BLACK ALBERT

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xscottypx

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so yeah, this is pretty intense fresh. boozy, warm, cherry, sweet

has anyone aged this? this feels like 3-5 years could be bliss.
 
I love that beer.

Have you had Cuvee Delphine? It's Black Albert aged in Four Roses barrels. Absolutely sublime. I've always had to trade for it/order it online though. I don't think it gets distribution to the states.
 
And yes, we opened a 4 (?) year vert of BA about a year ago. I personally thought fresh was best (but I don't necessarily prefer aged stouts) but the other two guys preferred the 2 and 3 year old versions.
 
I love that beer.

Have you had Cuvee Delphine? It's Black Albert aged in Four Roses barrels. Absolutely sublime. I've always had to trade for it/order it online though. I don't think it gets distribution to the states.

i have not, i have been passing it up for like 5-6 years. i always forget when i make online orders.
 
Ben-Stiller-Is-Retro-Do-It-Reaction-Gif.gif
 
Yah. Totally steep.

Worth it? I can't answer that for you.

The only variant I have not enjoyed was Double Black.
 
Steep but par for the course on those bottles. Cost has prevented me from trying any of them (mocha, etc)
 
I love that beer.

Have you had Cuvee Delphine? It's Black Albert aged in Four Roses barrels. Absolutely sublime. I've always had to trade for it/order it online though. I don't think it gets distribution to the states.
Pretty sure I purchased Delphine in MA before?
 
Yah. Totally steep.

Worth it? I can't answer that for you.

The only variant I have not enjoyed was Double Black.

If you don't mind, what was it about DB you didn't like? I ask because it is one of my top 3 nonsour beers. I would do crazy things to get a few bottles.
 
I had an 07 and a 13 side-by-side a few weeks ago. 07 definitely held up, probably a better tasting beer overall than the 13. Very little oxidation, & that bitterness that comes on pretty strong while fresh mellows out into a smoother beer. A marked loss of that cherry you mention in the fresh Albert though.
 
Delphine is probably my favourite of their beers. So damn good. I had a 2011 earlier this year and it was brilliant. I have another 2011 left which I'll try in a few months.
 
if you would like to trade for some older bottles of black albert, i have several. this batch was from the same year (a bit earlier if i remember correctly) this beer first came into the united states (probably six years ago??? so probably 2007???), although these bottles were shipped from belgium.

hit me up if you are interested.


 
Black Albert is one of those beers I love... and hate.

Old bottles/batches were roasty and delicious straight out the gate and even aged wonderfully IMO. However, they went through a phase where the beer transitioned from roasty russian imperial stout to more of a fruity belgian strong dark ale each time they brewed it. Several years ago Urbain admitted that black albert got away from what it originally was intended to be and that is what started the whole "batch 0" dumbness which I wont even get into unless someone really wants to hear that whole weird story.

tl;dr - the aged bottles of old roasty, charred black albert were/are amazing. The bottles from the weird belgian strong dark ale phase...not so much.

I havent had a fresh bottle of black albert since they created the labels with the "batch 0" designation. If they are back to being roasty and not fruity, I would for certain bulk up on those hoping they age as gracefully as historic batches have.
 
I kinda want to hear the whole weird story.
Me too. My interest has been piqued.

The first time the term "batch 0" was used, it was in 2011 (?) when they bottled the OG batch of black albert that was aging for ~4 years in stainless. They bottled it all up because they said they finally nailed the recipe again and were producing black albert to the same quality level that it was originally.

They bottled it just like normal black albert but hand wrote a 0 on the cap. To the best of my knowledge, all of these bottles were sold via the "yeast shop."

Fast forward some time and they created batch zero labels and started rebrewing black albert and selling it as batch 0 with the new label. Perhaps as a marketing? Perhaps because they wanted to differentiate the different brewings? Im not sure but ive read several times that some of the batch zero labels are infected. Whereas ive never heard of a report of that being the case with "the real" batch 0.
 
The first time the term "batch 0" was used, it was in 2011 (?) when they bottled the OG batch of black albert that was aging for ~4 years in stainless. They bottled it all up because they said they finally nailed the recipe again and were producing black albert to the same quality level that it was originally.

They bottled it just like normal black albert but hand wrote a 0 on the cap. To the best of my knowledge, all of these bottles were sold via the "yeast shop."

Fast forward some time and they created batch zero labels and started rebrewing black albert and selling it as batch 0 with the new label. Perhaps as a marketing? Perhaps because they wanted to differentiate the different brewings? Im not sure but ive read several times that some of the batch zero labels are infected. Whereas ive never heard of a report of that being the case with "the real" batch 0.
I've had off bottles of the batch 0 with the custom label.

I've never had an off bottle of the batch 0 with the hand written cap (both obtained from the yeast store).

Thanks, I was always curious what the difference between the two were.
 
The first time the term "batch 0" was used, it was in 2011 (?) when they bottled the OG batch of black albert that was aging for ~4 years in stainless. They bottled it all up because they said they finally nailed the recipe again and were producing black albert to the same quality level that it was originally.

They bottled it just like normal black albert but hand wrote a 0 on the cap. To the best of my knowledge, all of these bottles were sold via the "yeast shop."

Fast forward some time and they created batch zero labels and started rebrewing black albert and selling it as batch 0 with the new label. Perhaps as a marketing? Perhaps because they wanted to differentiate the different brewings? Im not sure but ive read several times that some of the batch zero labels are infected. Whereas ive never heard of a report of that being the case with "the real" batch 0.

Ah ok, Yeah I'd heard that before. I had a 2012 about a year ago and it was tasting really great. I still have a bottle which I'll likely open soon. I don't remember any hint of infections.
 
