Surly Darkness

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 10

750mL bottle number 176 (2007 Grim Reaper Vintage) acquired via a trade with the generous OSLO, thanks buddy.

Pours deep darkness with frothy creamy and bubbly mocha head. The aroma is mild with an above average load of pine hops mixing with roasty malts, a firm background of chocolate, musty dirty wood notes and mild alcohol warming on the tip of the nose. A creamy decadent mouthfeel ushers in the same notes picked up in the aroma with pine hop bitterness, rich creamy dark chocolate, dark roasty to burnt malts and rich dark fruity esters of sweet berries and faint tart berry fruitiness. Wow. The pine hop bitterness grows some into the finish to a decent level for the style but providing some balance to the rich roasty sweet malt goodness.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 10

Sampled at the great Boise tasting 1/16/10
Appearance: Black with a large tan head and lacing left in the glass
Aroma: Molasses, dark fruits, coffee, chocolate
Taste: Roasted malts, dark fruits, chocolate, coffee
Very smooth beer. One of my favorites of the night of many good Imperial Stouts.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Bottle thanks to ygtbsm94: poured a thick black oil color with a creamy brown head. The head sits on top like a protective layer of goodness. Aroma is heavenly chocolate, dark fruits, and coffee. Taste is dark raisin fruit, slight sweet chocolate, and slight bitter coffee touch.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

Pours coffee brown with a nice tan head. Aroma presents roast malt, coffee, molasses and licorice tones. Bold flavor delivers rich molasses, roast malt, coffee, semi-sweet and licorice notes; it is rather sweet but not cloying. Viscous body delivers a strong and persistent fizz. Enjoy the darkness! Another one off me beer bucket list.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Finally had a chance to try this today at Tribes Alehouse. Black pour (looks like used motor oil) with a small dark tan head. Aromas of chocolate, coffee, dark fruit and roasted malt. Tastes as it smells, with the chocolate coming more to front as it warms and a bit of an ashy taste as well. Thick and coating mouthfeel. An outstanding Imperial Stout. Would like to try other versions of the great beer (barrel aged, etc.). A must try for Imperial Stout fans.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Sampled from bottle thanks to Andy. Pours opaque black-brown with a tan head. Dark dried fruit aroma. Flavor is sweet with rich bready, chocolate malts and dark dried fruits. Good final gravity to make it drinkable but it's sweetness and lower carbonation makes it a sipper.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Lucky to have had a couple of pints on tap so far this year (at a price that is cheaper per ounce than the bottled version). Pitch black pour with thick mocha head. This is a huge beer with so much going on. I get plums, cherries, raisins, fig, chocolate, coffee, roasted malts and hop bitterness. Every sip brings something new, especially as the beer warms. Excellent!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Big thanks to Andy for hooking me up with the 2011 edition. Pours a opaque, sludgy black. Texture of motor oil. Head is massive. Light brown, Aroma is huge.Roasted with coffee beans. smoke. Black licorice, woody incredible balance with bittersweet chocolate. Earthy and fig notes.

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

RBAG 2012. First off got to say I love the bottle….zombies get bonce marks………wax is cool to. Light smoke, some pipe tabaco, mild soap, blue berry……Aromas are all starting to fade together today good thing this my last beer of the night. Taste high quality, roasted malts, smoke, wood, prunes, other stuff. Getting the odd with whiff of sweaty feet but its limited. Bitter coffee lingers in after taste…Daaaaa beer is kind of underwhelming after the awesome that was drank tonight but you can still tell this is a wicked brew! Thanks Savey

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

October 2011 version. Poured like flat coke, but the head did finally build up, very black in the glass with dark dark tan head. Aroma is fairly mild, some hops are deffinitely present along with a syrupy malt character. Then the flavor, wow, absolutely worth the wait and the 6 hour drive to duluth! robust mouth full of dark fruits, rich malt and noticeable hops to keep it balanced. Almost a milky smoothness and a biting aftertaste that makes you want another mouthful. Picking up some coffee, burnt malts and resin in the aftertaste. From start to finish this is extemely well done. As it warms you pick up a lot more thick caramel, toffee and booze. A great brew to head into winter.