Bar Fly - Midnight Sun Brewing Co.

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours is a viscous opaque black with a thick dark tan head and solid retention. The nose has light hints of smoke and ash, roasted malts, light chocolate notes with some sweet anise and strong wood behind. The taste is well balanced with roasted malts and a rich chocolate brownie component. Dark fruits and faint smoke notes accompany a woody finish. The feel is full bodied, smooth and creamy, semi dry finish and gentle carbonation. Very complex, very integrated, and very balanced. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 20:35:05 | More by cpetrone84

doopiedoopiedoo

Netherlands

4.08/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Jeffo brought this one to my house. Nice!

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a snifter.

What do I see? A motor oil thick fluid. No head at all. It looks like something that would be very bad to your health. Awesome.

A nose that presents oak, vanilla and malt sweetness and some booze. I expected smoke but can't detect that.

Flavors of dark chocolate on a bed of oak is probably what a French waiter would say. I'd say this stuff tastes great.

A medium to full body. Nice carbonation flavors linger with a touch of booze.

Great beer. It's worth the hype. Make sure you keep this fom the hazardous materials in your garage because it looks like some automotive waste product...

Great call on this one Jeff!

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 12:38:21 | More by doopiedoopiedoo

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.72/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

big thanks to Sean9689 for this. never expected to try this!

pour was deep black, thick, light creamy head.

sweet fruit, deep charred oak, light roasted malt. very vibrant and lively.

simply amazing. a mild sweetness that mixed with a complex combination of dark fruit, light oak, and light smooth smokey and roasted malt. bit of chocolate and coffee. very deep and complex. booze was barely noticeable. this was everything a stout should strive to be.

thick, chewy, mild to moderate carbonation. lined your glass and your mouth.

this blew me away, i loved it. no hype here, just one amazing stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 01:17:15 | More by hooliganlife

Mora2000

Texas

4.43/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to AmericanBrew for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a deep black color with a tan head. The aroma is full of dark fruit and anise, with a lot of chocolate and roasted malt mixed in. The aroma is fairly sweet and is very enjoyable.

The flavor is also very complex and interesting. I get a ton of roasted and smoked malt, as well as some sweet milk chocolate notes. The smoke is complimented by a little bit of dark fruit. The alcohol is very well hidden and the beer is very easy to drink.

Medium to thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Very glad I got to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 19:50:10 | More by Mora2000

Jeffo

Netherlands

4.45/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottles of this courtesy of akbeerfiend and Masterski. Midnight Sun is one of my favorite stout brewers, so thanks again for the trades gents.

Smoked Imperial Stout aged in Oak Barrels

From a bomber into a snifter
2010 Pop Ten Series
45 IBUS

APPEARANCE: A syrupy, thick black pour is evil looking. Love that sludgy stuff. Pour yields a small, medium-thick looking, mocha colored head that quickly fades to a slight wisp and ring. Thick, opaque, sludgy black body with only a touch of carbonation evident. A ring remains until the end but leaves no real lacing down the glass. Head could be more persistent, but Midnight Sun comes through with another nasty looking black liquid.

SMELL: Roasted malts, dark, pure chocolate, molasses and oak barrel. Complex and enticing. Vanilla, oak, ad milk chocolate show through, but not much smoke really. Bold and interesting aroma with a touch of booze for good measure, though a hint more smoke would be needed for a perfect score here.

TASTE: Roasted malts and sweet molasses up front. Oak barrel is there for sure, with vanilla, milk chocolate and some boozy notes through the middle into the swallow. Bold flavors and a big, persistent aftertaste of roasted and oak notes, as well as some bitter chocolate, sweet molasses and some smoky malt notes at the finish. A faint but solid booze base supports the entire trip, but never gets in the way of the stout flavor. This is decadence for the ages, but for a smoked stout, just a touch more smoky notes would help get this one the perfect score it otherwise deserves.

PALATE: Medium-full body and medium carbonation. Heavy enough on the palate, very creamy and smooth as well, goes down smooth with a bit of a bite at the swallow and finishes relatively sticky on the palate. Some heat from the alcohol at the finish as well. Slightly thicker than the Berserker that we compared it to.

