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A Night To End All Dawns
Kane Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Kane Brewing Company
- New Jersey, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
Ranked #212 - ABV:
- 12.2%
- Score:
- 98
Ranked #472 - Avg:
- 4.41 | pDev: 7.71%
- Reviews:
- 63
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 18, 2023
- Added:
- Mar 12, 2013
- Wants:
- 446
- Gots:
- 92
SCORE
98
World-Class
98
World-Class
Notes:
A Night To End All Dawns began life as an imperial stout and was transformed into a massive dark ale during 15 months spent in bourbon barrels.
2014 Version is 12.4% Aged 12 months in bourbon barrels from Four Roses.
2014 release has black wax.
2014 Version is 12.4% Aged 12 months in bourbon barrels from Four Roses.
2014 release has black wax.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by ovaltine from Indiana
4.5/5 rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a pure onyx black with a creamy tan head that lingers around the edge of the glass as you enjoy the beer. Gorgeous BA imperial stout. The first note on the nose when you crack this open is oak - LOADS of oak, followed by bourbon, caramel, vanilla, and milk chocolate.
The oak is forward on the taste, with a significant amount of rich caramel and milk chocolate which provide a touch of decadence, and a bit of stone fruit and some boozy heat at the back of the palate that settles warmly in your chest. Exceptionally balanced, flavorful, and comforting.
The mouthfeel is rich and velvety, adding to that comforting characteristic. This beer is a delightful indulgence for any beer nerd that loves big BA stouts.
Jan 22, 2023The oak is forward on the taste, with a significant amount of rich caramel and milk chocolate which provide a touch of decadence, and a bit of stone fruit and some boozy heat at the back of the palate that settles warmly in your chest. Exceptionally balanced, flavorful, and comforting.
The mouthfeel is rich and velvety, adding to that comforting characteristic. This beer is a delightful indulgence for any beer nerd that loves big BA stouts.
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia
4.49/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.49/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2016 Vintage
750ml black wax top bottle poured into a snifter
A- pours jet black in color with a one-finger foamy dark khaki head that reduces to a thin ring around the glass
S- pronounced aroma of nutty mocha fudge brownie batter; chocolate, walnuts, charred malt reminiscent of burnt brownie crust. Plenty of barrel undertones popping through, adding a peppery note, as well as wet oak, caramel, vanilla and a hint of coconut. Traces of molasses, brown sugar and black licorice
T- sweet and malty with notes of cocoa, bitter dark chocolate, caramel and toffee up front. Mid-palate brings out a sharp oaky bourbon note, that adds cracked pepper and a touch of vanilla. The finish gives a umami note, followed by more dark chocolate and some charred malt. Lingers of oaky bourbon, chocolate and brownies
M- medium-heavy body with low carbonation leads to a velvety and silky mouthfeel that continues into a warming, silky finish
O- plenty of barrel to be found, it makes me wonder what it was like fresh. Regardless, a fantastic BA stout
Jun 24, 2022750ml black wax top bottle poured into a snifter
A- pours jet black in color with a one-finger foamy dark khaki head that reduces to a thin ring around the glass
S- pronounced aroma of nutty mocha fudge brownie batter; chocolate, walnuts, charred malt reminiscent of burnt brownie crust. Plenty of barrel undertones popping through, adding a peppery note, as well as wet oak, caramel, vanilla and a hint of coconut. Traces of molasses, brown sugar and black licorice
T- sweet and malty with notes of cocoa, bitter dark chocolate, caramel and toffee up front. Mid-palate brings out a sharp oaky bourbon note, that adds cracked pepper and a touch of vanilla. The finish gives a umami note, followed by more dark chocolate and some charred malt. Lingers of oaky bourbon, chocolate and brownies
M- medium-heavy body with low carbonation leads to a velvety and silky mouthfeel that continues into a warming, silky finish
O- plenty of barrel to be found, it makes me wonder what it was like fresh. Regardless, a fantastic BA stout
Reviewed by micada from New York
3.43/5 rDev -22.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -22.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Seems like a mess. Cinnamon up front? Some barrel wood coming through. Mouthfeel is sub-syrupy. Roasty meets sweet meets syrup meets cinnamon meets drain.
