Black's Dawn - Cismontane Brewing Company

LBDriver

California

4.53/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tan, cappuccino like head. Previous posts of "mocha" coloured head are spot on. At 50 SRM this beer is about as black as it gets, some shades of dark red wine ( maybe) just under head.
Coffee and dark chocolate mostly dominate the nose. Earth and a bit of hoppy pineyness come near the end. Roasted barley subdued with chocolate and black malts also noticeable.
Coffee is softened by chocolate malt and balanced with a very pleasant hop bitterness. Dark chocolate lingers, virtually no booziness- the rich chocolate, roastiness of the coffee and slight pungent aspect of hops masks beautifully.
A viscous mouthfeel is broken up by hop/coffee bitterness. The illusion of American oak afforded. Great carbonation allows this stout to be more than just a desert pairing.
Overall a very balanced coffee stout in the company of many one-sided coffee stouts. Hop pineyness and coffee astringency paired remarkedly with chocolate malt makes this a surprising after work beer. Hard to find in the bottle but I hope that changes soon!

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 00:36:56 | More by LBDriver

Uncle_Jimmy

California

4.51/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 2.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- Opaque Black little to no head. No lacing

Aroma- Big wow ! Prune, Port Plum, Coffee Dark Cherry and molasses

Taste- Smooth coffee plum leather, tobacco and molasses. No bitter over cooked coffee taste and at 50 IBU hops blend seamlessly with coffee a little black licorice in the finish.

Mouthfeel- slick and smooth IMO where both an imperial stout and a coffee imperial stout should be. Light on the carbonation but that is to be expected.

Overall I may say my favorite offering from Cismontane love the nose and taste for sure!

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 21:52:15 | More by Uncle_Jimmy

CaptDavyJones

New York

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at the Hyatt Orange County, CA. Absolutely pitch black with a nice tan head that stayed; very good retention.
The aroma was predominantly coffee with hints of cocoa coming through.
Taste upfront was also of roasted coffee with hints of cocoa bitterness coming through towards the end. Medium to full bodied stout stout.
I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth this stout was. The alcohol made it's presence felt slowly. This is definitely a sipper.
I am glad I got a chance to try this, definitely not disappointed. Wouldn't hesitate to try it again if and when I visit CA again.
Worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2011 02:33:24 | More by CaptDavyJones

kaseydad

California

4.35/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Tried to age....couldn't.

Pours a black ale with a big time light brown head. Minor lacing. Foam looks like coffee ice cream. Cool.

The aroma has nice roasted malts, big whiffs of sweet chocolate, leather, cocoa powder, marshmallows, and coffee beans. Awesome!

The taste is roasty and bitter. And underlining sweetness is constant and creates a nice blend. A long bitter aftertaste. Buds stay rough from the ale. Salvation is present. Light peppery finish as well. Hops present.

The mouthfeel is slick but I like it. Light carbonation gives me a kick each sip.

Overall I enjoyed this a lot. I wasn't familiar with the brewery but I am now and in search of their other brews. I wIll say it's a little tough to find in the East Bay but I'll be a looking. Highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 02:08:10 | More by kaseydad

SwillinBrew

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Wow, this beer surprised me. I don't know why, I guess I wasn't expecting it to taste so good.

Had this on tap at the brewery and it poured black like looking at an expresso in a glass cup. Chips ahoy cookie colored head about a fingers worth foamed on top leaving a robust arching lace on the glass.

Bouquet of freshly ground coffee beans right out of the kiln and into the grinder tantalized my nose of with hints of the joy to come, a full envelopment of my olfactory senses. Very robust and satisfying.

Rich coffee and light roast fills the mouth with a smooth touch and penetrating flavors. Hints of molasses vaguely perceived slow dance in a sweetened cup of african java... such a solid and bold taste. I think a komodo dragon grew the coffee beans. If you like alesmith speedway stout or Founders breakfast stout, you'll love this beer.

