Brandy Barrel Aged Dark Lord With Vanilla Beans - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

jbuddle

New York

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

01-29-2013 17:56:59 | More by jbuddle

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.53/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to a few people we were able to put together the entire vertical and almost all the BA variants. Lots of fun gents!

From a 750 into a snifter
2011 vintage
Bottle 403 of 433

APPEARANCE: Just like all the rest of them. Pours relatively clear for an imperial stout. Produces a small, one finger medium-looking head that quickly fades to a wisp and ring. Black body in the glass with some carbonation evident. Only a ring remains until the end and leaves no real lacing down the glass. A little too light a pour and an average head at best.

SMELL: Much like the bourbon vanilla version, but slightly milder. A touch of brandy perhaps with a lightly roasted aroma, but this one is mostly vanilla on the nose and not overpowering. Milder and less artificial than the bourbon version.

TASTE: Vanilla sweetness up front mostly, with sweet cream and a touch of brandy at the swallow. Some sweet Dark Lord after the swallow with molasses and caramel, but the vanilla and marshmellow flavor is more prevalent here. Bolder finish is sweet with enough vanilla and a touch of alcohol lingering on the palate. Milder and less arfitical than the bourbon vanilla version, much like the nose.

PALATE: Slightly lighter than the base beer, but still big enough. Just like the other DL variants as well. Medium body with medium levels of carbonation. Creamy enough, goes down fine and finishes rather sticky on the palate. A bit of a burn and some heat lingers.

OVERALL: Pretty good variant, and much better and less artificial than the bourbon vanilla version. The vanilla made this a little one-dimensional perhaps, but the small glass was certainly enjoyable. Finishing a bottle of this on my own would be a chore, however. Cheers for the fun tasting boys!

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 12:24:43 | More by Jeffo

POTABLE83

New York

5/5  rDev +7.5%

05-13-2013 14:12:44 | More by POTABLE83

Hopbully

Virginia

5/5  rDev +7.5%

05-06-2013 07:33:16 | More by Hopbully

ObeMaltKinobee

California

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

05-03-2013 07:39:45 | More by ObeMaltKinobee

pmoney

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

04-08-2013 14:10:37 | More by pmoney

jeonseh

Indiana

4.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Bottle had at NWI tasting group 2011 BA DL night

A - Dark chocolate brown with a caramel color around the edges. Not much of a head as it only leaves small bubbles on the sides. As the beer swirls in my glass, I can tell it's going to be a thick one as it leaves lots of residue on the sides

S - Loads of vanilla, brandy sweetness, marshmallow fluff, chocolate, and caramel. This is one amazing smelling beer

T - This is definitely the sweetest of the BA DLs but it manages to not be overly sweet. It tastes like marshmallow fluff. There is loads of vanilla and marshmallow in each sip. As it carries on, I do get slight oak, chocolate, and brandy but the vanilla and marshmallow are strong without overpowering. Definitely probably the most vanilla I've had in a beer

MF - Smooth creamy and thick beer that coats the tongue. It also manages to be slightly soft and fluffy.

O - This is an amazing beer. There is so much vanilla in this yet the vanilla doesn't overpower at all. Instead it blends in well to add a great twist to these beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 02:48:00 | More by jeonseh

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.56/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes. Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a Half Acre snifter.

A- Pours black with almost no head. Small tan ring of lacing around the glass.

S- Sweet chocolate, brown sugar, brandy/alcohol, vanilla

T- Sweet chocolate, brandy, brown sugar, vanilla, and more fudgey chocolate.

M- Full body and medium carbonation. Silky, creamy and smooth.

O- Very good beer. Still have the 2012 vanilla above this variant, but still damn good.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 20:37:37 | More by kawilliams81

t0rin0

California

4.25/5  rDev -8.6%

03-03-2013 00:30:21 | More by t0rin0

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.56/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Huge thanks to LarryByrd for trading me this rarity! I honestly dont think that I could ever thank you enough for the oppurtunity to try this beer! Cheers!

Poured into a tulip glass.

Reviewed from notes taken on 2/23/2013.

Appearance: As dark as black can get. Thin medium brown cap with that goes away fast leaving nothing for head on the beer. Like all dark lord beers this beer stains the glass.

Smell: Faint vanilla, fudge, brandy, and oak.

Taste: Lot of chocolate. Faint vanilla and marshmellows. Sweet and smooth brandy. Its pretty oaky and woody. Its very big and very sweet. You do get a bit of oxidation, but not much. Its fantastic beer!

