Dark O' The Moon - Elysian Brewing Company

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

you dont see a ton of dark pumpkin beers, and this is a winner. pours very dense black, almost no light coming through at all, and a quickly dying khaki head. the nose is a perfect blend of milk chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon. pumpkin and pumpkin seed flavor are up front, squashy and a little bitter from the dark malts. cocoa and spice finish it out. the abv is perfect for this beer, its one you could drink several of, but sturdy enough to keep ya going. feel is fullest of bodies and spirited carbonation for the style. i like the effort here, a very different beer, perfect for the night of the first snowfall. leaves all frost covered, half on the trees, half on the ground. its just right.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 00:21:16 | More by StonedTrippin

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at City Tap House, Philly, PA

Served in a tulip glass, an opaque black color with a small tan head that retained well and left a bit of lacing on the glass. Dark roasty malts were the dominant factor in the nose, with lesser notes of roasted pumpkin and light spice and charcoal. The roast again took command in the taste, with any pumpkin being very subtle; dark malts, coffee, molasses, charcoal, mellow autumn spices. About medium bodied, perhaps too thin for a normal stout, but it actually worked well with this beer. Not bad overall.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2012 13:46:48 | More by Rifugium

Gmann

New York

3.85/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a black color with a short dense brown head that settled into a light ring.

The aroma is big on the roasted malt/barley. Some charred wood notes, anise, and dark fruit. There is some cinnamon but it is fairly subtle. Not a very overpowering nose.

The taste has a nice mixture between the roast, dark chocolate and cinnamon spice. Not overly roasty but enough to make known this is a stout. The dark chocolate is a nice complement as well as the cinnamon. The cinnamon provides a nice quirky element. Not sure I can taste any of the actual pumpkin but perhaps the seeds.

The feel is kind of light for a stout, not much body to it at all. The fizzy is prickly which doesn help lead to a smooth feel that most stouts have. Primarily roasty on the palate, with enough sweet and spice to offset the bitterness.

A nice stout, nothing earth shattering. Good flavors for a 6.5ABV stout though the feel is a tad thin. Would like to see more pumpkin spice.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 23:43:50 | More by Gmann

metter98

New York

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is essentially jet black in color. It poured with a quarter finger high dense dark tan head that quickly died down and left some lacing on the surface and a thin collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are aromas of chocolate malts and pumpkins in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and has flavors of pumpkin spices along with some hints of sweetness. The chocolate flavors are a little stronger compared to the pumpkin aromas.
M: It feels medium-bodied and somewhat smooth on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very easy to drink and has no traces of alcohol in the taste. It seems to be a good blend of two styles: pumpkin ale and stout.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 12:15:56 | More by metter98

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours viscous and pitch black with a two finger mocha head that slowly settles into a thick, lasting ring. Streaks of soapy lacing left behind.

Roasted dark malt aroma with roasted pumpkin seed and autumnal spices. Pumpkin sweetness is minimal with more of a roasted seed character along with cinnamon, brown sugar, allspice, clove and nutmeg. slightly smokey/meaty with hints of dark chocolate cake, coffee bean, toast and molasses. Smells really good with a nice balance if roast, sweetness and spice.

Full bodied with a deeply roasted presence that overpowers the subtle pumpkin presence. This is nicely complimented by the zesty spice notes but it's slightly acrid and in desperate need of some sweetness. Very dry to the point of almost tasting burnt with charred dark malt flavors, toast and espresso bean along with cinnamon, clove, allspice and pepper. Very one-dimensional with hardly any pumpkin flavor to speak of. I would have never guessed that there was any in there, it just tastes like a spicy, overly roasted stout. No alcohol hear to speak of but the harsh burnt malt and dry spice make it somewhat tough to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 06:30:32 | More by corby112

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - A finger's worth of densely packed moderately lush light brown colored frothiness... The color is a deep dark brown... Limited retention gives way to an uneven splotchy lacing and very thin collar... Mostly still though some carbonation can be coaxed out by slightly agitating the glass...

S - The nose is led by the slightly sweet guts of a pumpkin... There is some very light roasted malt character... A bit of nutmeg and cinnamon lie beneath the surface... Perhaps a hint of dark chocolate... A very pleasant, but slightly understated aroma...

T - Roasted malt to start... Baker's chocolate... The roasted pumpkin seeds add a unique quality... No real pumpkin sweetness to speak of... The finish is dominated by a competition between cinnamon and roasted malt that lingers for quite a while...

