Allagash Black - Allagash Brewing Company

davey101

Connecticut

4.11/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into a goblet. 2432 on the label, I believe this guy has a bit of age on it.

A - Pours a black body with a finger of grey khaki foam that lasts forever. Really nice lacing and retention.

S&T - Aroma's of roast, chocolate, and some subtle fruity Belgian yeast. Very simple and inviting. Taste is again o chocolate and roasted malts which is finished by light and fruity yeast esters. Its just a hint of that bannana/clove/bread thing which works incredibly well with the stout base. Its clean, tasty, and simple. Rich and creamy mouth feel.

O - I've always ignored this one for some reason. I guess the idea of Belgian yeast in a stout didn't sound like it would be up my alley. However, I'm really digging this beer. Its really easy drinking and pleasant and the Belgian touch is just right.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 03:20:47 | More by davey101

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.96/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Allagash Black Belgian-style stout, Allagash Brewing, Portland, Maine. 7.5% Alc. by Vol.

Total blackness throughout, with a slim, roasted tan head.

Aroma is dark fruit and cocoa, dates, figs, raisins. Little bit o' spice, little bit o' sweet.

Taste: there it is on the tongue, the dark fruits, blended with cocoa. Roasty malt below. Vanilla and plums, with chocolate on the side. Tasty, tasty. Just enough of a Belgian twist in the flavor, just a touch of the funky flash. I can drink this.

Here's what the label tells us: "Dark and roasted with chocolate expressed throughout Belgian style -bottle conditioned." There was no punctuation. Is there more? No. Well, maybe that's enough.

This is notoriously one of the worst designed labels I've ever seen. Or is it the best? It is "black" after all.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 02:01:38 | More by feloniousmonk

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Served in a snifter at Firkin.

It has been too long since I last had this stuff, so it's nice to find it on tap at my favorite haunt. It pours a straight onyx topped by a finger of khaki foam. The nose comprises light dark chocolate and very light roasted malts. Everything is too vague and ethereal to get a good read from. The taste brings in more of the same, though everything is quite stronger, and there's the added bonuses of some very light anise and a hint of a spice medley. The body is a stolid medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fluid feel. Overall, despite a meek smell and a slightly thin body, this stuff ain't half bad. As the prototypical Belgian stout in the States, I can easily appreciate the effort.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2013 16:44:12 | More by TMoney2591

vfgccp

New York

2.96/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

A - Tall, foamy, light khaki head with ok retention and poor lace. Dark cherry wood body with bright cranberry highlights.

S - Dusty roast grains and dry cocoa powder.

T - Dry roast coffee. Milk chocolate. Tart grape sins. Copper penny aftertaste.

M - Relatively light frame.

O - The label says belgian stout, but BA has it down as a belgian strong dark ale. I'd tend to agree with the latter.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 02:44:36 | More by vfgccp

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A - pours a deep inky black. A rigorous pour leads to a big over 3 fingers worth of frothy light tan foam. Leaves tons of spotty lacing against the glass.

S - notes of city roast coffee. Spicy notes of clove and white pepper. Hints of bakers chocolate become more apparent. Apple and pear fruit with some hints of red apple skin.

T - dark bread and light notes of coffee grinds up front. alomond milk. Sweet juicy orchard fruit flavors in the middle. Peppery spice character on the backend. Long spicy finish.

M - medium bodied with a texture of skim milk. High carb.

O - interesting. Strange orchard fruit intertwining with the dark malts are unusually satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 18:37:02 | More by Teleweizen2

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a snifter, the beer is a dark, almost black coloring with hazelnut highlights and a thin, filmy, light tan head. Aromas of roast coffee, both bitter and warm, with a meaty heartiness and touch of smoke. Some funk from the yeast, too. Flavors of dark fruit sweetness, with plum and date in the backbone, and a coffee highlight, bitter and roasted. Very well blended. Roasty and bitter aftertaste, with a touch of campfire. Light, filmy, slightly effervesced finish, with a roasty linger. Tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 01:18:27 | More by GarthDanielson

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.94/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up in Totowa, not having had an Allagash beer in years. This was available in 4-packs, even though I only bought one bottle of this, and wanted to see if this was as enjoyable as the popular White was. While the mouthfeel was a bit thin and the alcohol was light, I enjoyed this and there was enough of a Belgian feel to the flavors to make this worthy of the name on the label.

