Black Belle - Coffee (2024)
Blackstone Brewing Company

L: Pours a dark chocolate, forming a very thin tan head that fades quickly. No appreciable retention, and an extremely faint ring of lacing. Held to the light, a thick opaque fudge-like appearance.

S: Heavy aroma of bourbon and oak, vanilla, coffee. Hint of char.

T: Notes of dark chocolate, medium roast coffee, dark fruit, a hint of roasted malts. Some bourbon bite in the finish. Hint of vanilla, char, oak.

F: Medium- to full-bodied, biased towards medium. Thick, silky mouthfeel, with a coating sensation on the tongue.

O: A good bourbon-barrel aged stout. Solid purchase.

Definitely the weakest of the Black Belle variants I’ve had to date. Pretty disappointing, honestly, given how consistently excellent Black Belle and its various variants typically are from year to year.

They always look the same: deep brown on the pour, jet black in the glass, with an initial head of deep mocha that dissipates quickly.

Smell is great but not excellent, with bold cold brewed coffee aromas complementing the dark chocolate, fudge, and wonderful dark fruits. But it drops off fast into a nutty stout that is less impressive than what I’m used to experiencing across the Black Belle portfolio. Just off brand from the usual offerings.

Unfortunately the aroma is the best part of the beer and the flavors aren’t nearly on par. Can’t tell if the coffee is weighing down everything else or if there’s something else going on, but the taste profile just isn’t very interesting or nuanced and honestly comes off as highly muddled. Some chocolate. Some berries. Lots of lighter coffee. And all of it is fine. But none of it is great.

Black Belle is always a little thin, and this is no different. Slick, silky, and easy drinking. But seemingly a little flat.