Dark Lord Imperial Stout - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

barnzy78

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I had a 2009 in 2009 with sub-par reviews: look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 2.5 = 3.7/5.

Re-review of a newer batch (2010), aged for 2.5 years. Big difference here.
22oz bottle shared with a friend. Poured into a tulip, thick pour reveals an opaque black body topped with a milk chocolate colored head, good retention, no lacing. Aromas are boozy, roasted barley, dark chocolate, coffee, dark fruit, cherry, and blackberry perhaps. Initially it's sweet and syrupy with notes of dark chocolate, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, cocoa, roasted barley, vanilla, molasses, espresso, booze. Full flavored with maximum complexity. Unbelievably good! Mouth-feel is thick & chewy, full-full bodied, viscous, and very smooth. Overall, definitely an upper echelon RIS. One of the best out there, if not the best. I stand corrected.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 23:38:07 | More by barnzy78

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

'12 DL (red wax) thanks to JD (shawdeuce22) for sharing this one! 22oz bomber poured into HF stemmed glass. Bottle split 4 ways (~5.5 oz. servings).

A- Pours mostly opaque jet black with some transparency, definitely a lot more then I was expecting for a 15% RIS. Pretty much no head except a thin mocha brown circle lining the edges of the glass and leaves some very light spotty lacing and a little bit of alcohol legs. Nice consistently rising carbonation.

S- Dark chocolate, light molasses, some light dark fruits, some faint booze in the background. Not too aromatic or overly sweet, good but a little bit lacking from what I was expecting.

T- Dark fruits, molasses, dark chocolate, sweet caramel, more molasses in the aftertaste that lingers for awhile. Definitely on the sweet side, nicely balanced, not much booze in the taste despite the abv, definitely a great example of the style.

M- Fairly thick, smooth, nice carbonation, goes down surprisingly easy for 15%. Very good feel especially considering the abv and style. Definitely a sipper and not something you would want in large quantities.

O- This was a fantastic RIS. This was my first time having the '12 but I thought it was drinking still a little bit on the sweet side but fairly nice (everyone else said it tasted better then when they had it when it first came out). After this we also opened up every year down to '08. Aging it definitely made the beer more smooth and mellowed the sweetness a little bit to make it more drinkable. You can definitely tell a difference between the years and this ages with the best of them. My favorites were the '09 and '11. Personally I highly recommend this beer and I think it is one of the best examples of a RIS. If you don't like sweet beers or sippers I would maybe stay away.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 01:18:34 | More by jaasen64

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review 1500!!! ya me!!! 650ml red waxed bottle (2012) poured into tulip 22/10/12 thanks Masterski and Sean9689 for sending me a bottle

A its dark but not jet black, deep cola edge and I didn't expect much foam from a beer this big but it almost pours flat, a dark thin films gone in seconds zero lace.

S chocolate fudge with some raisins, prunes, cherry, smoke, coffee, molasses and a little booze but all things considered its pretty mellow, some leather and tobacco as it warms

T sweeter then the smell, some chocolate liqueur, and lacking some of the complexity of the nose, its good but I was hoping for more with all the hype behind this one

M its thick and no heat impresses me in a beer this strong, could use a few more bubbles but again I didn't expect much carbonation in such a massive beer, VERY sticky on the lips and it takes a little strength to open my mouth

O I'm surprised how well they managed to hide the booze and its good beer overall but I was expecting much more, its Darklord after all.

Good with no questions but for a beer that I'm giving a 4+ rating I still have to admit I'm a little disappointed, I like it and would drink it again but I can think of many better brews that are much easier to acquire

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 06:03:06 | More by wordemupg

mjpolzin

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Just like most people, I was very excited to try this beer as 3 Floyds has generated quite the hype for this beer. When a friend told me he had been at Dark Lord Day and that he would bring a bottle to a pre-Thankgiving dinner to share, I decided to bring a Bourbon County Stout and World Wide Stout so we could do a tasting of huge imperial stouts.

