My Stars Shine Darkly
Breakside Brewery - SE Taproom

 

Review: 2382
Name: My Stars Shine Darkly
Brewery: Breakside
Location: Milwaukie, OR
Style: Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
ABV: 13.2%
Canned: 2022
Date: 27 April 2025
I had this on tap at my favorite tap house and had to purchase a bottle. I am serving the beer at 50 degrees in a tulip glass. The pour created a frothy, airy, two-fingered dark tan head with average retention. The quick dissipation left no lacing on the glass, only a thin ring around the liquid. The color is dark brown, nearly black, mostly transparent, and charting at SRM 36. I am glad to see a head with the appearance.
Nosing the glass, I smell maple, oak, chocolate, coffee, char, Maillard, raisin, dates, treacle, wood resin, anise, molasses, toffee, caramel, whiskey, grass, leather, earthiness, dark roasted malts, and malty sweetness.
Sipping the glass, I taste whiskey, maple, Maillard, char, light smoke, floral, resin, toffee, dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee, molasses, caramel, tobacco, leather, earthiness, grassy, malty sweetness, and wood.
The mouthfeel is smooth and chewy, and the finish is warming from alcohol. The body is heavy and medium carbon.
My Stars Shine Darkly is a delightful beer with a lovely maple flavor. The barrel aging is not too heavy and adds lots of complexity. The dark roasted malts are not overbearing and have a slight char bitterness. This is a satisfying beverage to enjoy after a round of golf.

 

22 ounce bottle into a snifter. A 2022 release. Had 2/17/24.

Pours near black and opaque, with a short head and light foamy cling. Aromas of roasted malt, vanilla, some maple and oak, some bourbon- more as it warms, some smoke. Flavors of bourbon, vanilla, roasted malt, some chocolate and caramel, some oak, light maple and smoke. Smooth, a very good lighter full body, appropriately carbonated.

Solid bourbon barrels and base, light but effective maple. Very enjoyable.

 

another glorious dark brew from these guys, this time in maple syrup bourbon barrels, really tremendous depth of flavor, its cool how many stout types they do and how they all have their own personality, even aside from the special barrel treatment, this is a great stout on its own, colossal but patient too, slow moving, layered, drier than others, full bodied obviously but also kind of fluffy, a pleasure to share this bottle with old friends. dense black color to this, slow rising dense dark brown head, churning and peaky, short but sticking around, high shine, looks awesome. the nose is strong from the maple, the bourbon adds to the already evident booziness, tons of roast, good espresso and its crema, licorice and cigar, old leather, rum raisin, really complex, quite bitter, but with the maple smoothing it all together, wonderful. the flavor has maple all through it, whiskey too, sweeter up front, more of the roast and bitterness later, some smoke, some char, but not too aggressive, and with some balancing middle malt notes, molasses, pecan, toasted coconut, toffee, and plain cereal, a good foundation adding some nuance. there is a little oxidation in this, some light almost coffee acidity too at temperature, but both are subtle. i get maybe a hint of rye spice, a ton of oak, and alcohol warmth long through the finish. delicious, heavy, complex, the maple is awesome in this, worth what they ask for it but maybe already running up against some ageing issues.

edit: even a little bit of time has not been super kind to this. i found it thin and overly boozy without as much of the maple richness just half a year or so since i first had and reviewed it, perhaps it got warm or something, but it felt a little broken down, without as much nuance, and to me way less special. leaving original scores as they are, but definitely maybe not one to hang onto in the cellar forever. still wicked, still unique, but not as good as it was even recently...

2022 vintage, 22oz bomber split with the wife, and I was not disappointed. Opaque and jet-black on the pour with a small mocha head that fizzles out pretty quickly. The maple and woody barrel profile carry this one to a well-rounded palate that starts chocolatey-sweet, and then hits with a roasty bourbon punch that isn't too boozy and carries the beer into a full-bodied and velvety finish. I like the oaky char that is apparent throughout, it cuts down on the maple sweetness and balances nicely overall. Good stuff.

Appearance: Pours a deep brown color with a tan film that quickly fades away; leggy with speckles

Smell: Chocolate, dried plum, Bourbon and maple syrup aromatics; a sweet impression overall

Taste: Chocolate and dried plum forward with the Bourbon and sweet maple syrup buidling; the finish is somewhat boozy and sweet

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with low to moderate carbonation

Overall: A well-constructed double barrel stout that verges a bit too sweet for my palate; not sure what type of Bourbon barrel was used here but I have had other BA stouts that leave a better impression from the barrel

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque black in the glass with a two finger milk chocolate head with great retention and solid lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, coffee, bourbon, dried plums and mild maple syrup. Flavor is dark toasted malt with light char, bourbon, maple syrup, chocolate, coffee and oak. Oaky bourbon and chocolate finish. Medium bodied with silky, very creamy mouth feel; luxurious. A fine maple syrup and bourbon stout with a great mouth feel, as close to a nitro pour as I've had from a bottle (or even a "nitro" can); feels like heavy cream. A bit boozy, but the malt base is rich enough to well support the bourbon. Maple is somewhat tame, which is a good choice in a stout even though I like the flavor. Dangerously drinkable. Even though the ABV is obvious, the feel and flavor invite constant tasting. I had to cap and hide half the bottle to save until the next day. Nicely done.