Black Seed
Maplewood Brewery & Distillery
- From:
- Maplewood Brewery & Distillery
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 12%
- Score:
- +3 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.97 | pDev: 5.54%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 4
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 13, 2026
- Added:
- Apr 23, 2023
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
A wheated stout aged in Apple Brandy Barrels. Black Seed is brimming with roasty notes of chocolate and caramel that play perfectly off the candy apple notes from the brandy barrels. Indulgent, dessert-like flavors that somehow carry a tinge of nostalgia, this is a bold but fun stout that allows the unique barrel notes shine.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington
3.84/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.84/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2023-12-31
16oz can served in a snulip. Dated 04/04/2023. Got it from the ever-generous @FBarber in a face-to-face meet-up in his neck of the woods.
Pours black with a smallish brown head which, fascinatingly, disappears leaving a smooth surface and is then replaced with a small dark ring that emerges from active carbonation at rest. Smell is chocolate, coffee, vanilla, a little char, and a lot of booze. Some molasses.
Taste has many of the same notes in a completely different configuration. Molasses is more primary, a little cola, booze is a bigger note, way more bitterness associated with the coffee and chocolate flavors than I would have expected.
Mouthfeel is surprisingly thin (should read: not as thick as expected), little bit of grittiness. Overall, quite nice beer.
Dec 31, 202316oz can served in a snulip. Dated 04/04/2023. Got it from the ever-generous @FBarber in a face-to-face meet-up in his neck of the woods.
Pours black with a smallish brown head which, fascinatingly, disappears leaving a smooth surface and is then replaced with a small dark ring that emerges from active carbonation at rest. Smell is chocolate, coffee, vanilla, a little char, and a lot of booze. Some molasses.
Taste has many of the same notes in a completely different configuration. Molasses is more primary, a little cola, booze is a bigger note, way more bitterness associated with the coffee and chocolate flavors than I would have expected.
Mouthfeel is surprisingly thin (should read: not as thick as expected), little bit of grittiness. Overall, quite nice beer.
Reviewed by GrumpyGas from Illinois
4.16/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.16/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
16oz can stamped:"Aged for 1(?) Months 04/04/2023" I can't tell if that is 13 or 18 months. 13 is more likely, from the look of it, not because I can tell by the taste of feel.
Poured into a snifter the mahogany body refuses light to pass, like a black hole, and briefly supports a 1/4" head of brown mixed bubbles that recedes to barely a wispy collection. A filmy residue coats the glass and, with agitation, an army of tiny bubbles run the glass.
Bountiful and enticing aroma of candy apples soaked in liquor wafts from the glass at 3 feet. The boozy aroma warns, but coaxes, to enjoy slowly, and enjoy indeed. Molasses, black strap, bold sugar aroma with apple.
The taste is not nearly as sweet, with plenty of roasted cocoa and booze to temper the sugar. Enjoyable bitter dark chocolate coated tartness.
Mouthfeel leans a little lighter than expected for a stout, but not more than expected after barrel aging. Just an even, full flavored, smooth drink that leaves the palate clean and wanting more.
Overall a nice surprise, random selection. I trusted the genius of Maplewood and was rewarded with this slow and low experience.
Sep 16, 2023Poured into a snifter the mahogany body refuses light to pass, like a black hole, and briefly supports a 1/4" head of brown mixed bubbles that recedes to barely a wispy collection. A filmy residue coats the glass and, with agitation, an army of tiny bubbles run the glass.
Bountiful and enticing aroma of candy apples soaked in liquor wafts from the glass at 3 feet. The boozy aroma warns, but coaxes, to enjoy slowly, and enjoy indeed. Molasses, black strap, bold sugar aroma with apple.
The taste is not nearly as sweet, with plenty of roasted cocoa and booze to temper the sugar. Enjoyable bitter dark chocolate coated tartness.
Mouthfeel leans a little lighter than expected for a stout, but not more than expected after barrel aging. Just an even, full flavored, smooth drink that leaves the palate clean and wanting more.
Overall a nice surprise, random selection. I trusted the genius of Maplewood and was rewarded with this slow and low experience.
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois
4.24/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
16 ounce can into a snifter. Canned 4/4/23, had 8/4/23.
Pours near black and opaque, thick looking, with a quarter inch quickly dissipating head and light foamy cling. Aromas of apple brandy, chocolate, malt, some caramel and vanilla, light oak and char. Similar flavors: apple brandy, chocolate, malt, some caramel and vanilla, oak, some wheat. Smooth, a very good full body, appropriately carbonated.
Thought this was very good. The wheated base is interesting and the brandy barrels have a prominent presence. It’s certainly full bodied. I’d buy it again, if they make it again.
Aug 10, 2023Pours near black and opaque, thick looking, with a quarter inch quickly dissipating head and light foamy cling. Aromas of apple brandy, chocolate, malt, some caramel and vanilla, light oak and char. Similar flavors: apple brandy, chocolate, malt, some caramel and vanilla, oak, some wheat. Smooth, a very good full body, appropriately carbonated.
Thought this was very good. The wheated base is interesting and the brandy barrels have a prominent presence. It’s certainly full bodied. I’d buy it again, if they make it again.
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.5/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Canned 4/4/23; drank 4/30/23 @ the Yarchives.
Black appearance.
A rough pour yielded a big, noisy dark tan head; nice lacing remained.
Apple brandy, black licorice & faint marshmallow notes in the nose.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Fresh earth flavors up front; black licorice & apple brandy notes on the finish.
Big & bold...but I'm not sure it hangs together nicely.
May 01, 2023Black appearance.
A rough pour yielded a big, noisy dark tan head; nice lacing remained.
Apple brandy, black licorice & faint marshmallow notes in the nose.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Fresh earth flavors up front; black licorice & apple brandy notes on the finish.
Big & bold...but I'm not sure it hangs together nicely.
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