Brooklyn Brewery Black Ops

[FedoraDave]

I got this bottle of 10% ABV oak-aged stout for Christmas. The reason it took me so long to get to it is because it's one of those big bottles, and there didn't seem to be a good time for me to up and drink the whole thing by myself. Until tonight. I figured, hey, it's a holiday weekend, and this is also taking up space in my fridge. Might as well drink it.

Now, I have great respect for Brooklyn Brewery. They make outstanding beer, and I hope they continue to expand their influence. And while I'm not crazy about stouts, I like to think I can at least recognize a good one. And this is a good stout, IMO. The aroma has chocolate and caramel notes, and the mouthfeel is full, rich, and creamy.

But in both the aroma and the taste, there's an unpleasant alcohol aspect that turns me off. Yes, I know this is a high ABV beer. And I've experienced this same thing with other high ABV beers, but only with Brooklyn's high ABV beers. I'm drinking a 7.3% Pale Ale I made myself, and it doesn't have this "liqueur" aspect to it, whereas I recall a Brooklyn 7.5% beer that did.

It's not a bad stout. Not by any means. I'd prefer less alcohol content and more malt flavor, though, to be honest.