Source of Darkness
Source Farmhouse Brewery

 

Glad to get my hands on this as this was Source's highest-rated beer on here and one that I wanted to have for a cold winter's night. Although I wasn't quite as enthusiastic as others were about this beer, this was a solid offering that was enjoyable and hid it's heft about as well as could be!

Of course, this poured dark as the edges let a bit of garnet through. No, this wasn't as thick as other beers of this type that I've had over the years as this lacked the "motor oil" aspect that I've come to expect from a Russian Imperial Stout. A thick head of mocha topped this off although the lacing was hardly anywhere to be seen once I started to work my way through this. Lots of oats, coffee, bitter chocolate, and dark fruit in the nose as the taste contained hints of barley, cherry, fig, blood orange, and cream in it as well. Quite dry on the palate and slightly roasted, this was a full-bodied beer that had a hidden alcoholic presence and needed a chaser of water once I finally finished it off.

To be fair, this was a potent brew that packed a punch and required the time to savor it properly. This was the first beer that I reviewed from Source that didn't have a date printed on the bottom of the can but at least I knew that this was fresh, thanks to their posts on Instagram. A bit of milk chocolate stuck around once I finished this off, as this was a quality brew from a place that I've come to admire in recent months. This was a solid take on the style that was a bit too hyped but still solid from start to finish, as anyone who loves Source or Russian Imperial Stouts would be wise to seek this out!

 

 

On draught at the brewery. 10 oz. pour. Its color is a very dark walnut - nearly black - with a super creamy, light khaki cap and a thick coating of creamy lacing. The creaminess of the head resembles a nitro pour but it's not. Its fragrant smell features bakers chocolate, burnt coffee grounds, char, tobacco ash, and burnt nuts. As the glass warms there are also notes of dark fruit. The taste is fabulous! It opens with char and burnt coffee, along with caramel, brown sugar, black cherry , and charred nuts. There is a slight hoppy bitterness at the finish. As the glass warms, the flavors really pop. They are bold but blend seamlessly. It's very tasty. The mouth feel is thick and creamy but not quite chewy. It drinks very easily for 10% ABV. Overall, I'm very impressed. Source of Darkness has everything I like in a RIS. If it were a little more viscous, then my rating would be off the chart. That said, it's a helluva good Russian Imperial Stout, particularly for a brewery open less than six months.

 

Very good. Perfect fruity characteristics, low on the smokiness. Here goes:

A: Pitch black. Great, lingering head and lacing.

S: Chocolate, licorice, dark fruit, and oats. No discernible coffee or bitter, burnt malt.

T: Dangerously drinkable - for such an alcoholic beer, I detect almost no alcohol. Taste is of sweet dark fruit and oatmeal but without any sour or bitter aftertaste. Less coffee and burnt malt; more dark fruit.

F: Oily and thick.

O: Great beer. A perfect RIS. Very sweet.

Pours very dark, 5 oz pour left little room for an aggressive pour with head. Aroma is faint, roasted malts and dark chocolate. Lots of flavor, deep, dark roasted malt, dark bittersweet chocolate, loads of espresso, has a nice sweetness to it, and has a touch of yeasty flavor that I usually don’t like, but it works here. Carbonation is appropriate. Overall a nicely crafted imperial stout, I would like to see it aged in a barrel for a year...

8/22/19
Draft at brewery
4.25 rating