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Reserve Special Black Ale
Dark Horse Brewing Company
- From:
- Dark Horse Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- Black IPA
Ranked #76 - ABV:
- 7.5%
- Score:
- 88
Ranked #13,948 - Avg:
- 3.93 | pDev: 10.43%
- Reviews:
- 609
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jun 30, 2023
- Added:
- May 28, 2002
- Wants:
- 67
- Gots:
- 139
Conceived in a dimly lit room on a blistery cold night in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, but born and raised here in Marshall Michigan. The Reserve Special is the oldest of all beers in the Dark Horse family. It has an incredibly “thick” presence and when poured into a glass its color is so dark it’s eerie. The flavors explode onto your taste buds with heavy malt, roast, and chocolate, but stay very balanced. The Reserve Special Black Ale has a hard time being called a stout or porter but it fits nicely into the category of a delicious strong black ale.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Gushue3:
Reviewed by Gushue3 from Massachusetts
3.97/5 rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
First off I have a little cold so my review may already be all fucked up. Ive been sitting on this one for a while now, pretty excited to drink it.
A- Pours almost pitch black with just a little bit of transparency. Sits in my glass blacker than Charlie Murphy with a small light brown head that goes away quickly. Little/no retention and lacing.
S- Lots of malt up front with what seems like a hint of alcohol. Semi sweet chocolate too
T- BIG roast, smoke and malt profile at first that mellows out in the middle and turns into hops. A nice medium hop bitterness to finish. A hint of alcohol too
M- Good medium amount of carbonation and other than that goes down pretty smooth
O- not much to complain about with this one. i wish my nose wasnt as stuffed. hope i did it justice
Apr 14, 2011A- Pours almost pitch black with just a little bit of transparency. Sits in my glass blacker than Charlie Murphy with a small light brown head that goes away quickly. Little/no retention and lacing.
S- Lots of malt up front with what seems like a hint of alcohol. Semi sweet chocolate too
T- BIG roast, smoke and malt profile at first that mellows out in the middle and turns into hops. A nice medium hop bitterness to finish. A hint of alcohol too
M- Good medium amount of carbonation and other than that goes down pretty smooth
O- not much to complain about with this one. i wish my nose wasnt as stuffed. hope i did it justice
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
4.12/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
June 2011: Bottle at Øl & Mat-festivalen, Oslo. Pitch black colour, creamy tan head. Very nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee, dark chocolate and cedar wood. The flavour has also a nice roastiness, notes of coffee and dark chocolate again, hints of liquorice.
Dec 15, 2022Reviewed by Pivopijak from Washington
4.42/5 rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
draught
Needed to mention that this was at the brewery and either the freshness made a huge difference or most reviewers are clearly, under rating this beer.
Enduring, light beige head. Extremely dark brown, with a wee bit of dark red, at the bottom of glass. Good amount of DARK roasted grain aroma, with teeny, blackstrap molasses essence, underlying. Really agreeable, non-harsh, very heavily roasted grain flavor, again, with little bit of blackstrap molasses, in the background. Finishes in a good way, with the smooth, dark roast grains. Really good, for sure.
Oct 31, 2021Needed to mention that this was at the brewery and either the freshness made a huge difference or most reviewers are clearly, under rating this beer.
Enduring, light beige head. Extremely dark brown, with a wee bit of dark red, at the bottom of glass. Good amount of DARK roasted grain aroma, with teeny, blackstrap molasses essence, underlying. Really agreeable, non-harsh, very heavily roasted grain flavor, again, with little bit of blackstrap molasses, in the background. Finishes in a good way, with the smooth, dark roast grains. Really good, for sure.
Reviewed by Navanation from Pennsylvania
4/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Not heavy, just tasty. Enjoyable smooth taste, tan head that traces down the glass. Not hoppy. Lovely lager taste and feel. Clean finish. One of the better dark ales I've had in some time.
Dec 27, 2020Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.91/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.91/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Unknown vintage; drank 11/9/15 @ the Yarchives.
Black/purple appearance.
A rough pour yielded a small dark tan head; strong lace.
Fresh earth, smoke, s'mores & blackberry notes in the nose. Evocative!
Medium thick, creamy mouthfeel.
Cream, fresh earth & smoke flavors up front; a hint of pickle juice on the finish.
The nose mesmerized, but that pickle juice finish derailed this. Perhaps an old bottle?
Aug 26, 2019Black/purple appearance.
A rough pour yielded a small dark tan head; strong lace.
Fresh earth, smoke, s'mores & blackberry notes in the nose. Evocative!
Medium thick, creamy mouthfeel.
Cream, fresh earth & smoke flavors up front; a hint of pickle juice on the finish.
The nose mesmerized, but that pickle juice finish derailed this. Perhaps an old bottle?
Reviewed by chitoryu12 from Florida
3.67/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Look: Very dark brown, like a less fizzy cola. Half a finger of off-white head that almost immediately dissipates.
Smell: Cherries, dark bready malt, mild hops.
Taste: Roast malt backed by a mild piney hop flavor, both contributing a balancing bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Average body with a little carbonation.
Overall: A solid porter-like beer that could use a thicker body to round out the flavor.
Jun 18, 2019Smell: Cherries, dark bready malt, mild hops.
Taste: Roast malt backed by a mild piney hop flavor, both contributing a balancing bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Average body with a little carbonation.
Overall: A solid porter-like beer that could use a thicker body to round out the flavor.
Reviewed by 2beerdogs from California
3.8/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.8/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Thanks to @foundersasap for hitting me with this in our NBS BIF #9
Pours a deep, dark, almost black brown. Tan head rises a finger and a half, then recedes to a thin, milky cap.
Smells of roasted malt, hints of chocolate, some dry piney notes, and again roast in the char direction.
Taste is bold. Sweetness is definitely tamed by the char, but not overwhelmingly so. Some chocolate still comes through. Coffee, earthy notes, some pine resin.
Chewy. I like this fuller feel.
Overall, a solid, meaty beer.
Apr 14, 2019Pours a deep, dark, almost black brown. Tan head rises a finger and a half, then recedes to a thin, milky cap.
Smells of roasted malt, hints of chocolate, some dry piney notes, and again roast in the char direction.
Taste is bold. Sweetness is definitely tamed by the char, but not overwhelmingly so. Some chocolate still comes through. Coffee, earthy notes, some pine resin.
Chewy. I like this fuller feel.
Overall, a solid, meaty beer.
Reviewed by flgimp from Pennsylvania
4.14/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.14/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured dark and thick. Slight head and lacing. Color is a total chocolate brown eclipse. Smell is cocoa. Taste is silky smooth, chocolate nibs and slight coffee comes through first. Finish is a complex blend roasted, smoky and malty. Gotta love it as an after dinner beer. Feel is on the heavy side. Really flavorful black ale.
Jan 18, 2019Rated by robotnewyork from Michigan
4/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had at Cider Dayze 2018. It is probably better on a cold day than on a warm one, but it was a decent dark ale with some complexity.
Aug 31, 2018Reviewed by dd53grif from Michigan
3.79/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours a dark brown color with a foamy tan head that lasts quite a while. Aroma of chocolate and coffee. Tastes of chocolate, coffee and vanilla. Good mouth feel.
Jul 21, 2018
Reserve Special Black Ale from Dark Horse Brewing Company
Beer rating:
88 out of
100 with
1283 ratings
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