Black Ops - Four Roses Small Batch
Brooklyn Brewery

Black Ops - Four Roses Small BatchBlack Ops - Four Roses Small Batch
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From:
Brooklyn Brewery
 
New York, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #367
ABV:
11.5%
Score:
90
Ranked #9,927
Avg:
4.02 | pDev: 13.93%
Reviews:
70
Ratings:
148
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 17, 2024
Added:
Dec 04, 2020
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  2
This variant vintage is aged in Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon barrels, emerging with deep chocolate and coffee notes and a rich underpinning of vanilla-like oak.

2019 vintage 12.4% ABV
2020 vintage 12.2% ABV
2021 vintage 12.4% ABV
2022 vintage 11.5% ABV
2023 vintage 11.5% ABV
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Dougwillhike:
Photo of Dougwillhike
Rated by Dougwillhike from New Jersey

4.74/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Feb 12, 2022
More User Ratings:
Photo of Kendo
Rated by Kendo from New York

3.58/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Poured from the can into a Tree House tulip. Body is black, with a thin (
Feb 17, 2024
 
Rated: 4.12 by SFNC from North Carolina

Feb 15, 2024
Photo of DrDemento456
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
When I first saw this I thought holy heck this is one of my favorite Bourbon barrel aged stouts in the bottle but reading it being aged in four roses barrels I was a bit skeptical on the four pack thankfully I found a single to try. Looks awesome massive inch of dark mocha foam deep dark black color good lacing smells of wood chocolate cocoa slight bit of cherry but it smells like a good stout. Taste is a bit rough it doesn't really have that grade of barrel character it almost reminds me of cheap tequila in a way with bitter notes and a stale herbal cherry flavor in the finish. Abv seems pretty concealed not getting much gag or burn on such a high octane beer.

Honestly the more I drink it the less I like it I don't know how they can even call this Black ops I've had that at a beer festival and it had such a bright caramel and sweet Bourbon barrel aspect to it that I went back for several samples. This is a shadow of that memory in fact I don't know how it's rated up so high it's really difficult to drink. Pass on this and go for the original
Feb 06, 2024
 
Rated: 4.06 by howardnss from Pennsylvania

Feb 03, 2024
Photo of dbl_delta
Reviewed by dbl_delta from Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
(2023 vintage) Can into pint glass. Pours a very dark ruby-black with a minimal light tan head. No lacing. Initial impression is cherries, oak, a hint of cocoa, and white wine. Not what I was expecting. Mouthfeel is thinner tha I like, particularly for a big stout. Alcohol is fairly well hidden. Finish fades to oak and cherry. Overall, not quite a drain pour but not one that I'll revisit. At least I only bought a single.
Jan 30, 2024
 
Rated: 4.02 by kkazemi from North Carolina

Jan 20, 2024
 
Rated: 4 by alexsergio from New York

Jan 16, 2024
 
Rated: 4.4 by IdrinkGas from Pennsylvania

Jan 07, 2024
Photo of TBoneJones
Reviewed by TBoneJones from Texas

4.06/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Looks like a big stout.
Nose is leathery bourbon.
Flavor is that bourbon, with notes of leathery bourbon. Crisp too.
It’s conflicting this one. It’s like a carbonated third-of-the-abv. bourbon, with added molasses notes. It’s actually better this second time trying it.
Jan 01, 2024
Photo of Whyteboar
Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan

3.81/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
This is for the 2023 version - I first tried it earlier (21 or 22?) and that batch was infected, so rating that wasn't kind.
That said, this poured a beautiful stout black with a tall light brown head which left sheets of lacing. Gorgeous.
Aroma lost on my Covid affected nose.
The taste has the normal suspects; the roasted malts, the coffee roast, the cacao, some dark fruits like plums and raisins. I'm not certain if I imagined it of not but there seemed to bee a tart taste in there too, which didn't bode well for future drinking from this 4 pack. Oddly, I got almost no bourbon either.
The feel was excellent, lightly viscous to carry the weight of the flavors.
OA this is the second 4 pack of this I tried and it will be the last. If this is what it's meant to taste like, there are other BBA stouts that cost less that taste better. It's not horrible by any means, it simply doesn't push my buttons like the Black Chocolate Stout from them does.
Dec 31, 2023
Photo of Solar
Reviewed by Solar from North Carolina

2.8/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5
Sorry to say, but this is not a good representation of the style, IMO. Nose notes of sour cherry, alcohol, oak. The taste is way to sour to be categorized as an impie stout... it lacks a smooth robust malt base. Heavy handed taste of oak, sour (vinegar?) and alcohol mar the flavor, especially in light of the mellow product description described by the brewery. Taste seems more vinous than it should be.
Dec 30, 2023
Photo of WSchmidt
Rated by WSchmidt from Virginia

3.05/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
tl:dr: this isn't a good beer. Too much oak to the point it tastes infected. Don't waste you're money.
Dec 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4.28 by KAP1356 from Pennsylvania

Dec 25, 2023
Photo of Wattie83
Reviewed by Wattie83 from Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
16 oz can poured into a tulip glass. Pours opaque black, some ruby highlights, with short brown head that dies quickly. Smell is bourbon, oak, berries, cocoa. Taste is bourbon, and fruit up front, some vanilla, cocoa, oak in the middle. Berries and more bourbon in the long finish. Feel is full bodied with a burst of carbonation that fades quickly. Overall, this is a beer that really reflects the bourbon barrels that are used to age it. Taste is rather fruity to me with the cocoa and bourbon right in the mix.
Dec 24, 2023
Photo of benandemmiboo
Reviewed by benandemmiboo from Maryland

2.63/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
As a big fan of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (whose price point is so nice I bought 2 cases), I was thoroughly disappointed by this stout variant, of which I paid double the price. And it's not because of the look or feel, which are fine, or the smell, because I really don't smell my beers much; it's just the taste, which is awful.
The remaining beers in my 4-pack will be consumed after drinking other, better-tasting stouts first. As with dessert stouts, this likely becomes more bearable once one already has a buzz.
Dec 24, 2023
Photo of AdmiralOzone
Reviewed by AdmiralOzone from Minnesota

3.26/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
My 16ounce can claims 12% ABV and I can't make heads or tails of the date code. Pours opaque jet black with a thin tan head that dissipates rapidly without leaving any lacing. Aroma is dark roasted malt, chocolate, some bourbon, and something sour. Flavor follows the nose, definitely not up to the Black Ops that I've tried in the past. Feel is rather light bodied for this big of a stout. Overall, as others have mentioned a bit of a disappointment. Not a drain pour but certainly not what I was expecting having already tried other variants.
Dec 11, 2023
 
Rated: 4.32 by jordanginsberg from Louisiana

Dec 09, 2023
 
Rated: 4.16 by Abe_Froman from Massachusetts

Dec 03, 2023
Photo of BuxMontBeerLover
Reviewed by BuxMontBeerLover from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Purchased at Total Wine and More, Louisville, KY. 4pk/16oz cans, $15.99

Pours a jet black, zero-light shining through, black abyss. Very little head on the initial pour.

Aroma is interesting since I'm getting a distinct sour-like smell. Slight bourban smell as well.

A bit underwhelming. I'm getting a small hint of chocolate. Not at all what I'd expect from an Imperial Stout. Very little coffee or sweetness. More of a sour, bourban taste.

Thinner consistency and medium carbonation.

Overall, disappointed to be honest. For the reputation of Black Ops and the price, I expected alot more in the overall taste. Not a beer I'd revisit...Cheers!
Nov 26, 2023
Black Ops - Four Roses Small Batch from Brooklyn Brewery
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 148 ratings