Black Note Stout
(has 7 batches)

12 oz. bottle 2012 vintage. Great appearance. Nose is fantastic. Light bourbon over day old coffee and cream, dark sweet chocolate and subtle vanilla oak. Snap!! This sat just long enough. No bourbon alcohol burn, just sweet and smooth all the way down. Of course need I mention the rich cocoa, dry roasted malts, brownie matter and subtle oak? Should I also explain the full body with an oily texture that screams take another sip? I like to age all my BBA stouts about a year in time. This has been one of the best examples I have tasted. The bourbon and roasted flavor linger ridiculously long after the sip. Down.... Right.... Bad.... Ass. Nothing else to state here.

Bottle shared big thanks to Kermis. Poured a clear dark brown colour with a round bubbly tan head. The aroma is truly amazing with lots of malts rich vanilla bourbon and oaky notes. The flavour is strong bitter with a super smooth bubbly yeast alcoholic liqourice palate. Full bodied with flat carbonation and a lovely oily mouthfeel. The alcohol is very well controlled given the ABV. A superb beer fully deserving of its rating.

Brown bottle, 1 pint 9.4 ounces, from Philippe Boutin, with Louise, Luc Bourbonnière and Philippe, savoured on September 13 2013; eye: black, opaque, no effervescence, no head, no lacing; nose: roasted barley, coffee, chocolate, light alcohol, bourbon; mouth: roasted barley, coffee, chocolate, light alcohol, bourbon, light alcohol, acidity, hops, finale in roasted barley with presence of chocolate, full body, below-average carbonation, slightly sweet, lightly bitter, oily texture; overall: quite fine FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 1 pinte 9,4 onces, de Philippe Boutin, avec Louise, Luc Bourbonnière et Philippe, savourée le 13 septembre 2013; œil : noire, opaque, pas d’effervescence, pas de mousse, pas de dentelle; nez : orge torréfiée, café, chocolat, léger alcool, bourbon; bouche : orge torréfiée, café, chocolat, léger alcool, bourbon, léger alcool, acidité, houblon, finale en orge torréfiée avec présence de chocolat, corsée, carbonatation sous la moyenne, très légèrement sucrée, légèrement amère, texture huileuse; en résumé : bien bon

On draft at the GABF 2013. Pours black with a tan head. Intense dark cherry and plum flavors , with a hint of chocolate and bitter roasted notes. Lingering slightly bitter finish. Wow!

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 12/28/2012. Pours dense pitch black color with a small tan head with decent retention, that reduces to a spotty lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big dark chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, toast, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, oak, clove, raisin, licorice, light coffee, cream, light char, and roasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of roasted malt and barrel notes; with good strength. Taste of big dark chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, vanilla, toast, toffee, bourbon, oak, clove, light coffee, cream, raisin, licorice, light char, and roasted earthiness. Minimal bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, vanilla, toast, toffee, oak, bourbon, clove, light coffee, cream, raisin, licorice, light char, and roasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity and balance of dark/roasted malt flavors with very balanced barrel complexity; with zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Light carbonation and full bodied; with a very creamy and slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic barrel aged imperial stout. All around fantastic complexity and balance of dark/roasted malt flavors with barrel character; and very smooth to sip on for the ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.

12oz 2012 bottle. Aroma is fairly chocolates with a nice dark chocolate note and a lighter milk chocolate one. Moderate bourbon note and a nice vanilla aroma as well. Light roast and oak. Pours black with a small, thick mocha head that quickly recedes leaving just a film on the edges. Flavor is similar to the aroma. Medium sweet chocolate character with a balance of dark and milk chocolate. Medium bourbon character with a nice vanilla note. Balanced bitterness. Lingering sweetness with some moderate alcohol spice. As it warms the fruit esters become more apparent with some nice plum, prune and fig notes. Mouthfeel is medium full bodied with medium low carbonation. Low to no astringency with medium alcohol warmth. Slightly sticky in the finish. Overall a very enjoyable imperial stout with a really nice vanilla character, and it pretty much lives up to the hype. The bourbon is light and complimentary and the vanilla is surprisingly strong. Not too big and sticky with nice fruit esters as it warms.

Great, but not perfect. A bit too sweet and heavy on the bourbon notes for my taste.

35,5 cl bottle vintage 2012 (11,8%) @ RIP camp, bottled 28.12.2012. Thanks tiong!
Aroma has strong bourbon notes with vanilla and some woody notes. Flavour has woody notes vanilla, lots of bourbon notes, some licorice and salty notes. Quite high on bourbon, reminds me of Brooklyn Black Ops. This is just more intensive.

355ml bottle from a trade, thanks Hugonaut13! @ RIP Camp

2012 vintage, bottled 12/28/12 - Pours pitch black with a tiny light brown head. Aroma of harsh strong bourbon notes, wood, vanilla, chocolate, roasty malts and sweet syrup. Taste is a bit harsh with loads of bourbon, sweet chocolate, syrup, roastiness, vanilla, cocoa and hints of licorice. Finish is roasty and a bit sticky with loads of bourbon, vanilla, wood and oak. Hints of vanilla, chocolate, coffee, syrup and sweetness. Quite heavy on the bourbon notes, but also very balanced and tasty, perhaps a bit sweet and sticky. Great stuff anyways.