Very drinkable and it will sneak up on you... the alcohol is hidden very well.

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2010 04:44:29 | More by SwillinBrew

dbmernin83

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Black with a light brown head and great lacing
Smells of coffee, and booze.
Big coffee, a little chocolate and boozing sweetness.
Good carbonation, on the lighter side of imperial stouts making it extremely drinkable.
A fantastic coffee stout. Everything I look for in a stout, and a little more.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2011 07:07:13 | More by dbmernin83

UCLABrewN84

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Tony's Darts Away in Burbank, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a 1 inch foamy dark khaki head that fades to an oily film on the top of the beer. Small dots of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, coffee beans, and some bittersweet chocolate aromas. Taste is of dark roasted malt, coffee grounds, and dark chocolate syrup. A nice mild roasty bitterness lingers on the palate after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp and smooth mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good coffee stout with a great balance of coffee and dark chocolate flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2011 20:32:32 | More by UCLABrewN84

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark brown-black with a thin finger of frothy chocolate colored head. The head fades fairly quickly leaving behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of dark chocolate malts, coffee, dark fruit, black licorice, molasses, and a bit of booze.

T - Starts off with a mix of dark chocolate malts with some dark fruit, black licorice, and a touch of lactose. Through the middle, roasted coffee comes through with a bit of molasses and some earthy hops. The finish is a mix of dark chocolate, coffee, dark fruits, black licorice, and a bit of booze.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet, dry, and roasty finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice overall balance with the coffee and chocolate flavors mixing nicely.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 05:54:17 | More by ngeunit1

IntriqKen

California

4.3/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Like coffee?
This is the freshest cup of java you will every find.
Pours a deep, dark black in the glass with a decent two fingers of tan bubbles that melt slowly leaving a nice mapping in their wake.
Aroma is nice sweet coffee. Darkly toasted malt, brown sugar, and freshly ground sumatra coffee hits the nose.
Mouthfeel is rich, creamy and smooth....tiny bubbles make it almost seem nitro but without the nitro aftertaste.
Your tastebuds are delighted with freshly ground sumatra coffee, brown sugar and smooth grained oatmeal.
Hops only exist to keep the brown sugar in check and the aftertaste is pure coffee and maybe a hint of nuts.
This one definitely tasted like 'breakfast in a bottle' to me.
Totally smooth and mellow without a hint of bitterness.
Careful - the 8% ABV is not apparent in the taste and this one can creep up on you.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2010 23:00:08 | More by IntriqKen

jminsc76

California

4.3/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slight bit of head, mildly beige and brown in color atop a very dark brown body. Looks like an espresso milkshake.

Aromas of cocoa and coffee, well-balanced, intensifying as I allow it to warm. A little bit of burnt sugar and dark chocolate as well.

Complex flavors of roasty coffee, chocolate, and the aforementioned brown sugar from start to finish, with the ultimate finish exhibiting some nice espresso bitterness. Woo wee! that’s a good dessert stout. Flavorful and rich yet isn’t overpowering in the slightest. My only complaint is it seemingly loses complexity near the end, with the first 75% as transcendent.

Mouthfeel is ebullient and smooth, though not pillowy considering it’s brewed with oats.

Overall, Blacks Dawn is delicious. Not since Green Flash’s Double Stout have I had something as flavor impactful as this one, and if I could select its secret weapon I would go with the oats. Even though they appear to do little for the mouthfeel they balance the intensity of the coffee and brown sugar, so as to optimize the sweetness. Even restraining it. Highly drinkable; I’d down two or three per sitting.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2011 05:39:27 | More by jminsc76

Halcyondays

California

4.28/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark umber brown with a soft light tan head, nice lace. Solid look.

S: Coffee city, the beans here do the work with a hint of dark chocolate.

T: Lots of sweet black malt, not really a roasted flavour with a lot of coffee. The oats really come in in the finish with some tasty sweetness and round out the flavours.

