Fatality
Level Beer - 1 Brewery & Beer Garden

*Archived Review*

16oz can poured into a St Bernardus chalice

p- deep mahogany/black w/ a tiny khaki cap
n- big roasty notes and baker's choc
t- a blend of roast, chocolate, and light barrel character; some nuttiness and hints of cherry as well; nicely-balanced profile; no alcohol presence at all, surprisingly
mf- light-med bodied w/ soft carb; velvety/creamy
o- a decent offering as an imperial stout, but as a BA example of the style, it falls a bit short imo (especially for the $9 price point); could definitely use more time in the barrel

Review date: 12.29.18
Can date: not captured

Had yesterday at the Holiday Beer Fest. This beer pours a dark brown/black color with small tan ring of foam for what could be called a head. One of the best Imperial Stouts at the festival. Rated 12-8-2024

 

 

2021 vintage:

Poured from a 16 ounce can dated 11-3-21 into a snifter.

Look- Black, between medium and dark brown frothy head, opaque, above average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Roasted malt, oak, slight vanilla, slight whiskey, medium strength of scent.

Taste- Roasted malt, vanilla, oak, slight marshmallow, slight whiskey, moderately spicy, high strength of flavor.

Feel- Full body, average carbonation, moderately bitter, highly creamy, moderately mouth warming, moderately spicy.

Overall- This beer had a great black color with above average head retention and lacing. The bouquet was dominated by too much roasted malt and not enough whiskey character. The flavor also was overwhelming roasted malt again with not enough whiskey character. Body was full with average carbonation and highly creamy with moderate spice and mouth warming properties. Overall this beer provided an acceptable drinking experience, but really would have benefited from more time in the barrel.

Bottle at annual RIS tasting (2019). Black pour with small ring of beige head. Roasty, elements of chocolate and coffee, plus plenty of warmth from the ABV. Boozy.

 

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque black in the glass with a thin dark khaki film of carbonation to a slight ring around the glass withvery slight lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, whiskey, milk chocolate and woody vanilla. Flavor is dark toasted malt with light char, whiskey, thin chocolate and coffee, oaky vanilla. Malt depth thins out into the finish leaving mostly coffee and whiskey flavors. Medium bodied with light creaminess. Great whiskey flavor in this barreled stout, but the malt is a hair thin to support the otherwise pleasant level. There are good char, chocolate and coffee notes, but they play second fiddle to the whiskey. There is a bit of booziness in the finish, which is never as big a problem with barreled ales as they bring out the character of the barrel spirit. A full bodied barreled stout that hits the desired flavor points, but with a slightly thin malt body.

 

 

 

 

Pitch black beer, menacing looking, clean and capped by a tanned foam that sticks and laces well.

Aroma is roasted grains, burnt white toast, with a brown sugar sweetness and alcohol. Not barrel, woody, vanilla booze but more fusel. Nah, scratch that. With warmth, some wood and sweet vanilla and chocolate notes come through.

The flavor on the other hand is much more wood influenced. An earthy taste as well, balancing out a dark chocolate and bitter roasted coffee touch. A hint of dried tartberries brings back that dry oak full circle.

Speaking of dry, this beer is just that. A roasty bomb with a drab of sweetness and a medium feel with decent carbonation that bubbles in the mouth to dryness.

A pretty darn good first attempt at a barrel aged stout from Level. Could use a touch more booze and barrel influence in my opinion, but this is a good dry heavy stout for those fans of Old Rasputin, Yeti, and the likes.

Cheers.