OVERALL: I love Midnight Sun stout beer. I often lay awake at night and ponder whether Midnight Sun or Cigar City is the no.1 stout brewer in the United States. I can’t decide. This was absolutely wonderful and lived up to all the expectations we had going into it. A menacing look, a big, bold and enticing nose, and flavor to write home about, Midnight Sun really delivered with this one. The only critique I could wager is that for a smoked stout, the smoke was relatively restrained and not a major factor in the beer. That said, however, who the fuck cares? This was delicious and, who knows, perhaps more smoke would have masked the otherwise deliciously complex taste profile. Another huge thanks for this one guys. Don’t be scared to send more.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 20:20:56 | More by Jeffo

InebriatedJoker

Ohio

4.6/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks Chris -

A: Black as midnight with minimal tan lacing , good carbonation.

S: Slight bourbon , roasted malts and barley , some smoke, black strap molasses.

T: The taste pretty much follows the nose , Bourbon with roasted malts and barley, slight char , slightly sweet with blackstrap molasses .

O: very solid brew that I'm glad I finally had a chance to try, thanks again.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 20:19:36 | More by InebriatedJoker

Urbancaver

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Chris :) tried this twice in the last 2 weeks. Really pleased
Pours a thick dark brown. Nice tan head. Smells bourbony and lightly smokey. A bit sweeter than i would like. Harsh booziness but nice flavour profile. Nice thick mouthfeel. Overall nice and enjoyable :)

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 16:39:31 | More by Urbancaver

aasher

Indiana

4.18/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This bottle was shared by muskabeatz at Darkness Day, thanks Evan! Reviewed from notes on my phone.

This one poured a very viscous and oily black in color with a nice and thick dark, stained brown head that eventually laced my mini snifter. This one coats your glass. You get a lot of oak, red wine notes, toffee, cherries, plums, and black cherries in the nose. It's pretty complex and still features the traditional roast. The flavors aren't quite as complex. You get a lot of toffee, dark chocolate, and molasses with a light smokiness. It's solid, but it just didn't live up to the nose. It drinks very thick and coats your palate. The aftertaste is pretty nice as well. Overall this is a very solid beer, I'm glad I could try it.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 15:16:32 | More by aasher

alcstradamus

Illinois

4.72/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Shared by an unknown guy at Darkness Day, reviewing on a semi-fresh palate.

I don't really care about appearance, but this has great legs and a motor oil appearance.

Complex nose with sweet molasses, smoke, dark fruits, and roast.

Flavor is a phenomenal and complex and balanced blend of molasses, raisin, coffee bean bitterness, and a bit of boozy heat.

Mouthfeel is medium full and creamy and just right.

Overall this is a fantastic beer. Drink it now, don't wait. Everything is well integrated. World class offering.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 14:24:27 | More by alcstradamus

amphion1065

Massachusetts

4.93/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22 oz. bottle into a Duvel tulip. Thanks so much for this Todd.

The pour is very thick - other than Black Tuesday, this is the thickest, most viscous stout I've ever seen. The body is an inky black. A one-finger, very dark brown head with wonderful retention leaves great lacing around the glass. As I drank more and more of this, that head left a very clear ring of lace.

Huge barrel presence in the nose, and a very unique one at that. There's absolutely an element evocative of cognac and port, with a fairly strong aroma of liquor. There is a clear, wine-like note at play. That said, there is no real alcoholic ester smell here. Vanilla, toffee, chocolate, figs and fudge come through beautifully. A curious tobacco element as well, with just a hint of roast.

The taste is sort of a revelation. Sweet with just a hint of bitterness in the finish, the balance is perfect. There's a dark, fruity aspect in this beer that works perfectly alongside the oak and vanilla from the barrel. Licorice and chocolate are in the mix. I'm not sure I'd guess this was a smoked beer, as that particular flavor really only comes through in the finish. The alcohol is incredibly subdued.

The mouthfeel is syrupy and borderline perfect, with an ideal level of viscosity and low carbonation. Thick and chewy, this never stops being a joy to drink.

