Black Saddle
Crystal Springs Brewing Company
- From:
- Crystal Springs Brewing Company
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 9.4%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.87 | pDev: 13.95%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Dec 08, 2020
- Added:
- Nov 19, 2010
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 3
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by 1000lbgrizzly from Illinois
3.28/5 rDev -15.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.28/5 rDev -15.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
A: A great viscous, dark pour, but with medium head that fizzled out disappointingly quickly.
S: Underwhelming aromas of roasted malt, chocolate, a bit of oak, and slight alcohol.
T: Not nearly as big as I was hoping for. Malt, a little bit of chocolate, and some sourness that I could have appreciated if I hadn't been expecting something else. Prunes? No detection of any vanilla or coffee that I was hoping I might find.
M: Smooth, mouth-coating, touch of carbonation. Nothing special.
O: Very disappointed. I had expected some heavy, complex flavors from this Imperial Stout that is aged 2 years in oak barrels and that cost $9 for a 12 oz. bottle, but in return got a fairly forgettable brew. Not a bad beer, but definitely not a good value.
Jul 18, 2013S: Underwhelming aromas of roasted malt, chocolate, a bit of oak, and slight alcohol.
T: Not nearly as big as I was hoping for. Malt, a little bit of chocolate, and some sourness that I could have appreciated if I hadn't been expecting something else. Prunes? No detection of any vanilla or coffee that I was hoping I might find.
M: Smooth, mouth-coating, touch of carbonation. Nothing special.
O: Very disappointed. I had expected some heavy, complex flavors from this Imperial Stout that is aged 2 years in oak barrels and that cost $9 for a 12 oz. bottle, but in return got a fairly forgettable brew. Not a bad beer, but definitely not a good value.
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)
3.4/5 rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
3.4/5 rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Bottle from Jason B., here's to you birthday this week Big 40. Somewhat of a foamer. Pours black with enormous head that lasts! After several minutes, I drank the creamy froth, initially malty and then chocolate in midsip, coffee in finish, and a little harsh. Anise and malt and coffee aroma.
Mar 20, 2011
Reviewed by chicano4craft from Colorado
3.21/5 rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.21/5 rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured into snifter. A loud hiss came from the bottle as I opened it. Even with a slow pour the foam took over. I had to wait awhile for it to settle before finishing the pour. Weird. After all that it was nearly black with a bubbly tan head.
Nose isn't very exciting. Everything is faint. Roasted malt and chocolate. Something's off and I can't put my finger on it.
Slighly burnt in the taste. A biiter sweet start with a funny after taste. It's not horrible, but maybe the carbonation is doing something.
Mouthfeel and drinkability are average. Beer gets a little flavorfull as it warms. RIS is a tough category. There's so many good one's out there it's hard to pay $10 very something average.
Nov 21, 2010Nose isn't very exciting. Everything is faint. Roasted malt and chocolate. Something's off and I can't put my finger on it.
Slighly burnt in the taste. A biiter sweet start with a funny after taste. It's not horrible, but maybe the carbonation is doing something.
Mouthfeel and drinkability are average. Beer gets a little flavorfull as it warms. RIS is a tough category. There's so many good one's out there it's hard to pay $10 very something average.
Reviewed by GilGarp from Colorado
3.96/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
3.96/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Bottled 10/17/10, #117 out of who knows what.
Served cool into an imperial pint glass. Black Saddle, which happens to be the name of my first RIS as a homebrewer, is a deep dark brown with good clarity seen on the pour. The head is thick and long-lasting with great lacing. A very nice looking imperial stout.
Aroma is evident from a distance - sweet, roasty, and nutty. It's not especially hoppy but then this style usually isn't.
Flavor is actually really nice. It's very roasty and robust in flavor, as it should be. Lots of bitterness but not all in roasted malt. There is some good hop flavor and bitterness too. Despite all of this, there is actually a nice balance to it all.
Mouthfeel is smooth and low in carbonation with a pleasant creaminess.
Overall a totally solid imperial stout. No, it's not Stone IRS, or TenFidy, or Old Rasputin but it is a respectible big stout. Give it a try.
Nov 21, 2010Served cool into an imperial pint glass. Black Saddle, which happens to be the name of my first RIS as a homebrewer, is a deep dark brown with good clarity seen on the pour. The head is thick and long-lasting with great lacing. A very nice looking imperial stout.
Aroma is evident from a distance - sweet, roasty, and nutty. It's not especially hoppy but then this style usually isn't.
Flavor is actually really nice. It's very roasty and robust in flavor, as it should be. Lots of bitterness but not all in roasted malt. There is some good hop flavor and bitterness too. Despite all of this, there is actually a nice balance to it all.
Mouthfeel is smooth and low in carbonation with a pleasant creaminess.
Overall a totally solid imperial stout. No, it's not Stone IRS, or TenFidy, or Old Rasputin but it is a respectible big stout. Give it a try.
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