Reserve Special Black Ale
Dark Horse Brewing Company

Reserve Special Black AleReserve Special Black Ale
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From:
Dark Horse Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Black IPA
Ranked #76
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
88
Ranked #13,966
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 10.43%
Reviews:
609
Ratings:
1,283
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 kagent777:
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Reviewed by kagent777 from Utah

4.05/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle obtained in a trade with (I am pretty sure) zrab11. Thanks Zach! Poured into my goblet.

Appearance: This is one dark beer, with a slight tan head that settled too quickly and left a little ring around the edge. Really, I cannot see through this one and the edges have more of a brown hue than ruby.

Smell: Smells of dark flavors smoke, wood, brownies. The malts are clearly present in a nice roasty way.

Taste: The roasty malts take center stage with a little coffee and dark chocolate type flavors. There is a bit of edgy char with a little bit of bite. This beer is not completely smooth and that is OK with me. There is a small pleasant grassy citric hoppiness that lingers in the background near the finish. The finish goes on for a while.

Mouthfeel: A full bodied beer as you might expect. The carbonation is perfectly subtle.

Overall: This is a nice alternative to stouts or porters, I enjoyed it very much. I would get this one again, if given the opportunity.
Aug 31, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.41 by mpruden from Ohio

Jun 30, 2023
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Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

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, 2022
Photo of Pivopijak
Reviewed 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
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, 2021
Photo of Navanation
Reviewed by Navanation from Pennsylvania

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, 2020
 
Rated: 4.33 by AshBlackstone from Florida

Dec 18, 2020
 
Rated: 3.68 by desint from Belgium

Mar 05, 2020
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

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, 2019
Photo of chitoryu12
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
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, 2019
Photo of 2beerdogs
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
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, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

Mar 28, 2019
 
Rated: 2.99 by JamieDuncan from Maryland

Mar 04, 2019
 
Rated: 3.71 by NCSapiens from Indiana

Jan 26, 2019
Photo of flgimp
Reviewed by flgimp from Pennsylvania

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, 2019
 
Rated: 3.93 by user785335 from Florida

Dec 13, 2018
 
Rated: 3.96 by alexsergio from New York

Oct 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4.19 by Dentist666 from Russian Federation

Sep 13, 2018
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Rated by robotnewyork from Michigan

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, 2018
 
Rated: 3.94 by DavidRandall from Michigan

Jul 30, 2018
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Reviewed by dd53grif from Michigan

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