Name: Black

Brewer: Allagash

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Vintage: 2008

Cellared On: August 31st, 2008

Original Tasting: September 15th, 2008

So many beer styles, so little time. Even so, it’s a bit amazing that I’ve never managed to get around to trying a dark Belgian brew before now. I guess I should be saying Belgian styled brew because Allagash brewery in Maine is most definitely nowhere near Belgium.

With no surprise given the name of this brew, Black poured very dark in the glass. Not Imperial Stout black, but close enough. What was surprising was the intense, bright fruity smells that were coming from this beer. There were also roasted malts and hints of chocolate in the air, but the dark fruits were easily the most prominent.

The first impressions of Black as it hits your tongue fit right in with the smell. Rich dark fruits (figs, dates) hit you immediately. The roasted malts came on fast after that initial taste, and remained throughout the finish. All of the flavors meshed very well, but were not nearly as intense as the smell had led me to believe. There was a slight smokey/burnt taste underlying the brew, which paired well with the subtle chocolate notes that were also present. A tiny bit of bitterness helped pull everything together.

Another excellent brew from Allagash. I would definitely recommend this one to somebody who says they don’t like dark beers - I think this one would surprise them!

Cellar Outlook: I think this one will do pretty good for a few years since it’s bottle-conditioned with a decent cellaring ABV (7.5%). I have to admit I’m not really sure where the flavors are going to go, but it’ll be fun to find out!

Next Tasting: September 2009

Jason

jason@brewbasement.com

www.brewbasement.com