Back to Black
Brouwerij De Ranke in Dottignies, Hainaut, Belgium 🇧🇪
Porter - Imperial Regular|
Score
7.22
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Back to Black is a dark brown, almost black, beer (9,5 % vol.alc.) that appeals to our imagination. Brewed with an IBU-bitterness of 100, the beer matures on foeder over a period of nine months before reaching it's unique taste.
Taste: This wayward porter brings you the perfect balance between sour- and bitterness.
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7/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Oct 2025
at 19:10
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
@ Home Firenze - thanks to Vitto
Tried
on 26 Dec 2024
at 00:13
5/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Jun 2024
at 23:31
5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 5
Monday, 1st April 2024; Monthly gathering in Chez Sophie, Shrewsbury. Five guys with beers to share and stories to tell. Cheers Mark for the 2020 75cl bottle of this undrinkable bitter' beer that sat in wood for 9 months to help make it even more undrinkable bitter. Almost black in colour, off-white affair on top. It's a bit like sour vinegar with a drop of cheap red wine thrown in along with the dregs of an old Porter!
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Apr 2024
at 10:31
5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 5
75cl bottle @ monthly tasting, Chez Sophie, April 24. Courtesy of Mark. Deep mahogany amber, small amount of off-white foam atop. Label says Brewed to be un-drinkably bitter.. but it's certainly nowhere near as bitter as some De Ranke beers. In a blind taste id say it brings to mind a red wine barrel-aged old ale with plenty of dried dark fruits and perhaps a hint of proper old school porter about it, but no roast or much dark malt. Bit odd overall.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Apr 2024
at 10:49
7/10
—
Appearance 2
Aroma 7
Flavor 9
Texture 6
Overall 8
Brown with minimal head. Aroma of balsamico, oak, sherry. Strong dankness. Taste is the highlight, delivering the advertised mix of bitterness and tartness. A bit of burnt chocolate lingers on the tongue. Medium-bodied, extremely mild carbonation. Has its moments. Perhaps a bit closer to a mild, dark sour than a traditional porter.
Tried
on 14 Oct 2023
at 16:58
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle from Beers of Europe. Pours hazy dark brown with a thin beige head. Aromas of blackcurrant, liquorice, earthy and woody. Some booze notes. Taste is more of the same. Sour finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 Aug 2023
at 16:10
7.2/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottled 750ml. -at Ambasada Zagreb, shared with hrabren. Black coloured, medium sized off-white head, acidic and light fruity nose. Acidic fruity, spicy, light caramel and alcohol with touch of wood in the finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Jul 2023
at 22:42
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
0.75 l bottle shared with Sesh Jon and Ogi at Ambasada, Zagreb. Darker ruby red to black. Funky, fruity, blackberry, blueberry skins, a touch of caramel in the back. Some alcohol, some spice. Medium body, quite smooth, juicy. Touches of glue, here and there. Tannins. Nicely dry.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Jul 2023
at 18:19
8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8
75cl fles van Drankgigant. 2020 editie. Fantastische Vlaams Oud Bruin / Flemish Red. Veel hout, eik, tikje chocolade, vanille, redelijk zuur, rode wijn, balsamico, nog redelijk vol door het hoge abv. Wel zo plat als een dubbeltje. Heeft echt weinig tot niets met een moderne Porter van doen. Wel erg lekker dus.
Tried
on 23 Jun 2023
at 22:18