Pirate Noir
Prairie Artisan Ales

4.29/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by drdiesel9483 from Ohio

Look - black and thick
Smell - sweet chocolate dark fruit and caramel
Taste - chocolate mellow with a slight roasted malt
Feel - medium full body with a light carb
Overall - tasty

Aug 10, 2021

3.71/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
by q33jeff from New Jersey

**
12/18/2020

Bottle to Snifter. (bottled 07/23/2019)

LOOK: thick black color, extremely thick look (just less viscous than motor oil). medium brown head, very good retention.
AROMA: Roasted malts, lighter rum and oak. Some dark fruit flavors like raisin, prune, fig waft in and out.
TASTE: Rum and ginger are dominant upfront. Fig and chicory flavors come in through the middle, plus some pungent tobacco more rum, molasses and spicy ginger. Finish has a burned barley-vegemite flavor with a decent rum burn. A lot of flavor, but not well balanced.
FEEL: Heavy. Somewhat astringent. Very good carbonation for the viscosity.

I've found that rum barrel beers need a long time to smooth out (even more so than bourbon barrel) which is why I held off on this one until now, but at 17 months this still drinks very hot. There is a ton of flavor here, but it's hard to enjoy this even as a slow sipper. Some great peripheral attributes also. Very good, but a little all over the place. I still have some hope for this, so I will keep my other bottle tucked away for at least another 17 months and see how some further age may benefit.


**

Dec 19, 2020

3.93/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by cbutova from Massachusetts

A- Midnight motor oil black pour from the stubby 12oz bottle into a tulip glass. The cap is a thick and puffy texture rising up to a finger high with fairly good stability. A few rare spots of lacing

S- The aroma is kind of crazy. The rum comes on very strong and there is a sense of massive fruits and dark, bitter burnt grains. The fruits, rum, bold deep sugary sweetness and dark grains work together but there is a certain harshness here overall, it hits you strong! Dark fruits and a sense of light tartness leads into roast barley, campfire smoke, fresh oak wood, vanilla bean, dark chocolate, char, figs, plums and cherry.

T- The flavor is more of a collection of a lot of very intense, strong flavors rather than something that blends and balances out. Molasses, brown sugar and the sugary flavor of rum are big and open up for charred barley, burnt grains, toastiness, marshmallow, smoke and the very bold dark fruits. The oak wood is pretty raw here and you definitely get more woodiness than balanced barrel feels.

MF- Slick and insanely heavy brew. It is oily, has a puffy and creamy texture and comes off mostly smooth. Ends with some booze and heat on the palate. Medium carbonation level.

A lot of bold flavors that don't quite balance out in the end. The fruitiness just upsets the balance a bit, the rum is intense and the barley feels truly burnt.

Aug 16, 2020

4.21/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by 5toutman75 from Illinois

No bottling date that I can find but at least a year or two old.
Consumed 08/15/20

Prairie stouts have always been among my favorites. They have the thickness and mouthfeel down so perfectly. Pouring it, there’s little carbonation but I can still feel it a bit thankfully. I don’t know if the age of the bottle has made a difference on this. I wish I knew the age on this or could compare vs fresh. It’s very smooth as the age has probably helped with the booziness. It’s sweet, but not over the top thankfully. I can drink the 12oz bottle easily. Too many adjunct stouts are too sweet for me now, and this hits the mark. The run adds a unique flavor to it too. Worth picking up when you can find it.

Aug 16, 2020

4.34/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by OK_Denise from Oklahoma

This is one "stout" American Imperial Stout!! That being said, the taste is not nearly as fearsome as I was expecting. Yes, you get the rum bite but it is not overpowering. The usual malt and caramel flavor of the style is present but they are supporting the overall taste and not dominating it. A very good beer. As with most things with this high ABV, I would not drink more than one at a outing!

Jul 19, 2020

4.49/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by robwired from Kansas

Fumy chocolatey whiffs came out of the bottle when I popped the cap off. Strong. Poured into a snifter, then thought of my new rastal teku glass. I poured from the snifter into the rastal teku glass, where what looked like a carbonated pour occurred from glass to glass. Then there was a dissipating fizzy beige head. Nice.
The color was the color of these beers -- black. I buy singles. The bottling date: 07.23.2019. Hmm. But it's an imperial stout. It's held up. Mouthfeel, thick.
Nice rum barrel flavor.

May 30, 2020

4.43/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by EnderFett11 from Virginia

Poured moderately hard from a bottle into a snifter glass, forming a half finger of light brown head that soon faded to light lacing. Deep opaque brown color. Smell is pleasant rum, noticeable but not overpowering. Taste is similar to the smell, with a nice malt background to a nice rum taste. Not too sweet or intense, just straight forward rum. Medium bodied with light carbonation. Excellent rum aged stout.

Apr 17, 2020

4.26/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by donspublic from Texas

Poured from bottle to glass, think dark tan layer of foam, dissipates rather quickly, minimal lacing. Jet black in the glass, no light passes thru. Slight rum on the nose, roasted malt, chocolate and caramel. Taste follows the nose, rum on the front, roasted malt, chocolate, cinnamon, licorice and a lingering caramel on the palate. Mild bitterness and a lingering spiciness on the finish. Probably about the only rum aged beer I enjoy.

