Black Rocs
Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs s.a.

Copenhagen 8/8 2020. 75 cl bottle from Vinbørsen, Nordre Frihavnsgade, Kbh Ø. As "1979 Black Rocs". Black label with some sketchy drawings of coffee beans and 1979 in big white letters on the label.

Pours opaque dark brown with big, light beige, bubbly head. Settles as thin, patchy layer of foam unable to cover the surface of the beer. No lacing.

Aroma is medium intense with a roasted and sweet odor. A little coffee bitterness peeking in. Caramel, toffee, dark roasted malts and a bit of brown sugar.

Medium strong carbonation. Slightly thick, oily, lightly tingling texture.

Flavor is medium intense with a fairly strong sweetness followed by a more moderate bitterness. Aftertaste is sweet with a light bitter undercurrent. Finish is lightly bitter and semi-dry.

Not very Stout-is but a splendid Dark Belgian which is pretty light and easily drinkable.

 

 

 

 

L- Black to me, but when held up to a halogen it's a very dark ruby-chestnut. Slight haze, plus 3mm fine-bubble tan head (ps holds well).
S- Toasty, then boom: Coffee! Once I register that I sense nothing further.
T- Toasty, coffee, charred timber embers, deep and quite pungent.
F- It's 7.5% but not over-rich. The taste is bold enough to fix your attention too.
O- I haven't read the lable on the bottle yet, so the above is from the beer in the glass in front of me alone. I noticed the lable refers in large font to 'flavoured stout', and I'm curious what that might be... coffee, charry/smoke? We'll see