M -Medium to full bodied... The carbonation is light, but packs a definite bite... The finish is slightly chalky...

D - Unpretentious... This one is a stout first, and a pumpkin seasonal second... That's not a bad thing, but rather just a statement of fact... Not a bad beer, but not something that I would drink with regularity...

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 01:34:40 | More by philbe311

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with some light hints of dark amber when held up to the light and very light amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a quarter finger tall dense creamy dark tan to mocha head that quickly reduces to a mottled very thin film covering about a third of the surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon and nutmeg stand out) over the top of dark roasted malts and chocolate. Very light notes of roasted coffee.

T: Starts out with moderate to strong flavors of dark roasted and chocolate malts which are followed by the pumpkin flavors. There is just touch of sweetness upfront followed by the flavors of pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon and nutmeg) with light bitterness in the finish which does not linger.

M: Medium to full bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth and slightly creamy.

O: I really enjoy the pumpkin stout hybrid style, for some reason these really work for me... almost like if you combined chocolate and pumpkin pie (kind of like a derby pie). It drinks much easier than the 6.5% ABV that it is, especially since the mouthfeel is also lighter. Very enjoyable - glad I bought the Pumpkin Patch sampler pack to get this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 20:52:25 | More by dbrauneis

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

thanks to ArchEnemyBrew for the beer! Thanks Hollis!

Reviewed from notes 10/15/12.

poured into snifter.

Appearance: Black bodied beer with 1 finger of head.

Smell: chocolate, spices, pumpkin.

Taste: Nice balance between the stout and the pumpkin, but the vegital pumpkin flavor is just a touch stronger than the stout. Nice all spice and cinnamon notes that blends with pumpkin in the finish.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. creamy mouthfeel.

Overall: This is a good pumpkin stout, but not a good as Fishermans Friend pumpkin stout by Cape Ann Brewing.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 08:17:37 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: black body, floating khaki head, sticky lacing

S: bitter chocolate, pumpkin, malt, hint of cinnamon

T: bitter chocolate, roasted malt, mild bitter pumpkin/earthy finish

M: med/heavy body, smooth/firm chewy mouth

O: Interesting combination. Don't think I would get it
again, but would recommend to adventurous stout fans.

NICE, NOT MUST TRY!

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 21:54:37 | More by BeerLover99

pburland23

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz. bomber into a snifter.

Appearance: Black as night with about a finger of coffee ice cream colored head. Very attractive looking pour.

Smell: At first it's roasted malts and dark coffee, but then the pumpkin and cinnamon make an appearance. They work together quite well.

Taste: Roasted malts and bittersweet chocolate emerge followed by some cinnamon and other spices. The pumpkin shows up at the end of the sip and is subdued and adds a little earthiness to the sip. Very enjoyable tasting beer.

Mouthfeel: Not as thick as other stouts, but a rather full mouthfeel. It's fairly silky and smooth.

Overall: I really enjoyed this beer...an interesting take on the pumpkin beer. The roastiness of the stout melds very well with the traditional pumpkin ale spices.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 00:30:19 | More by pburland23

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle

Pours jet black with a coffee-and-cream head, fine and about a inch thick, slow dissipation to a lacing.

Smells of cocoa, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and brown sugar.

Tastes of lightly toasted buttered bread, very mild pumpkin pie sweetness, some hints of lactose and vanilla, and a bit of nutty bitterness.

Medium body with a soft tingling carbonation on the roof of the mouth.

A pretty decent and tasty stout, the pumpkin adds a unique touch, but I wish there was a little more of it. If it had just a bit more pumpkin, it would be truly spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 21:49:59 | More by Cylinsier

rfgetz

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark, chalky brown to near black, good head and retention, decent lacing. Scent is roast with hints of char, cinnamon bark and milk-stout like sweetness. Taste, although lacking in much seasonal flavor, does combine roast and spice nicely, light lingering malt sweetness. Medium bodied, creamy with a hint of chalkyness. Solid, but not spectacular.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2012 19:20:24 | More by rfgetz

julian89

Georgia

4.08/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: A fantastic blackness with an off white cream head of about 1.5 inches and good retention.

Smell: A grain bitterness with strong coffee and chocolate notes. The pumpkin is on the back end (I love pumpkin beers that are more subtle than prominent). The spices are there, but only become more pronounced after the taste.

