Rating

3.7 out of 5

Aroma

3.3 out of 5

Appearance

4.3 out of 5

Taste

4.1 out of 5

Palate

Total

3.9

3.9 out of 5

Overview

• Brewery: Swans Brewpub
• Beer Style: Imperial Stout
• Pros:

  Balanced and smooth Russian Imperial Stout that is a tad lighter than some

• Cons:

  A touch undercarbonated

• Conclusion:

  A big flavoured, and intense beer that has surprising balance between bourbon oak, caramel, and light cherry tones.

Swan’s Brewery – Black Swan Russian Imperial Stout Review

Swan’s, or Buckerfield Brewery has bottled a big and strong Russian Imperial Stout called the Black Swan. The bomber bottle is labeled with a rather elagent, metallic label that looks great. The beer pours from the bottle nearly black in colour and is topped with a very thin layer of dark brown head that settles leaving light lacing behind on the glass. On the nose the Black Swan has notes of Bourbon-Oak, caramel, chocolate and molasses. The body is lightly carbonated and fairly thick. The flavour is big with toasted malts in a rich, lightly smokey package. Molasses tones join a light cherry note with the bourbon-oak tones coming in slightly later. The Black Swan is big and intense but at 8.5% it is not the roundhouse-kick that some similarly categorized beers can be. The flavour is intense but still has a balance to its complex profile and makes for a smooth and very enjoyable winter sipper. The Black Swan doesn’t find its way far outside of Victoria so you may need to plan a trip before this beer sells out.

Alcohol – 8.5%
Size – 650ml bottle
Only available at the Swans Brewpub
swanshotel.com