Barrel-Aged Darkness
Surly Brewing Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Imperial Rotating|
Score
8.06
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Darkness is a beer of fable and legend. Malty and intense, yet velvety smooth. This special edition of our massive Russian imperial stout matured in Elijah Craig 10 and 12-year bourbon barrels and features waves of chocolate, vanilla, dried fruit, and cherry flavors, enhanced by the oaky spice of the barrel and its previous occupant.
Released originally from 2007 - 2012. Brought back in 2021. Rate under specific vintage if known.
Released originally from 2007 - 2012. Brought back in 2021. Rate under specific vintage if known.
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8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Can shared. Deep motor oil or soy sauce black. Nose is bourbon, vanilla, caramel, chocolate fudge, soy sauce, cherry. Deep, rich flavor, sweet and savory, caramel and chocolate, vanilla, berries, soy sauce, and lots of tannic oak. Excellent stuff and so drinkable.
Tried
on 03 Aug 2025
at 01:43
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 8
16oz bottle shared at home. Black color, small coffee colored head. smells bourbon, vanilla, soy sauce, spices, light oak. Nice to very nice smell. full body, light carbonation. tastes vanilla, spices, nutty, light bourbon. finishes very balanced between sweet and bitterness with notes of vanilla, nuts and spices. Very nice one, but overly expressive
8, 7.5, 8, 7, 8
8, 7.5, 8, 7, 8
Tried
from Can
on 11 May 2025
at 18:48
8/10
Ystad Tasting (25/11/2023) - dark sweet and roasted malty with lots of bourbon action, some chocolate and some caramel and toffee malty sweetness, full bodied, bourbon and vanilla coalesce into the dark malty finish.
Tried
from Can
on 27 Mar 2025
at 06:08
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Cremiger, leicht alkoholischer Schokoladenbeginn. Milde Süße, würzig, cremig. Der Alkohol bleibt deutlich erkennbar, Kakao, Bourbon. Intensiv, viel Kakao, der Alkohol steigt an und stört ein wenig. Cremig, langer Abgang und Nachgeschmack, wenig Vanille und rote Beeren. 12/11/12/12//12
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Mar 2025
at 19:33
8.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 9
Overall 8.5
A black beer with a tan head. Aroma of bourbon, vanilla, strong dark malt, liquorice, booze. Taste of vanilla, bourbon, cocoa nibs, ash, roasted dark malt, woody, creamy mouthfeel.
Tried
from Can
on 14 Mar 2025
at 12:39
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
How: Can.
Where: Systembolaget.
Appearance: Black colour with a beige head.
Aroma: Roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, dried fruit.
Body: Full body, low carbonation.
Flavour: Roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, dried fruit.
Where: Systembolaget.
Appearance: Black colour with a beige head.
Aroma: Roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, dried fruit.
Body: Full body, low carbonation.
Flavour: Roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, dried fruit.
Tried
from Can
on 16 Aug 2024
at 19:42
8.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Burk från Systembolaget. Söt fyllig, lyxig, lite soya, choklad, alkohol, lakrits.
Tried
on 28 Jul 2024
at 17:19
8.9/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
Bourbon, oak, cherry, chocolate malt, and hay aroma. Black with nice brown head. Very sweet bourbon, cherry, chocolate fudge malt, and moderately bitter hay and alcohol flavor. Nice body.
Tried
from Can
on 21 Apr 2024
at 00:31
7.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can 16fl.oz. @ [ Trinntorp 🇸🇪 Virtual Tasting ] - fonefan & Brugmansia House. 🏡 💻👀
[ As Surly Darkness - Barrel Aged 2022 ].
ABV: 12.0. Clear dark black brown colour with a small, fizzy and open, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, light brown to beige head. Aroma is heavy malty, roasted, chocolate, coffee, barrel, oak, dark fruit - soy sauce, moderate bread - dark bread. Flavor is heavy sweet and moderate bitter with a long duration, roasted, barrel, barrel - bourbon - laber larver, dark malt, sweet malt, dark fruit. Body is medium to full, texture is oily - creamy, carbonation is soft, finish feel is warming and light alcoholic. [20240317]
8-3-8-4-16
Tried
from Can
on 17 Mar 2024
at 20:46
7/10
Tried
on 17 Mar 2024
at 18:48