Black's Dawn - Cismontane Brewing Company

HopHead84

California

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

5/22/2012

On tap at Stone.

A: Black with a big light brown head.

S: Nutty and earthy with robust coffee notes. Brown sugar blends with molasses, dark chocolate, and restrained licorice notes. Roasted malt is prominent.

T: Rich dark chocolate with a monolithic dark malt presence. Roasted with molasses and brown sugar. Nice coffee profile with a mild astringency. Moderate earthy bitterness and a dash of booze in the finish.

M: Full body with upper medium carbonation and a sticky, silky, full mouthfeel.

Overall: A nice Imperial Stout. Rich, bold, and balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2012 05:18:14 | More by HopHead84

Merkur

Tennessee

4.18/5  rDev +1.2%
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

UCLABrewN84

California

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
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

augustgarage

California

3.13/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On-tap @ Blue Palms Brewery - served in a goblet.

Opaque seal brown body with a whisper of ran bubbles up top, settling into a thin collar and oily webbing. Anemic lacing.

Coffee, roast barley, and a touch of diacetyl in the nose.

Carob, earth, black pepper, brown butter, and stale coffee to start on the palate. Taste brings to mind a 24hr greasy spoon catering to somnolent truckers on some remote interstate. Finishes with a pleasing toastiness, though the diacetyl persists.

Oily, medium bodied, with low carbonation.

A decent coffee stout marred by a few defects you might expect from a home-brew.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2011 05:46:03 | More by augustgarage

dbmernin83

California

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
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

notchucknorris

California

3.7/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Pizza Port Calsbad

A: Black with a one finger tan head and pretty good retention.

S: Coffee, oats and a lot of wet earth. Perhaps a bit of licorice as well. As the beer warms, it begins to smell more smoky with a bit of smoked herring coming into play as well.

T: A bit of coffee and roasted/charred malt with a slight bit of roasted oat sweetness without the smooth mouthfeel. A bit of a smokiness in the background as well. Pretty solid, but not sure I would go for this again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2011 05:16:12 | More by notchucknorris

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Milder dark appearance than some stouts, nothing bad. Good coffee aroma, first and foremost.

Coffee through and through, not over the top, complimented by ample chocolate, hides the alcohol. Easily a breakfast style tailgating beer.

Reminiscient of Speedway Stout, although nowhere near as thick. Like a small beer version of that.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2011 22:53:55 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Wowcoolman

California

4.22/5  rDev +2.2%
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

jminsc76

California

4.3/5  rDev +4.1%
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

CaptDavyJones

New York

4.5/5  rDev +9%
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

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +0.5%
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

womencantsail

California

4.22/5  rDev +2.2%
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

Halcyondays

California

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
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

SwillinBrew

California

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
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

IntriqKen

California

4.3/5  rDev +4.1%
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

DoubleJ

California

3.6/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The newest beer in the Cismontane lineup, a coffee stout brewed with brown sugar and oats. On-tap at the source, on to the beer:

Yep, it's black. The head retention on top is fair. Anyways, this is a coffee stout that leans towards the coffee side. Roasted coffee in the aroma, lots of roasted coffee in the taste, a little sweet from the brown sugar, a little astringent too. The alcohol hides itself well in this medium bodied beer...maybe a whisper light for its size.

You better like coffee if you're going to drink this, as it is very coffeeish. I happen to be a fan of coffee stouts, so this was no problem. It could use more "beer" in the formula to get it to the next level.

Serving type: on-tap

07-03-2010 04:30:52 | More by DoubleJ

Brenden

Ohio

3.96/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Perhaps aptly named, this beer is indeed black, or close to it. Some brown does show in the edges, but only if there's plenty of light. A tan head grows nearly a full finger tall before dropping to a sturdy enough foam that is able to drop mostly spotting but with some patching in places as well.
Coffee pours out on the nose straightaway upon opening the bottle. Cocoa is also evident with a touch of caramel sweetness. Plenty of malt backbone supports the big coffee and chocolate notes. Bitterness seems to come just from the bittersweet cocoa and the coffee.
Not much difference comes out between the aroma and the flavor. Coffee never fades away, staying strong and it has a freshness to it, which is key to any beer depending on it. Bittersweet baker's chocolate comes through strong as well, lingering in the finish. Overall,it leans toward having a stronger level of bitterness without going way too bitter, just managing to be free of any acrid edge.
A big enough stout, there is of course a robustness to this one. It's nicely smooth and on the appropriately low end as far as carbonation. As an imperial stout, though, it needs just a touch, a very slight touch, more thickness and body.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 16:28:14 | More by Brenden

mdfb79

New York

4.18/5  rDev +1.2%
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

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Received in a thank you box and poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a nice deep, deep dark brown nearly black hue with a good two finger mocha head that fades to leave a nice quarter inch blanket. Pretty damn solid here.

S - Smell is nice with lots of chocolate, more of the milk chocolate variety. Some light roast malts. Uhh, wheres the coffee though?

T - Taste is better, with nice milk chocolate and cocoa powder mix. Coffee is there, a creamy iced coffee with cream here. Some faint dark fruits as well. Could use some more coffee.

M - Mouthfeel is smooth, with light carbonation. There is some good bitter roast on the finish.

O - Overall, I wish there was more coffee in this along with less dark fruit. Plus, the nose was pretty weak.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 18:30:13 | More by rudzud

kaseydad

California

4.35/5  rDev +5.3%
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

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.11/5  rDev -0.5%
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

Uncle_Jimmy

California

4.51/5  rDev +9.2%
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

ElSid

California

4.26/5  rDev +3.1%
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

dubinsky

California

3.78/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1 Pint bottle poured into a Deschutes snifter.

A - Pours a semi viscous, pitch black with a thin mocha color head which fades really quickly leaving some minimal lacing.

S – The aroma is a healthy combination of bootstrap molasses, licorice dark chocolate coffee and dried prunes. Damn, that sounds familiar…The Abyss?

T – Well, is not The Abyss, but damn is it ever trying to be. It has all of the elements that I describe in the aroma, but unfortunately they are all a bit more muted than The Abyss. The licorice and dark chocolate seem to be the most prevalent flavors, but all of the others are all definitely there.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Nice roasted malts with a fairly smoky finish.

D – This is a very drinkable Imperial stout. I was hugely surprised by this, especially since I have never heard of this brewery. Very well balanced. I will happily buy this again and again.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 05:19:29 | More by dubinsky

ThickNStout

Georgia

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16oz bottle from j47paco (thanks Juan!). No bottling info. Served in a Wild Heaven snifter.

Pours deep dark brown with a finger and a half capuccino head that leaves several patches of dark lace.

Smells roasty with bittersweet coffee, cocoa and caramel.

Roast coffee hits the palate first. Followed by cocoa, burnt brown sugar, charred wood, oatmeal raisin cookie, leather and a little licorice. The alcohol is well masked behind the pleasing blend of flavors.

Creamy smooth medium full feel with light but ample carbonation. Nice bitter sweet coffee and brown sugar aftertaste.

I'd never heard of this brewery or this beer but it's right up my alley. A creamy, roasty, coffee-infused treat. I wouldn't turn this away if I ever get another oportunity to drink again.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 02:15:53 | More by ThickNStout