Squatters Outer Darkness | Utah Brewers Cooperative
Brewed by:
Utah Brewers Cooperative
utahbeers.com
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.50%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
Welcome to the biggest beer Squatters Pub Brewery has ever made! A Russian Imperial Stout is one of the most intensely flavored beers a brewer can create. The combination of rich roasted barley, oak, molasses and licorice root combine to create an utterly unique and complex imperial stout experience.
We had to mash in twice to get our starting gravity of 27 plato (1.108 specific gravity). We boiled 3.5 hrs to enhance caramelization and used molasses and licorice root at the end of boil. Outer Darkness is aged with oak, has 65 IBUs and bottle conditioned. We hope you have as much fun drinking it as we did making it. Please share with another and drink wisely.
Added by Wasatch on 12-24-2009
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 604 | Reviews: 190
3.87/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.46/5 rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
[Original rating 2012-11-29] Pours opaque brown/black with a small brown head that recedes quickly. Aroma is caramel, faint chocolate and coffee. Taste is sweet malt with the chocolate and coffee and just a bit of alcohol in the finish.
236 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
[Original rating 2012-11-29] Pours opaque brown/black with a small brown head that recedes quickly. Aroma is caramel, faint chocolate and coffee. Taste is sweet malt with the chocolate and coffee and just a bit of alcohol in the finish.
236 characters
4.34/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.09/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours black with a finger of khaki foam. Head retention is fair, with dense lacing after the first few sips. Aroma is roasted and toasted malts. Black licorice, chocolate, caramel, and light burnt sugar add to the complexity and darkness. Flavor profile is roasted and toasted malts mingling with char, caramel, chocolate, and black licorice. Black licorice is light. Mouth feel is thick with a velvety texture. Overall, a dark and dense stout that is pretty straight forward in terms of flavoring.
Served in a 12oz snifter from a 12oz can.
542 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours black with a finger of khaki foam. Head retention is fair, with dense lacing after the first few sips. Aroma is roasted and toasted malts. Black licorice, chocolate, caramel, and light burnt sugar add to the complexity and darkness. Flavor profile is roasted and toasted malts mingling with char, caramel, chocolate, and black licorice. Black licorice is light. Mouth feel is thick with a velvety texture. Overall, a dark and dense stout that is pretty straight forward in terms of flavoring.
Served in a 12oz snifter from a 12oz can.
542 characters
4.53/5 rDev +11%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Beer #300!
Looks like motor oil pouring out of the can! Pitch black in color with no light even in the bulb of my glass. Agressive pour got close to one finger of a creamy dark brown head that slowly settled into the darkness. Leaves nice slicks that slide down the side of the glass as you drink it.
Smells of dark roasted malts. Also getting like a sweet stone fruit smell like cherries. Faint aroma of some black coffee.
A bit of alcohol flavor at the front of the tounge. Middle of the tounge is getting that roasted malts, a slight bit of coffee and the stone fruit thing. The back of the mouth I pick up some slightly gritty yet slightly sweet chocolate.
Mouth feeel is a solid medium. Slightly creamy on the mouth. Finish seems to drop off nicely, not quite like a crisp finish but close. Seems like the flavors linger on.
I bought this last year and cellared this beer to save for a special review. Here it is my #300 beer! Can on the bottom says best by 09/02/18. Yet at 10.5 ABV this seems to cellar just fine. This is one of those big beers that you definitely sip on and enjoy. Not like crushing two or three at a sitting. Definitely a damn well done beer for the style. If you want to take a trip into the darkness this may be the beer for you!
1,262 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Beer #300!
Looks like motor oil pouring out of the can! Pitch black in color with no light even in the bulb of my glass. Agressive pour got close to one finger of a creamy dark brown head that slowly settled into the darkness. Leaves nice slicks that slide down the side of the glass as you drink it.
Smells of dark roasted malts. Also getting like a sweet stone fruit smell like cherries. Faint aroma of some black coffee.
