Black OPS
Brooklyn Brewery

Good strong stout. Poured from a 16 oz can into an Air Force Academy snifter, this beer features a black color with no light coming through and a small dark brown head that lasts surprisingly long for such a strong beer. This version was 12.4% .abv as opposed to the 11.6 listed in the original rating. The aroma and taste began with strong chocolaty and fruity (cherries/dark fruit) malt, with the bourbon barrel flavoring kicking in a little later as opposed to the usual overwhelming bourbon barrel flavoring. As noted in other reviews, there was a slight sourness in the finish which I didn't find off-putting. Mouthfeel was rich and mostly smooth with some alcohol warmth and a little bite. There was also some oak barrel bitterness here as well. No real harshness as is found in many bourbon barrel beers. A good choice for the cold weather season.

 

 

 

The pour is jet black with a tan & frothy head of foam. The taste is bourbon barrel, rich roasted malt, along with some hints of dark chocolate, coffee, tobacco char, & raisin. Moreover, the 12.4% abv feels more like a 9% abv beer. Overall, this tasted like a mudslide dessert in a glass. Cheers! A-

 

Black Ops 2024 (12.4% alcohol) has a medium, creamy, beige head and a very dark-brown appearance, with moderate lacing. The aroma is of bourbon, vanilla, and dark bread. The flavor is of dark bread crust, vanilla, and bourbon. Black Ops 2024 has moderate sweetness and strong bitterness. There is a high-medium body and a dry finish.

RJT

A bit more carbonation than other stouts, noticeable boozy and oak initial taste, somewhat tart/ hoppy at the end. We like drinking this.

Black color , with a thin beige head. Coffee, chocolate, and bourbon in the aroma. Delicious and great balanced taste of vanilla, dark fruits, chocolate, and bourbon. Long, warming finish. Great!

Jet black with one finger of a dark tan head that fades. moderately fast. Very thick and syrupy, with an aroma dominated by barrel, malt, and dark fruit. Taste is incredibly barrel forward, with a vague sour note that is unexpected but not undesirable. Bitter chocolate and harsh wood dominate the palate, with clear notes of bourbon throughout. Not your average BA imperial stout.

 

 

 

16oz can. Indistinct date stamp.
Black colored body, with a clear, mahogany brown colored back lit edge. One finger of tan head, and this becomes an island and thick ring. Leaves behind some thin webs of lacing.
Aroma of caramel malts heightened with bourbon barrel (bourbon, oak, and vanilla).
Taste is boozy with flavors of caramel, dark fruit, bourbon, oak, and vanilla. Aftertaste gets dry and flavors fade.
Thick mouthfeel. Higher ABV% is warming but not burning. Smooth with a very slight sour touch. Good carbonation.
Solid and balanced for a barreled aged stout, without adjuncts. Barrels are expressive of bourbon, oak, and fruit.

REVIEW from 2012 bottle
Dark, deep, black color with small head and lace.
Aroma of malts, chocolate, alcohol and whiskey.
Taste was malty, whiskey notes, hints of chocolate with a bitter espresso finish.
Full body and medium carbonation.
These age well for about 2 to 3 years.

Undated can, into a snifter. 2024 vintage.

Pours blacker than black with a surprising brown foam. Smells deeply of bourbon, vanilla, and cherries, with plenty of dark fruit and sweetness. Flavor follows nose, predominantly bourbon and rich, sweet dark malts. Tons of cherry and raspberry flavor, and obvious barrel influence. I can only assume the champagne yeast is contributing to the fruity notes. Ends slightly bitter with notes of dark chocolate and coffee, but is mostly sweet overall. For a BA stout, it's surprisingly snappy and not nearly as smooth as I would've wanted. Really a lot of carbonation which is interesting but not necessarily I wanted.

I drank this one a little colder on account of the secondary fermentation and lower ABV (for a BA stout) and I think that does it justice. The fruit and chocolate flavors play very well to create a heavy, sweet treat in the cold weather. I think 16oz is a little much, but I didn't pay a premium for the larger format, and will enjoy the rest of the can as it warms. Very much a beer for those who like bourbon.

Poured a black, as in Black Ops, liquid with a decent light brown head. Smell and taste of Oak and Bourbon. Some what Musty, might not be the correct word but as close as I can get, taste. Pungent might be a better description. Go down easy. 12.0% ABV feels pretty good I might add. I've had both canned and bottled with a cork finish. Bottled seems smother. Either way and except;ent brew.

Hmmm. Strange complexity even for a Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout. Chocolate and coffee are expected. I’m thinking the Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon comes out being a bit more sour than sweet. Very strong bourbon taste which I’m not opposed to and I like Four Roses. I like strong beers. In fact, i love strong beers but I’m not past that sour thing going on. Update 012326. New batch much better. Guessing older beer purchased previously.

Got a bottle as a gift in 2016. Just opened it today February 18, 2024. Poured dark black with very little head. Smooth with a bourbon bite after taste. I think I like the Goose Island bourbon barrel a little better. Overall a good beer but its one and done. I put a wine saver in it and will break it out in a couple of weeks. Cheers!