The beer pours very dark with an orangish, tan head. I didn't notice much carbonation. The smell was sweet with booze and some malt present as well. Dark Lord tasted like candy to me. Most imperial stouts obviously have a taste of dark fruits and some candy but this was the sweetest big imperial stout I had ever had. I also thought that the beer felt very full in your mouth.

I liked it better than my friend did but I do agree with him that when it comes to giant imperial stouts, Bourbon County Stout is better. This was very enjoyable though and I will look for a way to get my hands on some myself.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 20:38:10 | More by mjpolzin

Etan

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 and 2012 bottles opened together at Oscar's Stout Night. Thanks!

A: Both pour roughly the same color: brownish black with a small tan head.

S: Very raisiny with notes of maple and chocolate and dried fruit.

T: The 2012 is very fruity and very sweet - prune, raisin, cherry, chocolate. The 2011 has a fuller and more balanced flavor. More chocolate and body, and a little less sweet. No coffee notes in either.

M: Both are medium-bodied with fine carbonation.

O: I give the slight edge to the 2011 but neither were very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 08:05:18 | More by Etan

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.63/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

OK so this is a dual review comparing the 2012 and 2010 bottles I have had recently.

2012 has a much more intense smell, alcohol burn, and overall flavor. 2012 just seemed to have so many different flavors hitting you at different times throughout the sip. It just seemed magical almost.

2010 was much more creamy with a more subdued flavoring, but still very good, much more similar to a CC Zhukov than the 2012.

Both are great, but the 2012 version is much better in my opinion. Maybe I just prefer fresh Dark Lord.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 19:43:42 | More by mendvicdog

coffygrinder

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This review is based off of the 2012 bottle.

Dark black beer with little carbination. I looked at this beer for a long time, it was my first dark lord and wanted to soak it all in. This beer almost sticks to the side of the glass it appears thick and heavy.

Smell is... of sugary molasses . Not the best smelling beer around. Also picked up some green apples....(oops). Appears to be a sugar bomb, maybe should have waited to pop this beer but then again you wont know if you dont try.

It has a very thick mouth feel. You could almost chew on this beer.

I heard this was a bad year for dark lord and there were potentially some contaminated batches. I am glad that I was able to share this beer with friends. It would have been a hard beer to finsh by itself. That being said. the 2011 bottle that we opened on the same night was much better. Maybe just set the rest down for a good period of time.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 11:12:31 | More by coffygrinder

jokemon

Illinois

2.45/5  rDev -43.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This review is based off of the 2012 bottles across multiple samplings.

The beer pours a dark "black-hole" black into the glass. Very minimal carbonation with almost no head. However, you can notice some carbonation rising in the glass. Also, tilting the glass i notice that this beer is thick! and will coat the glass with a sugary film.

Smell is... of sugary molasses soy sauce. Not the best smelling beer around. Unfortunately the taste closely resembles the smell. It is extremely difficult to drink this beer as it does taste like soy sauce, raisins and sugar. This beer is extremely sweet! it makes it very hard to drink and I wish it was balanced more in flavor.

I heard this was a bad year for dark lord and there were potentially some contaminated batches. I'm not sure if I got one but I have to say I would not recommend this beer. Bourbon county stout, FW parabola are far better beers.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 22:52:17 | More by jokemon

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.85/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A 2010 Bottle opened and split on 9.8.12.

A - Pours a very dark brown with a small dark brown head that is gone quickly.

S - Booze, chocolate, sweet wet cardboard.

T - Sweet chocolate, booze, coffee.

D - Heavy body with a low carbonation and a sweet finish.

O - The smell worried me with some oxidization, but it tasted very nice.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 05:34:30 | More by HuskyinPDX

Steigede

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 year. Poured very dark, beautiful tan head, very viscous almost syrupy. Tastes of plum, chocolate, coffee, soy sauce (I think this may have been due to the alcohol content?, dark fruits. VERY intense flavors. I do not think I could finish a bottle on my own if I really tried. Smelled amazing. Great experience. Could taste residual alcohol. I'm looking forward to tasting it after aging to see if these intense flavors mellow out.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 21:55:50 | More by Steigede

matttttYCE

Arizona

3.83/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Review #150! 2012 vintage from to stxSS07. Thanks again Matt! You're awesome.

