Torment Dark Belgian-Style Ale | Heretic Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Heretic Brewing Company
California, United States
hereticbrewing.com
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.00%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by JohnGalt1 on 10-30-2012
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 97 | Reviews: 28
3.98/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
22oz, dark red wax sealed bottle, one of the easier iterations of said presentation to actually open that I've come upon of late.
This beer pours a slightly hazy, dark red-brick amber colour, with two chubby fingers of puffy, loosely foamy, and bubbly beige head, which leaves some broad land bridge lace around the glass as it slowly fades away.
It smells of bready, doughy caramel malt, musty toffee, earthy yeast, dark candi sugar, mixed orchard fruit (plums, bruised apples, bananas and pears), and somewhat hot and phenolic alcohol. The taste is gritty, grainy caramel malt, hard toffee candies, laid-back yeast, brown sugar, sweet, syrupy pear and apple fruit notes, indistinct earthy spice, and light leafy, kind of perfumed hops, the only real sign of the elevated ABV.
The bubbles are quite soft and lilting in their genial frothiness, the body a solid medium-heavy weight for the style, and plainly smooth, with a pleasant creaminess evolving as things warm up a tad. It finishes off-dry, but not too sweet, as the fruity and spicy esters give it the ol' college try at conceiving a sense of balance, sort of.
An interesting and tasty BSDA, the normal metrics all there, with a well-concealed 20-proof booze factor. The variable mustiness lends some old-school credence as well, but it comes off as being layered on just a wee bit too thickly in places. At any rate, worthy of checking out, if you're into big, bold Belgian-style brews.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
22oz, dark red wax sealed bottle, one of the easier iterations of said presentation to actually open that I've come upon of late.
This beer pours a slightly hazy, dark red-brick amber colour, with two chubby fingers of puffy, loosely foamy, and bubbly beige head, which leaves some broad land bridge lace around the glass as it slowly fades away.
It smells of bready, doughy caramel malt, musty toffee, earthy yeast, dark candi sugar, mixed orchard fruit (plums, bruised apples, bananas and pears), and somewhat hot and phenolic alcohol. The taste is gritty, grainy caramel malt, hard toffee candies, laid-back yeast, brown sugar, sweet, syrupy pear and apple fruit notes, indistinct earthy spice, and light leafy, kind of perfumed hops, the only real sign of the elevated ABV.
The bubbles are quite soft and lilting in their genial frothiness, the body a solid medium-heavy weight for the style, and plainly smooth, with a pleasant creaminess evolving as things warm up a tad. It finishes off-dry, but not too sweet, as the fruity and spicy esters give it the ol' college try at conceiving a sense of balance, sort of.
An interesting and tasty BSDA, the normal metrics all there, with a well-concealed 20-proof booze factor. The variable mustiness lends some old-school credence as well, but it comes off as being layered on just a wee bit too thickly in places. At any rate, worthy of checking out, if you're into big, bold Belgian-style brews.
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4.35/5 rDev +9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours a dark cola color capped by two fingers of ecru foam; good stickage and some splashy lacing lingers
Smell: Dark fruit tones prominent, bringing fig and date; treacle, candi sugar and spice cake tones, too
Taste: Brown sugar, candi sugar and treacle forward, with the fig and date flavors building; the spice cake element arrives, in the middle, along with a boozy aspect that warms the palate through the finish
Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate to high carbonation
Overall: It is rare these days to see a domestic brewer nail this style, let alone even try it; consider me impressed
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours a dark cola color capped by two fingers of ecru foam; good stickage and some splashy lacing lingers
Smell: Dark fruit tones prominent, bringing fig and date; treacle, candi sugar and spice cake tones, too
Taste: Brown sugar, candi sugar and treacle forward, with the fig and date flavors building; the spice cake element arrives, in the middle, along with a boozy aspect that warms the palate through the finish
Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate to high carbonation
Overall: It is rare these days to see a domestic brewer nail this style, let alone even try it; consider me impressed
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4.35/5 rDev +9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Since I heard about this brewery and the guys who created it, I've been aching to try their beer. Finally got my hands on some. Hopefully this is what I was hoping for. Bottled 11/20/15, so 10 months old, but par for the style.
Pours a decent fizzy foamy 1/2 finger darker head that fades at a quicker pace, dark hazy auburn mahogany color.
