Black Horsemen
Surly Brewing Co.
- From:
- Surly Brewing Co.
- Minnesota, United States
- Style:
- European Dark Lager
- ABV:
- 6%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.83 | pDev: 6.01%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 6
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Aug 30, 2023
- Added:
- Oct 29, 2019
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
Danish-style black lager.
Brewed in collaboration with heavy metal royalty King Diamond, this Danish-style black lager pulses with wicked intentions, enormous riffs, and apocalyptic imagery. Roasted malts lend rich flavors of cocoa and dark bread with a hint of sweetness and a smooth, clean finish.
Brewed in collaboration with heavy metal royalty King Diamond, this Danish-style black lager pulses with wicked intentions, enormous riffs, and apocalyptic imagery. Roasted malts lend rich flavors of cocoa and dark bread with a hint of sweetness and a smooth, clean finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by ger37867 from New York
3.52/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 5
3.52/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 5
anyone happen to hang on to the empty can from this Beer?
Aug 30, 2023
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina
3.71/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Picked up a 16 oz single from the Kings Beer & Wine cooler 3-12-20 for $3.19. Canned on 10-11-19; consumed 6-3-20. Cold stored since purchase.
Beer poured dark brown with a nice head with the original pour.
Nose is carmelized malt forward and not much else.
Taste is a bit sweet, medium roasted malt base is bready, a pumpernickel flavor, and it is attempted to be balanced by floral hops but the finish is sweet. reminds me of bread one gets at some better restaurants.
Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied and pretty smooth.
Overall this is a nice diversion from the ipa stout rotation. Would like to try a fresher version but apparantly this is a one-off.
Jun 03, 2020Beer poured dark brown with a nice head with the original pour.
Nose is carmelized malt forward and not much else.
Taste is a bit sweet, medium roasted malt base is bready, a pumpernickel flavor, and it is attempted to be balanced by floral hops but the finish is sweet. reminds me of bread one gets at some better restaurants.
Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied and pretty smooth.
Overall this is a nice diversion from the ipa stout rotation. Would like to try a fresher version but apparantly this is a one-off.
Reviewed by feloniousmonk from Minnesota
3.75/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Knowing very little of the musician King Diamond or the beers he prefers, or whatever the heck a Danish black lager is, this will be all a surprise for me.
Dark brown color, edging on black, fully opaque, under a greenish/beige head, leaving a little lace.
In the nose: Grassy/floral hops take center stage. A touch of sweetness, a little fruit, surrounded by malt flavors. Interesting.
In the mouth: Fruity and sweet at the top once more, a bit hoppy, but lacking any bitterness. Light bodied, and easy drinking. Just enough malt for flavor and balance. Berries and grapes dominate over caramel and cocoa. Tasty stuff, all in all, but nothing especially special. Good dark lager and you can drink it, that's for sure.
Feb 04, 2020Dark brown color, edging on black, fully opaque, under a greenish/beige head, leaving a little lace.
In the nose: Grassy/floral hops take center stage. A touch of sweetness, a little fruit, surrounded by malt flavors. Interesting.
In the mouth: Fruity and sweet at the top once more, a bit hoppy, but lacking any bitterness. Light bodied, and easy drinking. Just enough malt for flavor and balance. Berries and grapes dominate over caramel and cocoa. Tasty stuff, all in all, but nothing especially special. Good dark lager and you can drink it, that's for sure.
Reviewed by barnzy78 from Illinois
3.63/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.63/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
16oz, canned on 10/10/19. A tall & frothy beige head caps a dark brown beer. Dark malt, molasses, earthy hops for aroma. Flavors are blackened malt, molasses, anise, burnt caramel, and earthy pine. Medium body, resinous and dry, with a bitter finish. Good flavors going on while being quite unique.
