Nero's 1st Century Double Dark Malt Ale - Amarcord Birra Artigianale Italiana

Aaron_Ramson

California

3.51/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up at a Southern California Trader Joe's for $1.99. Grading this beer with low expectations due to "budget beer" price.
A: poured with a nice 1" head, cola colored, carbonation bubbles against side of glass, dark without much clarity.
S: smell is of dates, raisins, fruity and malty.
T: forward flavors are molasses and figs, solvent and booze, burnt sugar, some hop bitterness near the end.
M: medium thin, not watery, good carbonation level.
O: for the price, I was very satisfied with this beer. It is richer and more complex than something I would expect in the "bargain beer" catagory. I would drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 17:24:21 | More by Aaron_Ramson

rhoadsrage

Illinois

2.63/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

(Served in a snifter)
B.B.E. 5/16/13
A- This beer pours a clear slightly dense orangish-brown body with a bubble light tan head and some microcarbonation strands.

S- The clean soft toffee nougat note has some raw wet grain and iodine notes that grow as the beer opens.

T- The nougat melanoidin flavor has a touch of sweetness with a cheese note that lingers a bit. The soft lemon hop tartness peaks through the dry finish.

M- The medium mouthfeel has a soft fizz texture and no alcohol heat.

O- The soft bland nougat flavor dominates the other flavors. When it is cold it masks much of the other flavors but as it opens it just gets more odd and difficult to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 21:26:10 | More by rhoadsrage

pkalix

California

4.11/5  rDev +33.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

trader joe's special!!
pours very, very dark brown. no head.
smells a tad fruit-y, and musty...
tastes... hmmm.... idunno, kind of malty, a little bit of fruit, easy to drink.
another italian special. my heritage. decent, but not great. easy to drink, but not best in class. very good, though. i can finish a few of these before switching over...

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 02:06:36 | More by pkalix

rhino54

California

2.5/5  rDev -18.6%

02-23-2013 21:11:29 | More by rhino54

matjack85

Illinois

3.86/5  rDev +25.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I picked this up at Trader Joe's in Glen Ellyn, IL for $2.79. 500ml swing top bottle with no freshness date.

The beer poured a slightly hazed light caramel color with a 2½-finger light beige head. Retention was only a minute long and lacing consisted of a few sticky splotches.
'
The beer smells wonderfully malty and sweet. There's also a bit of a bubble gum scent.

The taste is not as strong as the smell led me to believe it would be, and it doesn't really live up to the "double dark" name on the label. Still, sweet caramel malt and brown sugar are the predoninent flavors along with some dark cherry fruit. After the initial light dose of sweetness, a mild hop bitterness and some sour twang come into play. The 8% alcohol, while noticeable, isn't that unpleasant.

Not that thick for a sweet beer. In fact it's only medium bodied at best. Carbonation is also on the moderate side.

This isn't bad. I liked it, but if you're going to call yourself a double anything, it ought to have more punch (flavor) to it.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 01:42:21 | More by matjack85

CEDAMA

California

3.5/5  rDev +14%

01-17-2013 03:57:53 | More by CEDAMA

TheMarkE

California

3.46/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: A decent caramel pour, not much foam or retention.

Smell: A sweet chocolate aroma. Nice.

Taste: More complex than expected, with chocolate, dark fruit, caramel, yeast, and spices rolling around in there.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body. slightly syrupy finish.

Overall: Not bad, especially at the bargain price of $1.99 from Trader Joe’s. It’s a decent, drinkable bottle of malt with an 8% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 19:04:11 | More by TheMarkE

GossageBrewery

Missouri

2.93/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Poured this Bock from a bottle into a pint glass. This ale poured a hazy copper color, produced a off white head, decent retention and it left ample lacing on the glass. The aroma consists a base of sweet malted grain, with hints of white pepper and cherry. Medium in body, the foundation of this bock consists of a sweet malted grain base, some spice (white pepper) and cherry and apple juice. Overall, it was average- Odd variation of the style-

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 16:41:32 | More by GossageBrewery

TastyAdventure

Kentucky

2.99/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Appearance - cloudy brown, with a thin off white head.

Smell- dark figs. not too rich, but figs definitely dominate.