The pour to this was dark - not quite black but dark enough not to let much of any light through except around the edges. There was some crystalline sugar in the nose, backed up by some burnt sugar, sarsaparilla, and raisin in the mouthfeel. Not a lot of head or lacing to be seen, which was indicative of the lack of body in this beer. It almost reminded me of a Schwarzbier but the presence of the sugar was enough to tip this in favor of a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. The mouthfeel was smoother than other Belgian-style beers that I've had, leading this to go down easy for something so dark.

The relative lightness of the alcohol wasn't a deterrent either. While certainly present, it wasn't high for this style and couldn't be detected until I was close to finishing this off. Since the carbonation was somewhat high, it helped to take the bite off of the stickiness from the sugar and made this relatively easy to down. Someone new to this style would be well-versed to begin with this, since it's a solid take on what a Belgian Dark Strong Ale should be.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 09:07:04 | More by JerzDevl2000

retry4z

California

3.59/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Bought a bottle at Whole foods for $12. Served at room temperature in a snifter.

I didn't know this, but apparently Allagash Brewery is from Portland, *Maine* (not Portland, Oregon).

I loved their Allagash White, so wanted to try more. This was the only Allagash under $20 (The Allagash Four and Allagash Curieux were each $21).

Also, although this ale is classified as Belgian Strong Ale (BSA), the bottle says "Stout."

Review:
Pours a dirty brown with no head and no lace. A small head appears when I swirl the glass.

The smell is complex and includes alcohol, cacao, coffee, licorice, and oatmeal.

Tastes of coffee, chocolate, smoky flavor, and vanilla. The taste is more stout-like than Belgian Strong Ale-like. There is a vestige of a bitterness in the aftertaste - must be the result of American brewing.

The beer feels thin - thinner than I expected from either a stout or a BSA.

Overall a respectable beer, with 7.5% abv, and a mix of American stout and Belgian dark ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 10:10:53 | More by retry4z

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

4.06/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Since I love this style, this beer had a good headstart right from the start. I wasn't disappointed. This was a tasty, slightly bitter, beer with hints of coffee and mild spices. Very easy to drink, good balance. Another quality beer from Allagash. Nice.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2013 18:49:24 | More by Beer-A-Lot

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.99/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A- pours a dark black with just a bit of light creeping through, smal light tan fizzy head that reduces to nothing.

S- charcoal notes with some burnt cocoa, just a bit of vanilla, some woodsy and earthy character and herbal hop

T- the Belgian dark notes are definitely there; dark figs and Belgian yeast. Mid palate provides some chocolate notes with some herbal hop bitterness, the finish is sweet and charred with some dark chocolate and woodsy notes

M- medium body with a foamy mouthfeel and creamy smooth finish. Alcohol is hidden quite well with only a trace of heat on the finish.

O- my first Belgian stout, and one that I'd like to try more of. You can definitely pick out the Belgian flavors, yet it's combined with dark charred malt.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 02:18:02 | More by Treyliff

JuliusCaesar

New Hampshire

3.94/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Black with deep red hues. Inch head with decent retention

S: Black Cherries and candy. Some Belgian yeast

T: Spicy up front. Cherries, candy and sweet malt. Finish is fairly bitter

M: Smooth and velvety

Overall: I liked this beer. The aroma was great. The flavors were nice but the finish was a little harsh. I also expected more depth and complexity from a beer of this style. Still, enjoyable overall

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 18:14:50 | More by JuliusCaesar

Dave1999

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured pure black with a small white head.

The smell is Belgian yeast cloves and banana's. There's some dark malts in there and spices.

The taste is slightly sweet malts,cloves,with a bitter after taste.

The mouthfeel is thick with low carbonation.

Overall a nice beer with Belgian style flavours mixed with a stout,

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 04:30:20 | More by Dave1999

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.94/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a tulip pint.