Pour is pretty viscous, exceedingly black, light on the dark tan head that does form, quick for it to fade away, and the lace is basically non-existent.

Initially doesn't seem boozy at all, which I expected it to be, but it's certainly complex. Plenty of rich malty notes, charred malts to some extent, sweetness from the sugar, lots of dark fruit notes like figs plums raisins etc., black licorice, light molasses, hints of cola and soy sauce in the background. I expected more coffee. As it warms I do get some light coffee mixed with what I assume is the Mexican vanilla, but they're both light.

This is one damn big beer, that's for sure. Not just in alcohol content but in flavor and richnes/sweetness. I see what many people say when they refer to this as cloyingly sweet (but that's not stopping me from tackling this by myself). Anyways I'm getting tons of dark fruits, plums figs, port wine notes even, burnt brown sugar, currants, rich chocolate (almost bittersweet), molasses, cola, light coffee, and, like the nose again, some soy sauce.

Big, chewy body, viscous and oily consistency, mouth coating, carbonation is light, and the finish is very sweet, coats the throat, and leaves some more remnants of the taste sticking around for a bit.

Alright, maybe it was a bad idea trying to tackle this entire bottle myself, but go big or go home right? Anyways, I think my friend Paul (azdback) put it pretty well when describing this beer as "A must try but IMO not the holy grail." I found the combination of whatever they used in this that resulted in soy sauce notes that come out a bit more as it warms to be what didn't take this RIS to the upper tier of its class for me. Still complex, unique, and good in it's own right, just not holy grail quality, at least not this vintage currently. Perhaps it's much better with substantial age. Anyways, again a big thanks to Matt for this bottle! It has been something I've been wanting to try since I got into craft beer and heard about this beer. And I'm quite glad I did get to try it. Not so glad I didn't split this with another person though. Seriously, the mouthfeel is big and awesome but this is a tough one to tackle solo even for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 09:55:09 | More by matttttYCE

kevanb

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

2012 bottle, red wax. Review is from notes. Enjoyed on 9/8/2012

The beer pours a super thick and viscous texture, jet black in color with milder brown hues when struck by the light. A dark brown head makes a small appearance, thick tight bubbles, looks fantastic, but vanishes almost immediately, and at 15% it's not unreasonable, but I do wish it stuck around longer. A thin film hangs out on top of the beer and amasses around the rim of the glass. No lacing to speak of. The aroma is extremely sweet, with molasses, chocolate malts, licorice, anise and subtle tones of coffee, but the sweetness really takes over this aroma. The flavors are also very sweet, but there is more roast now than when it was served fresh. Molasses, licorice, lots of sweet chocolate, alcohol is present, there is some creaminess to this beer as well and the sweetness isn't a bad thing in that regard, roasted coffee does come out in the end, a big element that was missing fresh. Hints of charred chocolate and dark fruits are also beginning to show signs of life. The body is perfect, huge, rich, viscous and spot on for a massive RIS.

Verdict: It's a bold RIS and at 15% takes no prisoners. I ragged on this beer fresh in 2011 and again in 2012, but it's starting to come around and in 2 years, this will be great. 2009 is tasting extremely good right now and while it may be at it's peak, there is no doubt that this beer is well made and worth seeking out, but I'd have to recommend that you try it at various stages in it's life before making a snap judgement about it's merit.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 20:25:05 | More by kevanb

sukwonee

Washington

4.55/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2012 vintage
Poured into Lost Abbey Teku glass

A: Black thick motor oil like body with quarter finger head that remains

S: Brown sugar, some dark fruit (cherries, apple), caramel

T: For those that mentioned below that it tastes like soy sauce - I do get your point, but guys, this is an awesome beer. Maybe all the negative comments lowered my expectation of this haha. I find this beer to be very delicious and unique. Maybe a tad bit on the sweet side. Alcohol taste is barely there.

