Dark Lord
3 Floyds Brewing Co.

Dark LordDark Lord
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From:
3 Floyds Brewing Co.
 
Indiana, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #102
ABV:
15%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,477
Avg:
4.28 | pDev: 14.25%
Reviews:
1,362
Ratings:
4,527
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 29, 2023
Added:
Dec 13, 2002
Wants:
  3,236
Gots:
  2,144
A demonic Russian-Style Imperial Stout brewed with coffee, Mexican vanilla, and Indian sugar, this beer defies description. Available one day a year, in April at the brewery: Dark Lord Day.

Vintage guide:
Red wax = 2004
Orange wax = 2005
Gold wax = 2006
Silver wax = 2007
Black wax = 2008
White wax = 2009
Green wax = 2010 - 15% ABV
Yellow wax = 2011 - 15% ABV
Red wax = 2012 - 15% ABV
Orange wax = 2013 - New Label 15% ABV
Blue wax = 2014 - 15% ABV
Maroon wax = 2015 15% ABV
Black with glitter flecks wax = 2016
Green with silver glitter = 2017 - New Label
Silver wax = 2018
Magenta with glitter = 2019
Black wax wrapped label = 2020
Light blue wax = 2021
Yellow wax w/blue glitter =2022
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by drabmuh:
Photo of drabmuh
Reviewed by drabmuh from Maryland

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
I got to put this up there for Huhzubendah, hosted an insane sour tasting last night with a few non-sour highlights including a complete Darklord Vertical. Beers were provided by three different guys, all tasted side by side. 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009. Rating all these vintages side by side is going to be tough.

The appearances did not vary all that much, of course the bottles are beautiful bombers all with ornate and varied colored wax indicating vintage. Beers are all black with minimal head and apparent low carbonation, no real retention to speak of and there isn't any lacing. Big variants here were the 2004 had MUCH MUCH more sediment in the bottom of the glass than the others and the 2008 was considerably and noticeably browner on the spectrum than the rest. All the beers were hazy (could tell this after someone spilled their 08 on the counter). The beer is noticeably thick (especially the 2004) leaving a syrup-like resin on the sides of the glass. The 2009 appeared to be the thinnest. I did not take gravity readings, just what I see and think.

Aroma, 2004: almost sour, a slight biting lactic smell followed by a slight ash. Some bitterness is detectable and a tiny bit of sweetness possibly from the alcohol.
2005: Much more coffee and roast in this aroma along with some nice chocolate and bitter. Alcohol is more noticable in this one.
2006: Hottest of them all so far, a sting of ethanol in the nose, sweetness is lower here, mostly ethanol.
2007: Back to chocolate, good malt syrupy aroma in this one, a good balance of coffee in the aroma, back to more the way the 2005 smelled.
2008: Weakest aroma of them all (followed by the 2004). Mild sweetness and a slight bit of ethanol in there.
2009: Strong aroma, lots of alcohol, chocolate, coffee and vanilla (didn't pick up anything like vanilla in the others).

Tastes, the 2004 was sweet and thick, completely full bodied beer. Finished slightly dry, had an alcohol flavor in the front of the mouth, but the sweetness won out. I was expecting more roast here.
2005: This was the lightest of the bunch, and the roastiest, if that makes any sense at all. Again, really high body (do you like to chew your stouts). This beer amazes me with the body on it. Less dry than 04 but there is so much more coffee in here, its nearly a completely different beer.
2006: This was the driest of them all. Super sweet up front with a nice trailing edge of slight roast. There is a biting alcoholic taste to this that abbreviates my pleasure.
2007: Still a little dry, very sweet, as sweet at the 2006, this beer is so thick in my mouth it has a syrup like quality to it.
2008: Much more roast than 2006 and 2007 and pulled back on the sweetness. Still super thick but better balanced than the others.
2009: This was probably the thinnest of all the beers in the mouthfeel department. It was nearly medium bodied and had a warmth to it that wasn't as present in the others.

Summarizing and second tasting notes. 2008 was noticeably lighter and hazier than the rest of the beers. 2004 had the most sediment and completely coated the bottom of the glass with it. The 2004 had a soy / bitter and dry taste to it. The 2005 was smooth and like chocolate. The 2006 was more sour than the others. 2007 Sweet and roasty. 2008 - more roast, more heat. 2009 was probably my favorite (with 2007 and 2005). I guess I like odd years. The 2009 did not have time to mute the flavors and let them run together into a single coherent "thought." They were still fragmented but I was able to enjoy the roast, the heat, the sweet, the chocolate bitter all individually making it a really interesting beer.