A bit of alcohol flavor at the front of the tounge. Middle of the tounge is getting that roasted malts, a slight bit of coffee and the stone fruit thing. The back of the mouth I pick up some slightly gritty yet slightly sweet chocolate.
Mouth feeel is a solid medium. Slightly creamy on the mouth. Finish seems to drop off nicely, not quite like a crisp finish but close. Seems like the flavors linger on.
I bought this last year and cellared this beer to save for a special review. Here it is my #300 beer! Can on the bottom says best by 09/02/18. Yet at 10.5 ABV this seems to cellar just fine. This is one of those big beers that you definitely sip on and enjoy. Not like crushing two or three at a sitting. Definitely a damn well done beer for the style. If you want to take a trip into the darkness this may be the beer for you!
1,262 characters
3.84/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.15/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.88/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours out pitch black as the name suggests. Head is tan with decent retention. Leaves a bit a lacing as well.
The nose grainy, chocolaty and has hints of dried dark fruit. Also picking up some faint coffee but this is lean towards the chocolate. Booze is there as well although not too strong.
Getting lots of dark fruit in the taste. Raisins and plums come to mind with some toast grains and coffee. Chocolate is more mild in the taste.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied and fairly smooth. Carbonation seems a tad bit high but really doesn't hinder the beer.
555 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours out pitch black as the name suggests. Head is tan with decent retention. Leaves a bit a lacing as well.
The nose grainy, chocolaty and has hints of dried dark fruit. Also picking up some faint coffee but this is lean towards the chocolate. Booze is there as well although not too strong.
Getting lots of dark fruit in the taste. Raisins and plums come to mind with some toast grains and coffee. Chocolate is more mild in the taste.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied and fairly smooth. Carbonation seems a tad bit high but really doesn't hinder the beer.
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3.78/5 rDev -7.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: A seriously black glass, even strong back light only shows a thin edge of brown that goes ruby before complete darkness. Even the edge of the glass won't let light through, it's impressive. Holds a thin cover of tan foam that give a few dots of lace.
Aroma: Dark roasted barley, light citric and pine hop note, hint of barrel.
Taste: The roasted goes a bit burnt, the barrel goes a bit sour, but underneath there's a bubble gum sweetness that flashes before malt and alcohol set in.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body triggers a small chew, smooth texture, warming finish, low carbonation.
Overall: It's a big swing, lots of flavor, lots of alcohol. There is a "jet fuel" element that brings down scores a bit, but there is a lot right here too. I don't care for licorice and so that brings my scores down a bit. A slow sipper and worth a try.
847 characters
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: A seriously black glass, even strong back light only shows a thin edge of brown that goes ruby before complete darkness. Even the edge of the glass won't let light through, it's impressive. Holds a thin cover of tan foam that give a few dots of lace.
Aroma: Dark roasted barley, light citric and pine hop note, hint of barrel.
Taste: The roasted goes a bit burnt, the barrel goes a bit sour, but underneath there's a bubble gum sweetness that flashes before malt and alcohol set in.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body triggers a small chew, smooth texture, warming finish, low carbonation.
Overall: It's a big swing, lots of flavor, lots of alcohol. There is a "jet fuel" element that brings down scores a bit, but there is a lot right here too. I don't care for licorice and so that brings my scores down a bit. A slow sipper and worth a try.
847 characters
3.86/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
3.82/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Super deep black with a lasting head of 1 finger, beige-brown. Loopy lace left behind in the snifter.
Aromas of black olives and caramel, tobacco and dark fruit.
Flavor is much the same, black olive and tobacco with caramel underneath. Some coffee and antiseptic dark fruit.
Feel is slightly under carbonated, yet not creamy, kind of just slick overall. Roasty finish.
Overall, a little underwhelming, but not a bad beer. There are better RIS's out there, but this isn't by any means the worst.
