Siren Noire Imperial Chocolate Stout
Heavy Seas Beer

Siren Noire Imperial Chocolate StoutSiren Noire Imperial Chocolate Stout
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From:
Heavy Seas Beer
 
Maryland, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #1,732
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
89
Ranked #11,534
Avg:
3.98 | pDev: 11.81%
Reviews:
318
Ratings:
1,020
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 23, 2022
Added:
Feb 20, 2010
Wants:
  42
Gots:
  87
Our Siren Noire isn’t your father’s chocolate stout. We’ve used almost 3 pounds of Belgian coco nibs per barrel. We’ve aged it for five weeks in bourbon barrels with vanilla beans added. A mix of dark malts gives Siren Noire a well-rounded body that is decidedly chocolatey—but without being extraordinarily sweet. Brewers Gold hops contribute an earthy spiciness, with notes of black current.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by far333:
Photo of far333
Reviewed by far333 from Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Deep mahogany with ruby highlights and a low head of wispy beige foam. Low aroma of espresso and vanilla, some floral notes.

Flavors of cocoa and caramel, hints of smoke, root beer and leather. Some roasty malt tones. Wooden oakey notes linger. Subtle hoppy flavors ride beneath. Slight metallic note.

Slightly thin mouthfeel, but somewhat creamy. Average for the style.
Mar 12, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of GlenFarclas
Reviewed by GlenFarclas from Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
[2016] Pours a nice dark black, there was a feint caramel head lingering but its receded. Nose is boozy and maybe a touch hot. Doubt that'll carry over at 9.5% and with several years on it. There's some scorched oak there too.

Nice thick mouthfeel. A lot of licorice and dark roasted malt, maybe some vinous fruit. Unexpected for the style, expected for a dark beer generally though. There's some mild barrel character, just a kind of sweet oak to the body and the finish is quite short. Not much residual sugar at the end. Not dry but not sweet. Nicely balanced beer with a healthy does of barrel character.
Jul 23, 2022
Photo of RacerX5k
Reviewed by RacerX5k from Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Beer I used to enjoy years ago as an reasonably priced bomber. Cool to see on the shelf Canals Pennsauken NJ on the way home from the shore ... $3.75 per single, $14 for 4 and I'm glad I only got the single. Because maybe this 2020 was better fresh? Another example barrel aged beer, and beer in general, does not age well. With certain exceptions, of course.

Looks like stout, smells and tastes not enough, chocolate, bourbon. hint of vanilla. Smooth. Overall, just ok.
Aug 29, 2021
 
Rated: 4.04 by Taenim from Maine

May 22, 2021
Photo of hman43
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina

3.97/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: It pours dark brown with a brown head. Head retention is good.

Smell: It has aromas of bourbon, cherries, and chocolate. There are some roasted elements and slight pipe tobacco.

Taste: The chocolate flavors lead the way with bourbon and then cherry. There are some roasted and vanilla elements in the background.

Feel: It has a full body, but is quite smooth.

Overall, there are a good complex flavor and aromas.
Feb 13, 2021
 
Rated: 4.28 by _Adam_ from Maryland

Jan 01, 2021
 
Rated: 4.26 by Curt3 from Ohio

Dec 25, 2020
Photo of Bouleboubier
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey

4.11/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
(12 oz bottle, code 20143, VIN 2020; single bottle gift... poured into a snifter)

L: rather, brazenly brown liquid; dark khaki-colored foam... one half-ring of lace at the pour line, but little foam retention aside from a broken collar

S: bourbon and chocolate highlights leap out immediately atop a big chocolate cookie malt foundation; the alcohol is present, but merely in aromatic essence, little boozy edge; overall relative rich density to aromas, yet lacking definition/intensity... charred bourbon barrel and toasted cookie notes linger; yes, the vanilla takes a bit to establish its pervasive-ity

T: initial roasty char followed by huge bourbon-barrel character, finished off by arguably phenolic-spicy, burnt-caramel notes; malty, cocoa-plastered aftertaste... bourbon coloring persists, subtle smokiness... residual chocolate flavor builds with each sip, as well as roasted barley-capped cookie malts

F: mellow-milky malt milk, more flat-rounded then bulbous in body... smooth, quiet, subtly singeing finish

O: quite tasty, but not quite stout-like - more of a roasty porter, with a stark burgundy-tinged brown hue and big burnt-barrel character... wouldn't mind having a 4-pack(?), as long as the price ain't too premium; down-home homebrew magic (1718)
Dec 17, 2020
Photo of NCSapiens
Reviewed by NCSapiens from Indiana

4.08/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours nearly black with light tan head that has nice retention. Aroma is malts and water and a hint of vanilla. Taste is smooth bourbon barrel and an undertone of chocolate that isn’t as richly as expected given the massive amount of cocoa nibs added. Easy drinking but kind of bland and one noted vanilla bourbon barrel. Hops contribute to a floral spiciness that becomes more noticeable as the beer warms to the appropriate temperature. Medium body with spritzy carbonation. Definitely improves as it warms as the cocoa comes through more noticeably. Overall it is quite nice and worth trying, but the end result doesn’t quite justify the large expense of the ingredients as the sum is less than the parts.
Dec 13, 2020
 