Nose is really interesting, lots of Belgian malts, caramel crystal toffee malt very biscuity, big caramel candied raisin, lots of Special B malt, a touch of a wet cardboard so perhaps a little oxidation unfortunately, but that fades quickly as I swirl it, bringing more sweet candy, fig and date, candied raisin, caramelized candi sugar and a little creme brulee, nice ester profile.
Taste brings a lot more of the same, tons of raisin, brandy soaked raisin and candied dates, fig paste, dried fruits, nice ester profile with all that. Plenty of sweet like malts, caramel all over, caramelized brown sugar, candi sugar, a little toffee, caramel creams candy, nice biscuit toffee like, plenty of Special B malts. A touch of warming booze with a little phenol character which brings nice Belgian spices. Finish is sticky, a bit sweet, tons of lingering caramel, toffee biscuit candy, mild booze warmth and a bit of phenols still.
Mouth is fuller bod, a bit creamy rich, decent carb, lighter but decent carb.
Overall quite nice, def hits that spot for a Belgian strong dark ale, mild warming booze, nice phenols and little ester profile, great sweet caramel biscuity toffee candy malts and tons of great raisin date profile. Other than the mild oxidation on the nose that seemed to disappear quickly, this was a very nice Belgian.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Since I heard about this brewery and the guys who created it, I've been aching to try their beer. Finally got my hands on some. Hopefully this is what I was hoping for. Bottled 11/20/15, so 10 months old, but par for the style.
Pours a decent fizzy foamy 1/2 finger darker head that fades at a quicker pace, dark hazy auburn mahogany color.
Nose is really interesting, lots of Belgian malts, caramel crystal toffee malt very biscuity, big caramel candied raisin, lots of Special B malt, a touch of a wet cardboard so perhaps a little oxidation unfortunately, but that fades quickly as I swirl it, bringing more sweet candy, fig and date, candied raisin, caramelized candi sugar and a little creme brulee, nice ester profile.
Taste brings a lot more of the same, tons of raisin, brandy soaked raisin and candied dates, fig paste, dried fruits, nice ester profile with all that. Plenty of sweet like malts, caramel all over, caramelized brown sugar, candi sugar, a little toffee, caramel creams candy, nice biscuit toffee like, plenty of Special B malts. A touch of warming booze with a little phenol character which brings nice Belgian spices. Finish is sticky, a bit sweet, tons of lingering caramel, toffee biscuit candy, mild booze warmth and a bit of phenols still.
Mouth is fuller bod, a bit creamy rich, decent carb, lighter but decent carb.
Overall quite nice, def hits that spot for a Belgian strong dark ale, mild warming booze, nice phenols and little ester profile, great sweet caramel biscuity toffee candy malts and tons of great raisin date profile. Other than the mild oxidation on the nose that seemed to disappear quickly, this was a very nice Belgian.
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4.04/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours into a chalice a full deep amber with a sticky light beige head atop.Aromas of dark fig,brown sugar,and yeasty phenols,the phenols are no joke.Love the rich dark fruit and brown sugar flavors with enough earthiness in the finish to keep it in balance for such a big beer.I like that the sweetness is kept in check...a little but it keeps it's richness,a very good beer.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours into a chalice a full deep amber with a sticky light beige head atop.Aromas of dark fig,brown sugar,and yeasty phenols,the phenols are no joke.Love the rich dark fruit and brown sugar flavors with enough earthiness in the finish to keep it in balance for such a big beer.I like that the sweetness is kept in check...a little but it keeps it's richness,a very good beer.
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3.85/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.5/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.72/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.86/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Bottle from Boise Co-op. Pours out a nice mahogany hue, small, soft beige head. Initial whiff of cherries had me thinking of a kriek. Taste changes the tone a bit with some pit fruit, raisins, dates and just enough Belgian yeast to wrap it all up. Comes off as a lighter weight quad. Very pleasant surprise.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Bottle from Boise Co-op. Pours out a nice mahogany hue, small, soft beige head. Initial whiff of cherries had me thinking of a kriek. Taste changes the tone a bit with some pit fruit, raisins, dates and just enough Belgian yeast to wrap it all up. Comes off as a lighter weight quad. Very pleasant surprise.
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4.04/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From the wax topped 650 ml. bottle dated 11/20/15. Sampled on March 14, 2016 at about 47-48 degrees.
The pour is an attractive looking ruby red color for the most part with a long lasting foamy tan head.
The aroma brings out a pear, apple, and fruity quality for sure with Belgian roasted malts and sweetness. The 10% booze is definitely not on my nose.
Medium to better than medium body.
