Samuel Adams Thirteenth Hour Stout (Barrel Room Collection) - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

Phelps

Arizona

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The thirteenth hour is also known as the witching hour -- the time of day when witches, demons and ghosts appear and black magic is most effective. The name refers not only to the dark juju created by combining the roasted flavors of a stout with the spicy character of a sour Belgian ale, but also to the 13 ingredients used to brew the beer. It combines seven different malts (Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Caramel 60, Munich 10, Special B, and Carafa III, for those who care about such things), Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops, two different brewing sugars, Kosmic Mother Funk (which we'll discuss in a minute), Belgian yeast and champagne yeast for bottle conditioning.

The result? A brew that's as deathly black as the midnight hour to which it refers. In a tulip, the obsidian brew is topped with a super-frothy layer of cocoa-colored bubbles that look as thick and inviting as pancake batter. The stout-like appearance is belied by the nose, however. Dip the nostrils close and you'll get a dose of Belgian dark fruits: raisins, figs, dates. Vanilla, black pepper and a hint of acidity swirl in the rich background.

Now, back to the Kosmic Mother Funk. All Barrel Room Collection beers contain this ale that's fermented with wild yeasts and bacteria, then aged in oak tuns for over a year. The KMF is blended into the Barrel Room beers in varying amounts, lending them new layers of funky flavor. In Thirteenth Hour, this wild ale contributes herbal spice and a mild tanginess that grabs the back of the tongue.

More impactful on Thirteenth Hour's flavor is the extended barrel-aging. The "Barrel Room" name isn't arbitrary -- each beer in the collection was aged in special oak barrels originally used to make brandy. The containers traveled far to get to New England: the oak, which originated in Eastern Europe, was used for brandy-making in Italy. Coopers in Portugal took the barrels apart, then flew to Boston to reassemble them by hand. From these, Thirteenth Hour gets heaping helpings of rich, sweet red grapes and oak to blend with the underlying stout flavors of smoky peat, chocolate, vanilla and coffee. The brandy almost makes the brew seem more like a Belgian strong dark ale than a stout, in fact.

The Belgian stout is a weird style on its own, and Thirteenth Hour is a fine example of how these flavors play off one another. Pick one up if you want an interesting taste experience -- or if you're a Neanderthal like me and just want a pretty bottle to look at.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 21:16:11 | More by Phelps

Kendo

New York

3.9/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Nice bottle ($9.99 at Westmere Beverage for the 750 ml) - though I noticed the long, thin neck seemed to impede the flow of the pour a little. Knowing Sam Adams (thinking about their specialty glass), they've considered that and perhaps that was purposeful. In fact, maybe it was, as the beer - poured into a Duvel tulip - creates a big head (2-3 fingers' worth) of foamy tan. Settles slowly. Body is dark brown on the pour, but appears black in the glass. A good start. It leaves behind some legs of lace after each sip.

S: Nose is very much subdued, at least as I start out with the beer on the cold side still. Some roasted barley malt and a bit of yeasty fruitiness.

T: First impression is more about the feel than the taste - I note a good Belgian-style fizziness that lightens it on the palate. As for the taste. . . like the nose, there's also not a lot going on. What's there is pleasant, however. Some fruitiness - plums, I get. Candied sugar. A hint of vanilla. Also some cacao, though it's fain. A wee bit black licorice, perhaps? Alcohol is well-masked for a beer of 9% ABV. . . .

M: As I said, it's lighter than expected - call it the lighter-side-of-medium in heft. Nice fizziness; the carbonation is soft, not sharp.

