Tag Archives: barrel aged

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Stout - Russian Imperial

De Struise Black Damnation XVII – Ben

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Bottle 39/2000, 2012 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A massive stout from Flanders, matured in Benriach barrel.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.02
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml bottle, number 39/2000. 2012 vintage, bottled on 29th March 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a very thin brown head that settled quickly to a ring around the glass and no lacing.
Aroma: Chocolate, dried dark fruits, raisin, prunes, caramel, with some boozy whisky notes.
Taste: Roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, liquorice, boozy, whisky, dried dark fruit, prunes, raisin.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft to no carbonation.
Overall: It’s a good enjoyable sipper, but not among my favourites of the Black Damnation variants.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Stout - Russian Imperial

De Struise Black Damnation XVIII – Major Tom

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Bottle 661/2000, 2012 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A massive stout from Flanders, matured in Glen Grant barrel.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.14
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml bottle, number 661/2000, 2012 vintage, bottled on 29th March 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Light to moderate roasty, chocolate, whisky, caramel, and liquorice notes.
Taste: Roasty, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, whisky, oak, dark fruit, toffee, liquorice, with a boozy finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper with good whisky notes.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Stout - Russian Imperial

De Struise Black Damnation XV – Drone

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Bottle 1250/2000, 2012 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A massive stout from Flanders, matured in Glendronach barrel.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.34
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 750ml bottle, number 1250/2000, 2012 vintage, bottled on 1st April 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with pretty much no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Whisky, dried dark fruit, prune, fig, dates, chocolate, toffee, oak, vanilla, with boozy notes.
Taste: Roasted malts, whisky, coffee, bitter, dark chocolate, with some dried dark fruit and oak.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper with good whisky and chocolate notes.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Stout - Russian Imperial

De Struise Cuvée Delphine Cask Strength 4 Roses BA

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2015 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Cask strength limited edition, medium carbonation, 4 Roses bourbon barrel 1 year.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.23
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml bottle, 2015 vintage, limited edition cask strength, bottled on 10th May 2016. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a half finger brown head that dissipated fairly quickly, while leaving only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Sweet dark malt, milk chocolate, dried dark fruit, raisin, prunes, fruit cake, with boozy notes.
Taste: Sweet dark malt, dark dried fruit, raisin, prunes, fruit cake, bourbon, with notes of milk chocolate.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: A nice sipping RIS with a good amount of dried dark fruit and bourbon flavours, although my preference is still with the original Cuvée Delphine.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Heroes Beer Co., Hong Kong, Stout - Milk / Sweet Imperial

Heroes BB&AWAIMSwCN&V (3rd Anniversary)

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Brewery: Heroes Beer Co.
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 10.3%
Style: Stout – Milk / Sweet Imperial
Other Notes: Bottle 644 of 960

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Bourbon Barrel & Amburana Wood Aged Imperial Milk Stout with Cacao Nibs & Vanilla. Starts off with robust wood aged characters of gingerbread, tonka beans, and savory herbs from the Amburana wood. Follows with secondary vanilla and toffee like notes from the Bourbon barrels and vanilla pods. The malt base is complex with rounded dark chocolates and coffee, which is further enhanced by the cacao nibs infusion. Secondary malt profile caramel, and toasted bread provides great depth to the flavor. Drinks full body with a chewy mouthfeel.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.12
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A boxed, black waxed, 650ml bomber, bottle 644 of 960, packaged on 15th July 2020, and with a best before date of 15th July 2022. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Poured pitch black with pretty much no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Strong aromatic coconut, gingerbread, and cinnamon from the Amburana, followed by lots of nice milk chocolate, caramel, toffee, and vanilla. The finish is Christmas spice like.
Taste: Sweet, chocolate, Christmas spices, vanilla, caramel, toffee, dried dark fruit and a light spicy kick on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied and rich, with soft carbonation.
Overall: Aroma was wonderful, while taste was sweet and rich, which was fine while cool, but as it warmed, it started getting more intense to the point where it was on the borderline maybe too much for me. Amburana barrels are not my favourite, but this was certainly worth a try.