Lust
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.

LustLust
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From:
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
 
Alaska, United States
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
11.5%
Score:
93
Avg:
4.22 | pDev: 11.14%
Reviews:
36
Ratings:
44
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 10, 2015
Added:
Dec 15, 2007
Wants:
  101
Gots:
  1
LUST Belgian-style Dark Strong Ale stirs shameless desire in men (and women) with its captivating appearance, enticing aroma and satisfying flavors. Aged in bourbon oak barrels for twelve months, Lust is worldly, smooth and decadent. Sour cherries contribute tartness while brettanomyces brings muskiness to this naughty brew.

40 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.59 by unclekeith from Alaska

Jan 10, 2015
Photo of DucksFan16
Rated by DucksFan16 from Tennessee

4.72/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
The last remaining keg from 2007, tapped to start of Alaska Beer Week on 01/01/2015.
Jan 10, 2015
 
Rated: 4.2 by wethorseblanket from California

Dec 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by GRG1313 from California

Nov 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by ReeseMax3 from Pennsylvania

Dec 09, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by t0rin0 from California

Oct 29, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by ygtbsm94 from Utah

Jan 11, 2012
 
Rated: 4.25 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of JAXSON
Reviewed by JAXSON from Pennsylvania

4.17/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Early 2010 rate.

Bottle. Pours a dark brown with deep crimson edges and a pretty thick tan head. Nose is rich dubbel wort highlighted by a deep fruity sweetness, soft brett, dark chocolate. Big and rich in the mouth, nice dry chocolate dust, very deep, earthy brett, soft sour cherries. Hot and boozy in the most pleasant way. Thick and velvety with nice fizz. Earthy, boozy, a bit wild. Awesome!

***I had it again in fall, 2010, and it wasn't nearly as good as the initial bottle. Great nose, rich bourbon, deep malt complexities, but the flavor was empty cardboard with a distinct lingering bitterness that depressed me somewhat.
Jan 14, 2011
Photo of HopHead84
Reviewed by HopHead84 from California

3.93/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
8/13/2010

Pours dull dark brown with a large frothy light brown head.

The aroma exhibits light cherries in harmony with subtle Brett, oak, and light bourbon notes. I detect a dash of brown sugar a little roast. The cherries are still pretty nice, but overall the aroma is bit muted.

The flavor is slightly sour with notes of cherry skins and flesh. Bourbon is more prominent here. Brett is subtle, imparting leather notes and a musty quality. I get a dash of chocolate in the finish.

The beer is lower full bodied with moderate carbonation and a full mouthfeel. This is still tasty, but it was noticeably better a couple years ago. Now it's like a less complex version of 2008 Cuvee de Tomme.
Sep 01, 2010
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

3.93/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to Shane for bringing this up from SoCal. Served in a tasting snifter.

A - Pours with a finger of tan foam that eventually settles to a thin ring and some patchy film. Dark brown body that's slightly lighter at the fringes.

S - Oak, light cherry, some musty brett notes and dark roasted malts. A little understated, but pretty solid. Not sure where the bourbon barrel notes are?

T - Taste has sour cherry, dark quad-like notes, burnt sugar, and a bit of barrel contributing butterscotch and vanilla. Slightly sour brett and lemon finish. More depth and potency than the nose.

M - Zesty but not unpleasant carbonation, sticky and chewy medium-full body. Might be my favorite thing about this beer.

D - This was a pretty solid beer, but wasn't as exciting and impressive as other Sins or Planets beers I've had. The alcohol would make it pretty hard to finish on own, but it was nice to get a chance to try it.
Aug 18, 2010
Photo of largadeer
Reviewed by largadeer from California

3.56/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Thanks, Shane.

Lust pours a dark muddy brown, and once in the glass it's turbid and opaque with a well-retaining tan head.

Pretty mild on the nose, brett leaves some signature funk, and the cherries are noticeable too without being terribly bold or complex. Not much bourbon barrel character, though there is a bit of brown sugar, faint Belgian yeast and a dark malt foundation. Not much to this, perhaps it was better fresh.

