Style: Imperial Stout

ABV: 12.0 IBU: 85.0

91/100

Aroma:	11
Appearance:	3
Flavor:	18
Mouthfeel:	4

Surly Brewing Co. Darkness 2016

What the brewers say

“This massive Russian imperial stout brings waves of flavors: chocolate, cherries, raisins, coffee, and toffee, finishing with a non-traditional dose of aroma hops.”

What our panel thought

Aroma: “Pumpernickel biscuit, with rising bread dough yeast notes. Dates and bright stone fruit up front, with slightly hot-ferment aromas and booze coming in at the back. The medium-low roast is evident, with an ever-slight chocolate and malt sweetness.”

Flavor: “This beer is a nice balance between dark, sweet chocolate, and roasted malt. It has a rich toasted bread-crust character, malty roast, and tobacco leaves. Slightly earthy hops are present on the sides of the tongue, with small alcohol warmth at the back, and a lingering roast astringency. Some backend fruity esters emerge as it warms. A nice body carries the beer well, and the carbonation is spot on.”

Overall: “An incredible, complex malt profile that challenges the senses but is still delightful to drink, and overall a good beer that has some complexity throughout. It’s woody, cinnamon, earthy, and roasty, with tobacco—like chewing a cigar while eating a chocolate-covered raisin.”

What our editors thought

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How We Review

REVIEWS FOR YOU >

Fort George Brewery From Astoria With Love

Chocolate nose with a hint of tartness from the dark malt. Hints of chocolate and coffee-like bitterness com-plement the roasted malt notes and are well balanced by a subtle piney hops note. Good balance of roast, bitterness, with a bit of heat from the alcohol. Enough body and residual sweetness to create the impression of a scarily easy-drinking beer despite its ABV.

Broad Brook Brewing Company Rooster Inhaler Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

“Hints of roasting coffee and crispy marshmallow on a delicate nose. Flavor is well rounded and compact. Dried blueberries, rich chocolate syrup, chicory. Malt, sweet spirits, alcohol nicely balanced. Tannins, vanilla add complexity.”

Surly Brewing Company Darkness 2013

**Aroma:** “Rich malt sweetness. Full of chocolate and cocoa. Nice roast character and some sweet dark fruit, raisin, plum prune notes. Slight hints of coffee. Well aged—raisins and light alcohol.” **Flavor:** “Rich and full bodied—what an explosion of flavor! It’s very sweet but the alcohol dries out the finish nicely. Everything the nose promised is here: malt complexity, warmth, and fine aging. Roast quality meshes well with the other malt flavors and the raisin/dried fruit richness is welcome. High in alcohol for sure, but the higher alcohol meshes well with the malt and it seems well aged.” **Overall:** “A beautiful example—chewy and rich, designed for sipping, and not too hot. This beer has all of the characteristics of a great imperial stout. It’s rich, complex, roasty, and huge with some obvious age to it. Sweet yet complex with the right amount of bitterness in a supporting role. Smells and tastes like a gift from the back corner of the cellar.”

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