Black Albert
De Struise Brouwers in Oostvleteren, West Flanders, Belgium 🇧🇪
Stout - Imperial Regular|
Score
8.19
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This big mother of a Russian Imperial Stout is often considered one of our true classics. Despite the 13% ABV, you'll find Black Albert to be dangerously drinkable. With its thick, tar-like body, it's definitely a sipper, but the alcohol is very well-hidden.
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8.5/10
Lovely, just lovely. Not as stunning as my first Black Albert but of course I was unprepared last time.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Apr 2024
at 22:09
7.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 4
Overall 7.5
From a 330ml bottle on 2/4/2024 (vintage 2020). Pours a deepest brown with virtually no head. Has a light chocolate nose with some hints of coffee. Tastes of bitter dark chocolate, caramel, licorice, dark/dry fruit and a good dash of soy. Finishes with a strong, lingering, boozy, slightly chemical tasting bitterness. The body is thinner than expected and the mouthfeel oily, with softish carbonation. With the huge rep, I was expecting something special but it's actually pretty underwhelming. Drinkable but wouldn't have again.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Apr 2024
at 07:46
8/10
Tried
from Draft
on 03 Feb 2024
at 16:17
7/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Jan 2024
at 17:36
7/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Jan 2024
at 21:03
7.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle, 0.33l. Black pour, no head. No lacing. Very nice on the nose, liquor, smoke, dried fruits, figs. Chocolate notes in the background. Full body, soft carbonation. Smooth mouthfeel and texture, oily, chewy, creamy. Very nice. Roasty bittersweet taste, nicely balanced, definitely more on the bitter side. Aroma of roasted malt, caramel, toffee, brown sugar. Dried fruits, figs, licorice. Coffee and dark chocolate, light smoke notes in the background. Warming alcohol. Slightly sticky. Long lasting finish, liquory, sticky, dry, roasty and bitter. Fine brew. One to enjoy slowly.
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Jan 2024
at 20:05
7/10
Tried
on 16 Dec 2023
at 08:46
7/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Oct 2023
at 22:44
7.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Pours pitch black. A few bubbles of dark yellow/brownish head disappear very quickly; ok for the abv. A well integrated and quite deep aroma, though not especially strong (was probably expecting something more vivid). A sugary (brown sugar) and caramel malty base with a touch of alcohol (kinda reminds of rum), quite some fruitiness (dried/dark fruits, fruit cake), licorice, only a hint of coffee on the back of things. Definitely smells like a bsda. Taste notes follow the aroma closely; good definition and very nice depth, good enough intensity (perhaps still not as intense as i'd expect a 13% beer to be). A sweet edge in the mouth with a dry enough, clean finish and a bit of sweet/fruity reminiscence in the aftertaste. Quite warming with well hidden alcohol. As mentioned, much more a classic belgian strong dark/quadrupel than an imperial stout, with pretty much no roasted character and only a hint of coffee. Dense bodied as obvious with pretty ligh carbonation; a semi-full, quite creamy mouthfeel. Very nice, but not that special to me.
Tried
on 14 Sep 2023
at 14:46
8.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
330 ml bottle. Bottled 22/03/2022. Wow, This used to be really exclusive beer! Pretty awesome it now offered to the common beer drinker. Aroma is coffee, dark chocolate, and some bitter roast. Hints of prunes, vanilla and caramel. Full thick body with some alcohol warmth after the sip. Very flavorful and well-rounded.
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Sep 2023
at 20:35