Nocturna
Allagash Brewing Company

Dark brown ( almost black)color. Chocolate, vanilla, roasted malt, and oak in the aroma. The same notes flow into the taste with a warming finish. Pleasant roasted bitterness. Not sure why is it in a pastry stouts category.

Black in color with minimal light penetration. There’s a fingernail of brown covering nearly all of the top. Moderate, soapy lacing is present. I’m smelling sweet bourbon, vanilla, and bitter, dark malt. I’m tasting sweet bourbon, vanilla, and bitter, dark malt. The mouth is syrupy and dry.

 

 

 

 

So, is this a stout or a BDSA?
It's dark but it is more brown than black in highlights. Nice dense dark head that settles somewhat slowly. I'd have to say the aroma leans towards BDSA. Not much roast, with phenols notes with a slight sour yeast quality. Nice lacing.
Richer malt character shows in the taste and it begins to show some roast flavor and a hit of dryness that feels as much roast as from fermentation. I'm finding some coffee flavor, but the oak and vanilla are tougher to spot, but with patience they show in time. Not much for bourbon. Again with phenol flavors that add complexity. This is a bit thinner from the dryness but the carbonation is soft and fluffy which helps some.
In conclusion I go to BDSA on this one. An interesting one but not a classic as it doesn't have the rich fruit character I'd expect.

 

Dear Allagash,

Please stop making Belgian Dark Strong Ales and labeling them as "Stouts".

Thank you very much!

__________________________________

 

 

 

Bottled 08/25/21. Poured a clear dark brown, small khaki head that's gone in a flash, no lacing. Snot factory says roasted malts, a bit of toffee, taste buds say there's some vanilla in there, maybe a hint of bourbon. Texture was a bit thin and watery for the style. As BA stouts go, I would call this "sessionable ".

 

 

striong aged stout the one i had was bottled 10 months ago you could taste the aged barrel flavors in every sip - nice vanilla after taste

Beautiful dark brown body, opaque in the glass; thick, spongy head, light khaki colored; fine thick rings of foam encircle the glass. Nice aroma of cocoa powder with some vanilla sweetness and raw white oak. Richer cocoa flavor with some milk chocolate notes; stronger oak presence on the palate; rye spiciness; moderate bitterness around the finish; bourbon notes emerge around the finish, too. Medium body; soft; a bit thin for a stout; nice balance of sweetness and dryness.

This is a pretty tasty beer although it comes across rather weak in the mouthfeel. The smell is also rather muted (but that may be attributable to the rather cold pouring temperature). Still, it delivers some nice dark malt flavors balanced with a light touch of vanilla. The bourbon barrel aging is even-handed. Solid if a bit underwhelming.

Pouring temperature: 38 °F; bottling info: BOTTLED ON 08/25/21

Very large head when first opened and poured. Unlike a lot of stouts I've tried the color comes off as an interesting reddish brown with slight translucent properties.

The smell is definitely influenced by its time aging in bourbon barrels. Maybe there is a bit of vanilla too but the bourbon scent is heavy.

At first the taste seems more balanced between bourbon and vanilla but over time the bourbon became a bit over powering to me. This beer is best as a slow drinker. Some wood notes throughout and sweeter toffee tastes are present in the after taste.