:52 | More by oberon