M: Moderate full-bodied brew, very smooth from the oats. Velvety.

D: There was a point while I was drinking this it reminded me a lot of Peche Mortel, which is always a good thing. A great first impression from this semi-new brewery in Santa Margarita, I'd love to try their other stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2010 03:47:39 | More by Halcyondays

ElSid

California

4.26/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

The Beers of California

#49

Bottled Date: None

A: Thick motor oil black with very minimal light brown head

S: Big and smooth espresso nose with components of chocolate, marshmallow, and half and half. There is also a nice brown sugar sweetness and oatmeal evenness.

T: The coffee beans come through up front along with notes of chocolate milk, vanilla, raisins which then transitions to a leafy bitterness and a nice bourbonesque alcohol warmth which builds to the finish. The malt skeleton is of toasted bread and brownsugary sweetness along with the oats which impart a smoothness to the palate.

M: Big, round, and smooth adding to the already strong palate. The carbonation is minimal to moderate but enough to keep things interesting.

O: As a coffee lover, the brew does a wonderful job of showcasing espresso flavors in a solidly crafted Imperial Stout. I was taken aback by the strength and roundness of this stout, which overall reminded me of AleSmith's great Speedway. It's up and coming microbrews like Cismontane that remind me how wonderful it is to live in California as a beer geek.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 03:51:26 | More by ElSid

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16 oz bottle, no bottled-on date, poured into a tulip glass.

A- Pours black with a finger of mocha colored head, leaves some spotty lacing.

S- The aroma is a big blast of coffee along with some fruit, chocolate and roasted grain.

T- Sweet, chocolatey, brown sugar roasted flavor, the coffee builds until the finish, which is roasty and seriously chock-full of coffee bean flavor.

M- Medium-bodied, soft, creamy feel with low carbonation.

O- A very nice coffee stout, I'll definitely be on the lookout for Cismontane in the future.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 06:29:00 | More by WillCarrera

womencantsail

California

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The pour is nearly black with a thin layer of mocha colored foam that has pretty decent retention.

S: Tons and tons of coffee on the nose. Lots of roasted malts, bitter chocolate, and a lot more coffee just for good measure. Pretty simple, but very enjoyable.

T: Again, the coffee steals the show. There is a mild caramel malt sweetness and a fairly significant roasted malt flavor, too, but the flavor is certainly characterized by the coffee. There is a slight creaminess to the finish, which is nice.

M: The body is medium, not super rich for an imperial stout, but adequate, and the carbonation is medium.

D: I wasn't sure how good this one would be, but I had heard a couple people recommend it and I'm glad they did. A very enjoyable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2010 00:34:26 | More by womencantsail

Wowcoolman

California

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served at The Yard in Santa Monica.
An excellent representation of the style- strong notes of powdered cocoa leaving a dry, bitter finish. Comes across balanced, not boozy. Excellent body with a creamy mouthfeel and good head retention. Very enjoyable from start to finish. I will certainly now want to try more from this brewer.
Cismontane means "on this side of the mountain" and the brewery is located east of Irvine. Blacks Dawn confirms that the brewery is quality driven. I've seen their product show up at establishments that feature California beers. If you frequent such places, beers like this are your reward.

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2011 05:39:00 | More by Wowcoolman

popery

California

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours coffee black with dark brown edges. Small light brown head. Dissipates relatively quickly. Very strong coffee note in the aroma. Lots of roasted malt, as well. Lesser amounts of dark chocolate and caramel. Small amount of booze. The coffee seems acidic and a bit fruity. The taste is great. The coffee is again strong, but there's more chocolate and caramel. It's not too terribly sweet, though there's a good amount of caramel malt sugariness in there. There's a nice tart coffee note. Lots of roast. Some citric hops in the finish. Mouthfeel is creamy and a bit fizzy. This is a really nice coffee beer. Normally I feel the opposite, but this beer could use a bit more sweetness. The coffee flavor adds quite a bit of bitterness, and I think it gets in the way of the more delicate notes. Still, it's a really nice coffee beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 07:02:25 | More by popery

Merkur

Tennessee

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Ritual in San Diego.

