Black is Beautiful
Revision Brewing Company

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque black in the glass with a quarter finer khaki head that dissipates to patches with light lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt with light char, cocoa and a touch of coffee. Flavor is dark toasted malt with moderate char, dark chocolate, coffee and slight vanilla. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. It has been a long time since a BIB from a new brewery has shown up, and one from Revision is certainly welcome. This one seems to adhere fairly closely to the base recipe, with a little more char perhaps, but still a fine, rich malt body with chocolate and coffee character. A worthy addition to this collaboration effort that has turned out some really fine stouts. Enjoyable.

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: American Double / Imperial Stout
Glass: Revision 12-oz. tulip
Price: n/a
From: Dave H.
Purchased: n/a; Received Aug. 31, 2022
Consumed: Oct. 7, 2022
Misc.: Canned on Feb. 22, 2022

Thanks, Dave!

Was lucky enough to get this one and three others from Dave on a recent meet-up. Revision’s website called it “Flaked oats add to a smooth mouthfeel while a variety of specialty malts provide depth of aromas and flavors. Notes of sweet caramel, chocolates and coffee roast intermingle in a surprisingly easy-drinking Imperial Stout. A portion of the 2022 release of the #blackisbeautifulbeer collaboration will be donated to the Harriet Baskerville Incubation Program.”

Poured a pitch black color with five fingers of khaki-tan frothy head. Could only see a few bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass. World-class lacing. Good retention. (Sight - 4.25)

Smelled caramel candy squares, toffee, vanilla, chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate syrup and semi-roasty notes. A little better out of the can with the addition of some caramel/toffee notes. (Smell - 4.00)

Tasted chocolate, caramel candy squares, vanilla, toffee, caramel, milk chocolate, chocolate syrup, semi-roasty malts and black coffee. Pretty smooth for 10 pct. ABV. (Taste - 4.00)

Full body. Sticky texture. Average carbonation. Long finish. (Feel - 4.25)

This was a really solid stout. (Overall - 4.00)

4.04 | 90 | A-

I wouldn't give this less than a 4 in any rating, and I didn't want to put effort into breaking down between 4 and 5. This is a damned fine stout, so I gave it straight 5s to emphasize anyone considering this should try it. Body/mouth is between medium and full. Factor in a some mild to moderate sweetness and significant smoothness, perhaps lactose and oat quality, and this one becomes dangerously drinkable. Not hoppy when cold. Some hop comes through on the last warm sip. Some chocolate and roast, but the predominate observance is excellent balance in all regards. I normally find greatest enjoyment from stouts when half through and they've warmed up a bit, but this one is solid straight from the fridge. Black is Beautiful is reviving a dying love for imperial stouts in me. Revision is - once again - absolutely crushing it in the beer game!

16oz can, not sure where I purchased it.

Poured into a 12oz snifter, this was a very dark brown that looked an impenetrable black in the glass. Big, creamy tan head that left all sorts of lace.

Aroma of dark oh, roasted malts. There's a bit of cocoa and a bit of coffee as well to the smell.

The flavor is a little more complex than the aroma led me to expect. In addition to the bitter roasty coffee ish and slightly sweet elements noted above, there's a bit of full-on chocolate appearing as well. None of the combined elements blot out any of the others, it's all very well blended together. The finish is slightly dry with a bit of a hop bite to it.

Full bodied, with a slightly oily and rather creamy mouthfeel.

I'm probably enjoying this more than any other non - BA imperial stout that I've had in quite a while. There's a whole lot of flavor going on here, and it's all quite drinkable, with very little alcohol heat despite the 10% ABV. I would definitely drink this one again.

 

16oz can from Brewers Haven. Dark black pour with a fine, thin beige head. Sweet roasty malts in the aroma. taste broadens the spectrum with some brown sugar flavors and chocolate. Nice balance.

 

 

Poured from a can - dark as night with thick khaki head leaving substantial frosty lacing. Nose is mild and soft roasty malt with hints of cocoa and sweetness. Taste follows with a step up on everything. Very mild mouthfeel on the finish. An easy quaffer for such a high abv.

 

Appearance - Pours black with cola brown edging where light can penetrate. Tan, finger width head with fair retention before dying down to a mostly barren surface with a razor thin ring of suds around the edge of the glass. Not much for lacing, save a spot or two.

Smell - Roasty aroma; char, smoke. Dark chocolate beneath.

Taste - Roasty upfront and throughout, but very little bitterness. Smokey/char as well, with a dark chocolate undertone. Hint of raisin near the finish. Wonderful balance from start to finish, but damn does it keep the tongue entertained.

Mouthfeel - Medium-bodied with fair carbonation. Slick, easy drinker with a slightly silky feel. A bit thin considering the style, but really drinkable all the same.

Overall - Oh damn, such a throwback to the classic American Imperial Stouts, and a damn good one at that. So, so tasty. I hope I didn't miss out on grabbing a 4-pack. Really reminds me a bit of Grand Teton's Black Cauldron, which is a beer I dearly miss. I'm looking forward to trying the other variants from all the participating breweries.