501 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Super deep black with a lasting head of 1 finger, beige-brown. Loopy lace left behind in the snifter.
Aromas of black olives and caramel, tobacco and dark fruit.
Flavor is much the same, black olive and tobacco with caramel underneath. Some coffee and antiseptic dark fruit.
Feel is slightly under carbonated, yet not creamy, kind of just slick overall. Roasty finish.
Overall, a little underwhelming, but not a bad beer. There are better RIS's out there, but this isn't by any means the worst.
501 characters
2.84/5 rDev -30.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Pours a black color. 1/5 inch head of a brown color. Decent retention and good lacing. Smells of slight roasted malt, sweet malt, alcohol, slight spicy hops, slight wood, hint of chocolate, and molasses. Fits the style of a Russian Imperial Stout. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with a low carbonation level. There are strong metallic notes, an elevated roasted malt bitterness, and as acridness. Tastes of slight roasted malt, sweet malt, alcohol, and slight spicy hops. Overall, the acridness overpower any good qualities of the body.
537 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Pours a black color. 1/5 inch head of a brown color. Decent retention and good lacing. Smells of slight roasted malt, sweet malt, alcohol, slight spicy hops, slight wood, hint of chocolate, and molasses. Fits the style of a Russian Imperial Stout. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with a low carbonation level. There are strong metallic notes, an elevated roasted malt bitterness, and as acridness. Tastes of slight roasted malt, sweet malt, alcohol, and slight spicy hops. Overall, the acridness overpower any good qualities of the body.
537 characters
3.85/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Sampled at Boise’s Imperial Stout get together (2014), over 120 bottles to choose from. Going with the flow on this rating. This one was one of my contributions. Black and oily, roasty, and boozy without the barrel aging. Nice.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Sampled at Boise’s Imperial Stout get together (2014), over 120 bottles to choose from. Going with the flow on this rating. This one was one of my contributions. Black and oily, roasty, and boozy without the barrel aging. Nice.
229 characters
4.04/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from 12oz can into glass. Stamped on can bottom is 'ENJOY BY 07/22/19'.
Black colored body, with very small brown highlights (to light presentation). Dark tan head settles to thick cap. Webs of lacing left behind after each sip.
Aroma of dark roasted malts and coffee, and alcohol. Overall smell is faint.
Taste is much more layered than the aroma. Lots of chocolate in the taste, along with coffee, molasses, dark roasted malts, licorice/anise, and the barrel character of oak/vanilla/ and booze.
Medium, somewhat creamy mouth feel.
Kind of harsh on the taste with the level of dark roast and the booze. Tasty but the alcohol burn limits the amount and frequency of each sip.
683 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from 12oz can into glass. Stamped on can bottom is 'ENJOY BY 07/22/19'.
Black colored body, with very small brown highlights (to light presentation). Dark tan head settles to thick cap. Webs of lacing left behind after each sip.
Aroma of dark roasted malts and coffee, and alcohol. Overall smell is faint.
Taste is much more layered than the aroma. Lots of chocolate in the taste, along with coffee, molasses, dark roasted malts, licorice/anise, and the barrel character of oak/vanilla/ and booze.
Medium, somewhat creamy mouth feel.
Kind of harsh on the taste with the level of dark roast and the booze. Tasty but the alcohol burn limits the amount and frequency of each sip.
683 characters
4.02/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look - incredibly dark thick and sticky lacing
Smell - roasted malts and booze
Taste - really roasty and boozy like the smell.
feel - medium full body and a light carbonation
Overall - not bad, really boozy
207 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look - incredibly dark thick and sticky lacing
Smell - roasted malts and booze
Taste - really roasty and boozy like the smell.
feel - medium full body and a light carbonation
Overall - not bad, really boozy
207 characters
4.04/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Most definitely an opaque black body with a smallish head the colour of burnt peanuts. There is very little lacing.
