Black Orchard

Pours deep mahogany into a tumbler. Off-white head with excellent retention leaves spot lacing as it recedes to hug rim. Sour cherry and wheat aromas. Sweet dark caramel and crisp upfront, slightly cloying sour cherry and apricot finish.

Thanks to beerbill for sharing - huge explosion of foam when opened - fizzy, short-lived head - doughy aroma, with notes of chocolate-covered cherries and a bit of spice - full in the mouth - earthy and toasty - a bit chalky, with a decent amount of cocoa and a bit of tartness, orange peel - some lingering cherry flavors and yeastiness - not any really apparent spice/coriander - decent, but not memorable.

750 ml bottle courtesy of heemer77. Pour is cloudy brown ruby with a one inch tan head. Aroma of big jasmine spiciness, some dank earthy thing going on. Nice, interesting full nose. Taste is acidic caramel wheat, some grainy oats. The finish has dried fruit, prunes or raisins. Palate is silky, medium coating. Highly carbonated. Nice beer, though I was hoping for more in the taste after the nice nose.

Bottle at Mekong on 07/19/2009. Dark black body with a large rocky off-white head. Sweet chocolate aroma with light roast and spice. Big chocolate flavor with some faint roast and a good spicy background and a dry finish. Medium body with moderate carbonation. 7/5/8/3/16 - 3.9 Bottle on 07/18/2009. Hazy dark brown body with a large frothy off-white head. Sweet fruit, light yeastiness, and some dark malt aroma. Sweet raspberry and roast malt flavor, some dark malt. Medium body with moderately high carbonation. 7/4/7/3/13 - 3.4 Bottle on 11/30/2008 at the 3rd Annual Richmond Industry Gathering. Murky dark brown body with a medium tan head. Big spice and fruit aroma. Sweet caramel and dark fruit flavor with some light chocolate. Medium body with moderately high carbonation. 7/3/7/3/14 - 3.4

On tap. Interesting dark beer. Pours with a nearly black body, and a fluffy light brown head that leaves just a thin cover after a few minutes. Aroma of coriander, chamomile, and roasted malts. Taste is very yeasty with coriander, orange peel and toasted malts. Dryish and slightly fizzy.

Bottle from Hi-Time. Gushing, huge tan head over very dark brown liquid. Aromas of spice and medium dark fruit plus citrus. Medium body with creamy carbonation. It’s darker roasted malt, darkish fruit, spice, and still a hint of citrus. Seems like a touch of coffee. Rather smooth. Tasty finish. Highly recommended.

Bottle shared by Odeed from Hi-Times; black with a medium beige head; came out of the bottle as a gusher; Nose is fairly light with coffee, toffee, and nuts; flavor is caramel, coffee, some sweetness, and light spices.

Draft. Dark mahogony beer with a tan head. Spicy, yeasty, malty aroma. Spicy, yeasty, malty, caramel flavor. Medium body. Caramel, spice, and yeast linger.

From tap at Pizza Port, Carlsbad. Pours almost black with a small orange glare and a lacing white head. Mild spiced and roasted malt flavour. Spiced and malty roasted flavour. Lasting spiced flavour and slight roasted. Not my style, too spiced.6-3-4-3-10=2.6

From bottle, blind #2. Pours hazy dark brown with a small off-white head. Yeasty, roasted malt, caramel and light acidic touch in the aroma. Plastic, leathery and spiced flavoured. Mild acidic touch. Spiced and roasted finish. Lingering roasted malt flavoured finish.6 3 6 3 13 = 3.1

Dark brown. Smokey dark fruits highlight a complex aroma. Fruity-yeasty character with some dark malts and raisin.