Surly Darkness 2018

The first time I wrote about Surly Darkness Russian Imperial Stout on this blog was 7 years ago, when I paired my original notes from 2006 with a picture of a bottle from 2010. I've reviewed some older bottles recently, as well, like this one at five years. Last night, I made the decision to review a fresh bottle for the first time. Here come the notes:

Surly Darkness 2018. Russian Imperial Stout, 12 % ABV, IBU: "low", Surly Brewing Company, Minneapolis & Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.

Solidly stygian, utter opacity, slim brown head. Looking perfectly the part.

In the nose: Roast and toast. Here comes cocoa and coffee, caramel and toffee. Some charcoal, a twist of fire.

In the mouth: great richness, massive malt, much sweetness. So much goodness. So much delicious. Thick, rich, deep, amazing. Some dark fruit pops in, but mostly dark roasted malt, rich and sweet. And flat out wonderful. Good stuff. Go on out and drink it.

Our massive Russian Imperial Stout contains waves of chocolate, coffee, cherry, raisin, and toffee, plus a non-traditional dose of aromatic hops.