Jun 20, 2022
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
3.88/5 rDev -12%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.88/5 rDev -12%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Bottle at share. Near black pour with a thin beige head. Aroma is roasty malts and bourbon. Taste come in sweet, sugary, dark malts, caramel and lots of oak.
Aug 05, 2021
Reviewed by SierraNevallagash from Maine
4.09/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
4.09/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
2020 vintage - poured into a stout balloon at 50°F.
Glugs out a used motor oil colour, sitting black as night in the glass, with a short head of dark mocha head that quickly settles to a thin brown collar that persists. Slightly glass-coating, and rich looking. 4.25
Nose: STUNNING aroma. Rich, bold, deeply roasted malts exuding caramel, burned toffee, brown sugar, dark and semi-sweet chocolate, and chocolate liqueur. The bourbon barrel is so huge here - vanilla bean frosting, melted caramel, bourbon-soaked charred oak, cinnamon, spices, dusty wood, and age. Very reminiscent of Assassin. 4.5
Palate: ANTEAD greets the palate with a big hefty load of rich malty sweetness. Lots of caramel, brown sugar, and toffee. The roast is very dark and bold, thus, a firm, biting roasty bitterness quickly sweeps in and cuts that sweetness down fairly early on. Baker's cocoa, cacao nib, malt char lend dryness, followed by a second punch of barrel char, oak spice, and a touch of booze. Massively bold and very roasty. The barrel lends vanilla, bourbon, and spicy heat which all become more apparent as it opens and warms. There's some subtle dark fruit - namely raisin, with a bit of a leathery accord and a whisper of dry tobacco. It quickly dries out, setting up the finish whixh showcases all that dark roast, char, barrel spice, and some oaky tannins, with nary a trace if that opening sweetness in sight. Dry cocoa and barrel linger on like a slow sunset, bringing upon the night - The Night To End All Dawns. 4.0
Mouthfeel/Body: This one suffers a little bit here. Within 10 minutes, it reached a stable point, drinking rather thin for how utterly bold and heavy this is. I'm not one to chase these hot fudge sundae stouts, but I do think a little viscosity can benefit a particularly aggressive stout, and I wish this were just a bit fuller. It's heavy - full-bodied, bold, and slick, but it is quite thin, and without much effervescence to speak of. It does, however, coat the lips pretty dramatically, allowing for a short sweet reprieve whilst being bombarded by the bold roast. Finishes fairly dry - drying, with a big roasty, tannic bite. 4.0
Overall: An enjoyable barrel-aged imperial stout, with a particularly nice bourbon barrel presence. All of the key components are in the right place here, though I find it's just a little imbalanced. If the roast were just slightly less aggressive, with some more malt complexity, and the body a bit fuller, this would be spectacular. Drinkability is slightly hindered by the acrid roast, but over the course of a full night, it opens up a bit. I wouldn't drink it again, but it's a well-made stout nonetheless. 3.75
Jul 09, 2021Glugs out a used motor oil colour, sitting black as night in the glass, with a short head of dark mocha head that quickly settles to a thin brown collar that persists. Slightly glass-coating, and rich looking. 4.25
Nose: STUNNING aroma. Rich, bold, deeply roasted malts exuding caramel, burned toffee, brown sugar, dark and semi-sweet chocolate, and chocolate liqueur. The bourbon barrel is so huge here - vanilla bean frosting, melted caramel, bourbon-soaked charred oak, cinnamon, spices, dusty wood, and age. Very reminiscent of Assassin. 4.5
Palate: ANTEAD greets the palate with a big hefty load of rich malty sweetness. Lots of caramel, brown sugar, and toffee. The roast is very dark and bold, thus, a firm, biting roasty bitterness quickly sweeps in and cuts that sweetness down fairly early on. Baker's cocoa, cacao nib, malt char lend dryness, followed by a second punch of barrel char, oak spice, and a touch of booze. Massively bold and very roasty. The barrel lends vanilla, bourbon, and spicy heat which all become more apparent as it opens and warms. There's some subtle dark fruit - namely raisin, with a bit of a leathery accord and a whisper of dry tobacco. It quickly dries out, setting up the finish whixh showcases all that dark roast, char, barrel spice, and some oaky tannins, with nary a trace if that opening sweetness in sight. Dry cocoa and barrel linger on like a slow sunset, bringing upon the night - The Night To End All Dawns. 4.0
