Dark @ 4:30
Hermit Thrush Brewery in Brattleboro, Vermont, United States 🇺🇸
Sour / Wild Beer Regular Out of Production|
Score
6.81
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Ever-shorter winter days getting you down? Pick up a growler of Dark at 4:30, a Belgian style dark ale, to get you through the long nights. While not a porter or stout, this traditional Trappist style ale has a strong, malty flavor born of a blend of fourteen types of malt and a color just short of black like the sky on your way home from work. Aging in red wine barrels highlights the caramel and dark, nutty fruit flavors reminiscent of figs or dates and gives this ale a tannic roundness. Try it with a hearty winter stew, or after dinner by itself or with a dark, chocolatey dessert. However you enjoy it, try it soon because stock is dwindling as fast as the daylight hours.
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8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Reviewed from notes.
Can to tulip.
Appearance: dark brown close to black in color with a thin little off white cap of a head which dissipated fairly quick.
Aroma: dark roasted malts, dark fruits - tart and sweet; subtle chocolate, then some acidic-like fruits, subtle woody tones and some earthy to grassy hops, some roasted nuts but super faint; burnt toast and a touch of sweet leather
Flavor: blends the prior noted aromas together tart and sour with a light sweetness underneath and a drying roasty tone even further underneath; no aftertaste
Texture: medium bodied, surely this is a sipper; not exactly smooth on the tongue - the tart and sour seem to want to cripple any sort smoothness that wanted to try to be there; finishes tart, strong dark fruity and semi-sour
Overall: I'd say a pretty nicely done dark sour ale I would have wanted to come back to if Hermit Thrush was still open.
Can to tulip.
Appearance: dark brown close to black in color with a thin little off white cap of a head which dissipated fairly quick.
Aroma: dark roasted malts, dark fruits - tart and sweet; subtle chocolate, then some acidic-like fruits, subtle woody tones and some earthy to grassy hops, some roasted nuts but super faint; burnt toast and a touch of sweet leather
Flavor: blends the prior noted aromas together tart and sour with a light sweetness underneath and a drying roasty tone even further underneath; no aftertaste
Texture: medium bodied, surely this is a sipper; not exactly smooth on the tongue - the tart and sour seem to want to cripple any sort smoothness that wanted to try to be there; finishes tart, strong dark fruity and semi-sour
Overall: I'd say a pretty nicely done dark sour ale I would have wanted to come back to if Hermit Thrush was still open.
Tried
from Can
on 04 Feb 2026
at 15:21
5.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6.5
Deep ruby red color with a strong acidic aroma. Taste is intensely sour. A little sweet at the end before a dry finish.
Tried
on 14 Nov 2022
at 23:10
7.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Tried
on 26 Jan 2019
at 05:21
5.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 7
Can 1 pint. Pours dark brown with an orange tint and an off-white head. Very subtle aroma, very little up there - vaguely nutty perhaps. Light-bodied, dry, slightly tart, subtle overripe fruit with a dry finish. This one lacks some punch and personality, simply too little is going on - without the beer being bad at all. 121017
Tried
from Can
on 12 Oct 2017
at 06:13
Tried
on 01 Jul 2017
at 19:42
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8.5
Keg at the brewery taproom. Pours clear, deep brown with a foamy, light tan head. Very nice beer, with some tangy dark fruits, mild leather, some mild dough, Belgian yeast. Medium bodied with fine carbonation. Moderately woody on the finish with slight tannic dryness, notes of dried fruits, faint acidity. Solid beer with good depth.
Tried
from Draft
on 27 Dec 2014
at 00:11