Darkness - Cola Barrel Aged
Surly Brewing Co.

Mine was a 2024 vintage. So I like all my stouts aged at least a year. But flavored stouts loose the added flavor with age so that makes a huge difference in fresh vs aged. I wonder if some of the reviews had a gone bad beer, because what I had was definitely not what others have said. Mixed reviews. I definitely tasted cola, not so much bourbon. The head was minimal, maybe because of 2 years in can? It wasn't thick and sticky like I thought it would be so its mouthfeel wasn't bad but slightly thin for a stout. The alcohol snuck up on me. Overall for a $17 pint is wasn't worth it. Forgetting the cost it went down easy but I wouldn't get it again and was disappointed.

 

Poured into a tulip:

I read the reviews of this one before I even bought it. I re-read them while I was pouring and evaluating it. Full disclosure and all that.

I like Surly beers. I love the original Darkness, and usually at least like the various Darkness variants. But not this one. I've poured very few beers down the drain over the years. This one made the list. Chalky mouthfeel mixed with a boozy soy-sauce flavor profile. Nope.

If I were to blind sniff this, I'd think it was an RC. Cola galore! On the palate there's also anise, licorice fern root and soapstone. Decidedly astringent on the back palate. Not a fan but worth a whirl.

This "this effervescent spin " is taking an effervescent spin down the drain. It seems like Surly is more gimmick than brewery now, surviving off of name alone.

Though some of the reviews are mixed, I think this beer is great. It’s a barrel-aged stout with refreshing citrus notes, bringing to mind a cola-inspired flavor. Although it’s a big, dark beer, the citrus and increased carbonation offer a surprising sense of lightness.

 

Pours very dark brown with a very dark caramel head on top. Smells like roasted malt and teriyaki. Probably the worst beer I have ever had. This just tastes gross what were they thinking!

 

Pours an unusual grayish-black with a thick one finger head. Aroma is immediately bourbon as soon as it is poured; then a distinct cola hits the senses. This is quite powerful and no other profile is detected. Taste unveils an immediate cola taste, followed by a somewhat less prominent bourbon taste. The overall effect is one that is somewhat of two different worlds; there is little to tie the cola effect and the bourbon together. This also has a bit less of a tie in to the Darkness lineage.

From a 16oz can. Canned on 11/06/24

This looks like Darkness. It is a pitch black pouring beer. There's a thick 2 1/2 finger brown head. The head has great head retention, and some damn nice looking lacing.
Aroma does concern me. It does smell like cola, and that's the main aroma. It does smell quite sweet, and I'm really not getting any of the Darkness aromas that I want in this beer.
Taste - Oh, boy. I get a faint hint of the base beer right away. I like it for a fraction of a second, and then it is replaced by a sickingly sweet cola flavor, that just gets worse as it goes.
The body is thick and full from the base beer. The feeling of the cola part of it is just not good at all. Slightly bubbly feeling.
This is not a good beer at all. I truly don't know if I can finish it to be honest.

2024 variant. On tap.

Tan head with lace. Black color.

Licorice and cola. Tastes like Pepsi. Mouthfeel even tastes like Pepsi. Black licorice and molasses bomb. Figs, orange, spices.

This is absolutely disgusting. I can’t even tell this is darkness.