Brooklyn Black OPS - Brooklyn Brewery

Thickfreakness

New York

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

A- A damn near pitch black pour with a HUMONGOUS thick and fluffy kahki head that lies three fingers deep and really hangs on for a while. Not a great amount of lacing but after each sip, the foam slowly drips away and subsides.

S- Vanilla beans/extract, toasted/charred wood, dried mission figs, dates, raisins, dried cherries, some chocolate covered banana, whiskey, and gentle stabs of black coffee.

T- Lovely toasted oak cask and bourbon. Big notes of vanilla, cookie dough, really good black coffee, and deep dried dark fruit! The booze really shows it's muscle here, especially as it warms up.

M- Very thin and sparkley for an RIS which is one thing I never really liked about Black OPS thru the years. Being so thin, it accentuates the heavy bourbon instead of masking and blending it together with the coffee/cocoa/figs.

O- I've always thought was a bit expensive at $20-25. Seems like it should be sitting in the $14.99-17.99 range. I really prefer this with two years on it to let the booze settle down and blend in with all the other luxurious notes that this RIS has to offer. The mouthfeel has also always been my biggest pet peave with this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 23:24:34 | More by Thickfreakness

Busker

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +20.2%

05-21-2013 18:26:43 | More by Busker

Envelopes

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -15.9%

05-21-2013 05:38:57 | More by Envelopes

tbone1384

Wyoming

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-19-2013 01:20:04 | More by tbone1384

barrelofbastard

California

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

05-18-2013 20:30:47 | More by barrelofbastard

carlosega

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-17-2013 19:29:41 | More by carlosega

Gregvg

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%

05-16-2013 18:27:29 | More by Gregvg

magsvmi

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -3.8%

05-16-2013 01:52:28 | More by magsvmi

ajtorres311

Florida

3/5  rDev -27.9%

05-15-2013 22:53:36 | More by ajtorres311

Zimm

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

05-15-2013 17:28:14 | More by Zimm

Davit

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-15-2013 03:34:56 | More by Davit

sway0925

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +20.2%

05-14-2013 23:29:23 | More by sway0925

shagens

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

05-14-2013 18:50:20 | More by shagens

ADTaber

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

05-14-2013 00:01:31 | More by ADTaber

NSK79

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.8%

05-13-2013 00:04:33 | More by NSK79

IPeteA91

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-12-2013 22:07:55 | More by IPeteA91

JaySchneider

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-12-2013 03:07:21 | More by JaySchneider

lic217

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -3.8%

05-11-2013 04:27:05 | More by lic217

civicm87

New York

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-08-2013 23:36:51 | More by civicm87

deadliest

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-07-2013 23:59:10 | More by deadliest

aLenwell

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%

05-07-2013 23:23:11 | More by aLenwell

bigedct

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

05-07-2013 23:18:38 | More by bigedct

freshtojeff

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -27.9%

05-07-2013 23:17:01 | More by freshtojeff

Hoptologist

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -15.9%

05-07-2013 15:15:34 | More by Hoptologist

BrownNut

Florida

3.95/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A - 3.5 - Pours root beer brown, is opaque black in the glass. Fizzy tan head that dissipates quickly. Come back, head. Come back.

S - 4.0 - Initially there's an almost floral scent riding on top of chocolate sweetness, wood, and malty caramel. Maybe a hint of booze or I could just be expecting that from the barrel wood note. The floral note seems to fade a little with the head, leaving something closer to fruit and overlapping that fruit note you can sometimes get with chocolate. Yeasty.

T - 4.0 - Moderate chocolate with a vague hint of tart fruit. Tannic like apple skin. The fruit is acidic and vaguely vinous in a way that, when paired with the dry mouthfeel, comes across in a champagne-like way. Not sure I get any bourbon. Some char that is not previewed in the aroma or the main body shows up in the exhale along with chocolate and is welcome.

M - 3.75 - Unexpectedly dry. Fairly light and foams a bit in the mouth. Kind of disappointingly dry and light when you're looking forward to the nice thick sweet mouthfeel and robust body of an imperial stout. This comes across more like champagne. That's nice in its own way if you take it for what it is but you can't help but feel its soul is missing. Tongue is left a bit abraded like when you drink something super hoppy (but this isn't hoppy). Immediately warming in the throat upon swallowing, which is really nice. Give me that heat.

O - 4.0 An interesting and unexpected take on the barrel aged imperial stout. If champagne married an imperial stout, this would be it. That's a little odd and makes me feel a bit sad that I'm missing the body and slickness I was expecting with this style. This was a worthwhile experiment that I'm glad they tried and which I would not buy again, particularly not at this price or even half of it. I'd be interested to know what results anybody got from aging it though.

HA. Now that I read the label, it says it was refermented with champagne yeast. So that's exactly what I was tasting. I feel like a cicerone over here, ID'ing these flavors. Go BrownNut, go, go.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 04:31:31 | More by BrownNut