Had in a snifter.

Beer poured very dark brown, almost black with about a half finger worth of white head.

The beer smells of strongly of espresso and coffee. Very roasty.

The taste follows the smell with a nice, roasty flavor of coffee and a bit of chocolate.

The mouthfeel was just a bit too thin for my liking with very little carbonation.

Aside from being a bit thin, this was a very enjoyable stout.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2012 15:45:38 | More by Merkur

Nugganooch

California

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle w/ snifter

A: Blacks Dawn pours a semi thin deep dark brown that gets much dimmer as it collects in the glass. Has a nice black oily gloss to it. Thin lid of creamy smooth camel color head. Nice persistence. Quick receding cling with some dots of lace. Appropriate and inviting.

S: Smells of rich mocha. Pure roast high quality coffee beans. Dark malts with a touch of smoky char. Chocolate Brownie batter. Very nice clean aromas.

T: A very nice assortment of rich and full stouty flavors. Lots of fresh roast coffee with that earthy smoke char. Good mix of toasted grains. Espresso fudge brownie. Dark chocolate and chicory. Sweet Molasses with subtle hints of licorice that really bloom as this beer warms. Decent amount of bittering gives a slight peppery spice. Alcohol is incredibly mellow and really only perks closer to room temps. Delicious brew I must say.

M: Smooth as silk body glides with ease over the tongue. Moderately full feel. Has a light fudgey chew to it that is just right. Carb on the lower side. Lush and perfect. Finish is wetter with an oily linger.

D: This is a very tasty stout. Smooth and creamy. Rich and assertive with the Coffee yet countered well with the chocolate and dark roasty grain notes. I enjoyed this much more than the Couter IPA. Nicely done.

Recommended and looking forward to trying the Black’s Nocturne.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 18:37:50 | More by Nugganooch

mdfb79

New York

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

From 04/14/13 notes. Got this bottle from Nugganooch; thanks Dane! Poured from a 16.9 oz. bottle into a snifter.

a - Pours a jet black color with one inch of dark tan head and moderate carbonation evident. There is a little retention and lacing; looks pretty nice.

s - Smells of coffee, roasted malts, dark chocolate, toasted malts, light milk chocolate, and espresso. Nice nose, lots of coffee to it, as expected.

t - Tastes of coffee, roasted malts, dark chocolate, burnt malts, bitter chocolate and malts, vanilla, and some milk chocolate. Even better those the nose; really nice amount of chocolate and coffee.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Body is pretty smooth; a little bit thicker and it would be outstanding.

o - Overall a really great beer; never heard of it or this brewery, but I loved it. Loads of coffee and chocolate and easy to drink; if this was easy to get off the shelves I'd certainly buy it a lot. Looking forward to the BA stout from them Dane sent along with it.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 15:52:22 | More by mdfb79

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had at the brewery on a recent trip to Cali in the company of womencantsail, t0rin0, and fbm115. Served from tap into an imperial pint glass. Poured pitch black with a minimal off-white head. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, dark chocolate, and slight coffee. The flavor was of sweet malt, dark chocolate, caramel, slight coffee, and slight cream. It had a heavy feel on the palate with mild carbonation. Overall this brew wasn't that bad. It was very nicely balanced, but just lacked in intensity and the flavors I find most enjoyable. With that said however, it had a nice aroma and flavor going on. A must try if you are in the area.

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2011 16:24:04 | More by thagr81us

azdback

Arizona

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Bruery tulip glass. Deep dark black with a very dark brown highlight coming from the stem. A large one finger head that is very cocoa in color and creamy/froth in appearance. Lace is sticking very well now and looks like it will as the way down.