Mouthfeel/Body: This one suffers a little bit here. Within 10 minutes, it reached a stable point, drinking rather thin for how utterly bold and heavy this is. I'm not one to chase these hot fudge sundae stouts, but I do think a little viscosity can benefit a particularly aggressive stout, and I wish this were just a bit fuller. It's heavy - full-bodied, bold, and slick, but it is quite thin, and without much effervescence to speak of. It does, however, coat the lips pretty dramatically, allowing for a short sweet reprieve whilst being bombarded by the bold roast. Finishes fairly dry - drying, with a big roasty, tannic bite. 4.0
Overall: An enjoyable barrel-aged imperial stout, with a particularly nice bourbon barrel presence. All of the key components are in the right place here, though I find it's just a little imbalanced. If the roast were just slightly less aggressive, with some more malt complexity, and the body a bit fuller, this would be spectacular. Drinkability is slightly hindered by the acrid roast, but over the course of a full night, it opens up a bit. I wouldn't drink it again, but it's a well-made stout nonetheless. 3.75
Reviewed by JLK7299 from North Carolina
5/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Pours a nice black with good head. Smells like sweet licorice. Taste is a perfect balance with out the overwhelming bourbon, it’s just the right amount. So thick you can almost chew it. Maybe the best beer I’ve had from maybe the most underrated brewery out there! If Kane were in Vermont, it would be much more well known!
Jun 28, 2021
Reviewed by Fordcoyote15 from Pennsylvania
4.52/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.52/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A massively long time want finally ticked.
2017 bottle, so a cellar beer, we'll see how this goes.
Look is damn near perfect. Thick, viscous and foamy.
Smell while excellent, smells no different than recent BCBS. So very good, but hopefully this pans out better than BCBS.
Taste - while downright stellar, its absolutely indistinguishable from BCBS. Theres a slightly chalky dry aspect to it that modern bcbs doesn't carry, but old school pre 2015 bcbs does have. Maybe a hair more roaster too. It definitely has a 25cent edge over goose Island but that's about it.
Mouthfeel - slick, oily, sugary, viscous and coating.
Overall- hate to keep comparing this to BCBS and had no idea that was what I was in store for but shit... this is a 750ml bottle of bcbs.
I would absolutely not trade for it again. Would I buy it over bcbs? If the price were the same, yeah. If it cost any more? Probably not. Trade for it? Sad letdown.
Mar 31, 20212017 bottle, so a cellar beer, we'll see how this goes.
Look is damn near perfect. Thick, viscous and foamy.
Smell while excellent, smells no different than recent BCBS. So very good, but hopefully this pans out better than BCBS.
Taste - while downright stellar, its absolutely indistinguishable from BCBS. Theres a slightly chalky dry aspect to it that modern bcbs doesn't carry, but old school pre 2015 bcbs does have. Maybe a hair more roaster too. It definitely has a 25cent edge over goose Island but that's about it.
Mouthfeel - slick, oily, sugary, viscous and coating.
Overall- hate to keep comparing this to BCBS and had no idea that was what I was in store for but shit... this is a 750ml bottle of bcbs.
I would absolutely not trade for it again. Would I buy it over bcbs? If the price were the same, yeah. If it cost any more? Probably not. Trade for it? Sad letdown.
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut
4.5/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Excellent head production; good retention for the style.
Big, boozy, but smooth nose, featuring roughly equal amounts of roast, bourbon, and brown sugar. Other notes include oak, raisins, vanilla, molasses, coconut, light char, toffee, red grapes, walnuts, coffee, and leather.
Unbelievably easy to drink. There's some back-end heat, but absolutely no bite up front, allowing you to savor this brew essentially indefinitely. Thick and smooth, somewhat lively.
