Blueberry Crumble Darkness (2021)
Surly Brewing Co.

The pour is stout black with a short (3mm) head that left almost no lacing. Not uncommon for barrel aged beers.
The taste leads with blueberry, no doubt about it. This is loaded with the flavors of blueberry. I may or may not have detected any lemon zest, I thought I had but it was so faint that it might have been my imagination. The “crumble” aspect was missing in action.
The feel is good, just enough viscosity to remind me to sip instead of gulping it.
OA, I enjoyed it for what it was - a stout with blueberries.

 

 

 

Pours very dark black with a bit of carbonation fizzing on top. Aroma is blueberry, bourbon, some graham cracker and dark fruit. Taste is bourbon, graham cracker and blueberry. The ABV is noticeable but not overpowering. A nice version of Darkness.

16 ounce can into a snifter. Canned 11/17/21, had 8/20/22.

Pours a very dark brown, opaque and thick looking, with a short head and some foamy cling. Aromas of blueberries, vanilla, roasted malt, chocolate, lemon peel, light rum, some oak. The flavor starts with more rum than the nose, chocolate, blueberries, roasted malt, vanilla, faint lemon peel. Smooth, a solid full body, appropriately carbonated.

The blueberries are terrific, especially in the aroma. Lots of vanilla, and the usual Darkness base. Overall the rum barrels are pretty light, would have liked a bit more of a presence. Thought this was pretty good.

On draft at Sycamore in Columbia, MO. Poured out an oil-black color with a good-sized, khaki colored head of foam. It left sticky lacing on the glass. It smelled of blueberry, lemon, chocolate and sweet rum. Subtle blueberry and lemon taste with molasses, chocolate, oak and rum.

 

Poured from pint can into snifter.
A: Pours a brown black hue with 1/2 inch dark mocha head with decent retention.
S: Smells like a lemon blueberry muffin with a hint of dark chocolate and vanilla. Doesn’t come across well, especially the lemon.
T: Blueberry muffin with dark chocolate and lemon cream. The lemon note is a bit jarring and this is way too sweet.
M: Medium heavy feel. Syrupy feel and way too sweet.
D: I’m becoming disenchanted with the Darkness variants. This one is extremely sweet and artificial in taste. They ruined a good beer.

Black body with a brown head. Blueberry, vanilla, and lemon zest aromas atop a dark chocolate, roasted malt, molasses, and boozy body. Taste is the same but with the roasted malt and earthiness clashing a bit with the finishing adjuncts, giving them a bit of a medicinal complexion. Feel is lighter for the series but still chewy, big bodied, and sneaky robust. Best of the three 2021 variants by far

Unique flavor, used to fruity beers being lighter. The blueberries come through in aroma and flavor. Really liked this.

 

Darkness BA Blueberry Crumble pours black, with a small, tan head. Aroma is filled with blueberry, and some lemon deep down. Flavor hits you with blueberry and vanilla, sweet, then finishes with lemon. Good body and feel. Overall, a very nice stout, the added flavors blend perfectly, nothing over done, still a beer.

 

 

Pitch black with purplish edges, purplish foam that gradually recedes to nothing.

Smells like a blueberry muffin.

Taste is heavy blueberry, with aftertaste of dark chocolate, lemon, rum. Very dark but a little strange. Blueberry not jiving well with the bitter end flavors.

Mouthfeel slick and sweet.

I feel like this is just ultimately less than the sum of its parts. A good idea to be sure. No crumble though? I wanted so bad to love this, but it's not balanced. Interesting, I didn't hate it but it's not dialed in in it's current form. Would like to see another shot at this - or Central Waters/Southern Tier attempt to bring me the crumble flavor. :)

 

Pours dark Mohegan with a mocha head . Smell is lemon blueberry and blackberry ,some chocolate and barrel Taste follows nose is a bad way it’s fruity blueberry pebbles with lemon zest. A bad moth feel with barrel very weak and light roasted chocolate malt. A terrible fruity mouth feel with a week barrel.

L- pours motor oil black with a thin, tan head.
S- smell of blueberry pancakes.
T- blueberry and baker’s chocolate. Bitterness coms out in the end. Vanilla and almond subdued. Nice sweetness throughout. The blueberry and bitter hop and coffee bean make a nice grittiness. Some sweet bourbon notes.
M- thicker mouthfeel
O- not a huge fan of blueberry, but this is enjoyable. Do not detect much alcohol, so dangerous.