Rated: 4.09 by RickS95 from Indiana

Oct 31, 2020
 
Rated: 4.17 by Duncian from Pennsylvania

Jul 24, 2020
 
Rated: 4.05 by Unclevince from West Virginia

Jul 10, 2020
Photo of MackT
Reviewed by MackT from Florida

4.37/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz. bottle, vintage 2019. Pours your typical dark brown with a dark walnut hue.
Minimal head, quickly dissipated. Aroma is a wonderful bourbon, malts, with coffee, chocolate, bringing up the rear. Taste is not too sweet or bitter, has the attributes as mentioned. There is the warming of bourbon. Mouthfeel pops, pleasant carbonation, makes it feel “expansive”, nice. Aftertaste is as good as I would hope it would be. This is one fine example of thoughtful brewmasters. Good job.
May 31, 2020
Photo of PathofChaos
Reviewed by PathofChaos from Maryland

4.61/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance:
Deceptively black, but reveals a secret tinge of smokey topaz when held aloft. A thin layer of gauzy, mocha foam lingers just long enough to say hello and steal some appetizers, leaving behind a foam portière that laces like interwoven snowflakes.

Bouquet:
Thinned, chocolate syrup with a dainty twinkle of sweet bourbon.

Feel:
A fluffy, medium body with a smidge more heft than your average stout. Smooth and steady as a mountain lake; the carbonation feels like a flock of ripples on its serene surface. Finishes with a gentle caress of boozy warmth.

Taste:
As simple and alluring as the bottle implies: a mature, semi-sweet chocolate stout laced with warming, bourbon charm. Leads with a lascivious layer of powdered cocoa that starts sugary and ends with an exciting tang of chocolate bitters, providing a seamless segue for a dazzlingly heated bourbon kiss.

Special Note:
The flavor profile improves as the stout transitions from cold to chilled.
May 29, 2020
Photo of Danzifer
Reviewed by Danzifer from Ohio

4.49/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured somewhat dirty from 12oz bottle into snifter. 1cm light brown head quickly settles. Almost completely black in color. Smells sweet and chocolaty, a hint of whiskey. Ooh that's smooth... tastes exactly how a stout should, just bourbon barrel aged and chocolaty.
Apr 17, 2020
Photo of beerloserLI
Reviewed by beerloserLI from New York

3.81/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Black color on the pour with a foamy white head. Chocolate, and booze on the nose. Lots of nice chocolate malts upfront on the first few sips. Rather smooth on the flow with some alcohol burn on the finish. The barrel, while coming off a bit light, does offer good balance and decent notes of whisky and booze. Flavor notes seem to be rather one sided with the chocolate element really dominating things. Minor notes of char, vanilla, and caramel. Moderate/full bodied that drinks booze and a bit hot.

Overall, not bad and decent drinking but I'm not that impressed with it either.
Mar 12, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by JamesLeung from Florida

Feb 13, 2020
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

3.97/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Heavy Seas Beer "Siren Noire"
12 fl. oz. brown glass bottle coded "19180 VINTAGE 2019"
$5.29 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ

Notes via stream of consciousness: A very rough pour has brought up only a short head of tan foam. The body below is an opaque black with just a tiny glimmer of dark mahogany brown at the base. The aroma is grainy, chocolately like cocoa nibs or milk chocolate, subtly fruity (apple, cherry, strawberry), a touch oaky, and mildly Bourbon-like. It's not bright and bold but everything is clearly there and it's well rounded and pleasant. On to the flavor... I was expecting it to be sweeter, but it's not, and I thought it would be a little wider in flavor but it's actually quite focused. Its main note is bittersweet chocolate with some dark milk chocolate, spiciness, and a bit of leafy hops following towards the end. I'm not finding the Bourbon although there is an alcoholic presence to it, nor am I finding the oak. Perhaps it just needs to warm up a bit to open up completely. .... ... ... ... So I've waited and I can say that there's more to it with some Bourbon and oak coming forward, and even a note of coconut, but it's still not as rich and complex as the aroma had suggested. But maybe I've got the word 'rich' wrong. It's pretty intense. But is that rich? Regardless, it remains an Imperial stout with a little bit of extra character in terms of added chocolate and Bourbon barrel conditioning, and that works. Is it the best I've ever had? No, but it's not bad. In the mouth it's medium bodied and slightly oily with a gentle caress of carbonation before becoming smoother. Overall I'm pleased with the result, and I really enjoy the fruitiness, but I'm not sure how worthwhile the chocolate addition and Bourbon barrel were. On the other hand, perhaps minimal rather than maximum contributions worked out for the best in the end. I can't un-see what I've seen, but would I have felt more strongly about this not having known that chocolate was added and that it had been Bourbon barrel aged? Part of me says yes, you've been swayed, and part of me says no, it all comes down to the final taste. What I can say for sure is that the head retention and lacing were both somewhat lacking.
Review #6,927
Jan 30, 2020
Photo of golf4collet
Rated by golf4collet from West Virginia

3.6/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
Disappointed
Jan 23, 2020
 
Rated: 4.1 by MGibbons from Maryland

Jan 21, 2020
Siren Noire Imperial Chocolate Stout from Heavy Seas Beer
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 1020 ratings