Herevana -#201 – Black Sands – Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

Next Up on the Herevana deck is a Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout from Black Sands Brewing (NZ). After a summer filled with East and West Coast IPA, Pales and some super Pilsners I find myself fridge heavy in dark beers. And since the weather is inclement I’ve decided that tonight is as good a night as any to re-discover the dark side.

Black Sands Brewing Company of course make the Black Sands Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, and it’s a local to me beer brewed in Auckland, 🇳🇿 New Zealand. Surprisingly in the the style the is of Stout – Imperial which has an 11.5% ABV. Splendid. This is 4.5 standard drinks in NZ.

I don’t really know what to expect from this, a brewery who don’t necessarily make stouts have popped out a BA one, out of the blue, and I’m here for it.

There is a big waft of super rich tannin red wine when you open this, it’s very insistent and loud, and bodes well. The pour is without head, but does carry a film, you know my position on headwork in a beer, I’d prefer at least an effort.

Super rich aroma in the glass, with an equally super full very rich fruit beer in the sup. There is extraordinary length in this, the taste has a long lingering note, like it is reluctant to leave. I like this a lot.

It is a very ambitions beer, and it’s pulled off with some aplomb, with that really bold and fruity note, but to move this just to the next level and have it a beer talked about in hushed tones I would have liked to have had a bit more of an underlying bitterness, a chocolate counterpart to make it a balance and not just a fruit exposition. It is however remarkably nice and decision beer and excellent is word that I’d use to describe it, and I’d mean it. This is excellent.

The Pdubyah-o-meter rates this as a big 9 on the arbitrary scale. There’s a lot to recommend this, the aroma and taste alone make this a stand out good beer. Add a deeper chocolate Burt malt note and this would have outstanding.

Music . Nitin Sawhney is a name I stumbled on, they’re on a artist list for the WOMAD festival in next year, and being curious I’ve deiced to have a listen, on the Spotify.

Herevana beers are those I drink at home, I’m not at some beer festival, like, for instance, Beervana, but am just in my kitchen, usually, dining room table, sometimes, or outside, occasionally, where I can take an average picture and write in real time about the beer that I’ve invested in, both in a monetary and emotional way.

Philip himself.

This Imperial Stout, brewed with cacao nibs and vanilla beans has matured for two years in Oak barrels which formerly housed Te Rere Syrah from Waiheke Island.

Brewers Note

Stout – Imperial

The “Imperial Stout” or “Double Stout” is an intensely-flavored, big, very dark reddish-brown to black colored ale with a wide range of flavor balances and regional interpretations. Roasty-burnt malt with deep dark or dried fruit flavors, and a warming, bittersweet finish. American versions have more bitterness, roasted character, and finishing hops, while the English varieties, or “Russian Imperial Stout” (RIS), reflect a more complex specialty malt character and a more forward ester profile. Like a black barleywine with every dimension of flavor coming into play. More complex, with a broader range of possible flavors than lower-gravity stouts.