Taste: Oh such a great mix of coffee, fall season spice, dark malts, dark chocolate, and finally a little pumpkin. It's probably one of the top on my list for Pumpkin beers this year. It's only downside is a little bitterness as it warms.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy, with a good amount of carbonation.

Overall: I am glad that this was my first try at Elysian. I look forward to drinking the Immortal IPA which is currently in my "cellar".

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 21:07:02 | More by julian89

bum732

Maryland

3/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

S: Slight roasty coffee, touch of chocolate, light pumpkin spices.

L: Very dark brown, bordering on black, light tan head that dissipates.

T: Dry roastiness with slightly spicy malt. No clear hop character. Medium bitterness with a prominent cinnamon spiciness. There is almost like a chili heat present, but very mild.

M: Medium mouthfeel, medium carbonation.

Meh, didn't really think it worked. The pumpkin edge was dull overall.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 01:55:28 | More by bum732

claspada

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sampled immediately after sharing a bomber of The Great Pumpkin.

Pours a lighter black color with an inch of dark tan head that slowly recedes leaving some spotty lacing on the glass.

Aromas begin initally mostly on the Stout side, with some roasted chocolate malts and coffee taking center stage. As it warms the spice aspects come out highlighted by cinnamon and then a little roasted pumpkin flesh. The toasted bready, burnt caramel notes also emerge more.

The tastes begin similarly with dark roasted maltiness followed by additional notes of chocolate and caramel sweetness. As it warms you get a subtle burst of pumpkin and cinnamon. The roasted bitter maltiness intensify as it continues to warm.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. Finish is intially smooth and creamy but balanced but the spice and roasted malt flavors.

Overall this is a very good pumpkin stout. I appreciate the lower ABV because I feel it helps the spice and pumpkin flavors to emerge more. Too much malt would mask the sometimes subtle flavor of pumpkin. This is a great cool weather fall evening beer and would gladly consume it regularly if it was readily accessable to me.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 16:40:15 | More by claspada

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle poured into a large goblet. Most recent bottling just appeared on the shelf last week.

A - Pours a nearly black color with an inch of mocha colored head. Retention leaves something to be desired, but it sure leaves a pretty lacing on the glass.

S - Smells like the pumpkin beer I have been longing for. Bitter chocolate, pumpkin, and burnt malts meld for a creamy stout aroma with some bite. Bits of cinnamon are the icing on the cake for this brew.

T - My initial pour was cold, probably too cold. As a result, the first few sips were loaded with toasted malts and a bit of a harsh char aftertaste. I allowed it to warm a bit and it turned into a completely different beer. Very smooth chocolate notes transition to the now mellowed char flavors of the malt. The pumpkin comes through in the finish, although it is not very big.

M - Medium body with tingly carbonation. Smooth and drinkable.

O - I was happy to see this sitting on the shelf right next to The Great Pumpkin. It would be a very good stout in it's own right, but it stands out above the rest in the pumpkin beer category. Perfect for anyone who wants solid pumpkin flavors without the cloying sweetness that come with most of them.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 00:24:31 | More by NoLeafClover44

Domingo

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I've had samples of this at GABF a few times (on a pretty fatigued palate) so it was nice to see we got a few bottles sent to Denver this year.
Pours an expected opaque black color. Not a whole lot of highlights or light making it through this one. A thin cap of white foam on the top. Looks pretty much like a standard porter or stout.
The nose consists of anise, cinnamon, allspice, and a roasty backdrop.
The taste follows roughly the same path. Unlike a lot of other pumpkin beers, to me the ones from Elysian (Night Owl and Great Pumpkin, too) all have very heavy handed anise notes. It's different, but not necessarily my favorite. This one has elements that I love, but that anise note is just a bit much. The allspice and cinnamon creep up here and there, and the base porter is nice, but it keeps coming back to black jellybeans. The actual pumpkin pie character is mild as a result.
It's not boozy, and the spices aren't numbing or overkill. Some people will likely love this one.
Not my favorite under any stretch, but there aren't too many pumpkin porters that make to bottles out here. I'm glad this one does, even if there are others like I more.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 15:08:35 | More by Domingo

grittybrews

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured near-black with two fingers of dark khaki head. Roasty aroma of chocolate and cinnamon.

Moderate carbonation and a thick, creamy mouthfeel. Big cocoa up front with hints of caramel/molasses sweetness. Big pumpkin and cinnamon bread backbone followed by light espresso bitterness on the tail end.