Taste - completely different than the smell. mildly sweet malt is immediately followed by crisp apple, some citrus. good balance of sweet and bitterness. not very assertive at all for a "double dark."

overall for the price, at 8%, a good deal to get your buzz going.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 02:30:42 | More by TastyAdventure

napetry

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +22.1%

01-06-2013 22:53:35 | More by napetry

Mattyb79

Virginia

2.25/5  rDev -26.7%

01-02-2013 01:43:25 | More by Mattyb79

shagal

Alberta (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +22.1%

12-31-2012 00:18:36 | More by shagal

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +27%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nero's 1st Century Double Dark Malt Ale
16.9 oz. / 500 ml bottle, swing top closure
marked "B.B.E.06/23/13 B.C.3571101
$2.49 @ Trader Joe's #719 in Omaha, NE

Pours a slightly hazy, deep chestnut brown body beneath a creamy head of khaki foam. The head drops slowly but it maintains a solid surface covering, and it still manages to leave craggy streaks and tiny spots of lace behind.

The aroma is distinctly fruity (apple, pear, dried apricot, grape) over a light malt base of caramel and nuts, backed by some light floral and leafy hops.

The flavor follows suit, and it's surprisingly fruity and estery. I'm guessing that it's fermented at a fairly high temperature as I also seem to be finding some higher alcohols amidst its 8.0 % a.b.v. As it warms the malt widens a bit and it becomes sweeter, offering a more appropriate base for the wide fruitiness. The hops appear towards the swallow shifting gears a little bit, and adding depth. There's not a whole lot of bitterness present, but along with the leafy, floral, and somewhat earthy hops it does develop a dry, balancing finish.

In the mouth it's medium-full with a creamy smooth, moderate carbonation that gently caresses the tongue.

Everything considered, it's an interesting beer that's surprisingly unique. The execution could be better, but its charm more than makes up for its faults.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 17:29:24 | More by NeroFiddled

pvg4

3/5  rDev -2.3%

12-20-2012 07:29:24 | More by pvg4

mmsimmons

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +46.6%

12-05-2012 01:36:39 | More by mmsimmons

Falcone

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +22.1%

11-30-2012 23:56:23 | More by Falcone

mwar

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +22.1%

11-27-2012 04:14:44 | More by mwar

JorgeOjeda

Illinois

4/5  rDev +30.3%

11-20-2012 21:29:23 | More by JorgeOjeda

Proteus93

Virginia

3.15/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked this one up at the Trader Joe's in Charlottesville... it was priced at only about $2.69, so I imagine I can't complain about value.

A: Pours a somewhat hazy copper, with a nice billowing head--almost three fingers tall! It recedes to about a half finger within a couple of minutes.

S + T: Rather fruity... almost like a cherry skin scent in there, along with some malty sweetness. It smells like it will taste quite sweet. That's a little deceiving, though, as the flavor comes across as a little bit muted. Toasted malts, and a little spiciness.

M + D: Medium bodied, rather plain. I would prefer a little more carbonation or crispness. Not a bad beer, but not one I'll be repeating anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 02:16:05 | More by Proteus93

elNopalero

Texas

3.38/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A cheap find at the local Trader Joe’s. Honestly, expectations are not high for this one. If it wasn’t in a flip-top I’d probably just as soon have passed it over.

But still…

This pours a ruby amber-malty color with tight foam. I found an ok malty-sweet aroma to it, with something akin to candied cherries and a light caramel aroma. The flavor comes across as sweet and smooth, with a dialed down sweetness. Thin bodied for the style, thinner than I had expected at any rate. There’s a light bitterness with some caramel-toffee hints. Pleasant enough but not one that I’d recommend for anyone with a love of dopplebocks.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 08:47:19 | More by elNopalero

Lucidious

California

2.5/5  rDev -18.6%

11-15-2012 05:16:09 | More by Lucidious

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.43/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

I'm sure he swigged some o' this whilst not fiddling, eh? Anyway, this stuff pours a clear copper topped by a finger of lightly off-white foam. The nose comprises fake (Runt-like) banana, maple syrup, light biscuit, powdered sugar, and light sweet flowers. The taste brings in more of the same, along with a strangely candied orange peel, which lends a cloying sweetness that doesn't sit well with everything else. Damn delinquents... The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a sorta/kinda drying finish. Overall, an odd bock, one that goes all over the place before landing in an unappetizing place. Even for the price, there's plenty better out there, folks.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 00:28:46 | More by TMoney2591

Dave_Treat

Virginia

3/5  rDev -2.3%

11-10-2012 02:13:07 | More by Dave_Treat

MoreThanWine

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Other than being in a cool bottle and available pretty cheap from Trader Joe's this beer isn't all it claims to be. Poured a half inch off-white fine froth head with reasonable lifespan. The body is a slightly hazy burn sienna color, not dark at all like the name claims. It does smell of complex malt. But then when you drink it although you do get malt it's not nearly as malty as I'd expected, certainly not "double dark malt". It's still enjoyable though, and a decent value in beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 09:59:32 | More by MoreThanWine

vfgccp

New York

3.25/5  rDev +5.9%

11-01-2012 21:46:57 | More by vfgccp