Crooked Line: Labyrinth Black Ale
Uinta Brewing Company

Crooked Line: Labyrinth Black AleCrooked Line: Labyrinth Black Ale
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From:
Uinta Brewing Company
 
Utah, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
13.2%
Score:
94
Avg:
4.23 | pDev: 10.64%
Reviews:
331
Ratings:
1,148
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 12, 2023
Added:
Jun 01, 2010
Wants:
  176
Gots:
  309
Labyrinth Black Ale, from Uinta's new Crooked Line, was triumphant in its first competition since it was conceived earning a Gold medal in the Imperial Stout category of the competition at the 2010 North American Brewers Association Awards. Aged in rye barrels.

56 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DrDemento456:
Photo of DrDemento456
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania

4.69/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Drinking this today to celebrate my birthday of 29 years of age (almost 5 years on the site) Paid the premium on this 14.99 for the bomber bottled 7/09/12. Hopefully with almost two years of age the Black Licorice is aged out well.

A - As expected thick dark blackness with a full two inches of deep mocha head. It slowly dissipates despite its massive 13% ABV. Served at cellar temperature 55 degrees.
S - Wow the whiskey and the licorice are big on this but more like a licorice jellybean so sweet. So is a big oak and roasty smell. Not getting much chocolate going on here so I assume it's not going to be a sweet assult which I kind of enjoy. Very potent at only slightly chilled.
T +M - Despite the small burn in the finish I am amazed how smooth both the body and flavor is. Every sip is different first sip was heavy whiskey slightly sour but mostly woody in taste then moves to a bite of licorice and a hint of roast. The next sip was solid chunk chocolate so smooth and creamy and lead to sweet whiskey and a roasty finish. It is very hoppy despite all this even after over a year the hop bite is there in the finish. The only note of the ABV is a warm stomach from each sip but nothing in the flavor.

Overall I was super glad this wasn't an anise bomb like that one Stone's RIS. And the whiskey barrel aged worked so well on this beer. Quite possibly one of the best whisky aged beers I ever had and best beer I ever drank from Uinta.

I only gave the overall a 4.5 because of the price. Its seldom made and at $14.99 it's not really going to be a top must have all the time.
Mar 16, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of NorsemanOne
Reviewed by NorsemanOne from Utah

4.51/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Purchased from the brewery cooler for $4
Canned 11.01.23 - this version is 12% abv
Poured at about 45° into what I think is a goblet/chalice.

Pours dark oily black with a 2F mocha colored head. Near full sheet lacing. 4.25

Aroma off the can is largely barrel, and semisweet bakers chocolate. Off the glass I get a bit of char and coffee. 4.5

I'm still working on description of the taste, since I'm not terribly familiar with the style. But there is some hot booze, woody barrel, soft and subtle raisin, bakers chocolate, roasty coffee and mixed dark/fermented stone fruit. 4.5

Moderate prickling carbo, heavy and pleasant mouthcoating, warming but subtle alcohol, and a beautiful dry bite of a finish. 4.75

Overall I'm quickly loving beglians more and more, especially the variance across dubbel, Tripel, quad. This one in particular felt wonderfully balanced, and crafted with much love. It's appears to be a celebrated local high point beer. 4.5
Nov 12, 2023
Photo of buckthehog
Reviewed by buckthehog from Texas

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Wow. Been aging since 2/17/14 (date on bottle)….drinking after almost 10 years! Nose is coffee grounds and tree bark! Smokey and charred wood flavor. This one aged beautifully!
Jul 22, 2023
Photo of Radome
Reviewed by Radome from Florida

4.42/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Tasted from a 750 ml bottle in a snifter.

L - Pitch black beer with a medium brown head that piles high and persists. Great appearance for the style.

S - Huge depth of aroma with chocolate, smoke, espresso, oak and faint whiskey. Very inviting, but the aromas are at a restrained level; not as prominent as some other barrel aged Imperial Stouts I've had.

T - Huge flavors just right for the style. Molasses, espresso, a hint of licorice. The barrel aging is very evident, as if you are chewing on toasted oak chips, with the whiskey as a lesser flavor element, but they act together to keep any harsh, acrid, burnt grain flavors at bay. Smoke and whiskey linger after a dry finish.

F - Medium to heavy body. Moderate carbonation. Strong bitterness from the hops and perhaps from roasted grains as well. Alcohol adds a bit of sweetness, but is surprisingly hidden for the listed ABV.

