Black's Dawn
Cismontane Brewing Company

Black's DawnBlack's Dawn
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From:
Cismontane Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 10.28%
Reviews:
81
Ratings:
322
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 02, 2020
Added:
Jul 03, 2010
Wants:
  13
Gots:
  48
Named after Black's Beach
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ElSid:
Photo of ElSid
Reviewed by ElSid from California

4.26/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
The Beers of California

#49

Bottled Date: None

A: Thick motor oil black with very minimal light brown head

S: Big and smooth espresso nose with components of chocolate, marshmallow, and half and half. There is also a nice brown sugar sweetness and oatmeal evenness.

T: The coffee beans come through up front along with notes of chocolate milk, vanilla, raisins which then transitions to a leafy bitterness and a nice bourbonesque alcohol warmth which builds to the finish. The malt skeleton is of toasted bread and brownsugary sweetness along with the oats which impart a smoothness to the palate.

M: Big, round, and smooth adding to the already strong palate. The carbonation is minimal to moderate but enough to keep things interesting.

O: As a coffee lover, the brew does a wonderful job of showcasing espresso flavors in a solidly crafted Imperial Stout. I was taken aback by the strength and roundness of this stout, which overall reminded me of AleSmith's great Speedway. It's up and coming microbrews like Cismontane that remind me how wonderful it is to live in California as a beer geek.
Jan 14, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona

Feb 02, 2020
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Reviewed by Ciocanelu from Romania

3.5/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Black color with fizzy mocha colored head. Aroma has dark malts, rye bread, malt soda and some burnt sugar. Taste is mostly roasty with burnt bread crust notes and leftover coffee bitterness on the finish. Medium body with medium to low carbonation. Not bad but it's a bit simple and feels to fizzy for a proper coffee stout.
Feb 16, 2019
 
Rated: 3.97 by TylerJ from Iowa

May 26, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Dec 29, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

Nov 08, 2017
Photo of hman43
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Look: It pours dark brown, almost black with a brown head. Initial aroma is a deep, dark roasted coffee. There are also moderate roasted elements in the aroma. There is a faint dark fruit smell well into the background.

Taste: The initial flavors are a combination of coffee and roast. There is a bit of spiciness to it. The are also backgrounds hints of wood and dark fruits.

Feel: It has a smooth texture to it and is moderately bitter in the finish with sweetness combining with bitterness at the end.

Overall, this is a malt driven beer with coffee and roasted elements. Other flavors are well into the background and enhance the malts.
Jun 23, 2017
 
Rated: 3.97 by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey

Apr 05, 2017
Photo of Ltdsaint
Reviewed by Ltdsaint from North Carolina

3.18/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Straight to the point stout, not something I would drink all time but I got it for five bucks. Lighter brown head with a dark black body, burnt grain smell and a good bit of dark chocolate. The taste contains a couple more things than the aroma did. Again with the burnt grains but picking up some woody elements as well, molasses and even the slightest hint of caramel, dark fruits, not boozy. Very easy to drink overall.
Feb 16, 2017
Photo of brandonlovesbeer
Reviewed by brandonlovesbeer from South Carolina

2.43/5  rDev -39.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25
16oz Bottle
It was for sale at the Beer and Wine store for $5.99.
I'd never heard of this brewery or the beer so I said, "What the heck. Why not?"

On the Pour:
It was very opaque. I could see, right from the start, that it was WAY too over-filtered (my pet peeve).
The head was only light khaki. The color you'd expect from a pale beer.

Aroma:
Coffee and some lightly roasted grains. That's it.

Flavor:
The mouthfeel was alright. More than I thought it would be but still not great from what I expect from a stout.
The coffee was the overwhelming flavor. Behind that was some roasted malt. But mostly coffee.
BUT. And this is a big 'But'.
When the canister of coffee tells you to mix 5 tbsp of coffee to 5 cups of water, but instead you mix 2 tbsp of coffee to 5 cups of water… That is the strength of coffee that I'm getting. It's the only flavor but it's very faint.

I'm not impressed AT ALL.
This was not a good first impression of this brewery. And I probably will not sample any of their other beers if I come across them.
Feb 05, 2017
 
Rated: 3.32 by kmoen from California

Dec 13, 2016
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Reviewed by beerbellydaddy from California

3.71/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I won't go to deep on this one - basically it's fine - not bad, not stellar. It has the right notes for a stout - nice color, decent creamy head, nice lacing; it smells like a stout. But overall this just seems like a stout-lite. It is just too mild to really recommend. Maybe a nice beginner stout.
Dec 10, 2016
 
Rated: 4.13 by StoutSnob40 from California

Nov 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by RochefortChris from North Carolina

Nov 06, 2016
Photo of Suds
Reviewed by Suds from Missouri

3.51/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
From a bomber, this brew is a solid black color with a wonderful tan head. The aroma is roasty, malty, and has a bit of booze underneath. Not as much fruit as others of the style. The taste is a little dry, with roastedness and warmth. The finish is balanced, but the body is a little thin for the style.
Nov 06, 2016
Photo of TX-Badger
Reviewed by TX-Badger from Texas

1.56/5  rDev -60.9%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 1.5
Pours an opaque dark brown color with khaki colored head. Burnt grain, and a sugary sweetness on the nose, weird aroma; same for the palate. The malt almost tastes smoked or burnt. Very off flavors.
Oct 17, 2016
Photo of JonSchwartz
Rated by JonSchwartz from North Carolina

4.02/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On nitro tap at Growler Grlz in Durham
Oct 01, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by BrewskiBrandon from Missouri

Sep 23, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by kylehay2004 from Illinois

Sep 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Birdlegs from Washington

Aug 15, 2016
Black's Dawn from Cismontane Brewing Company
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 322 ratings