Like the aroma the taste is more fruit-forward than malt forward but both are there and both are quite sweet. No booze in the flavor either. But at the end of the bottle my head told me it was there.
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look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From the wax topped 650 ml. bottle dated 11/20/15. Sampled on March 14, 2016 at about 47-48 degrees.
The pour is an attractive looking ruby red color for the most part with a long lasting foamy tan head.
The aroma brings out a pear, apple, and fruity quality for sure with Belgian roasted malts and sweetness. The 10% booze is definitely not on my nose.
Medium to better than medium body.
Like the aroma the taste is more fruit-forward than malt forward but both are there and both are quite sweet. No booze in the flavor either. But at the end of the bottle my head told me it was there.
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4/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Clear reddish brown colored ale with a small khaki colored head.
Very aromatic ale from the moment you pop it open. Scents of malt, molasses, brown sugar, coriander, cardamom, and allspice. Little bit of cinnamon apple scent here. Alcohol not detected.
Starts out sweet with a molasses after taste. After you get past the molasses it tastes a lot like it smells. Very much on the sweet side with spices but the sweetness isn't excessive.
Mouthfeel is good.
Overall a good Belgian Dark Ale with no real faults. Not a match for Terrible though.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Clear reddish brown colored ale with a small khaki colored head.
Very aromatic ale from the moment you pop it open. Scents of malt, molasses, brown sugar, coriander, cardamom, and allspice. Little bit of cinnamon apple scent here. Alcohol not detected.
Starts out sweet with a molasses after taste. After you get past the molasses it tastes a lot like it smells. Very much on the sweet side with spices but the sweetness isn't excessive.
Mouthfeel is good.
Overall a good Belgian Dark Ale with no real faults. Not a match for Terrible though.
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4.1/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
22 picked up Friday/Saturday night for about $10.... Finally getting around to it tonight.. Pours a very nice clear chestnut amber... tan head had decent retention and good lacing.
The nose is pretty good... apples stewed with some brown sugar.. hints of clove.. light toffee.. maybe something that I can associate as citrus zest.. The aroma dries out with warmth and that reveals even more complexities... a bit figgy and some peppery notes.. EtOH is there, but soft and perfumy.
Flavor mirrors the nose... but there is a bit of cocoa there mid palate that accentuates the toffee and fruitiness... on the tongue, more pear than apple.. maltiness becomes thicker and more clinging with a lot of warmth... it helps really tie things together.. figgy/raisin box notes.. no real stone fruits is a little bit surprising, though not a big deal... a bit sweet IMHO, but the drier finish makes up ground.
Could stand to have a bit more bubble.. the palate though is damn good.. medium with a medium carbonation.
Overall... I hate being the first review on something like this... but I will say that I really dig it... Maybe a touch expensive; but for a nice treat, I will buy again for sure.
4/4/4/4/4.5
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
22 picked up Friday/Saturday night for about $10.... Finally getting around to it tonight.. Pours a very nice clear chestnut amber... tan head had decent retention and good lacing.
The nose is pretty good... apples stewed with some brown sugar.. hints of clove.. light toffee.. maybe something that I can associate as citrus zest.. The aroma dries out with warmth and that reveals even more complexities... a bit figgy and some peppery notes.. EtOH is there, but soft and perfumy.
Flavor mirrors the nose... but there is a bit of cocoa there mid palate that accentuates the toffee and fruitiness... on the tongue, more pear than apple.. maltiness becomes thicker and more clinging with a lot of warmth... it helps really tie things together.. figgy/raisin box notes.. no real stone fruits is a little bit surprising, though not a big deal... a bit sweet IMHO, but the drier finish makes up ground.
Could stand to have a bit more bubble.. the palate though is damn good.. medium with a medium carbonation.
Overall... I hate being the first review on something like this... but I will say that I really dig it... Maybe a touch expensive; but for a nice treat, I will buy again for sure.
4/4/4/4/4.5
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4.5/5 rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Big 650ml bottle to drink on my own. Purchased from Slowbeer in Melbourne.
Pours a pleasant russety red colour, with a very fine head of yellow-white, leaving some bubbling around the edges of the glass. Solid streaking lace. Carbonation is nice and fine, and slides smoothly through the thick but fine body. Looks very good.
Nose is round and sweet, with raisin overtones and a slight spicy tannic bite. Some preserved orange sharpness comes through, along with some vanilla and port. It's like a big, rich, boozy fruitcake. Good stuff.
