Silva Stout - Green Flash Brewing Co.

Holland

Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to jibboom56 for sending a few of these my way!

A: black with a one finger brown to tan head that looks just beautiful.

S: some earthy and roasted tones hit me first, followed by the bourbon sweetness with toffee and oak.

T: taste is balanced with bourbon, roasted flavors, and a bit of earthy hops. Something hits me just a bit wrong on this - maybe it's too fresh, or it's the bit of sour cherry flavor. Doesn't quite measure up to the smell, but still delicious.

M: fairly thick feeling, but not syrupy. Great carbonation keeps it fresh throughout the glass.

O: That bit of weird taste throws me off a bit, but it could be my palate. I'll have to have another and come back to this. Maybe I'm adjusted to not like barrel aged stouts as much as I used to.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 00:44:27 | More by Holland

Hamburgers

California

4.19/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle vintage 2010. Pours black with thin brown head. Strong bourbon aroma followed by notes of chocolate and dried fruit. No heat. Flavor is smooth bourbon with bitter sweet chocolate finish. Medium bodied with a nice cola texture. Nicely balanced stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 06:32:38 | More by Hamburgers

transbeman

California

4.48/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Pitch black. Very light in the mouth. Strong boozey smell--might not want to light a match around this one. Strong taste of coffee, chocolate and booze. Too expensive for a ten ounce pour but I bet that blame for that goes to the bar not the brewery.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2013 23:35:43 | More by transbeman

tarheels86

California

3.73/5  rDev -16.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

355mL pours ink black with a large mocha head. Sheety brown lace remains. Nose is chocolate malt balls, dark fruits, raisins. Taste is silky, mild bourbon, feeling sweeter and more date/raisin heavy than something similar like Parabola. A good dose of bitter chocolate. Softer mouthfeel. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 21:00:22 | More by tarheels86

mdaschaf

Washington

4.43/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes.

A: Pours a dark black with a small tan head on top, a nice cap forms and sticks around. Thick lacing forms down the sides of the glass.

S: Very bourbony, lots of brown sugar, chocolate, oak, and some vanilla.

T: Taste is very similar to the aroma, brown sugar and caramel with vanilla and oak from the barrels. There is a little bit of chocolate and coffee.

M: Medium bodied with low to medium carbonation. Very smooth with the abv hidden extremely well.

O: Extremely drinkable, was very impressed by this beer. The bourbon flavors have held up nicely and make this a very tasty beer. Want more.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 16:01:21 | More by mdaschaf

Jules11788

California

4.3/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a half finger-width head, very light lacing; pitch black, lets no light through

S: Smells of dark baker's chocolate, musky wood, roasted malts

T: Tastes like a super chocolaty bourbon-infused brownie; good roasty flavors of coffee and dark malts

M: Medium viscosity, very light carbonation, no hint of booze; super smooth

O: This beer was delicious, I really hope I'll be able to score another one of these in a trade so I can cellar it for a few years

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 20:31:18 | More by Jules11788

dfillius

Michigan

4.98/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a wine glass, shared a 12oz with warnerry
A: 1/4 finger of dark brown head with fair retention. Near opaque dark brown. More head would be nice. The head only sticks around as a film.
S: Vanilla, some bourbon. Nice slight cherry. Some buttery aroma, maybe diacetyl? This makes it smell almost cake-like. Mississippi mud cake in a glass.
T: Chocolate, bittersweet cocoa, very slight bourbon. Some fruit. Fudge-like. Maybe slight coconut. I like how the bourbon is subdued.
M: Warm, not hot. Smooth, viscous, bitter from cocoa. Silky.
O: Would have been able to drink the entire 12 oz gladly. The scarcity maybe leads me to a greater appreciation. I would love to have this again. One of the best BBS I've had. Full flavored and not hot.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 02:12:23 | More by dfillius

azdback

Arizona

4.7/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle, received from TIMMYJ21. Poured into a Bruery tulip. Black as can be, some very dark brown highlights at the stem of the glass. Dark cocoa colored head that is a little less than a finger in size and on the creamy side. Lace isn't sticking that well.

Smell is wonderful!! Bourbon, vanilla, charred wood, roasted espresso beans, chocolate and some alcohol. Reminds me a lot of Parabola.

Taste is just fantastic!! Dark roasted flavors, roasted coffee, chocolate, cherries and then the barrel sets in with the fantastic vanilla and charred wood. The cherries or dark tart fruits come out a bit more as this warms. Very close to BA Stout perfection.

Mouth is rich and full. Carbonation is medium to light with great body that is on the chewy side. Finish is everlasting and wet but the tart fruit does dry it out a bit.

