Speed of Darkness
Oliver Brewing Company

16 oz can with an illegible date(?) stamp on the bottom.

Appearance. Essentially black body with a semi-durable beige head.

The aroma is an appealing mix of wood (barrel), vanilla, whisky and subtle coffee. The flavor follows, adding a solid dark roasted grain base plus more coffee and dark chocolate.

Mouthfeel. Smooth but a touch thin.

 

 

Look: It pours very dark brown with a brown head Head retention is good.

Smell: It has aromas of chocolate, roast, and alcohol. There is a very light vanilla note.

Taste: There are strong roast and chocolate flavors with expresso. There are very low dark fruits and dark chocolate.

Feel: It has a full body with alcohol warming.

Overall, it has plenty of complex flavors with a slight harsh bitter roast finish.

 

 

 

Pours an opaque black color with hints of ruby. A thumb length tan head soon dissipates and leaves a ring.
Complex aromas of rich nutty malts, coffee and chocolate interact with notes of bourbon, vanilla, licorice and oak. The alcohol is detectable and emits a slightly medicinal smell.
Opens sweet, but not too cloying, with rich flavors of milk and dark chocolate, brown sugar, syrupy caramel and sweet alcohol. The barrel aging produces flavors of bourbon, vanilla, cherry and oak. There is a touch of earthy bitterness along with dark fruity notes of raisin, prune and plum. Likewise, the roasted malts evoke flavors of coffee and is especially perceived in the semi dry and smooth finish.
Full bodied with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. The finish, boozy, roasty and sweet, leaves a lingering stickiness on the lips. The carbonation is moderate to gentle.
This RIS had some nice flavors. To nitpick, I would have liked some more roasty character and bitterness, as it felt a bit sweet at times.

Poured from a can into a tulip glass. (Note: ABV 8.5% not 10)
Opaque warm black, but little head.
Taste is pleasant, some chocolate and coffee notes, but flat.
Disappointing both for the style and other offerings by Oliver Brewing.

Undated can into pint glass. Pours a very dark brown (SRM 37-39) with a vestigal tan head. Initial impression is dark chocolate, coffee, oak, roasted malts, bourbon, and cpcoa. Mouthfeel is medium (could be a little thicker IMO); alcohol is well hidden. Finish is coffee and a slight char. Overall, a delicious RIS!

 

Poured from the can into a snifter style glass.

A milky looking topped head, but with a real nice deep tan color that settles to a good half finger puck on top. Body color is a supper dark brownish red looking color, with a sense of real imposing thickness. Very nice looking stout.

Aroma hits real nicely. Good sense of charring almost charcoal like roast quality coming off on the nose. Good sense of bitter chocolate kicking in but with a light sensation. Not much estery quality going on here, or sense of boldness, but a pretty good solid smell.

The palate takes things up just a hair more making for a pleasant experience. Still fairly light bodied almost playing wet, but luckily a supportive flavor abounds. Rich roast and char, mixing wit a faint hint of dark chocolate bean quality. Fruity twinge just comes out in a hair on the finish, hitting a light almost dark fruit and charcoal mix, with a faint touch of bitter and sweet chocolate.

Very nice take on a Russian Imperial stout.

 

November 2019 Vintage

A - Black pour with a chocolate brown dense lacing ring.

S - Dark chocolate roast, light oak, bourbon, roasted cocoa, and light black licorice aroma.

T - Dark roasted chocolate from start to finish, bourbon, oak, cocoa roast, delicate char, and a slight bit of roasted chocolate sweetness. Nice lingering chocolate roast and bourbon on the backside.

M - Full body, thick, viscous, and a very small bit of thinness on the outside edge with some warming on the way down. Finishes "bone dry" on the back of the tongue with a little bit of alcohol effervescence.

O - Rock solid and glad I bought a four pack of this. Nice job Oliver Brewing!

I got a late start on this past Sunday's NBS (Week 774) & I did not finish up my DelMarVa (+ DC) adventure as planned. 8=( Further, I have promised that next week's NBS (Week 775) will be dedicated to the wonderful beers sent to me by @jkblr who seems to have a real handle on my drinking habits. CANsparency is key in these things! As a result, I am going to CANcentrate over the next few days on eradicating everything that would have CANbined to form the finale of the DelMarVa (+ DC) adventure. Sit down, strap in & hang on. It's gonna be a wild ride! Oliver BC is becoming my Hydra in that every time I think that I am done with Steve Jones' brewery, seven more CANs Pop! up to take its place! 8=O

From the CAN: "Russian Imperial Stout"; "This Infinite Darkness"; "Inspired by the deep, dark riffs of Bison Machine, our Russian Imperial Stout is smooth and warm with notes of dark chocolate, licorice, and coffee."; "Oliver Brewing Co. has been proudly brewing craft beer in Baltimore, MD since 1993."

I CANnot say that I am terribly happy with the approved pic for this one, but I will have a better one posted in WBAYDN #2621 here shortly.

First, I had to Crack! open the vent in order to begin my slow, gentle C-Line Glug. I watched in rapt fascination as it performed a pseudo-cascade to form two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, deep-brown head with marvelous retention. Color was stygian Black/Opaque (SRM = 44), allowing cola highlights only at the edges. Nose was rich & I mean REALLY rich! It was like a liquefied fudge brownie in my glass. I definitely got the dark chocolate & licorice that they mentioned on the nose, but the coffee was not registering … yet. Time for a sip. Mouthfeel was dense & full, like a dollop had been scooped into my mouth & onto my tongue. In fact, that is where I left it to roll around & warm in doing so. Now, I was getting intense licorice & creeping coffee. This was like the "Spring Surprise" from Monty Python's Whizzo Chocolate Company! It seemed to spring out in all directions in my mouth, piercing my cheeks in doing so. Eeek! The finish was very dry, like a Dry Irish Stout and now I was beginning to taste the coffee. This was yet CANother stunning offering from Mr. Jones & Co + at the ridiculously low price point, it was a real bargain! Def worth seeking out! YMMV.

Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of licorice, some chocolate. Taste is the same as the aroma, alcohol is present, as is a touch of smokiness. Feels medium/full bodied in the mouth and overall is an enjoyable beer.