O: A good beer - so long as you don't try and place it within a specific category. Not very stout-like, but too sweet for a BSDA or Quad. I lowered the score here to reflect the fact that it didn't really fit either the description on the bottle or the category label. I was looking forward to a roasty stout tonight, and this was far from it.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 00:46:27 | More by Kendo

yesyouam

New York

4.05/5  rDev +8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Samuel Adams 13th Hour Stout is a very dark brown beer with a thick, creamy, beige head that has awesome retention and lacing. There is wood and spice in the aroma with notes of cinnamon and coffee. It's full bodied and smooth with a dry, slightly ragged finish. It's pretty complex and not very sweet. It has flavors of raisins and musk; cinnamon and dark chocolate, almost cherry. It's followed by a long, bitter coffee aftertaste. It's very unique.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 16:00:46 | More by yesyouam

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This beer has a big, tan, slowly falling head leaving a nice creamy cap with sticky lacing. Very deep and dark brown approaching black in color, totally opaque. Appealing yeasty, fruity aroma, with touches of roastiness and tannins; vaguely wine-like.

The taste is sweet, spicy, and oaky. Notes of bittersweet chocolate, caramel, and raisins. Tart and a little sour. Wood is definitely noticed.

Creamy mouthfeel, somewhat chewy, with low medium carbonation and a lingering, slightly sour aftertaste. Somewhat drying with the oak present in the finish as well. Quite good, an unusual stout to be sure, but I enjoyed it more than I anticipated.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 16:32:43 | More by tobelerone

beer2day

North Carolina

3.23/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Dark brown pour with 2-fingers of light brown head. Good retention. Not much lace.

Lots of Belgian in the nose. Bananas and apples. Light cherries. Lots of fruit. Lighter chocolate and coffee underneath.

Stronger fruit flavors. More cherries, plums, lighter apple with banana in the finish. Grows a little tart in the finish as well. While there's a lot going on here, doesn't really come together for me and stays unbalanced.

Fizzy feel that stays a bit thin.

Overall, hoping for a lot more at this price point.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 01:08:56 | More by beer2day

JayS2629

Alabama

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep brown, almost black with a creamy tan head that fades slowly and leaves nice lacing.

The aroma is like chocolate covered cherries and over ripe plums with notes of vanilla and spice. Tropical fruit tones underneath.

Mild coffee notes are subdued with big chocolate covered cherries, plums and raisin. Spiced rum notes with vanilla, pineapple and clove. Black pepper and chocolate covered banana in the finish.

Medium bodied, smooth with a tinge of boozy burn

Nice, complex sipper. Interesting take on a belgian stout.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 18:24:16 | More by JayS2629

jjanega08

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

No freshness dating known.

A= Pours a deep brown color not quite a black "stout" color in my opinion with a finger of head on it that rises and is active with it's falling but it falls much slower than it would appear. Great lacing on the glass.

S= The nose is very spicy. A nice dark fruity punky aroma to it that is pretty unexpected. There is a sort of dark cherry dark plum kind of aroma.

T= The taste is much less "tart" smelling but there is stil a big sort of funky cherry flavor. There is a decent amount of roast to it and a bit of a woody character. There isn't much chocolate or coffee in the taste or the nose. The barrel is light in flavor but the funk is definitally there.

M= A bright highly carbonated beer.

O= This is a unique beer. I went into it thinking imperial stout with a belgian twist but that's far from what it actually is. This is a funky belgian dark. Not bad but this is a decent beer and worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 04:42:01 | More by jjanega08

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-black with a nice tan head

S-dark grains. Belgian sugars. Underlying tone of sweet caramel.

T-comes in with a decent taste of oak and dark Belgian grains. The after-taste is matching with some peppercorn added. Its a really decent and solid taste.

M-high carbonation with a dry finish.

O-didn't know what to expect with this one, but I'm definitely pleased. It definitely drinks like a good dark Belgian ale. It doesn't taste artificial like many American Belgian styles. This is awesome.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 22:24:11 | More by AdamBear

rlee1390

Indiana

3.65/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-Black in the glass but a deep brown when pouring, one finger tan head

S-Roasted malt, vanilla, spices and dark fruits

T-Some chocolate, little bit of roasted malt, darker fruits, plums. As it warms some coffee.

M-Light to medium bodied, well carbonation.