M: Perfect. Syrupy, chewy, rich, and surprisingly not hot at all.

O: Awesome beer. I think this beer age tremendously. I would love the chance try its variations.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 02:54:14 | More by sukwonee

claspada

New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Update: Sampled the 2006 version this past weekend (9/21/12) and it was exponentially better than the newer examples and it wasn't an age difference. The smaller batches of this were much better according to HimerMan who brought out this gem and I have no reason to challenge him; ramping up production of any beer will undoubtedly lower quality as with anything, food, beer or otherwise.

Pre-2007 Rating: 4.25 but I'm leaving the rating here to reflect newer examples as that is what most will find available.

Sampled the White Wax (2009) and the Yellow Wax (2011) back to back. I'll review the older vintage despite there being very little difference between the two.

Pours a deep dark viscous black color with a thin brown head that fades to leave some thin lacing on the glass.

Aromas begin with dark robust roasted malts, dark and milk chocolate and roasted coffee beans. As it warms I can get some of the dark fruit notes as well as the faintest note of hops.

The tastes follow the nose with some semi-sweet dark chocolate complemented by mild flavors of espresso and dark caramelized malts. The malt character is as hearty as you will find with a mild bitter hop presence. As it warms you get some of the dark fruits (prunes) and some emerging boozy alcohol. The flavors get increasingly sweet to the point of being a chore to finish.

The mouthfeel is extremely heavy bodied with light-to-medium carbonation. The finish is sticky and borders on being cloyingly sweet if not for the extreme roasted malts to add some dry character.

Overall, 5 years ago this may have been a revolutionary beer that may have deserved such high praise but in today's ever expanded craft beer world this is merely ordinary. Not that is is a bad beer but it's not one I particularly ever need to have again, especially with the limited bottle count and one day a year release in Indiana.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 20:08:39 | More by claspada

ControlledBurn

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -31.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2012 vintage shared by metempsychosis on 18 August 2012

Appearance:
Black as your ex-wife's heart with a very thin tan head

Smell:
Sugary, chocolatey, fruity

Taste:
Very cloying, hard to find much else to taste beyond the sweetness. Surprisingly not much alcohol taste to it for such a young big beer.

Mouthfeel:
Full body, but little carbonation, quite sticky feeling

Overall:
I wanted to like this beer, but its cloying taste was too much; I had to force myself to finish the 3oz glass I had. The sweetness overpowered everything in the brew and it was too one-dimensional because of it.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 19:52:59 | More by ControlledBurn

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

It's with much reservation (yet, interest and excitement) that I finally crack open my 2009 Dark Lord. I have no recollection who sent this to me, but hey, whoever you are, thanks.

Hands down, this is the most viscous beer I have ever had. It's so thick that it alters how the carbonation operates, I think. Nose was all molasses. Flavor is extremely thick with malts, touches of molasses and chocolate (just a hint, ya know). Pronounced bitterness in a stout-ish kinda way. I really feel like this whole thing just rests on how thick the liquid is. If for nothing else (as if you really need a reason to try and get one of these), it's worth it just to experience how thick this is. I can almost chew on it. Almost. Lives up to the hype, though, I wouldn't have minded some more complexity on the flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 08:09:37 | More by RblWthACoz

tut2528

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Big shout out to Woodjjacct for bringing this beast to the tasting!

A: pour is a deep black, very minimal head formation (but it does slightly occur).. Zero lacing. Swirling creating a thin tan-colored film.

S: alcohol soaked raisins and huge molasses dominate the aromas. I also pick up on strong tobacco, dark fruits (plums, raisins, figs), some pepper, a slight sour black berry, ABV hardly detectable. Its massively complex but not all that well balance.

