Stygian Darkness - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

iadler

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a slightly hazy brown with a half finger head. No retention or lacing.

S- Caramel and toffee malt sweetness, with some brown sugar, raisins and sweet booze.

T- Again, lot's of sweetness with caramel and toffee notes, brown sugar, hint of dark fruit, peppery spice, honey and some booze.

M- Low carbonation and a syrupy body. Finishes dry with some heat.

O- Wasn't really impressed by this offering from Three Floyds. Really no complexity and it was pretty hot for being 9%.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2012 05:23:36 | More by iadler

CanisMajor

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

05-15-2013 17:15:06 | More by CanisMajor

KevinmusPrime

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

05-04-2013 17:03:54 | More by KevinmusPrime

beernads

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

02-08-2013 10:09:01 | More by beernads

mishtif

Illinois

4/5  rDev +8.1%

01-16-2013 18:06:30 | More by mishtif

spycow

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

01-11-2013 21:52:20 | More by spycow

tsauce2

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

01-06-2013 06:28:22 | More by tsauce2

MaseFace

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -12.2%

12-13-2012 02:11:07 | More by MaseFace

BYOFB

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

12-03-2012 03:38:19 | More by BYOFB

OrestesMethuon

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +21.6%

10-10-2012 19:15:09 | More by OrestesMethuon

Christoff

4/5  rDev +8.1%

10-05-2012 14:40:23 | More by Christoff

sidetracked

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Rocking Horse.

Pours a cloudy dark, deep brown, almost black, with off-white head.

Light aroma of candied dark fruits with a slight sweetness. Not getting much.

Upfront taste is sweet caramel, dark fruits, and roasted malts. Malty, slightly sweet middle. Roasted malt finish with sweet dark fruits, a little molasses and fruity esters. Lingering roasted malt bitterness. Bitterness becomes more prevalent has it warms. Flavors alternate between roasted malt and fruitiness.

Full bodied and creamy with low/moderate carbonation.

Overall fairly sweet with some nice balancing roasted bitterness. Kind of heavier than most Belgian Strong ales, but seems to fit the beer. Enjoyable.

6/17/2012

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2012 14:26:38 | More by sidetracked

cadaugherty

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

07-26-2012 15:02:03 | More by cadaugherty

SchuStar

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

07-06-2012 15:09:01 | More by SchuStar

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Draft at Cigar City during Hunahpu Day 2012.

Pours a chocolate brown color with amber/mahogany edges and a two finger light beige head that quickly settles into a lasting ring. Streaks of soapy lacing left behind.

Interesting aroma with quite a bit going on. Sweet and roasted malt notes with eatery dark fruit notes and zesty spice. Hints of caramel, toffee, chocolate and toast along with pepper, clove and vinous fruit.

Medium bodied with soft carbonation and a complex flavor profile that's similar to the aroma. Stronger malt presence than expected for the style with a nice mix of sweet and roasted notes. Hints of caramel, toffee, hazelnut and cocoa followed by peppery spice and vinous dark fruit. There's some clove, cinnamon and candy sugar followed by grape, plum and fig. Toward the finish there's some boozy heat and an earthy hop presence that gives off slight dry bitterness. Pretty complex and well balanced but nothing extraordinary.

Serving type: on-tap

06-23-2012 07:19:18 | More by corby112

Jsmitty1967

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

05-30-2012 04:00:19 | More by Jsmitty1967

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.73/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On the heels of Thick White Freaks and Tiger Jelly, the follow up of Stygian Darkness is the darker and stronger counterpart to those and threatens traditional makers of Belgian Grand Cru.

Stygian Darkness pours with a dense and slightly hazed garnet and ruby appearances. The rich-looking beer eventually separates the foam from the liquid underneath for a very creamy impression. Head character resembles a thick blanket of off white foam that retains and laces superbly. Different than Belgian versions, this thicker and richer appearances sets apart from the highly effervescent and rocky head character of Belgian varieties.

Rich aromas of dark pitted fruits, dehydrated fruits, red wine, pepper, and hard candies fill the nose with wave after wave of aromas that seem to vary with each visit to the glass. Backed by the bready richness and sweetness that's usually reserved from fruit cake, there's the notion of brown sugar, cinnamon, and clove that back up the fruit and candy exuberance.

The beer coats the mouth with rich sweetness and bready flavors that reinforce the fruitcake aromas. Cherries, blackberries, figs, raisins, and prunes are just a few of the rich port-like fruitiness and fortified strength that's delivered in taste. Brown sugar, light molasses, doughy yeast, and mild toast seem to anchor the beer firmly while the dark fruit esters and spices of peppercorn, clove, cinnamon, and maybe nutmeg springboard into action and offer a new and exciting impression of flavor with every sip.

Instead of the highly effervescent prickle of carbonation, alcohol dryness, and spicy pang found in Belgium, this richer and heartier beer has a bready and expanding mouthfeel that has a lumbering transition to semi-dry, semi-malty finish. The beer doesn't lift from the tongue and allow for an airy evaporation of taste and texture, but becomes a more succulent sipping beer instead.

Although Three Floyds achieves more authentic Belgian taste and aroma than do most American-brewed examples, the beer sits heavily on the mouth and offers more sweetness that hinders drinkability just a touch. Creamy, rich, and full of flavor, Stygian Darkness seems to remind me more of Gulden Draak and Kasteel Donker as the session progresses.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2012 17:52:39 | More by BEERchitect

ctrevino

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

05-26-2012 00:48:23 | More by ctrevino

SickNukes

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +8.1%

05-21-2012 18:17:28 | More by SickNukes

Sean9689

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On-tap at FFF.

A - Pours a muddled brown color, tan head, thing ring.

S - Yeast, cloves, dark fruit, chocolate, caramel. A little too much cloves and yeast for my preference, even for this style.

T - Similar to the nose, dark fruity, chocolate, caramel, yeast. The alcohol is pretty well-hidden by the sweetness, which is a plus. The finish is sweet dark fruits with some yeasty funk.

M - Medium, good carbonation, sweet dry finish.

O - Probably wouldn't have this one again, there's too many other FFF beers I'd rather have and not a huge fan of this one even for the style. Pass.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2012 18:36:08 | More by Sean9689

fergster75

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

05-02-2012 03:20:30 | More by fergster75

ADTaber

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

05-01-2012 01:50:15 | More by ADTaber

BFro

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

04-14-2012 04:01:55 | More by BFro

emerge077

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in an 8 oz. tumbler, review from written notes.

Burnished amber brown, delicate tan lacing with a lasting skim on the surface. Body is dark with reddish traces around the edges.

Aromas of toasted grains and fruity dark cherry. Medicinal cherry taste. Dry lingering bitter/tannic aftertaste, sort of slick and a slow sipper. Medium sweetness at first, sticky on the lips, sweet cherry notes tend to dominate. Flavor is a bit dull and one note, yeast driven with little to balance. Creamy light body is nice. Not something i'd look for again though.

Serving type: on-tap

04-11-2012 02:12:01 | More by emerge077

DTown

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

04-06-2012 19:21:32 | More by DTown