Black's Nocturne - Cismontane Brewing Company

kojevergas

California

3.95/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

1 pint 9.4 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a Uinta pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are average; this is me first beer from this brewery. 12% ABV confirmed. 50 IBU. 30 SRM.

Served straight from the refrigerator 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 rich tan colour head of gorgeous frothy cream, great thickness, and impressive retention for the high ABV. Body colour is a solid black. No yeast particles are visible; it's nontransparent. Opaque. So far, so good. I'm excited to try it.

Sm: Heavy oak, vanilla, some roast, alcohol, dark malts, marvelous bourbon, and cocoa nibs. Some caramel. Oats when I look for them. I don't get brown sugar. A very pleasant, inviting aroma. No yeast is detectable. I'm excited for this one.

T: Vanilla, cacao nibs, caramel, dark malts, bourbon, and oak. An eclectic, fantastic, flavour. Very well balanced and enjoyable. The vanilla and bourbon coalesce nicely, generating an excellent effect. Satisfying. It has a reserved subtlety that really suits it well. Rich and decadent. I really like it. Complex and intriguing. I'm quite impressed. No yeast comes through. The alcohol is very well hidden. Hopping is minimal and backgrounded, functioning mainly as a preservative. The dark malt foundation is a bit caramelized and features some chocolate malt, but doesn't intrude, holding the beer together nicely. I barely get brown sugar. A bit of oaty sweetness is detectable only when I actively search for it. It certainly doesn't lack body. A delightful finish.

Mf: Smooth and wet, but dry and coarse enough to coax out the flavours. Perfect thickness. Suits the flavour profile excellently. Perfect carbonation. Oats were used optimally here, lending an otherwise dry and coarse style some credible smoothness. Nicely creamy.

Dr: Drinkable and very enjoyable. Hides the ABV incredibly well. I really like it. I'd definitely have this again, preferably either aged or on draught. It might be too smooth on nitro. Fans of the style will no doubt enjoy this one. I'm excited to try more beers from Cismontane. A stellar brew. I'd recommend this to friends. It does come off a bit too smooth for the style, though. If I accept it as an "Imperial Oatmeal Stout", I feel better about it. The warming bourbon is really wonderful here; I'd be curious to learn which bourbon barrels they used.

B+

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 03:40:11 | More by kojevergas

drummermattie02

Texas

4/5  rDev -7%

05-01-2013 11:53:42 | More by drummermattie02

mdfb79

New York

4.26/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From 04/20/13 notes. Thanks to Nugganooch for sending me this one; thanks Dane! 22 oz. bottle poured into a snifter.

a - Pours a dark brown, almost black color, with one finger of dark tan head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of milk chocolate, sweet bourbon, roasted malts, dark chocolate, toasted malts, vanilla, some oak and coconut. Very nice nose. Sweet, with nice bourbon and chocolate mixing together. Not very hot at all.

t - Tastes of milk chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, roasted malts, toffee, caramel, some dark fruits, oak, coconut, burnt and toasted malts. More vanilla here than the nose, not quite as sweet. A little better than the nose in my opinion.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Body is pretty smooth and not very hot. A little bit thicker and the body would be great.

o - Overall my second beer and stout from Cismontane and I have been impressed with both of them; they were know their stouts. This one is a big stout that has barrel notes, but tastes like it is 8% ABV; really nice. Loads of sweet bourbon and chocolate throughout, and easy to drink. Would really like to have it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 14:39:03 | More by mdfb79

BrewTasting

Nevada

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

04-10-2013 06:05:39 | More by BrewTasting

Duff27

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7%

04-07-2013 16:51:53 | More by Duff27

egrace84

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

04-07-2013 01:46:34 | More by egrace84

dvmin98

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

04-05-2013 01:10:15 | More by dvmin98

jeff1973

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

03-16-2013 04:59:08 | More by jeff1973

fbc24

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

03-15-2013 11:57:07 | More by fbc24

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

3.96/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle, opened by Greenplastic615. Thanks for the share!

