Black Damnation III - Black Mess
De Struise Brouwers

Black Damnation III - Black MessBlack Damnation III - Black Mess
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From:
De Struise Brouwers
 
Belgium
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #1,302
ABV:
13%
Score:
92
Ranked #4,536
Avg:
4.15 | pDev: 11.33%
Reviews:
116
Ratings:
284
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 18, 2023
Added:
Mar 14, 2010
Wants:
  77
Gots:
  66
Black Damnation III is yet another variation on Black Albert. 100% of Black Albert was used that matured for a while on Caol Ila barrels.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by drabmuh:
Photo of drabmuh
Reviewed by drabmuh from Maryland

4.23/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Beer served in a small wine glass. Beer is black with a dark brown big head, small bubbles, some lacing, low carbonation, looks nice I like the head on this one.

Aroma is weaker than the Black Damnation 1, some oak, some roast, some liquor. Interesting.

For being 13%, this beer hides it so well. It is smooth but thinner than expected, finishes with a nice but odd bitterness and some oak notes, the scotch is kind of a subtle flavor to me but overall a very nice beer. Very enjoyable.
Jul 24, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of kitch
Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong

4.23/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A 330ml bottle, bottled on 14th January 2021, with a best before date of +5 years, poured into a snifter glass.

Appearance: Black in colour with a thin tanned head that dissipated to a ring around the glass while leaving some spotty lacing.

Aroma: Light roast, chocolate, black coffee, wood, whisky, with notes of dried dark fruit, raisin, fig, and maybe just a splash of peat.

Taste: Light to moderate sweet malty, whisky, dried dark fruit, raisin, prunes, light roast, chocolate, coffee, with some light bitterness on the backend.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.

Overall: An enjoyable sipper with balanced aromas and flavours, but for being aged 2 years in peated whisky barrels, there is a distinct lack of any peat.
Sep 18, 2023
 
Rated: 3.82 by Ristaccia from Nebraska

Dec 11, 2022
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.24/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a bottle at fridge temp. Pours black with light brown head. Quickly dissipates. The nose is heavy on black licorice, a nice layer of peated Scotch, figs, chocolate, smoke, and roasted malts. The taste nicely follows the nose. Peat smoke, tons of black licorice, vanilla, chocolate, ginger, and roasted malts. Mouthfeel is pretty thick and viscous. Overall, a fantastic BA stout.
Jun 23, 2022
Photo of JamFuel
Reviewed by JamFuel from Sweden

4/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours jet black with fine, tan head.

Smell is sweet and roasted with notes of licorice, fudge, chocolate and coffee with some hints of peat and heather.

Taste is sweet with roasted and slightly smoky hints. Notes of chocolate, coffee, licorice, heather and a bit of peat. Some slight woody hints as well, but not a lot of barrel.

Mouthfeel is medium to full, a bit chalky and well carbonated.

Overall, a good stout, but the original is better. The barrel didn't really make make noise at all.
Feb 19, 2022
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
750 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 13%. Pitch black colour, large brown head. Strong and lovely vinous and complex aroma, notes of red wine, chocolate, vanilla, oak and mild coffee. Warming mouth- and throatfeel. Sweet and rich flavour, with the same elements as in the aroma. Another masterpiece from Struise.
Jan 28, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by mishi_d from Romania

Dec 13, 2021
 
Rated: 4.5 by steverx8 from England

Oct 10, 2021
Photo of janubio
Reviewed by janubio from Spain

4/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle at The Situation, served in a snifter glass. Pours black colour, small brown head that fades quickly, sticky lacing. Aroma of whisky, oak barrel, peat, dried fruits, licorice, almonds, vanilla, soy sauce. Medium to full body, creamy texture, average carbonation. Sweet finish Taste follows the aroma. Pretty good.
Oct 02, 2021
 
Rated: 3.43 by stephenlee93 from England

Jul 17, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by BdM from Netherlands

Jun 18, 2021
 
Rated: 4.15 by desint from Belgium

Jun 06, 2021
Photo of Snowcrash000
Reviewed by Snowcrash000 from Germany

4.16/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a pitch-black coloration with a small, creamy head. Smells, of roasted, slightly caramelly and peated malt, with notes of chocolate, dark fruit and hints of licorice and charred oak. Taste is a great balance of roasted, caramel, peated malt and distinct chocolate and licorice, as well as lighter dark fruit, with notes of fig and raisin, brown sugar and just a hint of vanilla, clove, charred oak and peat coming through as well. Finishes bittersweet, with a light bitterness and some chocolate, dark fruit and spices lingering in the aftertaste. Full mouthfeel with a rich body and light carbonation.

While this makes for an enjoyable barrel-aged variant of Black Albert, I was a little disappointed by how little peat is coming through here for being aged in Caol Ila barrels for two years. Maybe those barrels were old and dry? I don't know, but there certainly isn't as much barrel character coming through here as I would have hoped for, with this kinda reminding me of a just very slightly more boozy, charred and smoky version of regular Black Albert, with those chocolate, dark fruit, brown sugar and spice notes still very much dominating. Overall, this still makes for a very enjoyable beer due the excellent base stout, but I really would have wished for a richer barrel character here.
May 30, 2021
 
Rated: 4.31 by arzt from Germany

May 26, 2021
Photo of josanguapo
Reviewed by josanguapo from Spain

2.63/5  rDev -36.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.75
De Hopt. En copa Teku. Con queso de Codi. Jugando a Fortnite. Cuerpo demasiado ligero a pesar del alto abv. Perfil áspero, algo churruscado muy struisse. Menos mal que la he pillado de 33cl, porque con lo que clavaban antes por las de 75cl habría sido decepción total.
Mar 07, 2021
 
Rated: 4.03 by acurtis from New Jersey

Feb 27, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by jwat from Pennsylvania

Oct 20, 2019
 
Rated: 4.38 by Prost76 from New Hampshire

May 30, 2018
 
Rated: 4.06 by Beer-Ed from Netherlands

Feb 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by Corson from Canada (AB)

Oct 18, 2017
Black Damnation III - Black Mess from De Struise Brouwers
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 284 ratings