Mack In Black
Holy Mackerel Beers

 

I've had this beer sitting around for at least 3 years now. It's been stairing at me wanting me to drink it, but I've been putting it off. I figured I'd better drink it before it gets skunked. This has been going on for over a year now. Well the day has finally come. Poured into tulip glass. Wow 4 finger dense creamy light brown head. Jet black, so dark I can't make out any carbonation. Head fades to about 1/4 inch that lingers the entire time. Smells like a good RIS. Plumbs raisins and roasted malt all on the nose. Now for the taste, after 3 plus years has it skunked? Nope, taste way better then expected. Actually it's way better then when it's new. I don't taste any pomegranate but apparently it's in here. This is a very smooth beer, nice balance with no bitterness what so ever. Overall this aged imperial is way better then I ever expected, so good I think I'll buy some more to age. I'll get back to you in 3-4 years to see if those stand up. Solid 4.25

 

The pour consisted of an impressive looking, opaque colored, solid black body, topped by a one finger thick head. When held up to a bright light, the body revealed some deep red highlights. The aroma of the beer was just as impressive as the looks, with loads of black coffee, dark chocolate, molasses, toffee, and roast grains hitting the nose with each whiff. The taste was grainy, astringent, and has a backing of burnt sugar. The finish had a molasses like sweetness. The body was touch runny, but the feel was creamy and not disappointing in any way. I could not detect much of a pomegranate presesene in the beer, but still a fine stout as is.

Poured from a bottle into a nonic, the beer pours jet black, with a tall, dense, foamy, light tan head. Aromas of tangy sweet fruit, roasted coffee, and not much else. The nose is terribly off-balanced, and it's already spiraling into a muddled mess. Flavors are roasted forward, with a nutty coffee blend followed immediately by tart pomegranate. There are some earthy highlights in there, as well, which just adds to the chaos. This palate just doesn't seem to match up anywhere. The body is light, almost watery, and the aftertaste is a bit of char, fruit juice, stale chocolate and day old coffee. The aftertaste is a weird amalgamate of flavors that shouldn't really be playing together. The short linger in this dry, watery finish is still too long. Not good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Skuter, ChewyLewy, and scribe594 for giving me this one.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, char, and fruit aromas. Taste is much the same with cocoa, cookie dough, and slight fruit flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of roast bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with solid cocoa and fruit aspects, but I am not getting any of the Belgian yeast they supposedly used in this one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, my 12-ounce bottle states the brewery as being Thomas Creek of South Carolina, and the label is a little different than the one shown here. But my research doesn't come up with much evidence and it doesn't seem worth distinguishing any differences here. So, it pours a deep, opaque black color with a giant head of tan foam that settles to a solid layer, but minimal lacing. The aroma emits a pleasant fruit malt idea, perhaps hinting of the alleged pomegranate. The flavor is somewhat striking but also difficult to describe. There is very little of the familiar malt characteristics I expect from something labeled a black ale, especially an imperial black ale. There's a boozy fruit idea, again, arguably pomegranate and apple, that seems to fight with the slightly chocolate malt base. It just doesn't blend well. It's medium bodied with a smooth initial feel but the soda-like fizziness takes over and ends with an unfriendly result that includes some chalkiness. The aftertaste is similarly poor with an odd vegetable-like bite and evidence of some alcohol. Disappointing.

 

 

 

Fast-fleeing beige head over streams of bubbles and chocolate black body.
Treacle, ash and black pine resin underneath.
Milk chocolate and figs, then oily orange peel and pine hops - but not much.
Berry finish and sweet roasty linger.
Smooth, chewy, fizzy.

Mistaken in thinking that "Imperial Black" meant CDA - this is very much more black than hoppy. Can't say I get pomegranate or Belgian yeast and also too lively and thin.

Good but not great.

 

Part of a trade from Florida not available in my area. Amazing, lasting head formed when I poured from bottle into my Solemn Oath (Naperville, IL) tulip.

Opaque reddish black with a dark tan head. No lacing. A lot of malty chocolatey notes and not a ton of hops. A decent imperial black but I was really hoping to taste more pomegranate.. it becomes just barely noticeable after warming to near room temp. Maybe fresh? Or aged? In any case I would drink it again so, above average.