Overall I must say that the wait was worth it and the hype on this is warranted. I have been reading about this beer for a couple of years and finally I received a bottle in March from TIMMYJ21 and have held on to it until now, late September. Just a fantastic Barrel Aged Imperial Stout that justifies a heavy ISO from you if you haven't tried it. Thanks again Tim.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 04:46:07 | More by azdback

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.08/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pour was dark chocolate with cocoa colored head, about a 1/2 inch or so.

Rich with plenty of bourbon. Slightly soft vanilla.

Very bourbon forward through out. Some roasted malt and bitter dark chocolate. Slight vanilla. Light sweetness.

Very slick and thick

This probably could have used some more time but still excellent. Lots of bourbon.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 15:42:45 | More by hooliganlife

iadler

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to hamilton23 for sending me a couple of these. This has been a top want of mine for quite some time. From notes:

A- Pours a deep black with a thin mocha head that dissipates fairly quickly leaving a few spots of lacing behind.

S- Freshly cooked fudge brownies, coconut, vanilla, bourbon, oak, hint of dark fruit and some roast. Fantastic aroma.

T- Bourbon is more upfront in the taste followed by oak, vanilla, dark chocolate chips and some caramel malt.

M- Medium carbonation and a slighlty thin body for the style. The abv is practically nowhere though.

O- A drinkable and well executed BA stout. The taste was slightly disappointing due to how amazing the aroma was. I will will most likely crack the other bottle soon as I don't see how further aging will enhance this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 05:08:34 | More by iadler

warnerry

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to dfillius for sharing this one! Been wanting to try this for awhile.

A - Pours pitch black with less than one finger of tan head. Head dissipates quickly and leaves no lacing.

S - Nice sweet bourbon aroma with a lot of vanilla. Smells like dense chocolate cake. A bit of fruit (maybe cherry) and some coffee aroma.

T - Lots of chocolate upfront. Slightly sweet, but mostly bittersweet. Vanilla follows quickly with bourbon. Bourbon is a bit subdued, but very nice. Really tasty.

M - Medium/full mouthfeel, but not heavy. A bit of noticeable alcohol, but relatively mild. A faint amount of lingering booze.

O - Big, flavorful stout, but not at all in your face. Nice bourbon presence, and very chocolatey. Would love to have this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 03:05:45 | More by warnerry

ehammond1

California

4.48/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2010)

Green Flash Brewing Co.
Mira Mesa, CA

(Aged for 1+ year)

Black and thick in body with very little visible carbonation and only a small film of a dark brown head. This leaves irregular, splotchy lines of lace down the glass. Appropriate, especially for a barrel-aged stout of this age.

This smells like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, with nice amounts of bourbon, oak, and vanilla complementing the delicious aroma of fresh baked goods. There's just a hint of roast, but it's very mild. No alcohol presence in the aroma whatsoever.

If the aroma was freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, this is double chocolate chip cookies with fresh bourbon whipped cream on top and a glass of espresso. Of course this is hyperbole, but this is an incredibly rich dessert consisting of chocolate, cookie dough, vanilla, bourbon, oak, and a hint of coffee. If the flavors were just a bit more expressive, this would score perfectly. That being said, it's damn near perfect, as is.

Medium to full in body with low carbonation. Marvelously drinkable. Coating.

Sublimely good, though I don't think it has anywhere left to go in the cellar. Drink up!

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 03:30:49 | More by ehammond1

alpinebryant

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a large 1+ finger head with large bubbles at the edges and a light chocolate powder dusting in the middle.

S: Aroma of deep bakers chocolate, melted Cadbury eggs, roasted malt, sweet bourbon and oak , roasted malts and vanilla. This is one of the better bourbon barrel aged Imperial stouts I have smelled.

T: Taste is slightly more bitter than I had expected on the first sip, deep robust chocolate malt. Definitely a rich bourbon booze presence, rich bakers chocolate, sweet malt, nice smooth and well rounded and creamy. Slightly more bitter than I picked up in the aroma, and a little bit of a charred espresso finish. Cherry and dark fruit flavors mixing with the oak barrel and bourbon flavors.

M: Medium body with a mild carbonation.

O: A solid offering from Green Flash. Mostly well rounded, a little more roast and ash flavors than I prefer, but the nose was fantastic and one of the best I have smelled. Good stuff

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 22:11:32 | More by alpinebryant

siege06nd

Virginia

4.3/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Bill for trading me this one...

A. Pours a rich, dark black/brown. Half finger of swirly, somewhat uniform light brown head. Lacing is pretty spotty.

S. I have always enjoyed stouts that have a dark fruit quality, and Silva Stout is very strong in this regard. The nose yields so much cherry juice, ripe fig, some strawberry, brownie batter, oak, vanilla, and caramel. A wonderfully complex and savory bouquet.