T: wow, this is sooo damn sweet! So massively complex it’s hard to describe each aspect. Huge dark fruits dominate the palate (big raisins, plums, black berry, tart cherry), big sugar notes, brown sugar, strong creamy finish, again quite off balance.

M: taste buds freak out with every sip… leaves a sugary film along the front of the teeth that is quite enjoyable but at the same time overly cloying. Full-bodied, can definitely chew this one. ABV is completely hidden by the massive sweetness.

O: wasn’t so sure on what to expect of this brew. And I was shocked by how sweet this brew was. Drinks more like a Brandy than a beer. The huge amount of dark fruits and sugar make this one hard to comprehend. It rivals Southern Tier Crème Brulee as far as sweetness IMO.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 05:12:48 | More by tut2528

sleuthdog

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Epic tasting ending with Dark Lord 2012 vintage
Thanks to woodjjacct for sharing this one!

Appearance: Black as night with no head formation. Swirling does create a one finger head but it does dissapate quickly. Absolutly no light penetration at all even when held up to light. Your typical RIS in appearance.

Smell: Big time molasses notes with the dark fruits taking a center stage. Sweet very sweet with alcohol soaked figs. Some dark maybe blackberries evident and some tobacco notes. Leather is also noted at the tail end.

Taste: This is one enormous beer! Very, very sweet with alcohol soaked dark fruit jumping out at me. Molasses and brown sugar very evident and the sweetness lingers forever. I feel as though the beer has literally stuck to my teeth, gums, and tongue. A trip to the dentist tomorrow may be needed. The sweet sticky feel just does not leave at all. It is very chewy at the same time. No alcohol to speak of.

Mouthfeel: This is very creamy and no carbonation and so so palate covering that its hard to believe. It covers all of my mouth and lips to the point that it is cloying.

Overall: This was an enjoyable experience but wow what a sugar bomb! If you don't have a buddy or two to share with you may by in trouble IMO

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 04:45:17 | More by sleuthdog

alexipa

Colorado

2.6/5  rDev -40%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

2012 as a part of an Imperial Stout tasting. This was the unanimous last place beer.

A: Black. Little head that dissipates to nothing quickly.

S: Smells of sweet booze, some dark fruit notes in there as well. This was my favorite part of the experience.

T: As soon as I tasted this, I thought turkey gravy. It tasted like turkey meat had been marinating in the bottle for months. Once I got past this horrible taste, there was some decent complexity hidden in there.

M: Pretty good carbonation, the right amount of heat, nice and smooth.

O: If I had an entire bottle to myself, I would have drain poured this. I'm glad I didn't actively seek this out and it was treated as an extra at the otherwise fantastic tasting.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 18:37:50 | More by alexipa

pmarlowe

California

2.65/5  rDev -38.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

2011 vintage (yellow wax). Tulip glass. Thanks to seeswo for this.

A: Pours thin, very dark brown with a ring of tannish head. A few minutes in, the surface looks flat. No lacing.

S: Charred, roasted malt and vanilla, some cola and milk chocolate. Smells sweetish.

T: Super sweet, like drinking cola spiked with chocolate milk. Wow, this is way too sweet.

M: Full bodied and very light carbonation. So thick, like drinking straight up cream.

O: So sweet and thick, I can't finish more than a little. Ugh, truly gross. Drainpour.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 04:35:52 | More by pmarlowe

strengthdoc

Connecticut

4.8/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Deep black in color, light tan head and mild lacing. Nice aroma of chocolate, mild alcohol, and lightly roasted malt. Wonderful silky mouthfeel with a nice alcohol warmth. Nice taste of milk chocolate and alcohol with a mildly sweet finish. This is an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 22:03:44 | More by strengthdoc

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.85/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle. 2012 vintage.
Unmarked snifter

A: Pours a really deep dark black with subtle reddish edges. It really wasn't as thick as I remember from earlier batches I have had. Seems like the carbonation is low. Didn't get any head on this one aside from the tan ring on the edges of the glass. Leaves some lacing bits of tan. Some dark sheeting when you swirl it.