Taste is smooth and rich, with plenty of fine burnt sugar sweetness, and a layered spicy overtone. Hints of spicy Shiraz and fragrant clove gives a light dancing sharpness, but the sweetness is always rich and solid enough to back it up—this gives dark caramel, gooey mud cake and young spicy port. The finish gives some chocolate and more lingering burnt sugar. Lovely stuff.
Feel is exceptionally smooth, but with a beautiful fineness to it.
Wow, this is really excellent stuff. Most of all, it's dangerous. The 10% ABV is barely noticeable apart from providing a depth and structure to the complexity, and it's really quite scary how smooth it is and how easy it goes down.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Big 650ml bottle to drink on my own. Purchased from Slowbeer in Melbourne.
Pours a pleasant russety red colour, with a very fine head of yellow-white, leaving some bubbling around the edges of the glass. Solid streaking lace. Carbonation is nice and fine, and slides smoothly through the thick but fine body. Looks very good.
Nose is round and sweet, with raisin overtones and a slight spicy tannic bite. Some preserved orange sharpness comes through, along with some vanilla and port. It's like a big, rich, boozy fruitcake. Good stuff.
Taste is smooth and rich, with plenty of fine burnt sugar sweetness, and a layered spicy overtone. Hints of spicy Shiraz and fragrant clove gives a light dancing sharpness, but the sweetness is always rich and solid enough to back it up—this gives dark caramel, gooey mud cake and young spicy port. The finish gives some chocolate and more lingering burnt sugar. Lovely stuff.
Feel is exceptionally smooth, but with a beautiful fineness to it.
Wow, this is really excellent stuff. Most of all, it's dangerous. The 10% ABV is barely noticeable apart from providing a depth and structure to the complexity, and it's really quite scary how smooth it is and how easy it goes down.
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3.96/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.01/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottle enjoyed in a lopsided snifter.
a - brew poured a watery brown. Settled darker in the glass with ruby highlights to the light. Thin khaki bubbly head that bubbled away fairly quick leaving small patches of bubble on the surface.
s - nose is grape juice
t - taste is dark fruit, grape mostly. Quite tasty...not your typical American Belgian strong dark. Nice creamy feel but not like the authentic Belgians' feel. Something different. Really easy to drink...spiked grape juice. Pleasant surprise.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottle enjoyed in a lopsided snifter.
a - brew poured a watery brown. Settled darker in the glass with ruby highlights to the light. Thin khaki bubbly head that bubbled away fairly quick leaving small patches of bubble on the surface.
s - nose is grape juice
t - taste is dark fruit, grape mostly. Quite tasty...not your typical American Belgian strong dark. Nice creamy feel but not like the authentic Belgians' feel. Something different. Really easy to drink...spiked grape juice. Pleasant surprise.
511 characters
3.8/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
Bottle dated 12/1/2014:
(review mostly stolen from NBS post)
Pours a deep, slightly ruby brown, with off white head, as shown. Head sticks to sides after receding. Nose definitely has some sugary notes: molasses, rock candy, cola, some rooty notes. A bit warmer, some fig comes through. Feel is a tad light, prickly carbonation perhaps hiding a bit of alcohol bite.
Taste of a cold brew starts out with those sweet notes coming through. The flavors that come in after the dark/candy notes are a bit wet cardboard-like, maybe I can view them as woody in nature in a certain light. I let it warm a bit and those flavors subsided a bit, and I could get some or the flavors the bottle and other reviews suggested (candied pear, for one).
When all is said and done, I am going to have to chalk it up to the fact that this beer probably just didn't work for me as well as it did for others.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
Bottle dated 12/1/2014:
(review mostly stolen from NBS post)
Pours a deep, slightly ruby brown, with off white head, as shown. Head sticks to sides after receding. Nose definitely has some sugary notes: molasses, rock candy, cola, some rooty notes. A bit warmer, some fig comes through. Feel is a tad light, prickly carbonation perhaps hiding a bit of alcohol bite.
Taste of a cold brew starts out with those sweet notes coming through. The flavors that come in after the dark/candy notes are a bit wet cardboard-like, maybe I can view them as woody in nature in a certain light. I let it warm a bit and those flavors subsided a bit, and I could get some or the flavors the bottle and other reviews suggested (candied pear, for one).
When all is said and done, I am going to have to chalk it up to the fact that this beer probably just didn't work for me as well as it did for others.
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Torment Dark Belgian-Style Ale from Heretic Brewing Company
Beer rating:
3.99 out of
5 with
97 ratings
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