Fairly neutral and balanced up front, with bourbon blending with dark chocolate, espresso, and RIS-like levels of roasted barley. Minor notes of red grapes, brown sugar, cream, and molasses throughout. Very nutty finish, with pecan notes accompanied by oak, leather, dark chocolate, and light char.
This is an all-world BBA imperial stout. It's right up there with BCBS as a near perfect example of the style, where if someone were to ask you, "What's a BBA imperial stout taste like?" this is the beer you would hand them.
Nov 25, 2019Big, boozy, but smooth nose, featuring roughly equal amounts of roast, bourbon, and brown sugar. Other notes include oak, raisins, vanilla, molasses, coconut, light char, toffee, red grapes, walnuts, coffee, and leather.
Unbelievably easy to drink. There's some back-end heat, but absolutely no bite up front, allowing you to savor this brew essentially indefinitely. Thick and smooth, somewhat lively.
Fairly neutral and balanced up front, with bourbon blending with dark chocolate, espresso, and RIS-like levels of roasted barley. Minor notes of red grapes, brown sugar, cream, and molasses throughout. Very nutty finish, with pecan notes accompanied by oak, leather, dark chocolate, and light char.
This is an all-world BBA imperial stout. It's right up there with BCBS as a near perfect example of the style, where if someone were to ask you, "What's a BBA imperial stout taste like?" this is the beer you would hand them.
Reviewed by NiceTaps from New Jersey
4.24/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
750ml bottle in to a snifter glass.
Very dark brown/black colored brew with matching dark tan head, smallish but durable. Modest spot lacing.
Heavy dose of bourbon, sweet and strong. Lots of roasted malt, sugar cane, and dark fruits.
Chocolatey quality along with the bourbon and dark fruits. Booze soaked brownie.
Full body. Boozy, sweet, syrupy. Warm and fuzzy.
Strong is the word. The bourbon, sugar, alcohol, and body, all0aretrong. Aging was key.
Mar 04, 2019Very dark brown/black colored brew with matching dark tan head, smallish but durable. Modest spot lacing.
Heavy dose of bourbon, sweet and strong. Lots of roasted malt, sugar cane, and dark fruits.
Chocolatey quality along with the bourbon and dark fruits. Booze soaked brownie.
Full body. Boozy, sweet, syrupy. Warm and fuzzy.
Strong is the word. The bourbon, sugar, alcohol, and body, all0aretrong. Aging was key.
Reviewed by q33jeff from New Jersey
4.91/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.91/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
**
11/20/18
My 1500th rating and a beauty.
Bottle to tulip glass. Tree house/Kane stout tasting with DC.
LOOK: awesome medium brown head, foamy, excellent retention. Thick dark black color.
AROMA: Fantastic. Smooth Bourbon mixed with a soaring sweetness seemingly from rum or brown sugar. Medium roasted barley is awesomely smooth.
TASTE: bourbon, raisin, dark chocolate, plum, pomegranate, vanilla, cookie dough (subdued), fudgy rum balls(merry Christmas),
FEEL: super smooth, bourbon heat is apparent, but doesn't become astringent or impede flavor at all.
Well this was worth waiting for. An amazing smooth power stout chocked full of flavors and aromas.
**
Nov 21, 201811/20/18
My 1500th rating and a beauty.
Bottle to tulip glass. Tree house/Kane stout tasting with DC.
LOOK: awesome medium brown head, foamy, excellent retention. Thick dark black color.
AROMA: Fantastic. Smooth Bourbon mixed with a soaring sweetness seemingly from rum or brown sugar. Medium roasted barley is awesomely smooth.
TASTE: bourbon, raisin, dark chocolate, plum, pomegranate, vanilla, cookie dough (subdued), fudgy rum balls(merry Christmas),
FEEL: super smooth, bourbon heat is apparent, but doesn't become astringent or impede flavor at all.
Well this was worth waiting for. An amazing smooth power stout chocked full of flavors and aromas.
**
A Night To End All Dawns from Kane Brewing Company
Beer rating:
98 out of
100 with
630 ratings
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