An absolutely fabulous stout, one I could quite honestly drink all night long. I really had to pace myself while enjoying this bottle, and I really didn't want it to end. There are so many fantastic -bal aged stouts on the market today, but the singular effects of the pinot noir barrels on this beer really set it apart. I can only hope that Midnight Sun makes more of this and that I can drink it again soon enough.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 00:43:46 | More by amphion1065

craytonic

District of Columbia

4.33/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Was happy to open and try this one!

Appearance: Near jet-black pour

Smell: Dark chocolate, light roasted malt, coffee, toffee, blackstrap molasses and a faint smokiness (in just the right amount)

Taste: Very nice, dark chocolate, vanilla, brown sugar, toffee, and molasses with a hint of smoke. Well done

Mouthfeel: medium/full body, medium/light carbonation.

Overall: Very solid beer, I hope they make this one again. Not my favorite for the style, but it isn't a style I like and it is rare that I find one I enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2011 03:00:27 | More by craytonic

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.53/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by craytonic. Thanks Matt.

The beer is on the verge of black, with a wispy, thin beige cap. The aroma is of heavy roast, booze, oak, chocolate, and hints of vanilla. The flavor is toasty, with booze and chocolates. Vanilla and oak flavors are there as well. Soft smokey, campfire notes. The feel is thick, with fairly low carbonation. Booze lingers on the palate, offering a delicate warmth. Well done. While alcohol is present, it's well integrated into the taste profile and completely unobtrusive. This beer is not the usual imperial stout. Unique and refined. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 05:37:10 | More by Huhzubendah

MADhombrewer

Oregon

4.47/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Arbitrator for this.

Appearance- Black with an espresso crema colored head that dissipates to a ring around the edges. 4/5

Smell- Dark chocolate and smoke. Touch of vanilla. 4.5/5

Taste- Dark chocolate with a smoke background. The touch of vanilla is there in the taste as it was in the smell. The smoke is very subtle and in the background of this beer. I am very surprised this is 12%. It does not come off that way. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel- Very good. Thick and full. Sweet on the lips after each sip. 4.5/5

Overall- Very good beer. I was expecting the smoke to be overpowering, but that is not the case here. Nicely done Midnight Sun. 4.5/5

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 04:12:06 | More by MADhombrewer

stx00lax

Washington

4.83/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- pours a real dark brown with mocha colored head. Standard big stout.

S-Fudge brownies and tootsie rolls. Bits of vanilla, molasses and dark fruits creep through.

T- Similar to the smell with more of the tawny port/wine flavors taking over. A bit of oaky booze and smoke round out the finish. This beer is incredibly balanced with all of the bold flavors happening, its definitely one of the more impressive tasting stouts that ive tried to date.

M- Medium bodied liquid velvet. A lower than usual, but appropriate I think, level of carbonation considering the vinous nature of this beer. The oakiness helps to hide the alcohol well and dries out the sweetness a bit ultimately helping to balance things out.

O- Quite exceptional. I think the overall complexity and balance of this one really shine. The blend of stout, wine, smoke and barrel of this one world class.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 04:30:37 | More by stx00lax

billshmeinke

California

2.78/5  rDev -37.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Review from notes.

Bar Fly
Pitch black with a finger of beige head. Decent lacing. 4.5
The nose is honey and charcoal. Booze and dark fruits. Licorice. Too smokey. 2.5
Taste is honey, chocolate, a bit boozy. Licorice. Not enough barrel. Yucky dark fruit. 3
Mouthfeel could be heavier. Low carbonation which is good, but on the whole shitty. 2
Lame. 2.5

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 22:25:04 | More by billshmeinke

kayalla

California

4.4/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed with Patrick and Nate at our "epic" Midnight Sun tasting, ha. Black body, coffee colored head. Aroma is rich dark fudge, smoke, some earthy spices, sweet and enticing. Flavor is even better, just super rich dark fudge, a sensible smoked malt, vanilla. Theres an earthy spice like cloves, maybe star anise that is wonderful. Mouth feel is rich, creamy, and thick, almost milkshake like. I enjoyed this more than Berserker and yes, more than M. Thanks Patrick.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 02:39:20 | More by kayalla

