Brooklyn Brewery's Black Ops..........it does not exist

According to Brooklyn Brewery, this beer does not exist, and if you look for it on their website, it appears to be true. At least I could not find it. But somehow I got a hold of a bottle from one of my fellow bloggers over at Simply beer. The label is just great, it does give the beer an air of mystery, all in fun. Here is what the back label reads “Brooklyn Black Ops does not exist. However, if it did exist, it would be a robust stout concocted by the Brooklyn brewing team under cover of secrecy and hidden from everyone else at the brewery. Supposedly, “Black Ops” was aged for four months in bourbon barrels, bottled flat, and re-fermented with Champagne yeast, creating big chocolate and coffee flavors with a rich underpinning of vanilla-like oak notes. They say there are only 1000 cases. We have no idea what they’re talking about.”

It has taken me a little while to get around to posting my review of this one because I enjoyed it on Valentine’s Day but took some notes on it to share with you. This review is a bit more informal and probably not as in depth as they are when I am drinking and writing about it at the same time, I also will not be scoring it. However, if I were to score it, it would get a very solid “A” from me, that’s for sure.

Initially the aroma is thick with bittersweet chocolate and coffee notes, some alcohol, and a very nice refined vanilla character from the oak. The combination of alcohol and residual bourbon from the barrels gives a nice background hint of just a splash of bourbon. The actual woodiness of the beer is very low, which I like. The aroma is very complex and you could spend a long time swimming in that vat of delicious aroma, finding something new each time the beer warms slightly. 

The flavor is much more drinkable than one would think with a such a big stout. The roast is well balanced with a bit of sweetness lending to a mostly bittersweet chocolate flavor. However, it does not end there. The alcohol is quite evident and the rich vanilla notes combined with bourbon come through in the finish, but not overwhelmingly so. The beer as a whole is rich, smooth, and has a very nice mouthfeel to it. The main note I have written is “Dangerously Drinkable”, which means that for such a big beer, it does not go down hard. Complex with many subtle malt flavors, this beer is easily one of my favorite Imperial Stouts…..that is if it existed and I were able to experience it.

I found this pretty cool, it made me think that this beer really does have a galaxy of complex flavors and aromas contained within. You be the judge.