Sombre Pharos

Vibrant Forest Brewery in Hardley, Hampshire, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Stout - Imperial Regular

Score

7.29

ABV: 9.0%

IBU: 90

Ticks: 7

Sombre Pharos is the result of our Russian Imperial Stout, Black Oktober, after 6 months interred in Islay Whisky barrels. We wanted to create a beer of two halves, so we contrasted this mix with Tonka beans. They dominate the aroma with a thick wash of cinnamon, vanilla, and tart cherry. Smoke manifests immediately on the tongue to balance against the Tonkan might and the finish is long and thick moulder of toasted, spiced almonds.

Join Us

Show

All Activity

Only Reviews

6.8

madmitch76 (40452) reviewed Sombre Pharos from Vibrant Forest Brewery 5 years ago

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

18th July 2020
Opaque dark brown beer, tiny tan head. Smooth palate, reasonable fine carbonation. Big Tonka, that weird pseudo choco vanilla is loud and clear here. A fruity whiskey barrel tang is equally as clear on the fairly light finish. If you like Tonka beans, you will probably like this. Me, not so much, but it's quite interesting.

Tried on 18 Jul 2020 at 15:21

8.2

BenL8 (2068) reviewed Sombre Pharos from Vibrant Forest Brewery 6 years ago

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

On tap at craft and draft. Pours black with a tan head. Aroma is peat smoke, dark malts and licorice and Tonka bean. Big body. Flavour is moderately complex. Big malt backbone, medium sweetness. Surprisingly bitter. Lots of Tonka, lots of peat. Finishes bittersweet with barrel notes. Lovely. Exactly as described, a Islay BA Tonka RIS. If you like the description you'll like the beer.

Tried from Draft on 07 Sep 2019 at 17:17

7.8

LazyPyro (9998) reviewed Sombre Pharos from Vibrant Forest Brewery 6 years ago

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

330ml bottle. Black with a thin tan head. Aroma of peaty whisky, tonka, cherry, cinnamon. Taste is rich, boozy, tonka, sour cherry, peaty, dark chocolate, roast malts, cinnamon, bitter, warming finish. Medium body. A little weird but really good.

Tried from Bottle on 15 Aug 2019 at 00:37

7.6

Stuu (34525) reviewed Sombre Pharos from Vibrant Forest Brewery 6 years ago

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Bottle at a friends. Pours black, nose is tonka, vanilla, chocolate, toffee, taste is similar, raisin, quite boozy.

Tried from Bottle on 22 Jul 2019 at 06:34

8.1

MarcoDL (7854) reviewed Sombre Pharos from Vibrant Forest Brewery 6 years ago

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Bottle. Black pour. Aroma of milk chocolate, whisky, licorice, malt, mild cinnamon and red fruit. Taste has tonka, peat, chocolate, salty licorice, malt, smoke, cinnamon, mild chili heat and oak. Really strange combination, but it's surprisingly nice. Extra points for creativity.

Tried from Bottle on 29 May 2019 at 22:18

allesmetkaas (1898) ticked Sombre Pharos from Vibrant Forest Brewery 7 years ago

Tried from Draft at Het Stadsbrouwhuis on 26 Jan 2019 at 17:29

8.3

Kermis (23416) reviewed Sombre Pharos from Vibrant Forest Brewery 7 years ago

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 9

Draft at Stadsbrouwhuis, Leiden. Black with a thick brown head. Aroma of scotch, oak, peat, dark chocolate, coffee, licorice and roast. Flavour is heavy sweet and above moderate bitter. Full bodied with soft carbonation.

Tried from Draft on 26 Jan 2019 at 16:40