The palate opens with dark candi sugar, raisins, dried cherries. There's a mild brett influence, but it's drowned by flavors of molasses and anise. Finishes oaky, phenolic with a barely perceptible note of bourbon. Pretty good, certainly not amazing.
Aug 17, 2010
Photo of cpetrone84
Reviewed by cpetrone84 from Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Big thanks to Jeremy for sharing this one!

A-pours a dark brown color with chestnut brown edges, pencil shaving colored head that is thight and dense.

S-tons of chocolate malt integrated with a light belgian yeast. a light roasted malt characteristic with a subtle bourbon characteristic. hints of sweet cherry in the back but very light.

T-a little heat up front but seemingly well integrated with the flavors and bourbon, dark rich chocolate and belgian yeast create an interesting and tasty combination, the bourbon lies towards the back, notes of vanilla, hints of tart cherries and really searching for brett but not finding much.

M-soft and smooth feel on a relatively full bodied beer. it is creamy and rich, the carbonation is still very strong and the finish is crisp and little bitter.

D-very tasty brew, huge flavors, big malt body and a nice pair of the belgian yeast, the brett wasn't really present and the tart cherry was there but very subtle. the flavors work well together, could have been brilliant but still darn good!
Aug 17, 2010
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

4.25/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Sampled at Saturday's MS Sins tasting.

A: The pour is a dark mahogany color with some nice ruby highlights and a tan head.

S: Tons of vanilla and chocolate fill the nose right off the bat. The cherries are there but come through a bit later on. The bourbon notes are certainly there as well.

T: Things move on to the tongue quite seamlessly. The vanilla and chocolatey notes are robust, and the oak is more noticeable here too. A nice sweet black cherry flavor throughout with a subtle tartness on the finish.

M: The body is medium with a low level of carbonation. Quite smooth and creamy on the tongue.

D: I was expecting a bit more of the wild character to come out with this, but was certainly not disappointed when it wasn't there. Really nice flavors with just a hint of oxidation.
Jun 15, 2010
Photo of aerozeppl
Reviewed by aerozeppl from New York

4.92/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Dmeadows.

This beer really is lust. They did everything you can do to a beer for this one and everything worked out.

A: Nice dark rusty looking brown tinged black color. Minimal brownish head.

S: Brett. Cherries. Oak. Just a touch of bourbon. Chocolate. Insanely complex. This might be the best smelling beer I have ever had.

T: Bourbon right up front. Nice sweetness then cut by the oak. I never really got brett in the taste but I did get a little bit of sour cherries. Insanely complex.

M: The oak really gave this a nice smooth mouthfeel. Light carbonation.

D: This has so much going on and it is a big beer and it is still super drinkable. This one is a real winner. They need to make this again.
Jun 05, 2010
Photo of tpd975
Reviewed by tpd975 from Florida

4.12/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Pours a deep shade of brown with a small tan head. No retention or lace noted.

S: Aromas of dark fruit, sour cherries, booze, and light yeast.

T: Lots of dark fruit, mild sourness, yeast, and molasses. Hints of booze and vanilla.

M: On the fuller side of body, mild booze in finish.

D: Pretty good.
Mar 11, 2010
Photo of corby112
Reviewed by corby112 from Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Huge thanks to Jeff for breaking this out at our sour tasting.

Pours pitch black with very slight caramel/mahogany edges and a two finger frothy dark beige head with excellent retentiononly slowly fading into a thick fading cap that coats the glass with soapy chunks of lacing.

Slight vinous tart dark fruit aroma with a lot of roasty dark chocolate malt laying underneath. Very prominent sour dark fruit notes, especially tart cherry, plum and fig. Subtle roastiness with bittersweet dark chocolate, toffee, subtle coffee bean and grape. This beer smells amazingly complex with so many different scents bouncing off of one another.

Slightly dry tart vinous medium body with a prominent silky, roasty chocolate malt character. The vinous dark fruit notes up front(mostly sour dark cherry, grape and plum) are quickly balanced by the slight roasted viscous chocolate malt backbone. Slightly spicy mid palate with more of the oaky vinous dark fruit notes coming through in the finish. Very complex and pretty drinkable considering the complexity.
Jan 10, 2010
Photo of younger35
Reviewed by younger35 from Minnesota

4.18/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Received this brew not so long ago from Mikesgroove. This is the last of the Deadly Sins and the one I've looked forward to the most. Drank from my Ithaca Excelsior tulip.