O - This is a great example of one of my favorite styles. Huge, deep, complex and worth savoring every sip!
Dec 26, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by mflamar from New York

Feb 10, 2020
Photo of iguanodon
Reviewed by iguanodon from Utah

4.1/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
[Original rating 2012-11-17] Opaque black with a thin brown head. Aroma is boozy, molasses, a hint of licorice. Taste is sweet molasses, chocolate, coffee, tobacco, wood. Finish is sweet molasses with just enough bitterness. Very well done.
Oct 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4.15 by Dakin from Utah

Sep 13, 2018
Photo of Keepnitrl
Rated by Keepnitrl from Washington

4.03/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Boozey
Jun 17, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by crob3888 from California

Apr 14, 2018
 
Rated: 3.25 by Moses_Malone from District of Columbia

Jan 25, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by Sir_Goatman from Oregon

Jan 22, 2018
Photo of DaverCS
Reviewed by DaverCS from Arizona

4.36/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Picked this bottle up in mid-2014 on a family vacation to Las Vegas. The bottle date is 12/03/??, as the label was smeared. Thus, in my estimation, this beer is likely from December of 2013, but it could be older. If true, it has about 4 years of age on it.

Despite a vigorous pour, the beer pours black with no head. There are some nice alcohol legs to this one. The aroma is very wood forward with a prevalent booziness. Some burnt coffee character is also present. Very stout-like. Moderate mouthfeel.

Taste reminds me of a heavily roasted, full-bodied stout... but then again, what is black quadruple ale? LOTS of toasted oak; I mean tons with a roasty bitterness. This is not a sweet beer. There are a nice amount of dark fruits but this beer is definitely not a quad. Very reminiscent to me of the abyss by Deschutes. I can’t say I taste licorice, but this may be the age. I get a slight spice at the end, which it could be also. Alcohol heat present but not cloying.

Overall, this is a solid beer (whatever category it is). Love the label art, but I don’t think it warrants the bomber format. Put this in a four pack and sell it year round, as it mainly tastes like a well-done basic stout. I see it pairing with Indian-spiced lamb. It gets a 87/100.
Dec 27, 2017
Photo of bshefftz
Reviewed by bshefftz from California

4.02/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours deep black with a roasted coffee nose. Taste is dominated by dark roasted malt, followed by bittersweet chocolate and hop bitterness. Alcohol is by no means hidden at 13%. Overall a good brew though trending a little bit roastier and more bitter than my preference.
Dec 05, 2017
 
Rated: 4.57 by Bajdog from Maryland

Nov 29, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by onlymurderers from Illinois

Sep 25, 2017
Photo of HoppingMadMonk
Reviewed by HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey

3.81/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Black in color with medium carbonation. Aroma is licorice,alcohol,then malt and yeast. Despite the high abv it didn't come off over the top to me and seemed hidden at least a little bit of it. What I couldn't get past was the licorice which was stronger than the 13.2 abv and dominated all other aspects of this beer. Had they skipped the licorice it would have been a solid great beer. I still scored it relatively high because I think it was a really unique well made beer. I personally couldn't get past the licorice
Aug 08, 2017
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

2.99/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Wooof if you're ready to get your drink on, line this one up. Pours black. Seen thicker, especially at this abv, but don't even dare think this wades into "watery" or "thin" territory. Tan head, 1/3". Aroma smacks heavily of alcohol first, roast second, wood third.

Taste, fucking alcohol blasts its way first. Take no prisoners. Some nuance of a very virgin/dry oak feels and heavy roast comes in. It isn't complex. Its a sledgehammer of a beer. Watched my homie get absolutely tanked on this during Wrestlemania one year. Said later he didn't remember the rest of the night. Usually rye barrel imparts some sweetness, didn't get it here. A little bit of licorice feel to it if you search for it and let it warm.

Overall this was just too boozy for me. At least the price is below average, but I would say for a barrel aged stout, so is this.
Jul 21, 2017
Photo of Alieniloquium
Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida

3.83/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
750 mL bottle. Jet black. Old bottle. Smells a little oxidized. Smells of strong roasted malt and oak. Tastes of chocolate, oak, and roasted malt. Pretty alcoholic. Heavy, but not that sweet. Very good, perhaps even improved with the slight oxidation.
Jul 20, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

4.22/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
I poured this into a pint glass and a snifter. The appearance was a pure jet black color with a one finger white foamy head in both glasses. The lacing was the same in both glasses as it was fairly clingy and thick. The smell was a roasted barley and coffee that combines with a black licorice that ends up allowing a decent roasted chocolate coming about to balance it all out. Wow, what a nice complex smell to this. The taste was bitter, roasty and sweet at different times and ends up allowing these super nice qualities to come back in the aftertaste. There is a finish and its somewhat dry and sweet. On the palate, this one is not sessionable by any means. It sits heavy on the body with a decent carbonation running about my mouth and tongue. Overall, American Black Ale, wow, this is a very well done beer for its style and for me.
Jun 18, 2017
 
Rated: 4.21 by BdM from Netherlands

Jun 04, 2017
Crooked Line: Labyrinth Black Ale from Uinta Brewing Company
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 1148 ratings