Smell is lots of chocolate and coffee bean. Other roasted malt flavors are there too, like charred wood and tart fruit. A bit of alcohol there as well.

Taste is very nice coffee and milk chocolate. There is just a hint of the dark fruit in the taste. Kind of reminds me of Cherry Chocolate Stout from Stone or Chocolate Stout from Brooklyn Brewing.

Mouth is rich and creamy. Carbonation is light but full. Finish is long and not as wet as I figured it would be. There is an alcohol burn there too.

Overall I really enjoyed this extra from glitchedmind. Like I mentioned, it reminded me of a couple of other great stouts. This is coming from a small brewery with not a lot of exposure. Try it if you get the chance.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 03:56:52 | More by azdback

schwemjw

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A: opaque black with a mocha head.

S: espresso, chocolate, vanilla and a tone of roasted malt. Very creamy, like milk.

T: A tone of chocolate with a nice coffee/ roast malt mid palate. A great bittering finish. Very balanced and drinkable. reminiscent of hot chocolate. Lots of mocha characteristics as well.

M: lingering finish. medium bodies.

O: Awesome! i came into this beer without expectations and i was pleasantly surprised. Easy drinking with a ton of flavor. I'd rather start each morning off with this instead of coffee!!! / 93

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 20:26:27 | More by schwemjw

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.11/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16oz bottle
Riedel tulip

A: Pitch black. No light getting through. Full finger of tight bubbled light/mid dark tan head. Leaving lacing already. Some alcohol feet from head. Nicely carbonated.

S: I could smell coffee from a few inches away. Coffee. Milk chocolate, almost lactose like with sweet notes. Not that bitter dark stuff. Some roast but not pronounced.

T: Chocolate and coffee bitterness up front. Again, it's that creamier milk chocolate more than a bitter dark cocoa. Similar to porters I've had recently. The oats really help to cream this beer out. Coffee is muted by the chocolate. Dry finish. Lingering chocolate and slight roast in the palate. Easy to drink for sure.

M: Full bodied and creamy. Like the mouthfeel for sure. Oats help.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 14:18:32 | More by inlimbo77

FosterJM

California

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1048th Review on BA
Growler to Snifter
1 gallon

Thanks to GuruDel for sharing
Shared at MrHirschybars tasting

App- Big thick dark brown almost black pour with a really nice off tan head that left a good bit of sticky cling/lace. Fairly dense and looked good in the glass..

Smell- I will say one thing. They said its a coffee stout. It was a coffee nose. Nicely done on this one with the coffee, some malts and good balance.

Taste- Huge coffee and roast notes from this one. A good bit of balance with a bit of creaminess and the roasted coffee. I really enjoyed the coffee on this one. A bit assertive but worked really well.

Mouth- A medium/thick bodied beer with somewhat of a medium/low carbonation level. Pretty thick malts remain on this one with some bitterness from the coffee and roast

Drink- I enjoyed it. I have been surprised lately with Cismontane. I will have to keep giving them a shot.

Serving type: growler

01-23-2012 18:52:47 | More by FosterJM

bierfreundlich

California

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a deep brown almost black-strap molasses color with a paper-thin dark tan head. Little spotty lacing.

S - Lots of roasted aroma--a dark roast coffee, roasted barley/grains, a slight caramel sweetness.

T - Tastes like bittersweet chocolate with slight hints of roasted chillies, unrefined sugar/molasses flavors, a bit tangy.

M - Heavier on carbonation than a typical stout and bit creamy with the oats. Tiny bubbles leaving your mouth a bit numb--a bit like an analgesic. Very nice!

O - A very impressive imperial stout. The coffee is stronger in the aroma than flavor. The flavor is very rich and heavy of roasted grains and coffee. But the mouthfeel is wonderful. A great beer! I would totally buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 01:22:40 | More by bierfreundlich