7.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Keg at Borefts Day 1 22/09/2017. A jet black coloured pour with a creamy tan head. Aroma is earthy black roast, sugary, bruised apple, liquorice. Flavour is composed of black sugars, bitter black malts, burnt apple, woody roast. Palate is medium sweet, sticky, moderate carbonation, creamy.

8

BB 07/2022, Lot 20170724; Spot on aroma of toasted bread, slightly over baked bread crust but not burnt, caramel, dark chocolate (40-50% cacao), toast, coffee with earthy character, dry fruits like figs & berries, red candy ester, hidden alcohol

8.4

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

Imperial porter brewed at La Pirata in Barcelona, with the assistance of another familiar name in Spanish craft brewing, Laugar from the greater Bilbao region. Deep ruddy-hued mocha brown head (needing a bit of forcing to fully develop), very regular, creamy and medium sized, slowly dissipating and eventually vanishing altogether over a jet black beer, only revealing its one millimetre edge of mahogany haziness under bright light. Intense bouquet of hot chocolate sauce made with cognac, toffee, molasses, raisin bread, figs soaked in brandy, toasted walnuts, hints of cinnamon rolls, black cherries, pipe tobacco, latte macchiato, coffee powder on a dry cake, burnt blueberry crumble, peanuts, charred beef, touch gravy, dried rosemary, faint hint of 'blood'-like iron but feeling entirely natural in this case. Dense, 'candied' onset, candied cherry and candied fig, sweet but not overly so, with a balancing sourish undercurrent and a gravy-like umami accent; soft carbonation, very full, oily, viscous body. A thick mass of molasses-, toffee-, walnut bread- and eventually black chocolate-like maltiness glides heavily over the tongue, carrying the candied fruit and beefy umami tones along to a warming, eventually even somewhat hot finish, adding black tea- and peppercorn-like hop bitterness as well as a considerable glow of brandy-like alcohol, accentuating the spicy aspects; a coffeeish accent is certainly there, too, but any 'true' roasted bitterness remains well-contained so that the chocolatey character can fully unfold. Yet, remarkably, the 'inky' and bittersweet malt bill proves thick and solid enough to absorb most of the less desirable effects of the alcohol as well as the vague solventy effects that might have popped up more prominently otherwise. Long-lasting chocolatey bittersweetness with a faint dash of cappuccino and notes of toast, walnuts and pepper remain in the back of the mouth after swallowing. I had many a great Pirata beer and even greater Laugar beers in the past years, but this is one of those collabs where both players actually improve one another, which I think is rarely the case; this is imperial porter 'pur sang', with more emphasis on rounded, bittersweet chocolatey features than on roasted bitterness as a classically styled imperial stout would have, and moreover, one of the most enthralling embodiments of this vaguely defined style I had to date. Thick, intense, opulent, rich and 'fat', this would make a great accompaniment to, say, a selection of Spanish meats and cheeses, or could function on its own as a liquid dessert. All flavours remain focused and in direct communication with each other, everything falls into place here. Beautiful brew.

6.8

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

Bottle sample at a tasting at troubles' place. Thanks Max & Stas. Black, brown foam. Chocolate, roast, soy sauce, a bit of dark fruits, sweetish and umami, alcohol, full-bodied.

7.2

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

Bottle@Jens Ratebeer down tasting (11/02/2019) - black pour with a small white head. Dark roasted malty dark chocolate and caramel with some fudge notes, medium body, dark malty close

7.4

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

33 cl bottle at La Pirata Malasaña, stated at 9,5%. It pours glossy pitch black with a tan head. Aroma is mainly red apple; some coffee and smoke too. Oily, medium-carb, not very fresh. Nice good final bitterness. Medium persistence, hints of coffee in the aftertaste.

7.6

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

Bottled. A black beer with a thin brown head. The aroma has notes of roasted malt, chocolate, and alcohol. The flavor is sweet with notes of roasted malt, soy sauce, and chocolate, leading to a bitter finish.

7.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

22nd September 2017
Borefts IX. Day 1. Keg. Opaque black - brown beer, good tan head. Smooth palate, semi dry, decent fine carbonation. Smooth rich dark malts, a little spicy dark chocolate. Modest licorice. Tangy dark fruits. Light spicy finish. Dark chocolate linger.