12 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 3/20/2014. Pours pitch black color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy tan head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with some moderate streaming carbonation. Aromas of raisin, pear, apple, anise, pepper, clove, chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, toast, brown bread, light coffee, and yeast earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast and dark/roasted malt notes; with decent strength. Taste of raisin, pear, apple, anise, chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, toast, brown bread, light coffee, clove, light pepper, and yeast earthiness. Light yeast spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of raisin, pear, apple, anise, chocolate, cocoa, roast, toast, dark bread, light coffee, clove, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a short bit. Nice balance and complexity of dark/roasted malt and fruity/earthy yeast ester flavors; with solid robustness and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a smooth, fairly crisp, and slightly chalky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with zero warming after the finish. Overall this is a nice and pleasant Belgian dark ale. Good balance and complexity of fruity/earthy yeast and dark/roasted malt flavors; and very smooth and crisp to drink. A nicely enjoyable offering.

Can pour. Pours really dark with a nutty, dark chocolate aroma. Slightly smokey malt flavor with a decent roasted coffee bean finish. Decent beer overall, but has never been my favorite style. I’d drink this again.

Can from Total Wine in Folsom, CA. Pours dark brn/blk with a slight tan head. Aroma is chocolate with herbal hop. Med body. Sharpish carbonation. Flavor is coffee/chocolate with dark malt and some definite herb/veg. Rather towards dry. Makes me think schwarzbier.

12 oz can. Dark brown color, almost black. Aroma is dark earthy grain and light chocolate with a hint of a coffee type aroma.

Flavor is nearly the same with cocoa powder, dark grain in the center base with dry roasted malt finish. Kind of an odd herbal earth note that was found in the aroma can also be found in the flavor. Not sure what in the hell the brewer was going for here but it is drinkable. Carbonation is light and creamy in a medium body.

Proletariat, NYC tap: Pours near black with a beige head. Aroma is herbs, roast malts, and some dry, dark chocolate. Taste is similarly roasted. Light bitterness. Almost no sweetness to speak of. Smooth, but not particularly impressive.

Not sure why this is listed as a black ale. Pours black with good head and lacing. Nice roasty grain taste. Comes together for what it is - whatever that is. Pours black with decent head and lacing. Very cool can gets an extra point for appearance. Can at Right Proper.

6 ounces of a can at Right Proper poured into a tulip, shared by travlr. Pours a dark brownish black with light tan head. Aromas of dark fruit, light roast, light funk. Tasting notes of dark fruit, caramel, light roast, toffee, light funk. Medium body with a dry finish. Smooth slightly creamy mouthfeel. Interesting.