S: I really was taken aback by the nose on this one. I was expecting more coffee and chocolate hints. But what I got was lots of port wine like notes. Dark fruit. Someone mentioned sweet soy sauce and I get that thought. I also smell the booze.

T: Wow, surprised how sweet this is. I get a lot of that port wine like character. Not the coffee or the roast, and low bitterness. Strange. I get more dark fruit: prune and plum. The alcohol is there but hidden which was really surprising. There is some heat on the back end, but for 15% it wasn't anywhere near what I thought it was going to be.

M: Full bodied. Sweet syrupy.

O: B

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 13:30:55 | More by inlimbo77

claaark13

Indiana

3.55/5  rDev -18%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A long day left me jones'n for a thick RIS. Since Thomas sent this over as an extra in a super-box (thank you!), I decided to give the 2012 DL one last shot before 2013. Poured at cellar temp into a Hill Farmstead tulip.

A - Pours pretty dark, light tan and short head that quickly becomes lacing. Looks thick, but the lacing doesn't stick well at all to the glass. The rest is pretty good. The weak legs is all that's holding this back.

S - Sweet soy sauce. Some roast seems to be there, but it is covered in sugar. Notes of sweetened condensed milk and coffee. At some points it makes me think of this 50/50 condensed milk and espresso I once tried.

T - Sweet dark fruits, molasses, coffee. Lots of sugar. Sweet coffee and dark malts become so dominating. It doesn't seem too complex once the middle starts. The sweetness starts to subside in the finish and non-sugared coffee shows itself. I don't get any booze, which is impressive.

M - Very thick; not the thickest, but very thick.

O - It is better than most shelf-RIS in my opinion. In a world of Hill Farmstead, Surly and Cigar City, and Bruery, I have a tough time with DL. An immense amount of sweetness really covers the flavors. Any transition between flavors tastes like sugar. This bottle is miles beyond what I tried at DLD though, so it has improved. FFF should just throw all of their DL in barrels and be done with it.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 01:12:54 | More by claaark13

codysjb

Florida

4.78/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Three Floyds Dark Lord
Cracked my 2010 bottle on 07/31/12… thanks to tutes3 for this, it was free from a beer contest in Feb of 2011.
A: Motor oil jet back with a very small amount of brown foam. Virtually no head.
S: I smelled it from the bottle a soon as I opened it, my friend next to me smelled it when he was standing a few feet away. Coffee, Caramel and chocolate amazing.
T: coffee first turning into a classic RIS with good carbonation finishing on some slight alcohol burn and ending in toffee flavoring. WOW.
M:Lots of carbonation and coffee here
O: Amazing, certainly one of the best beers I’ve had except for BCBCS

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 16:26:00 | More by codysjb

Dennoman

Belgium

3.08/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

2011 vintage (yellow wax), poured into a snifter.

A: Ruby red into mahogany brown, nowhere near as black as I like my big stouts to be. More reminiscent of a strong porter, has an awkward Coca Cola quality to it. Tan brown head, all in all it looks quite average.

S: Even at room temperature, I didn't get heaps off the smell. Minor coffee, caramel and dark fruits, but mostly booze and sugar. Slight irony notes, sickly sweetness and verging on unpleasant.

T: Caramel and dark fruits, no bitterness and no alcohol. Alcohol rushes in on the aftertaste, leading to a very dry finish that leaves almost nothing on the palate.

M: Sticky, oily and dry.

O: The hype completely killed this beer for me. I went into it with the thought: "with all the fuss, it had better be amazing" and it was a disappointing, unbalanced and sickly sweet mess. Any notes other than sugar were few and far between, leading to one of the most disappointing beer tastings I've ever undertaken. The sad demise of a would-be champion.

Reading all the reviews that praise this beer into the heavens, I wonder if either they or I were drinking something completely different from the same bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 13:25:42 | More by Dennoman