Appearance
Dark chestnut brown with 3 fingers of off-white head. Some definite light penetration.

Nose
Dark fruit, dark candy sugar, brown sugar and cocoa.

Taste
Prune, fig and cocoa powder. Red grape, semisweet chocolate and cocoa nib. Earthy finish with hints of dried hay.

Mouthfeel
Medium-full bodied, smooth and oily.

Overall
Dark fruits and chocolate. A really nice Belgian Dark.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 13:03:05 | More by justintcoons

AmitC

Indiana

3.99/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

Dark brown to almost black while pouring. Pitch black inside the glass. One finger thick light tan colored head with good retention. Excellent lacing on the sides. Opaque.

Aroma is non existent and the beer should be punished for being a Belgian style with such a low aroma. Strength of the brew is low. You have to search for the aroma. Some roasted malts. A bit porter like.

Flavor is somewhat better with slight warmth coupled with dark and roasted malts. Slight Belgian silky touch. A bit of charring character. Some booze and a hint of chocolate and coffee. Finish is dry.

Mouth feel is medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. No astringency.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 02:07:57 | More by AmitC

deebo

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

A-Poured in a chalice this brew is indeed black as night with a finger of dense light tan foam, a little retention and lacing.
S-Aromas of those Belgian yeasts slap you in the face. Beneath this, notes of dark chocolate and coffee accentuated barley malt.
T-Taste is predominantly dark malts with flavors of rich coffee with a lingering bitter aftertaste, the estery flavor of Belgian yeast is also noticeable, especially upon warming.
M-Rather medium in body with a little bitterness and astringency in the finish, moderate level of carbonation.
O-Nothing really stands out about this beer, pretty average. Maybe I’m just getting spoiled with the great selection of super beers to choose from nowadays.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 03:59:39 | More by deebo

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ox bottle was poured into a nonic pint glass.

Appearance: This beer poured a one finger mocha head that reduced to a thin layer. It is pitch black/dark brown with some clarity when held to the light, but no signs of carbonation.

Smell: Roasted coffee, chocolate, fruity, spiciness, and bready oats.

Taste: Interesting taste for a stout. You got the roasted, chocolate, and pretty notes of the stout. Then you got the spiciness, banana, clove of a hefe. A little mild bitterness, sweetness, and ready for another sip.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium bodied, tingly bitterness, and low to medium carbonation.

Overall: I have had this beer on draft several times and now in a bottle. Very easy drinking Belgian stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 05:02:09 | More by Flounder57

BeerManDan

California

3.34/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

The color was a very dark brown, with a medium amount of tight tan foam and not alot of lace on the side of the tulip glass.

The smell had a burnt, overroasted aroma of malts, coffee, semi-sweet chocolate with a hint of, also burnt caramel.

The taste was had a very bitter finish. The burnt mixed with the bitterness was not what I expected in a dark Belgium Ale.

Overall, not my kind of dark belgium ale, to much bitterness, but, the turn off was the Burnt Flavor on the palate and tongue!

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 01:29:33 | More by BeerManDan

tjsdomer2

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Easily the darkest Belgian I've seen...along with Trois Pistoles. Had this at Kuma's in Chicago, so it really fit the metal theme.

Smell: Clove and yeast like White, but Black replaces banana with chocolate and oatmeal. I like this better.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Tastes like a combination of a Russian stout, an oatmeal stout, and a dark Belgian. Dark fruit and candy with a full-bodied oatmeal backing.

Overall: Can't wait to have more Allagash.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 00:00:15 | More by tjsdomer2

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled November 2011

A: Pours an opaque but clear extremely dark brown in color (almost black) with some light to moderate amounts of visible carbonation and some reddish brown highlights. The beer has a two finger tall dense foamy light tan head that slowly reduces to a thick layer covering the entire surface of the beer with a thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of dark fruits (plum) with some candi sugar sweetness and moderate notes of roasted malts and roasted coffee. Extremely light notes of piney hops.