O-Like most Sam Adams it seems to start well but not reach the potential it had. Nose was good but the taste does not live up.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 00:56:21 | More by rlee1390

bonkers

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I poured from a bomber into a SA perfect pint, dark black pour with a rock solid white head. The aroma has some chocolate notes, some fruity esters. The taste has some oak, chocolate, fruity esters, lingering finish. The body is thin for the styly, carbonation is good. I liked it, interesting brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 00:38:51 | More by bonkers

shand

Florida

4.48/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a fancy 750ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.

Pours out a deep brown with plum highlights. The head is large, and reduces to a centimeter of cap. The aroma is very enticing, it's got a nice sour fruit aroma, along with Belgian yeasts, chocolate, and coffee. The taste is also excellent, this is a well-composed beer with layers and layers of flavor. Keeping that in mind, it's also smartly subdued, making picking out the layers of flavor a joy. It comes on with sour tart fruit, chocolate, and yeast. Sips invite in traces of coffee, spice, roasted malt, and oak. A masterful composition. The mouthfeel is lighter and well-carbonated, and the drinkability is good. Overall, this is a superb beer. It's just a joy to sip, it's got a lot of flavor dimensions without being taxing. I can't help but feel some of the middling reviews have more to do with the name on the bottle than the product in it.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 01:55:35 | More by shand

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

4.03/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

Pours out a very dark blood-ruby color, which passes for black until I hold the glass up to a light source, it even has a nice clarity to it. A brief moment of fizzy head dies back to nothing in about a minute with no lacing. Medium body and medium-heavy carbonation.

Aroma at first impression upon bottle opening is a pastiche of blueberries, strawberries, and tart sour cherries only. As the initial burst of aroma from cork removal settles back and the glass is allowed to breathe a bit, the blueberries and strawberries retreat to background levels behind a solid sour cherries and stout coffee, dark chocolate, and lighter amounts of chicory/tobacco arise.

The flavor is at first a dark molasses / brown sugar blend that has light vanilla and MUCH less stout character than the nose. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that the nose is of a soured stout, but the flavor is squarely within the domain of an lightly oaked Belgian Dark. Only a remnant of the tart sourness and charred roastiness of the nose makes it through into the mouth; it translates rather on the tongue as mostly raisins and toasted malts with a sweet blend of dark fruits. This schizophrenic divide between the nose and the taste may be off-putting for some, but I don't mind it too much. Light oak dryness does appear as the glass warms, but I would have preferred a touch more of it to help balance against the sweetness. This is significant to note because I *very* rarely desire amplification of oak wood qualities due to a personal dislike against excessive amounts of oak. The ABV is very well hidden. With the addition of some more dryness / coffee / tart sourness to the flavor, and a better head formation, I would be very impressed with this beer.

In the end, I'm left with a mysteriously complex beer that has the nose of a really nice example of one style, and the flavor of a really nice example of another style, and I'm perfectly fine with that. Purists beware. This is the beer that prompted me to start seeking out other bottles of the Sam Adams Barrel Room collection for trying out, and I don't regret that decision at all. It's too bad I could only get one bottle, as it would have been interesting to see if cellaring would amplify some tart pucker into the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 20:32:26 | More by WastingFreetime

BeerManDan

California

4.45/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

When poured the color was a very, very dark brown with medium tight tan foam with very little if any lace on the side of the glass. The smell of roasted malts, caramel, candy spice with a hint of chocolate and coffee. The flavor that came across the palate was of spice, bitter/sweet chocolate and a hint of raisin. On the palate there was a sweet/bitterness of all the flavor component in this complex stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 23:27:33 | More by BeerManDan

Damian

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Drank from a 1 pt 9.4 fl oz corked and caged bottle
Served in a snifter
Thanks to my dad for this bottle.

Thinner bodied and cola-like in appearance. The liquid was topped by a dense, frothy, bubbly, three-finger, khaki colored crown. Drippy ringlets of lacing cascaded along the glass. The head slowly dropped to a resilient cap of foam.

The nose was nondescript and quite simplistic. Powdery and dry Belgian yeast notes dominated initially. Slightly roasty, toasty and bready. Touch of cold coffee. Some unpleasant plastic-like notes were also detectible. The nose became a bit more punchy as the beer warmed. A bready, malty sweetness came forth. Some oak, vanilla and spice as well. The booziness also became much more pronounced.

