Origin of Darkness - Mikkeller
Collective Arts Brewing

Don't normally write review for beers 4 years old, but this one I enjoyed so much I can only hope that they re-release it. Probably won't, and I might have liked it because it had been cellared for so long (and the harsh edges, if any, faded) so I might not like it as much fresh. It was sweet, but not pastry stout sweet; simply an excellent evening beverage.

So two and a half years on this adjunct laden stout is on me. This was not my favourite of this series.
Pours a rich black with decent mocha coloured head.
Aroma of chocolate, vanilla, hints of coffee with a touch of nuttiness.
Tastes of a slightly sweetened latte - a bit roasty with day old coffee, touch of caramel, chocolate and vanilla along with a nutty note and a backend earthy bitterness. Very little of bourbon barrel.
Medium full mouthfeel with moderate carbonation and just a bit of bittersweetness at the finish.
Not bad in any way, just not remarkable.

 

 

Pours thick and dark with a thin tan head and spotty lacing. Smell is roasted malts ,chocolate coffee and vanilla/almond. Taste is chocolate first with vanilla bourbon and coffee . Mouth rich sweet and creamy with mellow barrel very tasty

 

 

 

 

 

 

My clear favorite of this series so far. There’s a
suggestion of the creaminess of almond milk but it brings big and assertive coffee flavor and notable barrel influence.

 

I thought I had seen a dark beer many, many, many times before. But when I poured this beer out and watched, with amazement, at the thickness, creaminest, and pure blackness of it - I realized I had never come close until this very moment. It was truly beautiful to behold. The smell was rich in coffee and chocolate notes, even some cinnamon, with a creamy mouthfeel, light on carbonation. Though clocking in at over 11% ABV, I barely felt it while I drank (I did take my time and sip) but I did feel it afterwards. Definitely boozy.

Appearance: Poured an expected opaque black with a thumbs worth of head that didn't stick around, but leaves behind a very unique spotty lace pattern. Almost like bubbles suspended along the side of the glass that I've never seen a beer produce before. I must assume the almond milk is what is causing it.

Smell: Pretty much as advertised as dark chocolate malt and coffee dominates the nose with a hint of almond, vanilla and oak in the background. Doesn't really improve with warming, but seems to keep a decent potency through the whole experience.

Taste: Starts with a bitter but sweet taste that I'd imagine dark chocolate milk would taste like if it existed, a strong boozey bourbon note comes forward as vanilla and a touch of oak comes forward and then hands things off to bitter coffee, charred malt and another hit of dark chocolate.

Mouthfeel: The beer has a smooth, creaminess to it, but I suspect that the almond milk is causing it, because the carbonation doesn't seem to quite be out there. The transitioning though is great, and while it could do a better job of concealing it's ABV, I've had 11% beers that come across as far boozier then this. Also very much enjoy the chocolate, coffee and slight vanilla aftertaste.

Drinkability: Heavy, but not as heavy as you'd expect from an 11+ ABV stout, as again I get the impression the milk is thinning it out and tempering things a bit here. Easy to drink despite that fact and that it doesn't cloy or overwhelm does a lot on that front for me.

Final Thoughts: My experience with the Origin of Darkness series is that you seldom go wrong with these beers. They really do push the limits of flavor for a stout, without seeming like they tossed the kitchen sink at the beer and hoped everything would work out. This one is no exception, and frankly I wouldn't mind seeing a non-bourbon, lower ABV version of this offered on a regular basis as an alternative to milk stout. Excellent work.

 

Pours very dark with minimal tan head that slowly recedes. Big coffee aroma, dark chocolate, cocoa dust. Flavor is bitter espresso, dark chocolate. I get the almond milk - tastes and feels milky, not lacotosey. As it warms, it tastes more and more like chocolate milk. Barrel flavor mixes in nicely, balanced out the beer. Carbonation adds to a creamy texture, but I feel the milk addition kinda thins it out. Medium bodied, abv is Fairly well masked, doesn’t feel boozy. Overall a good BA imperial stout; I enjoyed the Pohjala version better.

1/20/21
12 oz can dated 10/6/20
4.25 rating

Pours a black with a small one finger brown head that falls slowly with sparse lace.

Aroma is light roasted malts, chocolate, some light almond milk notes even lighter bourbon barrel notes mingled with coffee which is very light considering they are using coffee.

Taste follows the nose light roasted malts, more chocolate then coffee or perhaps the almond milk just adds so much to the sweetness it seems that way. Only hints of coffee and very light bourbon barrel notes, but tis smooth and easy drinking seems more like 8% then 11%.

Mouthfeel is smooth and big carbonation is perfect for this brew makes it go down so smooth and easy.

Overall not awe inspiring over powering your pallet but its so smooth and easy drinking would defiantly be up for another.