T: Moderate flavors of roasted malts and freshly roasted coffee along with some lighter notes of dark fruit (plum). There are some notes of candi sugar along with some light to moderate amounts of bittersweet chocolate. Very light notes of piney hops. Light amounts of lingering bitterness in the finish.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth.

O: Easy to drink and very enjoyable - there are really nice smells and taste with well hidden alcohol. The beer has a smooth mouthfeel and is definitely one I would like to get again and again. Overall this is a well balanced beer where the complexity increases as the beer warms.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 00:07:18 | More by dbrauneis

Brianbosox

North Carolina

4.78/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

OMG, this kick ass. I dunno if I can explain it, so just go get it. Here's a try: black beer, full body, really flavorful, little carbonation, huge taste that stays on your palate.

Why are you still reading this review? Go get some of this beer!

Thanks for reading this luddite review. Enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 22:05:26 | More by Brianbosox

allinthehead

3.4/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

In a Bruery tulip glass

appearance: lovely red-brown with persistent head

smell: coffee, chocolate, smoke

taste: coffee, black licquorice, dark fruits

mouthfeel: watery, a little effervescent

overall, a nice ale, but not one I'll be searching out again

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 05:21:53 | More by allinthehead

MadScientist

New York

4.26/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: A very dark brown with a garnet hue and good clarity. The persistent head is made of creamy dark-tan bubbles that leave a light lacing on the glass.

S: The aroma is dark fruit and moderately-light notes of the fruit and spice of Belgian yeast. It has a moderate dark fruit aromas of prunes and some plums. There are some moderately-light dark malt aromas of chocolate and coffee. The light alcohol aroma is soft and floral. There is a slight earthiness that might be the hops.

T: Smooth with the chocolate, coffee and malt sweetness dominating. A moderate dark dried fruit flavor with the yeast lending a bit of orange and light pepper notes. There is a light hops bitterness and little hops flavor. The balance is moderately towards the sweet with a medium-sweet finish. The aftertaste has flavors of dark roasted grains like chocolate, dark fruit and a light alcohol sweetness. There are slight molasses flavor that I catch here and there.

M: medium-full bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. There is a light alcohol warmth.

O: A rich and somewhat sweet Belgian with enough dark roasted grains to be a bit more stout than dark strong. There is a ton of flavor going on here. I really enjoyed this years ago and haven't found any for a while, since that time I've grown more partial to drier beers but still a great beer in it's own right. I'd still try this if I find it on tap but I won't be going out of my way for a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 00:07:36 | More by MadScientist

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a snifter.

A: Almost black, red-brown with one-finger, tan, creamy head that lasted several minutes. Great lacing.

S: Barnyard, coffee, Belgian spice.

T: Light to moderate sweetness and light to moderate bitterness. Chocolate and coffee - roasted malt. Subtle Belgian spice and yeast.

M: Medium bodied with fizzy carbonation. Creamy but crisp.

O: Stouts and Belgian beers are two of my favorite categories, so I was excited about this. I wasn't disappointed. The beer is great as a stout, and the Belgian qualities to shine through.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 02:38:38 | More by SolipsismalCat

GotWad629

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an opaque black with a thick tan head. It fizzes away fairly quick leaving a little bit of lacing.

Smells of spicy yeast, light roast, and some slight coffee.

The taste is very similar to the smell, spicy yeast, roasted malts and coffee flavors. It leaves a little bit of bitterness on the back of the tongue..just to let you know its still there. Nothing is too overpowering though. Its an extremely well balanced beer.

It's pretty carbonated, filling your mouth quickly. It leaves your mouth on the oily side then finishes dry.

Another phenomenal Belgian from Allagash. Easy drinking, well balanced, and great with a chocolate dessert.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 02:46:35 | More by GotWad629

tronester

Oklahoma

3.73/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brown, almost black in color. Creamy, but somewhat thin tan head. Smells of cocoa powder. Taste begins with some sweet caramel, followed by some tart, herbal flavor, then some coffee, and finishing with a smokey, resiny finish. Mouthfeel is rich. Overall a good beer, though a bit pricey for my liking considering how much i liked it.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 00:36:41 | More by tronester