Alexander Black
Alexander

Alexander BlackAlexander Black
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From:
Alexander
 
Israel
Style:
Foreign / Export Stout
Ranked #50
ABV:
7%
Score:
85
Ranked #21,077
Avg:
3.73 | pDev: 10.99%
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
28
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 27, 2024
Added:
Apr 25, 2014
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  4
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by chinchill:
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
330ml bottle into a goblet.
Not merely a solid porter, this is an excellent one. It has an ABV, flavor and aroma profile leaning toward an imperial porter or Export Stout. Excellent balance and very good complexity. Higher ABV is hidden excepting some inevitable warming. The aroma is fruitier and even more enjoyable than the fine flavor. There are dates, raisins and other dark fruits in the flavor, with hints of toffee, vanilla, and dark breads. In ends with dark roasted grains, light smoke, faint coffee, toast, and some dark fruits in the finish and aftertaste. Lightly sweet up front and (bitter/sweet) balanced in the finish. Very smooth, near full body.
Feb 13, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.95 by desint from Belgium

Jan 27, 2024
Photo of Sammy
Rated by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
A porter as translated.
Feb 13, 2023
Photo of Radome
Reviewed by Radome from Florida

3.85/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 12 oz bottle bought while traveling in Israel.

L - Color is a deep mahogany brown and the beer does not let any light through. Nice enough appearance for a porter, except that I got absolutely no head when I poured it. Swirling the glass does not release any foam either, just a tiny hint of lacing on the glass.

S - Great aroma for a porter smoke, chocolate and lightly burnt grain Way, way in the background there is a hint of light fruitiness from fermentation character and maybe even a hint of woody hops.

T - Nice, thick malt flavors of chocolate, coffee and smoke. There is some low, earthy hops flavor in the dry finish, and maybe just a hint of spices.

F - Medium body with very low carbonation. Medium hops bitterness, so the malt is not sweet or cloying. Low alcohol presence belies the 7% ABV.

O - This is a good English Porter, which is what I interpret it to be, based on the flavors and low hops profile. Even for an English example, however, the extremely low carbonation and lack of head are drawbacks for me. Otherwise, it is a very tasty and appealing beer.
Oct 12, 2022
 
Rated: 4.1 by Pens1967 from Louisiana

Apr 10, 2017
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
interesting enough little beer here, advertised to me as a porter. i have had hardly any craft beer from israel, so this is a cool experience regardless. not quite enough head on the pour, but a dense matte black shade is appealing enough. aroma shows a little oxidation, a suggestion of it being less fresh than it might be overseas, but not offensive at all. almost flattering to the very dry dark malt profile, that has almost no fruitiness or sweetness to it like these sometimes have. what it does have though is a deep roast, bitter and ashy, as well as an appreciable almost english tasting yeast character that also doesnt hate the little bit of oxidation that is present in this particular bottle. im not sure its worth 12 bucks at a bar, but i have never seen it available here in the states before, so worth trying once at least for the experience. somewhat simplistic, but well enough made. more bubbles would help it, it gets a little bland late, but its pretty solid overall, especially in cooler weather...
Jan 04, 2017
 
Rated: 2.94 by Alexrdvz from Oklahoma

Sep 02, 2016
 
Rated: 3.96 by jason_nwx from Oregon

Jun 25, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

May 04, 2016
Photo of ordybill
Reviewed by ordybill from Georgia

4.03/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 OZ bottle into a pint glass. The appearance is pitch black with a very thin tan head. The aroma is licorice or maybe a toffee smell. The taste is a slightly bitter roasted malt flavor. A good foreign/export stout.
Mar 05, 2016
Photo of Vixie
Reviewed by Vixie from Florida

3.74/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pretty much black with a bit of a dark tan head. The head doesn't stay around long, leaving some lacing across the top.

Bit of a sweet smell, like toffee or caramel. Bit of a roasted character to it, giving just a hint of chocolate

Kind of sweet up front, more like fruit. There is some caramel there, a slight hint of chocolate as well. There is a touch of bitterness, giving it a bit of a dark chocolate flavor at the finish.

Feel is a little watery, although the carbonation livens it up a bit going down.

