Sloefmans (15519) reviewed Nutcracker from Black Oak Brewing 19 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Shortlived beige head over ebony beer. Rich black chocolate and wood nose, slightly sweet. A bit of tobacco as well, very roasted. Very dry wood flavour, plywood, touches of coffee and bitter chocolate. Ever so slight malty sweetness, tucked away under the dry bitterish roast. Ends on a sweeter note, hazelnut-like. Quite slick, medium bodied at best. Quite decent porter, txs to Stephen. I could not identify the cinnamon.
Sloefmans (15519) reviewed Beat The Heat from Black Oak Brewing 19 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4
Ochre to pale amber beer with a small, bigger-bubbled white head. First pineapple, some bleak farmyard odours, faintly spicey (coriander, gingerpowder?), and then, unmistakably, diacetyl and celeri taking over. More diacetyl - and more faults in the mouth, leading to a fiery, aggressive MF, despite a rather light body and buttery slickness, with flavours of stale cookies, burnt sesame oil and the inevitable coriander. Oops. Very seasonal, I should hope.
Sloefmans (15519) reviewed Nut Brown Ale from Black Oak Brewing 19 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
A few seconds of coloured head over a beer looking like Coca-Cola, but with less carbonation. Smoked nose, hickory, maple syrup, nuts, milk chocolate. First impression is dry, woody, even bitterish, but fills in gradually with more sweet malty elements, again milkchocolate. Balance is indeed quite good. In the aftertaste I get again bitter, probably hoppy, less than roasted malts. Medium bodied at best certain grist slickness, smooth. Interesting sample of an somewhat orphaned style. Thanks, Steve!
Boutip (9839) reviewed Beat The Heat from Black Oak Brewing 19 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle courtesy of Hogtownharry: Poured a deep golden orange color ale with a big foamy head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of funky east with some orange and other spices. Taste is dry with some floral malt and a long yeasty finish with layer of complexity. Body is a bit light but it doesn’t hurt the beer too much overall. I got too admit that I wasn’t expecting so much from this one and was pleasantly surprised.
Silphium (4309) reviewed Nutcracker from Black Oak Brewing 19 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Bottle from blankboy. Deep brown opaque body, thin-medium tan head. Chocolatey, toasty aroma with touches of spice. Cinnamon is more pronounced in the flavor than in the nose. Otherwise a roasty, chocolatey porter, but leans towards a spice beer due to the potent cinnamon. Medium-bodied with a lingering bitter finish. Not bad, but the porter is of average complexity minus the cinnamon.
Boutip (9839) reviewed Pale Ale from Black Oak Brewing 19 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Bottle: Poured a clear golden color ale with a medium head with average retention. Citrus hops are clearly present and enjoyable in the aroma. Taste of semi-sweet malt with a citrusy finish. Body is on par for the style. Good for the style without being exceptional in anyway.
Boutip (9839) reviewed Nutcracker from Black Oak Brewing 20 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 7
Bottle: Poured a black color porter with small foamy dark brown head with good retention. Aroma of roasted malt with some light cinnamon. Taste is quite rich with a nice dose of roasted malt and some spices, which definitely includes cinnamon. Notes of chocolate and coffee are identifiable but a more important presence would have been nice. Body is above average.
Ungstrup (52239) reviewed Pale Ale from Black Oak Brewing 20 years ago
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5
A yellow beer with a white head. The aroma is sweet grainy, while the flavor is sweet with a dry hoppy end. An average beer.
SpringsLicker (4048) reviewed Pale Ale from Black Oak Brewing 20 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Light gold color with a tall white head. Clean fruity hop aroma. Starts sweet with some nice dry hops coming right in. Good body, bitter finish. A bit bumpy in the balance, but quite drinkable.
Clarkvv (16760) reviewed Beat The Heat from Black Oak Brewing 20 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
2004 bottle from a trade with Sammy, thanks man! Consumed on 8/17/2005. Aroma of light vinousness, raspberries, cherries, tart plum juice. Cola and black pepper. Bottle-conditioned fine bubbles. Inky black beer with a ruby-garnet highlight when held to the light. Big, very well-retained yellow-tan head. Pepper, lemongrass and ginger. Yep, ginger, lots of ginger. Flavor begins with black licorice, ginger, deep rooty, chewy herbs and plant roots, maybe some opium-like notes as well. Ginger/anise really stands strong, though not overpoweringly so. Awesome mouthfeel, unfiltered, smooth and lightly tingly. Plenty of lacing. Starts with very dry maltiness, but then ginger and chewy licorice emerge. Retronasal earthy, peppery yeast and figgy notes. Deep traces of coffee. Very fluffy texture on the end. Very dry and attenuated flavor on the end, though, with a bit too much ginger/anise for my liking. Love the mouthfeel though.
I’m a little bit concerned that no one else mentions a deep, dark color and heavy ginger-anise influences. . .