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Garún Icelandic Stout NR.19
Borg Brugghús


- From:
- Borg Brugghús
- Iceland
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
Ranked #667 - ABV:
- 11.5%
- Score:
- 95
Ranked #1,706 - Avg:
- 4.28 | pDev: 7.48%
- Reviews:
- 59
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Aug 09, 2023
- Added:
- Dec 10, 2013
- Wants:
- 28
- Gots:
- 47
Garún is named for the strong and brave heroine of one of Iceland's most popular folktales "The deacon of Dark River (Myrká)." A tale of ghosts, undying love, and life triumphing over death told against the backdrop of elements essential to Iceland's character: ice, snow, and flooding waters whirling dark and mysterious. The same elements that inspire this rich, intense, bold and swirlingly varied Icelandic stout.
Garún is a dark aura of intense richness and haunting aroma with notes of chocolate, licorice and coffee. Skál!
Garún is a dark aura of intense richness and haunting aroma with notes of chocolate, licorice and coffee. Skál!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by TomPowell from Rhode Island
4.51/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
4.51/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
I would love, love to find in US
Jan 05, 2023Reviewed by LifesAnesthesia from Virginia
4.38/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.38/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
L - Deep black with a tan head that dissipates somewhat quickly but leaves behind a good amount of lacing
S - roasted oats and barely, dark chocolate, hints of coffee and molasses
T - Simple, yet we'll done. Roasted oats and barely, dark malt, intermixed with dark chocolate, molasses, coffee, some licorice and earthy notes
F - Medium bodied with light carbonation
O - on vacation in Iceland, honestly a way better stout/beer than I was expecting. Holds its own against much more well known imperial stouts out there
May 15, 2022S - roasted oats and barely, dark chocolate, hints of coffee and molasses
T - Simple, yet we'll done. Roasted oats and barely, dark malt, intermixed with dark chocolate, molasses, coffee, some licorice and earthy notes
F - Medium bodied with light carbonation
O - on vacation in Iceland, honestly a way better stout/beer than I was expecting. Holds its own against much more well known imperial stouts out there
Reviewed by LeBron_James from Canada (ON)
4/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Found some bottles of this at my local bottle shop.
Pours black with tan head and no lacing on the glass.
Alcohol comes up front on the nose with some roasted malt up front as well.
The taste on this is certainly unique. Moderate alcohol, some roasted malt though not a whole lot of it, some very faint licorice, and maybe maybe some faint coffee notes here as well. The aftertaste is kind of like soy sauce which I'm personally not a fan of. For me the taste on this is a little lacking among big imperial stouts. I'm sure it's different on tap and after being cellared for some years.
The mouthfeel is quite nice. Carbonation is perfect and it's medium bodied. Not as heavy as I expected but certainly not bad.
Overall, I find 95 a little high for this one. I do enjoy it and at $4 per bottle it's worth it. The soy sauce kind of character on the aftertaste put me off of this one. It isn't really soy sauce, more of a black licorice mixed with alcohol and coffee kind of deal but it manifests as a weird take on soy sauce. Still a cool beer.
Mar 15, 2021Pours black with tan head and no lacing on the glass.
Alcohol comes up front on the nose with some roasted malt up front as well.
The taste on this is certainly unique. Moderate alcohol, some roasted malt though not a whole lot of it, some very faint licorice, and maybe maybe some faint coffee notes here as well. The aftertaste is kind of like soy sauce which I'm personally not a fan of. For me the taste on this is a little lacking among big imperial stouts. I'm sure it's different on tap and after being cellared for some years.
The mouthfeel is quite nice. Carbonation is perfect and it's medium bodied. Not as heavy as I expected but certainly not bad.
Overall, I find 95 a little high for this one. I do enjoy it and at $4 per bottle it's worth it. The soy sauce kind of character on the aftertaste put me off of this one. It isn't really soy sauce, more of a black licorice mixed with alcohol and coffee kind of deal but it manifests as a weird take on soy sauce. Still a cool beer.
Reviewed by DanfromVan from Canada (BC)
4.15/5 rDev -3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.15/5 rDev -3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Just new on the shelf, so picked a couple up. Poured into an Averbode Ccce. Rich foamy colour, head dissipates right away.
Leathery aroma, maybe a touch of licorice.