Jazzpatel

California

4.88/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

viscous black with a rich, creamy, dark beige head leaving great legs and soft rings of lace.

aroma is absolutely wonderful with rich, heavy, charred malts, bitter dark chocolate, and toffee and molasses backed by subtle notes of oak, bourbon, and dark fruits as it warms.

flavor is a beautifully complex balance of dark, roasted malts, rich baker’s chocolate brownies, and molasses up front backed by smoked cedar, ligh ash, espresso, and licorice with subtle notes of oaked vanilla, toasted coconut, and prunes on the back end. palate is silky smooth, rich, and perfectly carbonated with a long, smokey, bitter chocolate finish.

overall, another world class imperial stout from midnight sun.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 18:21:33 | More by Jazzpatel

OrangeAmps

Massachusetts

4.63/5  rDev +4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle sent by BigE90. Thank you SO MUCH. Shared with some friends. Poured into Cigar City snifter.

Appearance: motor oil, pitch black, complete darkness. Very minimal head, though sufficiently carbonated. Light does not pass through this beer in any capacity.

Smell: Amazing. The nose is greeted with a ton of booze, chocolate, and some smoke. I drank this when it was semi-chilled, so perhaps that's why the booze was so prominent. I also picked up a light oak character, which was well hidden.

Taste: very complex. Lots of cocoa and roasted malts, and lots of booze. My god, the booze. Also, some notes of what can best be described as breakfast- maple syrup and bacon abound (im guessing the bacon character im picking up is just the smoke). There was a pronounced sweetness, but it was complemented by the bittering cocoa flavors, etc. Well balanced and extremely enjoyable.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation is plentiful, but not overpowering. The flavors are extremely well balanced, and the oak character is subdued. To me, the booze was a bit overpowering, but not in a bad way. The viscosity was just right, not very thick but not quite thin either.

Amazing. Glad i was lucky enough to get a crack at this one.

It is worth noting that the people i shared this with represent a diverse group of beer drinkers. None of them are BMC only, but many are fairly new to craft. The rest, like myself, are still relatively new but have been around for long enough to develop a slightly educated palette. But, everyone in the group, from the #9 drinkers to the bourbon barrel stout drinkers, absolutely loved this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 17:19:06 | More by OrangeAmps

levifunk

Wisconsin

4.83/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22oz bottle. shared with the usual suspects.

a - pour is black as expected, and a dark brown head. pretty sexy.

s - smoke, baking chocolate, caramel

t - wow. with all the hype around this beer, I was a little leery to fall in love with this, but there is no doubt this is a world-class beer. chocolate, vanilla, smoke, and a bit of bitter hops on the end. amazingly well balanced. the smoke flavor is like no other found in other stouts. it is continually present, but subtle.

m - big body. thick and creamy.

overall - so good. I hope to come across this beer again, but I doubt i'll be so fortunate.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 23:09:25 | More by levifunk

callmemickey

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Deep black body. Medium brown head forms and slowly receded. Just a few traces of lacing.

S: Strong notes of milk chocolate and smokey malts. Hints of red wine, port, dark fruits and oak.

T: Similar to the nose but a bit more muddled and muted. A bit of chocolate, the smoke moves a bit toward the background, and the port/red wine like notes mellow out.

M: Medium bodied. Smooth texture on the tongue and a pleasant, but soft fading finish.

O: While pleasant and enjoyable, I was underwhelmed as I found the flavor profile a bit sloppy and unfinished. Perhaps too much was going on here to get an integrated presentation.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 23:59:25 | More by callmemickey

mikey711

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Deep black with a thin mocha colored head. some lacing, but it was minimal.

S: lots of smokiness as well as molasses. At times it even reminded me a little bit of fresh beef jerky. A bit more vanilla character would have been nice, but the smokiness was quite enjoyable

T: Much of the same as the nose, heavy smoke and molasses, but alos a nice level of chewy chocolate as well. some hints of leather as well as darnk fruit.

