Black Toad Dark Ale
Black Toad Brewing Co.

Black Toad Dark AleBlack Toad Dark Ale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Black Toad Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
English Brown Ale
ABV:
5.3%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.63 | pDev: 14.05%
Reviews:
274
Ratings:
557
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 13, 2021
Added:
Aug 28, 2002
Wants:
  25
Gots:
  73
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by LXIXME:
Photo of LXIXME
Rated by LXIXME from New Mexico

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%

Apr 25, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.79 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

Oct 13, 2021
 
Rated: 3.5 by Chipwells from Georgia

Feb 05, 2021
Photo of paging12
Reviewed by paging12 from Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Great look. First sips had serious hop bitterness. Mellowed as the drink went on. Great smell. Toffee and chocolate. Sweetness lacing on the lips. A little light on the mouth.
Dec 22, 2019
Photo of MihaCali
Rated by MihaCali

4.4/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
My favorite beer, a bit hoppy, smooth, pleasant taste. I hope TJ will not discontinue carrying it.
Nov 27, 2019
Photo of EJPA_0425
Reviewed by EJPA_0425 from California

3.63/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
For a Trader Joe's brew. This one is quite good. Pours a fizzy malty brownish white head. Has a nice clear brown color. Smell is nothing special other than roasted malts. Tastes like clean and mildly roasted malts and almonds. Has a pleasant nutty aftertaste. Not too Bitter like some other dark ales so I definitely recommend trying this one if you live near a local Trader Joe's.
Nov 08, 2019
 
Rated: 3.52 by Jcarriglio from Florida

Sep 14, 2019
 
Rated: 3.96 by Satsuma from Florida

Aug 12, 2019
Photo of Srawlings
Rated by Srawlings from Texas

4.75/5  rDev +30.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
I absolutely loved this beer.
Jul 10, 2019
Photo of Ceddd99
Reviewed by Ceddd99 from Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
So far I am really impressed with this brewery. I love their Spring Prost Maibock, the Heller Bock is also good and this is one of the best brown ales I've had.
May 16, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by xungmound98 from New York

May 11, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by kdivers from New Hampshire

Apr 29, 2019
 
Rated: 3.4 by MDDMD from Pennsylvania

Apr 06, 2019
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

4.11/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle at 45 degrees,

Look - Pours a dark black color with mild to moderate foamy head.
Smell - The aroma is predominately bittersweet chocolate malts but has a dry bitter end... very similar to a Guinness.
Taste - Flavors of milk, but predominately bittersweet chocolate and coffee .. There is a roasted malt/barley flavor that leaves a toasted bread and coffee flavor that lingers. Some roasted toffee and caramel bread flavored malts. Appropriately hopped and heavily bittered. The flavor is mostly bittersweet chocolate and roasted barly, but it has an surprisingly amount of cocoa flavor and not too overwhelmingly sweet.
Feel = Medium bodied. Medium carbonation. A creamy, mouth-coating finish of chocolate, yet dry, flavorful, and not overly sweet.

Compared side by side to Perrin's Black (German Schwarzbeer): It is similar in color, body, and alcohol. However, this one has the roasted malt/barley bitterness present. It provides the bittersweet & sour flavor from the burnt malts. More like a stout or porter. Both finish appropriately dry.

-Overall - A well made bitter and balanced dark ale. It is similar to a stout. Compared to the Trader Joe's Stockyard Oatmeal stout this one is is flavored with much more coffee and bittersweet chocolate. Less sweetness. The bitterness is profound, which I can appreciate in addition to the dryness. Definitely fits my profile of brew for a dark ale. I would describe it as a similar but more improved Guinness. Again, a well made product from Trader Joe's. Such balance between bittersweet chocolate and bitterness. Not overly sweet by my standards which is hard to do. The bitterness defines the beer from the rest. Give this beer credit where it's due for $1 a beer... A dark ale that balances hop bitterness and malt sweetness impressively well. You'll see me rate this above average and highly recommend.
Jan 30, 2019
 
Rated: 3.52 by craigbelly from Iowa

Jan 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by Nurt20 from Illinois

Jan 21, 2019
 
Rated: 3.71 by bankboy66 from New Jersey

Jan 20, 2019
 
Rated: 3.74 by DOCRW from Kentucky

Jan 19, 2019
 
Rated: 3.92 by Alexrdvz from Oklahoma

Jan 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.52 by Bogdawg from Massachusetts

Jan 06, 2019
Black Toad Dark Ale from Black Toad Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 557 ratings