Mouthfeel: Full bodied beer with low carbonation. Thick, heavy, viscous, chewy, massive stout. Its got a touch of warming booze and its 15% is very well hidden.

Overall: The fact that I got to try this beer is just plain awesome! The fact that it is still an amazing beer is also awesome! Glad that I had the chance to drink this beer. It one of the best 3 Floyds beers that I have ever drank. Brandy barrel aged beers are awesome I wish that more brewers would use brandy barrels to age big beers!

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 01:28:41 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

egrace84

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

02-25-2013 03:07:57 | More by egrace84

Duff27

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

No head. Dark brown body, lighter brown hued edges. Stains the glass.

Sweet aroma. Present booze but not overpowering.

Candy...I'm not even close to a brandy expert but this is great. Again "beer candy". Vanilla is muted behind the brandy.

Medium to medium-thick mouthfeel. Adequate carbonation.

Takes a mediocre base beer and makes it great. A treat to partake in. Thanks for the share 4DAloveofSTOUT for the share!

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 00:50:35 | More by Duff27

Azrael

4.5/5  rDev -3.2%

02-12-2013 05:06:54 | More by Azrael

skunk242

California

5/5  rDev +7.5%

02-11-2013 03:34:28 | More by skunk242

stx00lax

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

01-15-2013 06:30:14 | More by stx00lax

MordorMongo

Indiana

5/5  rDev +7.5%

01-13-2013 20:16:15 | More by MordorMongo

RyanBeer13

Virginia

5/5  rDev +7.5%

01-09-2013 10:39:16 | More by RyanBeer13

Gonzoillini

Illinois

5/5  rDev +7.5%

01-01-2013 02:58:27 | More by Gonzoillini

mojiboo02

Illinois

5/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Might be the best tasting beer that I have ever had. Split 8 or so ways at a DL vertical and horizantol tasting in 2012. The smell was sweet of brandy with a nice undertone of vanilla and the taste was big flavor with the vanilla slightly coming through over the brandy. The mouthfeel was rather thick and tasty. Definitely my favorite of the DL tasting.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 18:37:55 | More by mojiboo02

readbaron

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +2.2%

12-12-2012 22:07:21 | More by readbaron

joel66

New York

4.93/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle generously shared by grumpyoldtroll, thanks again Mike, you went 2x2 on the night

Bottled poured what could have been mistaken for motor oil with a slight espresso head and no lacing.. The smell of this beer is overwhelmingly marshmallow, mixed with the booziness of brandy, simply amazing scent.

The taste reminds me of being around a camp fire making smores. Mix of marshmallow, chocolate malt, vanilla and roasted malt.

This beer is sweet on your palate, but incredibly balanced with the brandy and vanilla bean.

I cant decide whether Brandy Vanilla, or Apple Brandy Huna go down as my favorite stout of all time....

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 06:21:22 | More by joel66

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

REVIEW # 1000

2011 750mL bottle poured into taster. Opened alongside DL 10-12 and Bourbon Barrel DL 12 as part of our holiday StoutFest tasting.

Pours an oily, thick blackness with a thin, filmy toasted brown head. Fades out completely leaving a few random spots of lacing dotted around the glass.

Holy crap, this actually smells exactly like marshmallows. Heavy vanilla scents drizzled in chocolate and powered by some sweet brandy warmth. Layers of toasted dark malts and oak with hints of dark fruit and roasted nuts. It's like a booze-soaked s'more. Awesome - I literally couldn't stop smelling this.

Intense brandy barrel flavor riddled with vanilla and marshmallow tones, serving as shockingly delicious exclamation points on the profile. Plenty of chocolate, sticky sweet malts and molasses. Touches of dark fruit and roasted oak. The vanilla beans and velvety brandy barrel character continue to tantalize the palate throughout the warm finish.

Full, heavy body, sticky and creamy on the tongue. I was hoping this one really was going to live up to the ridiculous hype and it came through in spades. Utterly stunning and capable of completely elevating Dark Lord to heights the base beer can't even dream of reaching. This narrowly edged out Bourbon Barrel Dark Lord 12 as the best beer of the evening and is one of the best stouts I've had since Bourbon County Vanilla and Coffee.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 16:42:44 | More by xnicknj

GrumpyOldTroll

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +7.5%

11-22-2012 17:50:47 | More by GrumpyOldTroll

Rempo

Indiana

5/5  rDev +7.5%

11-03-2012 14:46:51 | More by Rempo

stxSS07

Illinois

5/5  rDev +7.5%

10-11-2012 21:15:28 | More by stxSS07