Black Rock - Dungarvan Brewing Company

spdyfire83

Ireland

2.48/5  rDev -35.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

290th Review
On draft at Against the Grain
Served in an unmarked pint glass

From notes.

A: Black. ½ (foamy mocha) fingernail head.

S: Graham cracker, chocolate, coffee, and a hint of raisin sweetness. Okay.

T: Follows nose exactly; however, very weak in taste. Quite boring if I must say actually.

M: Medium bodied with almost no carbonation.

O: Disappointing for sure. Maybe this beer is a bit more enjoyable from the bottle, but the cask verison was not pleasant. Just drink Guinness.

Serving type: cask

11-14-2012 13:21:40 | More by spdyfire83

jewellrunner

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

04-07-2013 01:25:33 | More by jewellrunner

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

03-27-2013 13:26:56 | More by kjyost

Beerstorian

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

02-16-2013 14:15:00 | More by Beerstorian

BogBoyJD

Ireland

4/5  rDev +3.4%

11-27-2012 13:13:45 | More by BogBoyJD

innominat

Ireland

4/5  rDev +3.4%

11-22-2012 23:02:41 | More by innominat

jmtpi

New York

4/5  rDev +3.4%

09-28-2012 21:04:27 | More by jmtpi

fionn13

Ireland

3.25/5  rDev -16%

06-03-2012 23:44:10 | More by fionn13

mnixon86

Ireland

4/5  rDev +3.4%

01-13-2012 22:39:53 | More by mnixon86

StJamesGate

New York

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours opaque black with a whipped cream stiff head of tan foam. Nose is seawater and smoke. Sour ashy roastiness, plus espresso grounds and brown sugar, with earthy minty hops. Sweet finish and a dry leave. Soft, creamy, round and light to medium.

A lean and sour take on the style. Sweetness is much muted. That and the body make it clean and easy-drinking.

Good to get a more traditional take on Irish stout.

My 500th review.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2011 00:25:16 | More by StJamesGate

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #48 (Jan 2011):

Massive gathering of bubbles reaches four fingers high, and the light brown lacing in its wake is an amazing sight on this black beer. Roasty nose ranges from French-roast coffee to cocoa powder to fresh, damp chimney soot with a hint of blackberry and musty yeast. Smooth, wet mouthfeel, light to medium body. Roasted grain flavor drops some notes of burnt sugar, wet charcoal and cocoa powder. Modest hopping lets the malt shine through. Yeasty tone, ripe fruit and some toasted bread drops in the middle. Mild roasty finish leans dry. Rustic, very drink- able and grew on us quick. Easily surpasses the benchmark for the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 14:32:14 | More by BeerAdvocate

kojevergas

California

2.6/5  rDev -32.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A: Poured from a bottle into a Paulaner stein in low altitude Galway, Ireland, on December 12th, 2010. Pours a dark amber/black with a tanned, creamy head, three fingers thick, that retians well. Appealing, but possibly overcarbonated.

Sm: Moderate strength: cream, toffee, maybe a bit of chocolate. Kind of musty.

T: A powerful open, atypical of stouts. Tastes like it smells - and that includes the must. Balanced decently, but built strangely. Not bold, and not particularly good.

Mf: Very smooth but very dry.

Dr: Pricey but average.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2010 18:20:55 | More by kojevergas

JohnIreland

Ireland

4.53/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Without doubt the best beer from DBC, I've had this on cask and in bottles.

On cask it's exceptional - possibly the best Irish made stout on the market at the moment.

Very complex, rich taste, with a very heavy body and almost like drinking stout-flavoured velvet.

Bottle was a disappointment in comparison, tasting almost unrelated, which leads me on to say I think DBC are also missing out by focussing on bottles with this, as the market really wants stout in draught form... the bottled market outside Waterford is virtually non-existent.

Serving type: cask

08-18-2010 21:12:50 | More by JohnIreland

JohnfromDublin

Ireland

4.03/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I tasted this (the last of the three new brews from Dungarvan) on 18.05.2010 (Best by APR 2011).

It poured a murky black brew with a nice cream coffee coloured head. Aromas of burnt bitter chocolate and raisens soaked in rum.
It was warming and yet smooth; very easy drinking. Nice roasted malt quality with hints of coffee.

I'm not the biggest fan of stouts, but this is a mellow drop. It improves as it warms in the glass; the last drop tasting better than the first.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2010 08:03:07 | More by JohnfromDublin