The flavor profile was far more interesting than the aroma. Sweet, bready malts and Belgian yeast notes came through strong on the front end. Somewhat roasty and toasty. Noticeable dark fruit flavors. Raisins and tart cherries were apparent. Some caramel and toffee notes. Touch of coffee. Oak, vanilla and spices appeared as beer warmed. Somewhat boozy and sharp.

The mouthfeel was light and frothy with a crisp, bubbly effervescence. Lively and sprightly on the palate.

All in all, this is a respectable attempt at a rather unique style of beer. If it were available in smaller format bottles, I might consider buying it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 03:40:27 | More by Damian

Amalak

New York

3.18/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This beer is black as black can be. But there's not much of a head at all and no lacing whatsoever. Extremely strong alcohol scent.

Tastes like licorice port wine. This is extremely strong. It's well done, but it's just not the kind of beer that I prefer. There's a hint of molasses. It's carbonated. Descent burnt flavor to it. It dries out the mouth. To much like a wine/beer. Not my style.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 02:46:58 | More by Amalak

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - A big mocha head over a brown brew.

S - Tart, like under ripe blueberries, faint sulphur, a bit of chocolate, alcohol and dates. Pretty nice overall.

T - A bit of underripe fruit, chocolate, alcohol. Aftertaste is a very tart flavor with faint chocolate and coffee undertones. It is actually pretty simple, but also very nice.

M - Smooth, thin, refreshing.

D - Sam Adams does well on this one. It is an exciting beer with clean, exceptional flavors. Worth seeking out, worth drinking, maybe even worth drinking a second time (if I can recall what I paid for the fifth).

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 22:55:23 | More by mrasskicktastic

daledeee

Iowa

4.03/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 750 bottle that has been in my frig for at least 2 months.

Pours a very dark color with nice frothy head and good lacing.

Nose spicy and dark fruit.

Taste: The label said stout. I have had a lot of stouts lately so I really didn't need another one. Reading a little closer and it is more of a Belgian ale. The taste backs this up. This is a rather sweet beer with roasted malt and dark fruits such as prunes. Some spiciness and licorice.

I found this beer pretty enjoyable. Good mouth feel with not a strong alcohol undertone. A pretty good offering overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 23:23:45 | More by daledeee

bmwats

Louisiana

3.83/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a tulip/snifter.

A: Black. Pours about a half finger, brown-white head. Settles fairly quickly, but a foam blanket and beer ring remains. Spotty lacing.

S: Coffee malt, unsweetened dark chocolate, and grape

T: Coffee malt, fermented caramel, black licorice, and wine grapes.

M: Full and syrupy. Sweet in the front, with a bittersweet finish.

D: Sip and enjoy.

Atmosphere is pretty good. Nice hue, head, and fair lacing. Nose is great combo of malt and dark chocolate, with a synthetic sweetness. Flavor is of malt, caramel, and sweet notes. Overall, this is a really good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 05:27:09 | More by bmwats

Vonerichs

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown color with glimpses of mohagany around the edges.

Smells of raisins and brown sugar.

Tastes like dark fruits, allspice, and brown sugar. I'm not picking up much of the advertised chocolate or coffee.

Mouthfeel is heavy with medium carbonation.

I have no idea where they get off calling this a stout. It's a belgian dark ale, for sure. It's actually not a bad dark ale, but as a stout it lacks the typical characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 02:56:12 | More by Vonerichs

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.51/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I poured this into my snifter to enjoy during the Super Bowl. There wasn't any metaphorical resason... just thought it looked good to sip during the game.

For a stout, this beer should have been darker. You could get a decent amount of light through this one. The smell is interesting. I would say that the bouquet is like a mix of stout and saison. There is the coffee, as you would expect. I also get some spices, sweetness, and a decent amount of sour. It is an original smell, but the balance is a little off.