T. Very sweet bourbon, ripe dark cherry, lots of vanilla, and some chocolate and oak char. A lot thinner and sweeter than the nose suggested. Very bourbon forward, with subtle, sweet fruit notes and and coffee-like finish.

M. Full bodied with moderate carbonation. A little thin and sweet, but maintains a solid creaminess overall.

O. A solid bourbon barrel stout that is greater than the sum of its parts, I think. Taste and feel are a little thin and sweet, the barrel overwhelming the base beer to some extent. But the nose on this is excellent and, as bourbon barrel stouts go, this is one of the better ones I have experienced.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 17:22:32 | More by siege06nd

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A- Pours a nice black with a huge 3" tan head. Big pockets of lacing clump to the glass.

S- Nice chocolate and vanilla notes, some dark fruits, bourbon not very noticeable on the nose.

T- Sweet chocolate, dark fruits, coffee, some vanilla and bourbon linger at the finish.

M- Full body, medium carbonation. Creamy feel hides the abv very well.

O- Good BA stout but doesn't stand out compared to other really good BA stouts. Wish the taste followed the great aromas of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 15:31:23 | More by kawilliams81

rlee1390

Indiana

4.35/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Deep black, one finger brown creamy head that leaves behind some lacing

S-Bourbon and coffee dominate, roasted malt.

T-Bourbon, oak, chocolate, slight coffee that becomes more pronounced as it warms, hints of vanilla and some bitterness.

M-Creamy, not much carbonation, not much carbonation, smooth

O-Thrown in as an extra by a great trading partner. We all thought it was a solid beer and were left wondering how it was fresh.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 15:34:25 | More by rlee1390

brystmar

New York

4.03/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review #400! Long time want of mine -- thanks to sleepyhead for the trade. Shared with two great BAs.

Great head & lace retention. Very roasty, caramely aroma; no coconut as other reviews have suggested. Flavor profile is quite dark and roasty. Lots of chocolate and bourbon, yet it feels somewhat one-dimensional and almost boring. Ethan said the last bottle he had was more complex & coconut-y; this is a little disappointing though.

Still glad to finally tick one of my longest-standing wants. Wish I'd gotten to try it fresh.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 19:54:49 | More by brystmar

dougofthefuture

Minnesota

3.58/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

It's been a while since I've reviewed for the heck of it - might as well give it another shot...

2010 12 oz bottle, poured into a Bruery tulip at cellar temp.

A - Looks pretty good - the requisite black is here for sure, and the dark head hangs around for several minutes. Perhaps slightly too much carbonation showing, but no judgements yet.

S - Plenty of barrel coming through, along with what must have been a very roasty base beer. The effect is more bitterness than booze, and this skews the effect towards harshness.

T&M - Harsh is right - hard to say if it is from the carbonation, the roast malts, or the oak, but there is a definite astringency present. I can tell there is a thick stout under it all, but something is overwhelming that. The depth and character I like in a barrel aged stout isn't here.

O - Not bad, but not one of the best. Just a little too much puckering harshness throughout to bring it from good to great.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 02:17:47 | More by dougofthefuture

writerLJBerg

Oregon

3.7/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Shane. Thanks! Been sitting in my cellar for over a year.

Appearance is a thick black with a nice mocha head which settles down into thin lacing.

Aroma is bursting with the bourbon. Honey, caramel, chocolate.

Taste isn’t nearly so powerful with bourbon. Medium sweetness from the chocolate, but there’s a hint of tinniness. Some fading alcohol. I may have sat on this one too long, because it was fantastic fresh.

Mouthfeel is still quite good, though. Coats the palate well.

Overall, this is still good, but if you’ve got any, I’d suggest drinking them because I believe it's in a decline. Sad, because I've rated this a 4.5 when fresh.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 00:48:40 | More by writerLJBerg

Swuntly

California

4.6/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle to snifter.

A - Pours jet black with an inch of thin mocha head that dissipates rather quickly.. Lots of active bubbles rushing up to the surface.

S - Sweet milk chocolate, marshmallow, slight bourbon, a hint of oak, cocoa powder. Really great smelling beer.

T - Wow... I could sip on this all day. Semi sweet chocolate right up front, with some barrel coming through adding a slight touch of vanilla. Reminds me of hot chocolate. A hint of bourbon comes through midway, but is immediately overtaken by a roastiness and ends on a big amount of bittersweet cocoa.

M - A bit too thin for my tastes. Silva doesn't coat my mouth enough as I'd like. Still, carbonation is decent, and on the medium side of lighter bodied.