M: The alcohol was extremely well hidden and this was pretty easy to drink

D: Overall, while I am extremely pleased to have tried this beer, and would like to try it again, it wasnt life changing or awe inspiring. I greatly enjoyed the smokiness, but felt like something was missing in the end

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 19:12:26 | More by mikey711

MasterSki

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle purchased at the brewery. Served in a taster pint glass.

A - A half-finger of dark mocha foam settles to a thin ring, leaving behind no lace. Black body, with the faintest red glint at the bottom of the glass.

S - Big dark chocolate malts, light smoke character, mild vinous notes, dark fruits, light vanilla and oak, heavily roasted grains, and a faint hint of alcohol as it warms up. Not a mind-blowing aroma, but one with fantastic depth, balance and complexity.

T - Taste is, again, a great blend of roasted malts, cocoa, black cherry and plum notes, light oak and vinous character, molasses and a dark chocolate finish. Sweetness increases as the beer reaches room temperature, and alcohol is remarkably well-hidden.

M - Low but present carbonation, medium-full body, well-hidden alcohol with only a hint of warming. Roasty, dry, and tannic finish that helps blunt some of the sweetness and keeps things from getting unbalanced. Not sure what else I'd want from a barrel-aged Imperial Stout.

D - A wonderful reminder that barrel-aged Imperial Stouts don't have to be brash and in-your-face, nor do they have to be obliterated by the barrel-aging process. The cabernet sauvignon barrel is an inspired choice, as it was presumably used multiple times in the vineyard and therefore reduced the amount of oak character. The dark fruit wine character also integrates well with the base stout. An extremely well-crafted beer and surprisingly drinkable considering the formidable 12.6% ABV. Believe the hype on this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 21:18:42 | More by MasterSki

seeswo

Ohio

4.85/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Bottle generously shared by Casey, poured into a Bruery tulip. Very dark brownish black pour with a small head. The nose is incredible and a definite 5 (my other 5 imperial stout nose is BCBS Rare, which is much richer). I smelled and smelled this beer. Very sweet malts perfectly integrated with smoke, with notes of earthy tobacco, oak, port. The taste follows so nicely with the nose. Perfect balance of the earthy smoke, tobacco, oak flavors with the sweet malts. You can tell they are separate, but they completely meld together around in the arms of the barrel. So smooth, decadent, balanced, drinkable. Good mouthfeel. This is one of the best beers I've had and definitely the best beer with the word smoke in the description. Wow. Exceeds the hype.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 15:18:03 | More by seeswo

scottfrie

California

4.4/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle generously shared by ipa247. Poured into Jackie O’s snifter.

A: Pours black with a good long lasting collar.
S: Very roasted and sweet notes with a bit of smoke as an afterthought, similar to barbque. I get some raisins as well.
T: Big notes of raisins and other dark fruits including plums and prunes, with a great dose of well-integrated smoke in the aftertaste. Caramel is low.
M: Super smooth, bubbly carbonation, and a soft mouthfeel. This beer is thick, but not crazy. Alcohol is just noticeable in the finish, but for almost 13% ABV, it’s hidden very well.
O: Overall a great balance between the sweet and roasted/smoky flavors. Alcohol is well done, and the smoke is not overpowering or off-putting in flavor. Thanks again for sharing, Jeff, I enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 23:28:33 | More by scottfrie

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

i deserve it, MAC in full effect!

the color was a very deep dark chocolate brown, Some very light, and I mean very light side glass lace formed as I made my way down the glass,

The first thing I noticed was a tremendous amount of port in the smell. smell of roasted coffee then followed, mixed in with what almost seemed to be to be like some kind rich burnt tobacco smell, bit of sweetness in there, albeit small; however, it was there and gave off a caramelized sugar note of some sort, bitter dark chocolate mingling in now and really staring to battle it out with the vineious like port. Notes of oak now hitting the stage, really giving it that earthy tone

Rich dark chocolate notes were swirling around in here, mingling with everything that came there way, including a touch of sweet lactose, which tried to drag some light in here, smoked tobacco that I picked up in the smell, Some hints of vanilla starting to poke around, and then come some black licorice, oak like earthy notes dominate and bring together the chocolate and the vanilla. The finish in a class of its own.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 02:03:48 | More by mikesgroove