The flavor is complicated and challenging. You get a lot more of the sour. There is a lot less coffee at this point. I would say that this is more like a dark/black saison.

Overall this made for an interesting experience. It wasn't bad, but t doesn't rise to the point of being a "must find" beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 03:18:31 | More by ummswimmin

stephens101

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A full tan head covers a pitch black brew. It settles quickly.

A thin medicinal wall is noticed aromatically up front, but is quickly broken by notes of milk chocolate, a bit of vanilla and grape juice.

Smooth on the tongue with palpable notes of cherry followed by more milk chocolate, various other dark fruits, vinegar and light hops. The oak is noticed as an afterthought.

Medium bodied with a tickle of alcohol heat at the end.

You would be hard pressed to find a more delectable and well-balanced "bigger beer" than this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 00:07:37 | More by stephens101

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Corked and caged 750ml split with the ladies...my portion poured into a Jackie O's tulip...

A: Dark brown pour with a tight two-finger light khaki head...foamy lacing typical of bottle-conditioned Belgians...red light shows through the brown body of the beer.

S: Belgian yeast and spices unfold on the nose, followed by darker fruits (big time raisins and plums) and oaky smoothness...light peppery sensation and distant vanilla, with suggestions of cocoa.

T: Even more diverse than the nose. Belgian yeast characters still dominate the palate, followed by plums and dark cherries...fairly hefty roasted malt backbone with a moderate mixture of dark chocolate and roasted coffee notes. Creamy vanilla, earthy oak, peppery herbal undertone. As it warms the chocolate shows up a bit more, as well as some vinous red wine notes and brandy warmth.

MF: Creamy bottle conditioning takes a hold of the mouthfeel...moderate body is nearly full, soft and velvety with an appropriate amount of dryness.

O: A nearly perfect example of the style (Belgian Stout/Strong Dark) and a very respectable Sam Adams offering.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 15:28:19 | More by Scotchboy

rangerred

Tennessee

3.14/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Poured into a tulip out of a 750ml bottle.

Pours an extremely dark brown, nearly pitch black, with a decent one finger dark tan head. Pretty good head retention and lacing taking the abv into consideration.

The aroma threw me off a little bit. Instead of a chocolatey, roasty, stout aroma I get hit with some perfumy, funky, Belgian notes. Almost reminds me of a Flanders red or something. Quite floral with a little bit of dark fruit. Not bad but just a little odd.

This carries over into the flavor. Lots of fig and cherries along with just the slightest bit of funk. About halfway through and towards the finish, a little bit of light chocolate tries to come through but it is very faint. There are also some banana and bubblegum yeasty esters. Mouthfeel is on the thin side but also quite sticky.

Overall, I really was expecting more stout characteristics with this beer. This screams Flanders red or Oud Brun more than Belgian ale. It is all just a bit rough around the edges and a bit weak.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 02:55:08 | More by rangerred

SLeffler27

New York

3.98/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Glows a dark, black walnut from within a wine sampler glass, with a thin, off-white head that provides no lacing.

The aroma is spicy with light, tart, Belgian yeast and plum.

Lightly sweet cherry is balanced by tartness, while notes of plums, cherries, and perhaps chocolate, linger in the background. The finish is short and spicy.

The medium body is lifted by high carbonation while the alcohol is as expected.

This was enjoyed with light conversation and sharp cheddar cheese.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 14:43:55 | More by SLeffler27

ATPete

New Jersey

3.3/5  rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle, corked and caged

Let me start by saying that Sam Adams has done a great job in designing these bottles, lets hope the beer inside is as good as the presentation.

13th Hour pours a deep brown color, almost black, but allowing light to penetrate ever so slightly. A decent nose of coffee, plum and roasted chocolate malts. The sour twang is pretty damn foul when this beer is cold, as it warms, the funk becomes less offensive and does a good job in adding subtle complexities to this Belgian stout. With that said, this beer never screamed STOUT except for the nose. It was ok, not something I would buy for myself. I gave a great mark to the "Overall" score because of the custom bottle, great packaging.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 00:26:20 | More by ATPete