Mar 05, 2020

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Newbeergeek1 from Maine

I love their stouts! And this is another wonderful one. I am redundant with my praise of their stouts so I won’t repeat myself anymore as you can read my reviews of their other stouts.

Feb 19, 2020

4.02/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by socon67 from New York

Notes of licorice, molasses, and brown sugar. Subdued rum notes, but this comes off as a pleasant beer. Easy drinking and warming finish. Another nicely crafted stout from Prairie.

Feb 03, 2020

4.57/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
by Antg8989 from New Jersey

4.25, 4.75, 4.5, 4.75, 4.5

Jan 02, 2020

3.72/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
by REVZEB from Illinois

Jet black body with a very slight brown ring. Rum, licorice, char, and bitter cocoa in the nose, thinner than expected given the hype. Taste was so disappointing: boozy rum run amuck, leaving as roadkill flavors of char, smoke, metal, cocoa, licorice, burnt wood, fig, rust, and heavily roasted malt. Just very pedestrian besides the rum barrel flavors. Feel is boozy, malty, and smoky, need better balance, and thins out near the finish. Loved the other noirs I have had, but this one missed the mark matey, big let down

Dec 27, 2019

4.45/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by bluejacket74 from Ohio

12 ounce bottle, stamp says 07.24.2019 so I'm guessing that's the bottled on date. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with almost an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both decent enough. I like the aroma a lot, the brew smells like rum, vanilla, oak, roasted malt, molasses and some dark chocolate. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some dark bread, burnt/charred malt, and coffee flavors. Mostly sweet tasting but not overpoweringly so. Mouthfeel/body is full, it's slick and a bit creamy with a moderate amount of carbonation. I thought this was a pretty good rum barrel aged stout, definitely worth picking up. I know I'd buy this again in the future!

Dec 20, 2019

4.29/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by aleigator from Germany

Pours pitch black with a solid dark brown head, which receeds to a small ring of lacing at the rim of the glass immediately after pouring.

Smell is of camp fire, banana mousse and old, spicy wood together with a big load of licorice. This got an additional salt and rock sugar interplay, topped off by roasted malts and lighter caramel, creating a complex, intriguing nose.

Drinks soft and smooth, heavy bodied with almost no carbonation to speak of. This leads to a challenging and complex, as well as enjoyable drinking experience throughout.

Tastes of bitter chocolate, glazed caramel and boozy rock sugar among a truly spicy and warming old rum barrel impression. Got a scorched malts quality to it, highlighting the wooden barrel effectivly, adding more chocolate and oily licorice to the flavors. Finishes heavier on the rock sugar, together with a prominent warmth, some cold pressed coffee and old wood among wafts of chocolate.

Great ba imperial stout - this hits every mark and the barrel use convinces throughout. I like this way more than their Pirate Bomb since the the Rum barrel itself provides just an awesome depth of flavors, with no adjuncts needed.

Dec 15, 2019

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by pathman from Ohio

9/19/19 bottle @ home

Dec 02, 2019

4.26/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by Thankin_Hank from Texas

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle dated 07/24/19 into a snifter glass. A gorgeous dark, deep coffee and chocolate color with no head. It has lighter aroma than I expected. Slightly sweet smelling with a hint of molasses. Taste is sweet of molasses with hints of chocolate. Alcohol is very noticeable but no rum accents. The mouthfeel is very smooth and the alcohol warming. Very enjoyable. Overall another fine example from Prairie Artisan Ales that's a distinct pleasure and a unique taste. Cheers.

Nov 21, 2019

4.26/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by arizcards from North Carolina

Picked up a single from the Craft Beer Hop Stop 9-12-19 for $12.99. Bottled on 7-23-19; consumed on 11-20-19.

Beer poured black with a nice tan head with the original pour.

Nose is full of dark chocolate and roasted malts. Not catching barrel characteristics.

Taste is a huge mdium roasted body that combines nicely with the cocoa adjunct and a hint of coconut from the barrel. Finishes well balanced and warming from the high abv.

Mouthfeel is full bodied and extremely chewy and smooth.

Overall a very nice spin on the Prairie impy stout with the rum barrel, glad i got to try but for the price point i will not have again and the cost is a tad bit too much.

Nov 20, 2019

4.24/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by metter98 from New York

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a short dark tan head that left some circulate patches of bubbles on the surface and a narrow collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate to strong aromas of rum are present in the nose.
T: Like the smell, flavors of rum are in the forefront of the taste of the beer along with underling hints of dark malts. The rum is very prominent so there are some associated hints of alcohol.
M: It feels a bit more than medium-bodied on the palate and has some warming from the alcohol in the finish.
O: The smell and taste of this beer are all about the rum, so if you are a fan of rum this is a good selection for you.

Serving type: bottle

Nov 17, 2019