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De Struise Brouwers

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From:
De Struise Brouwers
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
10%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.96 | pDev: 11.36%
Reviews:
132
Ratings:
206
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 20, 2018
Added:
Feb 23, 2011
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  42
Collaboration brew with Stillwater Artisanal Ales (USA).

This Belgian Strong Ale was married to a still young but powerful style, the Black IPA.

You take a chocolate sweet strong ale together with the high & strong hop shedule of an IPA, and you get a fantastic result.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by crnipeter:
Photo of crnipeter
Reviewed by crnipeter from Slovenia

3.29/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
IMO this brew is more representative of spiced/herb/vegetable beer rather than of Belgian Strong Dark Ale, nor this is a hybrid between BSDA and dark IPA.
Pours thick, well formed tan head that clings to the walls, with good retention over the dark brown, opaque body with mahogany highlights at the edges.
Basically smells like herbal liqueur – the aroma resembles rosemary, nutmeg and mint, there's unrefined sugar and a whiff of alcohol. The flavor profiles consists of sugary sweetness, roasted malts with chocolaty notes, strong herbal overtones, warming alcohol and towards the moderately sweet finish emerges hoppy bitterness accompanied by spicy notes that I couldn’t tell whether originate from hops, yeast derived phenols or actual spices used. Aftertaste is herbal with mild roastiness, hoppy bitterness and warmth, a characteristics that I'd expect in Imperial Stout. Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation, tends to coat the lips with sticky film.
Alcohol is too evident and herbs/spices/vegetables too strong.
(330 ml, BB date reads 1. February 2016, into the Struise 150 ml tulip).

In short: dark, sweet, warming ale with strong herbal, spicy and roasted notes.
Apr 12, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of tigg924
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts

4.21/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours opaque, black in color with 1/2 inch head. Taste is bosco, plum, and char. Medium-heavy bodied, moderate carbonation, sweet and roasty. Complex and tasty. I would get this again if I found it although I prefer other Struise beers.
Feb 20, 2018
 
Rated: 3.48 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Oct 24, 2016
Photo of Bierliebhaber3
Reviewed by Bierliebhaber3 from Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This 10% Belgian dark ale pours a black color with a medium creamy tan head. The scent is strong, rich, and malty with elements of roasted grain, rye, chocolate, and alcohol. The flavor is really complex and unique. I can honestly say I have never drank a beer that was anything like it. It has all of the aforementioned flavors that were detected in the scent as well as licorice, cream, oatmeal, and a little spicy hoppiness in the aftertaste. The alcohol is not overwhelming, but it definitely has a presence and leaves a lingering pleasant burn. The finish is also exceedingly creamy. The body is somewhere between what I would classify as medium and heavy. It’s a little lighter than a stout or porter, but heavier than most other beers. I have to give this beer props for being one of the most strange and interesting beers that I have ever tried. I think some would probably really hate this beer, but for me it somehow works. I think it’s a really great winter or dessert beer.
Jun 08, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by ConradKenney from Maryland

Feb 05, 2016
Photo of Rifugium
Reviewed by Rifugium from North Dakota

3.79/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Had this laying around in the cellar for a while, so I figured I'd break it out for a tasting. It was quite different than I expected. Dark brown pour, with a small tan ringlet. Unexpected spice in the aroma, dark malts. Again, those spices in the taste...I don't think there were any spices used in this brew? Rye malt? Aside from cocoa abd dark malt, and a touch of prune, I got distinct flavors of mint and anise. Really nothing of a black ale in this, though being an older brew, I'm sure those elements, if they ever were dominant, faded long ago. Medium body, and pretty mellow overall, an interesting aging experiment if nothing else, but it was definitely not bad.
Oct 01, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by WastingFreetime from Wisconsin

Jul 31, 2015
 
Rated: 4.09 by cp45 from New Jersey

Jun 14, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by mrn1ceguy from Illinois

Feb 11, 2015
Photo of dcmchew
Reviewed by dcmchew from Romania

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours really dark brown, almost black, a big fluffy mocha head that recedes soon. Lots of floating bits, no matter how gently you pour it.
Cherry brandy on the nose, dark chocolate, mint, plum, herb liqueur, peach, ice tea, dark licorice, light roasted malt, rosewater. A really nice herbal fruity mix on top of dark malts.
Really rich dark fruit and alcohol up front, somewhere between strong red wine and brandy. Lots of juicy plum, dark grape, date, fig, morello cherry, but also some blond fruit notes (apple, peach, cherry plum). All "flavoured" with a nice herbal mix, something like mountain tea, with some faint mint, cola, dark licorice and sweet floral notes too.
Chocolate to cut off the booze, backed by dark malts, not too roasted, but bringing a rich multi-grain dark bread taste for the finish. Light hops here, alcohol to dry things up, without being too heavy.
A pretty short and simple finish after the big complexity in the front. Aftertaste is pretty poor, some dark bread (rye in there), a bit of spicy yeast, faint cocoa powder, almost no fruit or brandy at all. Medium body, low carbonation, pretty smooth.
Reminded me a lot of BrewDog Abstrakt 06, especially because i had them both pretty old. Rich fruity jam up front, backed by mild dark malts and extremely well hidden alcohol. Only wished the nice flavors lingered a bit more.
Jan 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.84 by drewone from California

Dec 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

Nov 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by lmaduells from Spain

Nov 08, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by trxxpaxxs from New York

Oct 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Texasfan549 from Texas

Sep 16, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by kjkinsey from Texas

Sep 16, 2014
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -12.1%
Appearance: A foamy beige head builds and grows rocky, looking very Belgian, as it sits atop the fudge colored liquid

Smell: Very unusual phenols, smelling vaguely like paint thinner though there is also some chocolate and dark fruit in the mix

Taste: Ashen, up front, with dark fruit developing in the middle, though the burnt character of the beer persists; after the swallow, there is some candi sugar sweetness that develops and brings home the finish; spicy rye in the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Medium body with high carbonation; very Belgian mouthfeel

Overall: A disappointment, coming from these two fine brewers; perhaps this beer wasn't intended for aging because there are some real off flavors that have developed
Sep 12, 2014
 
Rated: 2.5 by mattfancett from England

Sep 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by RobertH50 from Texas

Aug 29, 2014
Outblack from De Struise Brouwers
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 206 ratings