Black Tusk Ale
Whistler Brewing Company

Black Tusk AleBlack Tusk Ale
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From:
Whistler Brewing Company
 
British Columbia, Canada
Style:
English Dark Mild Ale
Ranked #49
ABV:
5%
Score:
79
Ranked #26,659
Avg:
3.41 | pDev: 15.84%
Reviews:
33
Ratings:
77
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 18, 2022
Added:
Nov 25, 2008
Wants:
  10
Gots:
  15
To date, we have won 2 World Awards for this dark, English-style mild ale. You can expect a mild bitterness with notes of chocolate and roasted coffee, and a very clean finish.

Oh, and Black Tusk Ale is named for a famous local landmark – the jet black core of a now-extinct volcano. A must-see when you next come to Whistler.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by 130guy:
Photo of 130guy
Rated by 130guy from Canada (ON)

3.47/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Dec 31, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of TheHammer
Reviewed by TheHammer from Canada (ON)

2.71/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
From notes, had it at the Vancouver Airport

Appearance: Poured with one finder of head, that laced while it lasted, but quickly disappeared. Body is a dark brown, near black and completely opaque.

Smell: Slight nut note is all I get initially and even with ample warming, all I am getting is some mild toffee being brought to the table, with maybe a hint of licorice? Very weak.

Taste: Dark chocolate to start with a touch of licoric that gives way to charred burnt malt and then a finally slight muddy hop kick. I explicitly noted, I wouldn't have minded a bit more bitterness at the end, probably to drown out the burnt note.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly despite the lack of head, I get an excess carbonation vibe from this. That kind of club soda taking over a drink when you've over diluted it. Transitioning is kind of a rough patch as well here, but at least the aftertaste is a mild charred malt note with a touch of licorice.

Drinkability: It's very thin, and drinks like this should be a 3.5% ABV beer. How this has been accomplished with a 5% beer leaves me asking both how and why? It's refreshing I suppose, and settles down well enough but this isn't what I want with a dark ale.

Final Thoughts: This was the last beer I had in BC and it was probably the biggest disappointment of the trip. Again, this is shocking to me that this is 5% as this drinks like an absurdly light 3.5% bitter gone wrong and too charred. I certainly would not be looking to pick this one up again should I return to BC, nor do I think you should either. Hard pass.
Apr 18, 2022
 
Rated: 4.13 by aklavall from Canada (AB)

Oct 31, 2021
 
Rated: 3.53 by Eric_Standard from Canada (BC)

Jul 20, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by Amoeba from California

Apr 11, 2020
Photo of altstadt
Reviewed by altstadt from Canada (BC)

2.9/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2
Dark red-brown color with a very short tan head. The head quickly collapsed to a thin skiff across the top. No lacing. Too dark to see the carbonation level. Looks like a coke in the glass.

Smells of sweet malts, more like a malty coke than a beer. Swirling the glass kicked up a bit of barnyard.

Very thin flavor. Some mild malt and a little bit sweet. Aftertaste is similar to the smell of dry, uncooked quick oats (oatmeal). Might be better chilled cold on a hot day. Still working on the soft drink theme.

Quickly foams up like a beer, but still has a lot of tongue tingling carbonation like a coke.

Somewhat insipid. Boring. Overwhelmingly mild. This is far too much like a coke where some of the sugar has been replaced with a little malt and most of the flavor left out. A good beer for people who don't like beer.
Feb 23, 2020
 
Rated: 4.04 by Shintetsuken from Canada (BC)

Jan 30, 2020
 
Rated: 3.42 by mistahmojoryan from Canada (SK)

Nov 17, 2018
 
Rated: 3.25 by Howlader from Canada (AB)

Mar 10, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by spokenwheels from Canada (BC)

Jan 09, 2018
 
Rated: 3.67 by Bunman3 from Canada (AB)

Sep 06, 2017
 
Rated: 4.02 by jcubz from Canada (SK)

May 08, 2017
 
Rated: 4.11 by ILOVEHAM from Canada (BC)

Mar 04, 2017
Photo of kitschiguy
Reviewed by kitschiguy from Hong Kong

3.15/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Poured 330ml bottle into a 350ml beer glass. A vigorous pour produced a fairly big tan head which died almost immediately and left a film which also disappeared. Dark reddish brown and otherwise looked ok.

Nose is very malty with hints of coffee and cocoa.

Palate is much of the same and lacking some complexity - very mildly hopped.

Mouth is a little thin

Overall very easy drinking and recommended if you want something unchallenging.
Oct 26, 2016
Photo of EMV
Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania

3.54/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Had on-tap at the Vancouver airport, poured into a pint glass.

L: Pours a clear black color.. hints of red where the light hits it. Thin tannish head.

S: Sweet... roasted malts, hints of cherry.

T/F: Semi-sweet overall.. with roasted malts providing the bulk of the flavor. Notes of cocoa and cherry... very mild hops at the finish to clean it up a bit. Moderate carbonation... medium thickness.

O: Not bad for a sweet-ish stout, but not a standout either. Very sessionable and no bad flavors to speak of. I'd have it again.
Jun 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.33 by BCborn from Canada (BC)

Jan 01, 2016
 
Rated: 3.68 by k3ve from Switzerland

Sep 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by Drknight from Virginia

Jul 29, 2015
 
Rated: 3.63 by Canada_Dan from Colorado

Jun 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.51 by rawfish from California

Apr 04, 2015
Black Tusk Ale from Whistler Brewing Company
Beer rating: 79 out of 100 with 77 ratings