Dec 29, 2019
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin
4.27/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.27/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Pours a dark brown, ruby, reddish color like molasses. A massive, strong light tan head. (4.25)
Aroma: Aromas of darkness. Some dark fruit w/ hints of roast. But mostly juniper and dank candied blueberry. (4.00)
Flavor: Flavor is completely different than the nose. Initially I get roasty cocoa followed by light coffee notes that finishes into a dry, roasty chocolate finish. A little bit of rubbery new tire. Hints of airy tobacco which is pleasant.Traces of blueberry and juniper but mild compared to the nose. Very light and dry finish. Not bitter. (4.25)
Feel: Lighter-bodied and creamy. Creamy and strong carbonation, yet light. Almost NEIPA mouthfeel, but lighter and not bitter. Sort of like cotton-candy in the mouth. Dissolves clean on the palate. (4.50)
Overall: What an interesting and complexly well-crafted beer. It has this weird sweet candied blueberry flavor, but then the flavor is completely different and more cocoa. Then it has this amazing body, while being light and dry and dissolves on the palate. It's a mix of blueberries and cocoa and that's the best I can describe it. So clean. Really enjoyed this one. Masterfully crafted. (Final Rating: 4.27)
Dec 22, 2019Aroma: Aromas of darkness. Some dark fruit w/ hints of roast. But mostly juniper and dank candied blueberry. (4.00)
Flavor: Flavor is completely different than the nose. Initially I get roasty cocoa followed by light coffee notes that finishes into a dry, roasty chocolate finish. A little bit of rubbery new tire. Hints of airy tobacco which is pleasant.Traces of blueberry and juniper but mild compared to the nose. Very light and dry finish. Not bitter. (4.25)
Feel: Lighter-bodied and creamy. Creamy and strong carbonation, yet light. Almost NEIPA mouthfeel, but lighter and not bitter. Sort of like cotton-candy in the mouth. Dissolves clean on the palate. (4.50)
Overall: What an interesting and complexly well-crafted beer. It has this weird sweet candied blueberry flavor, but then the flavor is completely different and more cocoa. Then it has this amazing body, while being light and dry and dissolves on the palate. It's a mix of blueberries and cocoa and that's the best I can describe it. So clean. Really enjoyed this one. Masterfully crafted. (Final Rating: 4.27)
Reviewed by morimech from Minnesota
3.71/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Nice but not really worth a full review. Better than all of their small batch releases to date, but that is damning with faint praise. Just like a Euro Dark Lager, nice and drinkable, but hardly justifiable of the entrance fee.
Nov 09, 2019
Reviewed by cheeseheadinMinneapolis from Wisconsin
3.87/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.87/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
ABV?? can states 6%, Surly website states 5%
Brewery notes: Brewed for the King.
Hops: Warrior (bittering), Sterling. Malt: Munich, Carafoam, Caramunich. Yeast: Danish Lager. Brewed in Brooklyn Center MN at the original location (???).
My Notes:
I am not sure were this goes style wise, so I put it in European Dark Lager category.
tested from 16oz cans. I bought a 4 Pack, canned on 10/10/19
Look: The body is not black. The body is transparent reddish brown. Nice fine tall light tan head that leaves plenty of lacing. Nice looking beer.
Smell: toasted bread with a touch of roasted malt.
Flavor: A mild roasted malt, with a touch of toasted bread, a little chocolate, A touch of dark bread spice. Maybe a hint of caramel. I little bit of hop notes too, citrus/floral. Starts out just slightly sweet but turns more bitter towards the finish. This is a medium duty beer flavor wise.
feel; slightly thin.
It's ok, Great can graphics. 3.91/5
Oct 31, 2019Brewery notes: Brewed for the King.
Hops: Warrior (bittering), Sterling. Malt: Munich, Carafoam, Caramunich. Yeast: Danish Lager. Brewed in Brooklyn Center MN at the original location (???).
My Notes:
I am not sure were this goes style wise, so I put it in European Dark Lager category.
tested from 16oz cans. I bought a 4 Pack, canned on 10/10/19
Look: The body is not black. The body is transparent reddish brown. Nice fine tall light tan head that leaves plenty of lacing. Nice looking beer.
Smell: toasted bread with a touch of roasted malt.
Flavor: A mild roasted malt, with a touch of toasted bread, a little chocolate, A touch of dark bread spice. Maybe a hint of caramel. I little bit of hop notes too, citrus/floral. Starts out just slightly sweet but turns more bitter towards the finish. This is a medium duty beer flavor wise.
feel; slightly thin.
It's ok, Great can graphics. 3.91/5
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