For a 6.5% stout, this had some pretty huge flavors going on. Really nice.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 21:42:05 | More by grittybrews

hreb

Washington

2.83/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

22oz bomber served in pint glass. Beer pours a deep brown with a very thin layer of lighter brown head. Faint aroma of pumpkin and spice (cinnamon or cassia?)

Flavor is flat and unremarkably bitter. Pumpkin provides some texture/body but not much in the way of flavor. Cinnamon flavor is muted and reduced to an unpleasant spiciness in the aftertaste. I can't imagine what pumpkin seeds could be bringing to this brew.

As a stout, this beer is the right color, and has a relatively heavy mouthfeel, but otherwise it doesn't hit any of the right notes. Though only hopped to 20 IBUs, there's a surplus of bitterness from the other ingredients. It got the bitterness levels of a Russian Imperial stout but doesn't have nearly the grain bill that that style requires. Pumpkin beers are a challenging style, but they can be executed well. Bring me back to CBC's pumpkin fest!

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 02:55:04 | More by hreb

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from 9/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours dark, dark red amber. Thin tan head and light lacing. Dark malt aroma. Dark and toasty malts, light smoky malt, dark fruit, light chocolate with a slight pumpkin background. Finishes with pumpkin, spice and light hop bitterness. Very nice. This and the Great Pumpkin are must have annual beers for me in the fall.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 23:44:46 | More by LiquidAmber

Spider889

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Elysian Pumpkin event at Falling Rock on 9/28/11.

The version we got was listed as 7.3% abv.

This is a rich and dark beer.

The aroma is full of chocolate and cinnamon with a warm and inviting pumpkin bread aspect to it.

The flavor has some roast coffee and chocolate goodness going on. bitter ash on the finish. Not much hint of pumpkin here.

Chewy mouthfeel with a warm alcohol component (I also find that cinnamon can enhance this perception). Dense and sticky.

Overall this was a cool brew. I felt that the base beer is a stout or porter. Wishing for more pumpkin flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2012 03:33:22 | More by Spider889

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to 5000 for sending me this bottle. Reviewed from notes.

The beer pours a very dark brown to black color with a large tan head. The aroma has a ton of cinnamon in it, as well as some pumpkin, nutmeg and allspice. The flavor also has a lot of spices in it. I get some cinnamon, clove, allspice and nutmeg, as well as some pumpkin and quite a bit of roasted malt. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 03:10:59 | More by Mora2000

draheim

Washington

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into a snifter. Pours a dark cola brown w/ a rich mocha head that settles pretty quickly.

Aroma is a nice mellow roasty sweetness, some cinnamon, nutmeg & clove. Molasses and an elusive earthy, nutty aroma emerge as it warms.

Taste is malty and slightly chocolatey w/ just a hint of cinnamon. Pumpkin may lend a pulpy, sticky sweetness but not a dominant element by any means. Just the suggestion of pumpkin, which is about all I ever want from a pumpkin beer.

Mouthfeel is smooth and semi-dry, but a little thin.

Overall a good pumpkin beer and an average stout. Not sure I'll be looking for this again next year though.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 04:19:41 | More by draheim

projectflam86

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this through a trade with youradhere. Thanks Jim!

22oz bomber poured into a snifter.

A- Pours an absolutely ink black color with a thick brown head that leaves good lacing.

S- Very sweet with roasted malt and dark chocolate aromas leading the way. A touch of spice is noticeable in the nose but it is very subtle.

T- The pumpkin notes come through much more in the flavor than in the nose. Rich bittersweet chocolate and pumpkin pie spice upfront with a touch of char and roast in the finish. The alcohol is mild but it adds a little bite.

M- Medium bodied with slightly low carbonation. Silky mouth feel.

O- Overall easily one of the best pumpkin stouts I've had. Really one of the better pumpkin beers in general. I'm glad I got the chance to try.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 23:36:04 | More by projectflam86

BillHilly

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bomber poured into a duvel tulip at 55 degrees.

A: dark brown, very little head, fainted to rim, etching brought out very little yeast bubbles.

S: burnt coffee, slight cinnamon, molasses

T: starts off sweet and decent roasted malt, finishes with a bitter & burnt coffee finish

M: Much better feel than look, solid carbonation.

O: Glad I tried it, worth a try, but nothing to trade for IMO.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 03:12:21 | More by BillHilly