Smells like coffee and toffee, but the tastes ain’t exactly similar. It’s Ethiopian light roast and sweet malts and perique tobacco-esque hop notes. Carbonation is very light.
Good! But not great.
324 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Most definitely an opaque black body with a smallish head the colour of burnt peanuts. There is very little lacing.
Smells like coffee and toffee, but the tastes ain’t exactly similar. It’s Ethiopian light roast and sweet malts and perique tobacco-esque hop notes. Carbonation is very light.
Good! But not great.
324 characters
4.36/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4
3.62/5 rDev -11.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thin half finger of extremely dark brown head, does not coalesce enough to really call it “foam” and it is gone seconds after the pour, zero lacing. Pitch black liquid with a thin sliver of yellow at the edges, some fat bubbles are visible clinging to the glass side but clearly few made it to the surface. The nose is blunt and lacks movement and length, a shame since there seems to be an abundance of milk chocolate, vanilla bean, black licorice, lactose and wood char, not getting any fruit scents, barley and rice, then band-aid, can’t shake nagging suspicion there’s something like bacterial taint going on. In the mouth it’s smooth to the point that the full body seems lighter. Minimal if any carbonation. The booziness in your face and you feel it, can taste like a shot of bourbon. So, no surprise you get vanilla, molasses, and smoky wood char. The licorice, anise in full effect and layers on fried bacon notes. As in the nose no specific fruit materializes. No chicory but verges on bitter. Truncated finish. Not sure what’s up here but not the experience expected. Willing to revisit with a can from a different batch. (Best by 07/30/18)
1,163 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thin half finger of extremely dark brown head, does not coalesce enough to really call it “foam” and it is gone seconds after the pour, zero lacing. Pitch black liquid with a thin sliver of yellow at the edges, some fat bubbles are visible clinging to the glass side but clearly few made it to the surface. The nose is blunt and lacks movement and length, a shame since there seems to be an abundance of milk chocolate, vanilla bean, black licorice, lactose and wood char, not getting any fruit scents, barley and rice, then band-aid, can’t shake nagging suspicion there’s something like bacterial taint going on. In the mouth it’s smooth to the point that the full body seems lighter. Minimal if any carbonation. The booziness in your face and you feel it, can taste like a shot of bourbon. So, no surprise you get vanilla, molasses, and smoky wood char. The licorice, anise in full effect and layers on fried bacon notes. As in the nose no specific fruit materializes. No chicory but verges on bitter. Truncated finish. Not sure what’s up here but not the experience expected. Willing to revisit with a can from a different batch. (Best by 07/30/18)
1,163 characters
3.78/5 rDev -7.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
4.04/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
1 PINT, 9 FLUID OUNCE bottle
Served in a snifter
Enjoy by 03/02/16
This beer pours black and is topped with an inch of deep mocha head that leaves spotty lacing.
Anise and dark chocolate are the first to greet my nose. I also get roasted malt and hints of black coffee.
Once again anise and dark chocolate are the stars of the taste. There is some mild bitterness in the finish with dark, roasted malt.
Full bodied, thick, viscous
This is a solid stout. It reminds me a lot of Founders Imperial Stout or Bell Epedition Stout. Plus it has aged very well.
559 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
1 PINT, 9 FLUID OUNCE bottle
Served in a snifter
Enjoy by 03/02/16
This beer pours black and is topped with an inch of deep mocha head that leaves spotty lacing.
Anise and dark chocolate are the first to greet my nose. I also get roasted malt and hints of black coffee.
Once again anise and dark chocolate are the stars of the taste. There is some mild bitterness in the finish with dark, roasted malt.
Full bodied, thick, viscous
This is a solid stout. It reminds me a lot of Founders Imperial Stout or Bell Epedition Stout. Plus it has aged very well.
559 characters
4.25/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Squatters Outer Darkness from Utah Brewers Cooperative
Beer rating:
4.08 out of
5 with
604 ratings
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