Deadly Sin 7 of 7.

Appearance- Pours a near pitch black with a nice creamy one finger dirty tan head. A beautiful cap and collar remains the entire beer along with plenty of lacing. I will say, pound for pound, this is the best looking group of beers I've ever seen.
Smell- Definitely a deep and layered nose with a lot going on. The bourbon is quite strong with an oaky vanilla that is very abundant. Quite a bit of toffee and or caramel that I'm assuming is from the barrels since this is a Dark Strong Belgium Ale. I swear by the smell that I'd guess this was a RIS though. There is a slightly tart cherry tone hidden among the wafts of goodness.
Taste- Interesting. Starts with a bite of tart cherry that isn't really cherry-ish per say, just tart and cherry like. A part of the beer is slightly sweet (not cloying though) with a bit of Begiumy yeast. Again, I'd guess this as a Belgium Stout or even an IRS if I couldn't see the bottle. The musty notes of Brett are most definitely apparent as a mushroom and hay like undertone really seem to grow as the beer warms. Plenty of oak makes an appearance as well adding maybe a touch of bourbon and a touch more vanilla. The alcohol is a plenty in the finish as well.
Mouthfeel- Decent enough feel with a medium/heavy body and a spritzy creamy feel. The carbonation is light but nice.
Drinkability- I went into this beer thinking the worst. A tiny little friend that lives on the East coast told me he was fairly disappointed by the beer. Again, he proves to be an idiot. The style of the beer doesn't really seem fitting but it is what it is. The oak is really nice and adds a great complexity to the beer. Definitely enjoyed it! Thanks Mike!
Dec 29, 2009
Photo of rayjay
Reviewed by rayjay from Hawaii

4.03/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
An extra in a BIF, much thanks go out to Tayner!

Red ale with a big cap of tight red foam. Great retention. A great looker.

Lots of bourbon and wood on the nose. Cherries and malt sweetness too, but the bourbon dominates. It's fun lately to drink non-stout bourbon aged beers.

Very old-school meets new-school; big, malty old ale (think Unibroue 17), dusty and fruity, meets new school fruit and bourbon aging. The bourbon adds gentle heat to the throat. Lots of wood complexity too. Fruit vibes from the cherries, and also from the high alcohol esters. I'm not getting Belgian yeast esters, more like an English barleywine to me. Pretty fine stuff, certainly a well made beer that's unique and makes it's mark. The flavors seem to all get along pretty well. Not quite my thing but a fine beer in it's own right.

Excellent mouthfeel, providing a mellow dryness and active carbonation to release the beautiful aroma. The bourbon and thick malts don't get very sticky, but there is still some body to chew on. Not especially palate killing or dehydrating so it makes for a nice sipper.

I'd say this is a very drinkable beer, interesting, challenging, and delicious. Now that I've tried it I would seek it out again, but certainly worth it to try. Big cheers to Dana and Midnight Sun!
Aug 01, 2009
Photo of BitterPachyderm
Reviewed by BitterPachyderm from Indiana

3.65/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
another mystery box goodie, oh my! very shocked to see this one come my way...

22 oz. bottle poured into an oversized wine glass...

deep dark brown body with a thin brown head of large bubbles...more like a skin of bubbles, and it really wasn't a head. provided decent lacing, but disappeared quickly. this is one menacing looking belgian...so dark with some mahogany hues around the edges. kind of odd...

tart cherries on the nose with a bit of musty wood. a bit weak in this category. some green apple and pit fruits, but mostly cherry...

lots of chocolate and tobacco with a tannic cherry finish. some smoke and wood, with brandyesque notes...a bit disapointed by the lack of funk here...

smooth with a nice bite..carb is good

very drinkable for an 11.5 abv beer

this reminded me more of a cherry aged old ale than anything from Belgium. i am extremely disappointed in myself for opening this up so soon. i recommend at least another six month to let the brett do it's thing...
Jun 18, 2009
Lust from Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 44 ratings