-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Outblack
De Struise Brouwers
- From:
- De Struise Brouwers
- Belgium
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 89
- Avg:
- 3.96 | pDev: 11.36%
- Reviews:
- 132
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 20, 2018
- Added:
- Feb 23, 2011
- Wants:
- 9
- Gots:
- 42
Collaboration brew with Stillwater Artisanal Ales (USA).
This Belgian Strong Ale was married to a still young but powerful style, the Black IPA.
You take a chocolate sweet strong ale together with the high & strong hop shedule of an IPA, and you get a fantastic result.
This Belgian Strong Ale was married to a still young but powerful style, the Black IPA.
You take a chocolate sweet strong ale together with the high & strong hop shedule of an IPA, and you get a fantastic result.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by mattfancett:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts
4.21/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours opaque, black in color with 1/2 inch head. Taste is bosco, plum, and char. Medium-heavy bodied, moderate carbonation, sweet and roasty. Complex and tasty. I would get this again if I found it although I prefer other Struise beers.
Feb 20, 2018Reviewed by Bierliebhaber3 from Massachusetts
4.25/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This 10% Belgian dark ale pours a black color with a medium creamy tan head. The scent is strong, rich, and malty with elements of roasted grain, rye, chocolate, and alcohol. The flavor is really complex and unique. I can honestly say I have never drank a beer that was anything like it. It has all of the aforementioned flavors that were detected in the scent as well as licorice, cream, oatmeal, and a little spicy hoppiness in the aftertaste. The alcohol is not overwhelming, but it definitely has a presence and leaves a lingering pleasant burn. The finish is also exceedingly creamy. The body is somewhere between what I would classify as medium and heavy. It’s a little lighter than a stout or porter, but heavier than most other beers. I have to give this beer props for being one of the most strange and interesting beers that I have ever tried. I think some would probably really hate this beer, but for me it somehow works. I think it’s a really great winter or dessert beer.
Jun 08, 2016Reviewed by Rifugium from North Dakota
3.79/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Had this laying around in the cellar for a while, so I figured I'd break it out for a tasting. It was quite different than I expected. Dark brown pour, with a small tan ringlet. Unexpected spice in the aroma, dark malts. Again, those spices in the taste...I don't think there were any spices used in this brew? Rye malt? Aside from cocoa abd dark malt, and a touch of prune, I got distinct flavors of mint and anise. Really nothing of a black ale in this, though being an older brew, I'm sure those elements, if they ever were dominant, faded long ago. Medium body, and pretty mellow overall, an interesting aging experiment if nothing else, but it was definitely not bad.
Oct 01, 2015Reviewed by dcmchew from Romania
4/5 rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours really dark brown, almost black, a big fluffy mocha head that recedes soon. Lots of floating bits, no matter how gently you pour it.
Cherry brandy on the nose, dark chocolate, mint, plum, herb liqueur, peach, ice tea, dark licorice, light roasted malt, rosewater. A really nice herbal fruity mix on top of dark malts.
Really rich dark fruit and alcohol up front, somewhere between strong red wine and brandy. Lots of juicy plum, dark grape, date, fig, morello cherry, but also some blond fruit notes (apple, peach, cherry plum). All "flavoured" with a nice herbal mix, something like mountain tea, with some faint mint, cola, dark licorice and sweet floral notes too.
Chocolate to cut off the booze, backed by dark malts, not too roasted, but bringing a rich multi-grain dark bread taste for the finish. Light hops here, alcohol to dry things up, without being too heavy.
A pretty short and simple finish after the big complexity in the front. Aftertaste is pretty poor, some dark bread (rye in there), a bit of spicy yeast, faint cocoa powder, almost no fruit or brandy at all. Medium body, low carbonation, pretty smooth.
Reminded me a lot of BrewDog Abstrakt 06, especially because i had them both pretty old. Rich fruity jam up front, backed by mild dark malts and extremely well hidden alcohol. Only wished the nice flavors lingered a bit more.
Jan 12, 2015Cherry brandy on the nose, dark chocolate, mint, plum, herb liqueur, peach, ice tea, dark licorice, light roasted malt, rosewater. A really nice herbal fruity mix on top of dark malts.
Really rich dark fruit and alcohol up front, somewhere between strong red wine and brandy. Lots of juicy plum, dark grape, date, fig, morello cherry, but also some blond fruit notes (apple, peach, cherry plum). All "flavoured" with a nice herbal mix, something like mountain tea, with some faint mint, cola, dark licorice and sweet floral notes too.
Chocolate to cut off the booze, backed by dark malts, not too roasted, but bringing a rich multi-grain dark bread taste for the finish. Light hops here, alcohol to dry things up, without being too heavy.
A pretty short and simple finish after the big complexity in the front. Aftertaste is pretty poor, some dark bread (rye in there), a bit of spicy yeast, faint cocoa powder, almost no fruit or brandy at all. Medium body, low carbonation, pretty smooth.
Reminded me a lot of BrewDog Abstrakt 06, especially because i had them both pretty old. Rich fruity jam up front, backed by mild dark malts and extremely well hidden alcohol. Only wished the nice flavors lingered a bit more.
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina
3.48/5 rDev -12.1%
3.48/5 rDev -12.1%
Appearance: A foamy beige head builds and grows rocky, looking very Belgian, as it sits atop the fudge colored liquid
Smell: Very unusual phenols, smelling vaguely like paint thinner though there is also some chocolate and dark fruit in the mix
Taste: Ashen, up front, with dark fruit developing in the middle, though the burnt character of the beer persists; after the swallow, there is some candi sugar sweetness that develops and brings home the finish; spicy rye in the aftertaste
Mouthfeel: Medium body with high carbonation; very Belgian mouthfeel
Overall: A disappointment, coming from these two fine brewers; perhaps this beer wasn't intended for aging because there are some real off flavors that have developed
Sep 12, 2014Smell: Very unusual phenols, smelling vaguely like paint thinner though there is also some chocolate and dark fruit in the mix
Taste: Ashen, up front, with dark fruit developing in the middle, though the burnt character of the beer persists; after the swallow, there is some candi sugar sweetness that develops and brings home the finish; spicy rye in the aftertaste
Mouthfeel: Medium body with high carbonation; very Belgian mouthfeel
Overall: A disappointment, coming from these two fine brewers; perhaps this beer wasn't intended for aging because there are some real off flavors that have developed
Outblack from De Struise Brouwers
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
206 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!