A: Dark black body, thin tan that settled nice and quick into a filmy retention cap. Minor lacing.

S: Rich dark chocolate, sweet bourbon, oak, dark fruits, molasses.

T: Wonderful bourbon and chocolate blended on first sip. Notes of oak, brown sugar, vanilla and some slightly roasted caramel malts.

M: Higher end of medium-bodied, not as full, lush and thick as some others in the style. An easy drinker at 12% ABV.

This was a nice surprise from a little brewery I've never even heard of. Good first impression.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 14:59:39 | More by ShanePB

imyourhero21

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

02-28-2013 20:20:45 | More by imyourhero21

Rollzroyce21

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

02-25-2013 14:48:10 | More by Rollzroyce21

HALB

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

02-17-2013 22:23:23 | More by HALB

DarthKostrizer

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

02-11-2013 04:14:48 | More by DarthKostrizer

Camel242000

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

02-09-2013 03:27:53 | More by Camel242000

CarolinaKevin

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -7%

02-04-2013 21:20:53 | More by CarolinaKevin

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle, fall 2012
5oz mini tasting snifter

A: Pours out nearly pitch black in color. I see some reddish hues around the edges of the glass. There was some sticky tan lacing left no the glass, but there wasn't a lot of head. Alcohol feet are present as we're dealing with a higher ABV.

S: Great nose on this one. Pulling lots of bourbon character here: vanilla, toffee, caramel, etc. Also getting some fudgy chocolate notes as well. Really smells like a pleasant mix, especially when you start to get some of that roast coffee into the mix as well.

T: Taste is also killer here. Just like I smelled you get deep chocolate notes first, meshing with some coffee character. Then you get the barrel treatment, that vanilla and burnt sugar come into play in the mid-palate. It's really smooth. You really don't taste the ABV, even at that high level. Maybe some warming, but that is all. Long finish on this. Flavors come up better as they warm.

M: Full bodied brew. Coats the mouth.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 18:12:15 | More by inlimbo77

marine1975

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

02-03-2013 22:12:48 | More by marine1975

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

02-03-2013 15:51:36 | More by RedneckBeerz

BulbMan

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

01-18-2013 22:27:56 | More by BulbMan

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.61/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.75

Pours jet black with a small cocoa brown head. Surprising retention for a big stout like this with good lacing. Nice looking beer.

Big bourbon and chocolate notes waft up before my nose is even close to the bottle. Roasted malts, vanilla and oak also.

Flavor is similar although the char flavor comes on a big stronger than the aroma. Tons of dark chocolate balanced by charred slightly smoky malt. Vanilla and oak linger in the background. Bourbon provides a lot of warmth on the back end.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Could use maybe a little more body to full reach its potential, but still doesn't detract from the beer. Fairly hot, but I prefer that and the bourbon feels integrated.

Fantastic off my radar beer. Thanks Matt for sending this! Perfect balance between all the flavor components and a great beer to drink on a cold January night.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 14:59:07 | More by jmarsh123

jmgrub

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

01-09-2013 00:57:46 | More by jmgrub

Fresh

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

01-03-2013 23:32:33 | More by Fresh

match1112

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

another big ol thank you to ehammond1 for sending this one!

pours the usual pitch black body that one would expect from a ba beer, but this one has a thick creamy head that stands a finger and a half tall. don't remember the last time i saw anything more than a quarter inch of head on a big bourbon beer.

only two parts to the aroma, big bourbon notes and dark chocolate. on the tongue though you can pick up on notes of vanilla and oats with the slightest hint of charred barrel. mouthfeel seemes a little thin for such a big beer, but it also helps to make it very easy to down a bottle by my self. super sweet and sticky from the chocolate and brown sugar with a very nice and mellow warming presence.

overall i really like this beer and cant believe that nobody is talking about it. such a great bourbon beer that i am lucky enough to receive two bottles of from two great traders, thanks fellas. as far as the rest of you that read this, you should get you some while you can.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 15:34:58 | More by match1112

tbone1384

Wyoming

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

12-16-2012 01:24:58 | More by tbone1384