O - A very good BA stout. Barrel characteristics shine through perfectly, which makes it taste like alcoholic hot chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 22:43:30 | More by Swuntly

PittBeerGirl

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I've been sitting on a few bottles of this for awhile now. Had one when I first got them. Now sharing this 12 oz bottle with my bf.

A- Body is a thick dark brown, nearly black hue. Pours with a small 1/2 finger head or so which quickly fades to a thin collar some traces of lacing are left behind in the glass.

S- Bourbon, Milk Chocolate, roasted malt, alcohol, cocoa powder, oak barrel.

T- Flavor is very similar to the smell. Notes of bourbon and cocoa powder upfront with a moderate oak barrel backbone. The finish is mostly bourbon barrel-with a moderate to sharp alcohol astringency. Left to linger is a moderate alcohol astringency and hints of cocoa.

M- Moderate to heavy weight body and low to medium carbonation. Body has low viscosity for the style and some alcohol and cocoa powder consistency.

O- Overall this is a decent Bourbon barrel stout-the time in my cellar hasn't really made a difference in the quality of the beer. The balance is slightly on the side of the bourbon barrel and the chocolate base is more of a milk chocolate or cocoa powder than a dark chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 03:10:25 | More by PittBeerGirl

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle split with, and courtesy of madtowndmb1. Thank you very much Kyle!

Pours a dark black with little retention. Lacing is absent but the big body lends a serious primer that adheres to the glass throughout. Sort of a mean looking like monster.

Huge chocolate cake batter on the nose. Touch of decadent dark sugary chocolate icing, and caramel addled bourbon. This smells really nice and my big beak enjoyed taking it in.

Kyle states that the beer is reminiscent of a big mug of hot chocolate and marshmallow with a touch of alcohol heat. A hot chocolate hot tottie of sorts. I can dig this comparison. Again, there's a big batter component to the taste and body as well as the smell. Alcohol is warming but nicely masked.

Silva Stout is one of the thickest beers I've come across in many moons. Big and full bodied with light carbonation, this beer drinks like a meal. Sticks with you long after the sip.

Really glad I had the opportunity to try this. Stands out as something unique in a very crowded field.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 15:11:35 | More by BarrytheBear

SoCalStout

California

4.38/5  rDev -2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

1 year aged Bottle poured into my delirium tulip

Appearance: Pours basically pitch black with a quarter fingers worth of nice brownish/tan head that fades fairly quickly.

Smell: Smells of chocolate. A closer smell reveals the bourbon, but it has definitely mellowed out and blended spectacularly with the vanilla, coffee, and a bit of oak.

Taste: What a balance of the bourbon with complexity from the vanilla, oak, coffee, coconut, dark chocolate, and a small hint of cherry. Very smooth and has balanced out tremendously well. As it warms the bourbon really shines through to the forefront. Don't notice the alcohol at all until the very end after it has warmed. Excellence.

Mouthfeel: Thinner than expected but very nice and smooth. Moderate carbonation with just a slight bit of alcohol at the end. Dangerously drinkable.

Overall: Very good but not quite out of this world. I'd definitely have another, but I don't know that I would go out of my way to find it again. If I happened to come across it while looking for something else I would def grab one though. Still a very nice offering from Green Flash

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 05:28:12 | More by SoCalStout

UCLABrewN84

California

4.47/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Tony's Darts Away in Burbank, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a 1/2 inch puffy dark khaki head that settles to an oily film. Chunky rings of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, vanilla, wood, and bourbon. Taste is of dark roasted malt, cocoa powder, vanilla, oaky wood, and bourbon. There is a nice roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a very nice mouthfeel with a great level of carbonation and a slightly drying quality. Overall, this is a great barrel aged stout that has a wonderful integration of the bourbon barrel with the stout flavors. Very well balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

02-03-2012 05:42:56 | More by UCLABrewN84

oline73

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into my Chimay goblet.

Appearance: Pours almost black with no light coming through. There is a finger of fluffy tan head that fades quickly to a ring around the edge of the pour.

Smell: Roasted malt with a strong, sweet chocolate presence. I'm picking up some warm alcohol and bourbon, but the grain is definitely the dominant smell.

Taste: This is a really smooth and well done BA stout, but I feel like it's lacking that wow factor that some of the big boys have. Smooth bourbon and roast. The barrels and roast fill the taste with nice chocolate notes. The finish is sweet and roasty. Quite good.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the thick side with lots of tingly carbonation and a very dry finish.

Overall: Quite good but not out of this world. I'd definitely have another, but I don't know that I would go out of my way to trade for it.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 03:00:44 | More by oline73