Overall a decent beer. Wasn't an easy one to try, and glad I got to try it, as not many beers come from Israel. It has a nice flavor to it, and more drinkable than you'd think from how dark it is. Worth a try if you can find it.
Dec 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3.96 by Mojo from Alabama

Nov 06, 2015
Photo of jmbranum
Reviewed by jmbranum from Oklahoma

4.56/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Boulevard snifter glass.

Extremely sweet alcohol laden toasty aroma.

Pours a dark brown almost black liquid with decent tan head.

Very nice flavor. Lots of sweet chocolate, raisins, spices - maybe a tinge of black pepper and licorice. Nice medicinal notes. Some coffee and lots of molasses.

Very smooth and thick mouthfeel.

This one is very good. I recommend it. The best Israeli beer I've had thus far.

A few side notes for those interested...

1. The Hebrew characters on the front of the bottle are a literal transliteration in Hebrew of "Alexander" - Spelled out it would be "Alef lamed chef samek nun dalet resh"

2. The brewery is located in northern Israel, about one mile east of the Mediteranean Sea and 20 miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee. The brewery is named after Nahal Alexander, a stream that is near the brewery. Also important to note is that the brewery is located in Israel proper and not in an Israeli settlement.
Aug 10, 2015
Photo of Zorro
Reviewed by Zorro from California

3.74/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Clear black colored ale with a small brown colored head.

Smells strongly of caramel and molasses with a slight raisin scent. Faint chocolate and cake scents.

Starts out fairly sweet and tasting of raisin and molasses. Tastes more fruity than it smells fairly strong grape flavor. Mild bitterness levels this is a malt forward ale. Strongest flavor here is the grape.

Mouthfeel is average.

Overall a tasty ale and a rarity being from Israel.
Aug 01, 2015
Photo of BeerWithMike
Reviewed by BeerWithMike from Nebraska

4.27/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Sampled on 7/22/15. Picked this one up while we were in Estes Park/Loveland, Colorado last Saturday. Comes in a 330ml (11.2 ounce) nice looking bottle. Bottle chilled down to 36 degrees F in my beer cooler and poured in to a handled-glass stein.

Brew pours a pitch-black in color with about a good 1- finger foamy/creamy beige head. Ring-like lacing is seen when sipped. The aroma is of dark roasted malts with a hint of black licorice. Pretty much is said for the taste as well with some brown sugar in the mix also. Very slight bitter finish that doesn't least more than like 2 seconds. Smooth and creamy. Great brew overall. Medium-bodied with lower carbonation. Overall, I really liked this brew.
Jul 24, 2015
Photo of RonaldTheriot
Reviewed by RonaldTheriot from Louisiana

3.8/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Alexander Black has a thick, foamy, beige head, a dark brown (with lighter brown highlights) appearance, visible tan chunks roiling about, and fairly substantial lacing left on the glass. The aroma is of dark, sweet, brown bread crust, and the flavor is of sweet, slightly charred, dark-roasted malt, balancing hop bitterness, and a touch of sugar and acid. Mouthfeel is medium to full, and Alexander Black finishes wet and sweet.

RJT
Apr 16, 2015
 
Rated: 3.91 by animal69 from Louisiana

Apr 13, 2015
Photo of ScotB260
Reviewed by ScotB260 from Georgia

3.84/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a Delirium Tulip. Minimal head with the pour, but maintained slight lacing throughout my enjoyment.

Typical blackish porter color.

Smell is also atypical of roasted maltiness.

Taste was also standard porter fare. A real lack of character compared to other porters.

Overall, a good beer. Nothing I would go clamoring for though...
Apr 08, 2015
 
Rated: 3.6 by flr0605 from Puerto Rico

Jan 28, 2015
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark brown, appearing opaque black in the glass with a thin khaki head with good retention and light lacing. Aroma of sweet toasted malt, molasses, mild dark dried fruit. Flavor is semidry biscuit and toasted malt, hints of chocolate, dates and figs, finishes with light, but smoothly integrated dried fruit and the same biscuity toasted malt profile. Medium bodied with good carbonation. On BA as a stout, but labelled as a porter and has characters of both. The laid back flavor is more like a porter, but I have to say the malt profile and overall taste are quite like a foreign stout. A mild foreign stout or porter. Nothing really stands out, but the flavor is nice and well balanced. I wouldn't mind running across this again and a pleasant surprise from an area not known for a lot of craft beer.
Dec 21, 2014
Alexander Black from Alexander
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 28 ratings