When It comes to big stouts there are a few big hitters out there, and Three Floyd's Dark Lord is one of them. This big Russian imperial stout come out once a year and its only sold at the brewery, and to show you how big this beer release is I will tell you that there is a whole day in April in Munster Indiana dedicated to this beer, and appropriately its called "Dark Lord Day." This stout my friends is no joke, bottled at a robust 15% abv in 22 oz bottles sealed in wax, this beer is not for the faint of heart. Dark Lord drinks thick and heavy, but with lots of delicious complexity making this stout a delight. Furthermore, its best to to share your bottle of Dark Lord, not only because a bomber of this will knock you into next week, but also because it happens to be a rare beer and not most people get to try such a treat. Another reason to share your bottle is because this beer also happens to be expensive, not only do you have to buy tickets for 10 dollars to attend Dark Lord Day at the brewery, but also the cost of the bottle is 15 dollars, so essentially you are paying 25 bucks for this stout. Moreover, enjoy your Dark Lord in moderation; the proper serving size for this brew is about 8.4 oz poured into either a snifter or nonic pint. I prefer to drink Dark Lord as a late night beer when its cool out after dinner. This stout makes a great pairing with chocolaty desserts or a cheese fondue, but also will pair nicely with a cigar of the maduro variety. Also, Dark Lord makes a great beer to cellar, so putting this away in a dark place for a few months to a few years will help this beer mellow out a bit.
Color: Black... black as motor oil. A nice one finger khaki head forms on top of this beer. Leaves behind minimal lacing on the glass, but the darkness of this brew does stain the glass.
Nose: Boom! Immense roasted malts and bitter coffee. Vanilla, molasses, syrup, and raisin also appear as this beer warms. I can see why people say they smell soy sauce in this beer, but to me its quite faint and not a real factor in this beer.
Palate: Thick, yet drinkable because the carbonation is spot on. The tongue gets bathed in sweet waves of vanilla, chocolate, syrup, and molasses. Following the sweetness are palate crushing waves of intense bitter coffee and a gentle hop profile. This beer is well layered and smooth despite a tingly warmth from the abv.
Finish: Intense,thick,complex, sweet, and some good bitterness. Overall this stout is a great example of the Russian Imperial form. Very pleased with this beer!
Rating: 94 out 100
No comments:
Post a Comment