Barley Island Sinister Minister Belgian Black Ale

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

2007 Bottle Date; Sampled January 2009
An average pour into my 25cl tulip glass leaves me with three-fingers of lightly browned, light tan colored head. The beer is quite a dark brown, almost black color that shows a brilliantly clear, rich ruby hue to it when held up to the light. The aroma has a fruitiness to it up front, but then has a meaty malt character to it that is a bit surprising to me. Aromas of toasted, roasted, almost smoky, dark malt a deep toasted nuttiness (almost like peanut butter). After a bit the nutty note in the finish seems like it has gone a little rancid. The aroma on this is not bad, but it is really interesting, I have never quite smelled a beer like this before.

Lightly sweet, again with a fruit note that reminds me of prunes and raisins. The beer picks up a hint of tartness in the middle that continues to accentuated the fruit flavors. This beer feels a little light as it first hits the tongue, but it picks up a viscousness as it rolls across the tongue and actually finishes with a fair amount of heft. That interesting, slightly rancid nuttiness of the aroma is much subdued in the flavor; there is a touch of it here that is almost more of an oral-nasal sense than anything. Dark malt notes tend to temper that dark fruit notes a bit and also provide a touch of burnt grain bitterness as well as a touch of burnt acidity and perhaps some tannic astringency. This could use some spiciness to it; it is somehow Belgian-style and some fermentation spiciness would provide a lot more balance to this beer. As the beer warms up the fruitiness begins to take on a cola like edge.

Other than the fact that the aroma is really starting to annoy me, this isn’t a bad beer; I keep on thinking I should be able to exactly identify this note in the aroma, but I can’t quite place my finger on it.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Tasted at Noogfest 4.0 (2008). This Belgian Ale pours a medium black color from a 750ml bottle. Small sized white foamy head. The aroma is roasted malt, yeasty and dark fruit. A medium to light bodied Belgian Ale. The malts are chocolate and toffee. The hops are earthy. Lots of flavors going on here, some roasted malts and some smoke as well. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Bottle shared by GMCC2181. Pour was brown to black w/ some reddish hues to it too (when tilted). The head was 1cm and had good retention, steady bubbles rising to the surface. The aroma was coriander spices, oranges, light yeast, some dark fruits. The flavor followed the aroma, nice fruity esters, phenolic spicing, coriander, oranges, mixed dark fruits, and light chocolate and faint smoke/roast in the aftertaste. This sucker had some nice flavors going on, and the only knock was the light (filtered?) mouthfeel combined with seemingly high artificial carbonation. Fix up the latter, and we've got ourselves a very fine beer here - enjoyable as is, though. Thanks, Gabe, for sharing!