Goes down easy for such an abv heavyweight. Tastes ok, mouth feel is a little lighter than I had though it would be. Slight bitterness in the aftertaste,
I could maybe do 2 of these at a single serving, just a little too bitter for me.
Dec 20, 2020Leathery aroma, maybe a touch of licorice.
Goes down easy for such an abv heavyweight. Tastes ok, mouth feel is a little lighter than I had though it would be. Slight bitterness in the aftertaste,
I could maybe do 2 of these at a single serving, just a little too bitter for me.
Reviewed by MaltyPythonsHopCircus from Canada (BC)
4.04/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Complexity rules with this inky black stout. Strong at 11.5% it doesn't drink boozy. Intense roasted coffee notes layered on leather, treacle, cocoa and vanilla. Also a hint or licorice in the finish.
Aug 26, 2020Reviewed by GarrettB from Colorado
4.02/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
March 24th, 2016 - Moving from porter to stout, this calm looking brew starts with a hugely rich aroma, with a great depth of malt and the smell of charred aspen log. It's also a little dusty and shows a hint of mesquite and light creaminess, which I find unusually appetizing. The flavor is even better, alternating between sweet and savory, flickering between dessert and the main course. The slight tang facilitates this transformation, but still lets the depth and darkness of the malt shine. The aftertaste is the best part of all, echoing and evoking flavors of some of the best stouts I've had to date.
May 09, 2020Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England
4.27/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.27/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
L- Inky black, thin dark tan head, not a single photon of light seems to pass through this beer.
S- Toasty, roasty, puddingy, deep.
T- Wow! Deep, *intense* coffee and chocolate. Super pungent, a thing of wonder!
F- Rich, deep, but even at 11.5% not OTT.
O- Wow, intense chocolate coffee stout. A beauty of a beast of a beer.
I visited the Vinbudin (state liquor store) in Reykjavik, my wife loves stout and chose this and I got to try it (briefly!).
No visible BB on the cap, lable or glass, but from the major liquor store in town.
Sep 16, 2019S- Toasty, roasty, puddingy, deep.
T- Wow! Deep, *intense* coffee and chocolate. Super pungent, a thing of wonder!
F- Rich, deep, but even at 11.5% not OTT.
O- Wow, intense chocolate coffee stout. A beauty of a beast of a beer.
I visited the Vinbudin (state liquor store) in Reykjavik, my wife loves stout and chose this and I got to try it (briefly!).
No visible BB on the cap, lable or glass, but from the major liquor store in town.
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4.17/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Unknown vintage; drank 7/13/14 @ Bangers & Lace.
Black hue.
Dark khaki head; a curtain of lace.
Black licorice, fresh earth & bakers chocolate nose.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Black licorice, candle wax & fresh earth flavors, with a bitter bakers chocolate finish.
Enjoyable, but pull up your big boy pants.
Mar 31, 2019Black hue.
Dark khaki head; a curtain of lace.
Black licorice, fresh earth & bakers chocolate nose.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Black licorice, candle wax & fresh earth flavors, with a bitter bakers chocolate finish.
Enjoyable, but pull up your big boy pants.
Reviewed by TooManyGlasses from Canada (AB)
4.23/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A surprisingly great stout for a reasonable price. Had this sitting in my basement 2+ years - shared 4 ways, so just a taste. Pours a moderately thick black with short lived mocha head - no cloudiness but too dense for light to pass. Aroma is up front roasted coffee, dark chocolate, but definite licorice without being over powering. Do get a sense of the booze on the nose also.
Taste sweet coffee, chocolate, licorice with a little char on the finish - ends with a slightly boozy full biitersweetness balancing out very nicely.
Dec 25, 2018Taste sweet coffee, chocolate, licorice with a little char on the finish - ends with a slightly boozy full biitersweetness balancing out very nicely.
Rated by R1kk from Minnesota
4.93/5 rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.93/5 rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Best beer I’ve ever tasted.
Oct 21, 2018Reviewed by mothman from Minnesota
4.25/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2018 bottle. Tan head. Black color.
This is the expedition stout of Iceland. Coffee, roasted malts, chocolate, cocoa, and licorice. Full bodied. Thick. A very nice stout!
Aug 18, 2018This is the expedition stout of Iceland. Coffee, roasted malts, chocolate, cocoa, and licorice. Full bodied. Thick. A very nice stout!
Garún Icelandic Stout NR.19 from Borg Brugghús
Beer rating:
95 out of
100 with
246 ratings
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