I will never get to do something this thorough again. Thanks everyone.
Jan 24, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.44 by MjBrewhouse from Idaho

Dec 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by Stengelfoot from California

Dec 17, 2023
 
Rated: 5 by Nyoder

Nov 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.4 by Chuckg93 from Oregon

Nov 03, 2023
Photo of WunderLlama
Reviewed by WunderLlama from Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Ba beer #2300

Brewers Notes: A demonic Russian-Style Imperial Stout brewed with coffee, Mexican vanilla, and Indian sugar, this beer defies description. Available one day a year, in April at the brewery: Dark Lord Day.

Vintage guide: Black wax wrapped label = 2020

Bottle received in bif17 courtesy of @ovaltine

Room temperature bottle poured into a pretentious beer glass. Dark cola brown liquid, little foam , settles to a ring

Aroma is coffee,molasses, brown sugar, tobacco

Taste is coffee, dark fruits, raisins, tobacco, char , port wine

Sudsy mouthfeel, lighter than I expected , boozy

Good beer, reminds me more of a barley wine than a RIS
Jun 03, 2023
Photo of augustgarage
Reviewed by augustgarage from California

4.27/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2009 vintage. Poured from a bomber into a snifter.

Impenetrable seal brown/bistre liquid with a faint almond event horizon. Vague collar, never quite awakens. Thick sheets of legs.

Molasses, port, cherries, cocoa, and char in the nose. More fruit as the ale warms.

Prunes, cherries, and port are forward on the palate. Vinous quality persists with a background of dark malt, black licorice, and faint chocolate. Blackberries, violets, dulce de leche, ash, clay, and figs. Some oxidation is leading this into Old Ale territory, but no cardboard or other off notes. Low bitterness, medium-sweet, linear finish.

Oily, slick, carbonation has faded though there is some life left.

After 14 years, this has evolved into something difficult to categorize, and in some ways closer to a fortified dessert wine than a RIS.
May 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.18 by KevinL from Michigan

Mar 27, 2023
Photo of kitch
Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong

4.36/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
A 22 fl. oz. bomber, 2015 vintage, very nicely maroon waxed, poured into a snifter glass.

Appearance: Black in colour with only a thin brown head and sparse spotty lacing.

Aroma: Coffee, dark fruit, plum, prunes, fig, molasses, oak, chocolate, light roast.

Taste: Sweet, dark fruit, charred notes, plum, prunes, fig, cherries, brown sugar, molasses, chocolate, coffee, burnt sugar.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with soft carbonation.

Overall: A nice warming sipper. Maybe approaching too sweet, but the charred and burnt notes do sort of keep it in line.
Mar 07, 2023
 
Rated: 4.11 by SayBoom from Ukraine

Feb 24, 2023
 
Rated: 4.4 by emptyglassagain from Massachusetts

Feb 23, 2023
 
Rated: 4.36 by RalphStanley34 from French Polynesia

Feb 17, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by bruindre from Massachusetts

Feb 08, 2023
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.32/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
2014 Dark Lord. Zero carbonation on the pour. Thick. Nose is roasted malts, black licorice, a touch of soy sauce, some nice dark fruit (cherries, plums), and some toffee. The taste is fantastic. No soy sauce here. Big roasted malts, sweet toffee, chocolate, licorice, maple, oak, tons of dark fruit - blackberries, raisins, plums. Sticky and creamy. Just lovely. Definitely going to sip on this for a long time.
Feb 03, 2023
 
Rated: 4.17 by sisterofba from Maryland

Jan 04, 2023
 
Rated: 5 by pootietom from Minnesota

Dec 27, 2022
Photo of thebeers
Reviewed by thebeers from Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a viscous-looking garnet-hued black with a fat finger of dark khaki head that settles into a lasting crown and leaves no lacing.

Umami, chocolate, red wine and toffee in the nose.

Sweet and vinous tasting up front. Vanilla and fig in there, too. Loads of umami and some bakers cocoa balance that right out. A kiss of warming alcohol in the backend.

Thick and chewy feel.

Well crafted and smooth. 2019 bottling.
Nov 24, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by akopczyk from Ohio

Nov 18, 2022
 
Rated: 4.66 by loch8534 from Illinois

Sep 25, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by GFK from Michigan

Sep 02, 2022
Dark Lord from 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 4527 ratings