The first time the term "batch 0" was used, it was in 2011 (?) when they bottled the OG batch of black albert that was aging for ~4 years in stainless. They bottled it all up because they said they finally nailed the recipe again and were producing black albert to the same quality level that it was originally.

They bottled it just like normal black albert but hand wrote a 0 on the cap. To the best of my knowledge, all of these bottles were sold via the "yeast shop."

Fast forward some time and they created batch zero labels and started rebrewing black albert and selling it as batch 0 with the new label. Perhaps as a marketing? Perhaps because they wanted to differentiate the different brewings? Im not sure but ive read several times that some of the batch zero labels are infected. Whereas ive never heard of a report of that being the case with "the real" batch 0.

i heard thru the rumor mill that there was a canada only batch very early on. Ever heard of this?
 
soooo THATS why batch 0 started being released again.... ahhhh
you ready for even more lolz?

struise was in the planning stages of having their own reserve club for the better part of 2-3 years. within that club they announced the fruited versions of black damnation AKA blackberry albert AKA black damnation 1

that beer was deemed a failure that was not good enough to be sold to the club.

enjoy those $40 silk screened bottles you peons!!!
 
you ready for even more lolz?

struise was in the planning stages of having their own reserve club for the better part of 2-3 years. within that club they announced the fruited versions of black damnation AKA blackberry albert AKA black damnation 1

that beer was deemed a failure that was not good enough to be sold to the club.

enjoy those $40 silk screened bottles you peons!!!

The dude at De Kelk was talking about a barrel club he was part of. Check the label of the one we ticked there in 2013 - it was Nuptiale 2. So they definitely released some to the club.

WMfu8cU.png
 
you ready for even more lolz?

struise was in the planning stages of having their own reserve club for the better part of 2-3 years. within that club they announced the fruited versions of black damnation AKA blackberry albert AKA black damnation 1

that beer was deemed a failure that was not good enough to be sold to the club.

enjoy those $40 silk screened bottles you peons!!!
Did they change the black damnation I at some point? I remember II as mocha bomb, III as black mes and IV as coffee club, but I remember I being a blend of Black Albert and Cuvee Delphine, not black berry albert.
 
Black Albert is one of those beers I love... and hate.

Old bottles/batches were roasty and delicious straight out the gate and even aged wonderfully IMO. However, they went through a phase where the beer transitioned from roasty russian imperial stout to more of a fruity belgian strong dark ale each time they brewed it. Several years ago Urbain admitted that black albert got away from what it originally was intended to be and that is what started the whole "batch 0" dumbness which I wont even get into unless someone really wants to hear that whole weird story.

tl;dr - the aged bottles of old roasty, charred black albert were/are amazing. The bottles from the weird belgian strong dark ale phase...not so much.

I havent had a fresh bottle of black albert since they created the labels with the "batch 0" designation. If they are back to being roasty and not fruity, I would for certain bulk up on those hoping they age as gracefully as historic batches have.

the bottles i posted above, i can't remember exactly when i got those, but it was the batch before the first batch to hit the shelves in the united states. these were sent to me by a guy in belgium. this was all pre the batch 0 dust up maybe? i somewhat remember that, but it seems as if it was after i got them. is there a log of this beer posted anywhere? i'd love to figure out which batch this was.


edit: i know these bottles are pre 2010 (after reading the rest of this thread)....2008? 2007?
 
I can't find anything about this reserve society. Does anyone know or have any details about it?
yes, it never actually happened outside a group of 20 guys who met monthly at the brewery
sc2 (as pictured on the label of that damnation bottle) was the abbreviation for "single cask club"
the club was suppose to be single barrel pulls IE- nonblended barrels that got bottled aside from the rest of the barrels that got blended and distributed
Did they change the black damnation I at some point? I remember II as mocha bomb, III as black mes and IV as coffee club, but I remember I being a blend of Black Albert and Cuvee Delphine, not black berry albert.
you are close but not totally accurate
the original black damnation releases were
black damnation (collaboration/blend with de molen)
black damnation 2 mocha bomb
black damnation 3 black mes
black damantion 4 coffee club
black damnation 5 double black

only after the next 6 or so were done via draft only did they backpeddal and just last year in 2013 named the blackberry albert as black damnation 1.
 
The dude at De Kelk was talking about a barrel club he was part of. Check the label of the one we ticked there in 2013 - it was Nuptiale 2. So they definitely released some to the club.

WMfu8cU.png
Club members were able to reserve up to 24 bottles of those in June of last year. :)
 
the bottles i posted above, i can't remember exactly when i got those, but it was the batch before the first batch to hit the shelves in the united states. these were sent to me by a guy in belgium. this was all pre the batch 0 dust up maybe? i somewhat remember that, but it seems as if it was after i got them. is there a log of this beer posted anywhere? i'd love to figure out which batch this was.


edit: i know these bottles are pre 2010 (after reading the rest of this thread)....2008? 2007?
I cant fully help ya but ill take a stab at it. Coincidentally they have used 3 different types of bottle coding on the labels. I understand and can translate 2 of the 3...based on your picture, you got the lucky 3rd version which I dont fully understand.

The "best by April 2013" marking makes me think 2008 because im fairly certain they use the 5 year drink by dating.

Edit: Found an old review for what might be the same bottling you got. Sounds like that batch drinks like a quad moreso than RIS:
"330ml bottle, best by 04/2013, courtesy deepsouth. Thanks Jason!

Pours totally opaque, with the sort of swimmy, slowly dissipating head common to big Belgian beers. Nose is mostly boozy dark fruits, with only a suggestion of roasty chocolate. Taste is more like a gigantic quadrupel than any stout I've had, definitely thinner in body than most imperial stouts. The taste is full of rich, bready malt, rum-soaked raisins and other dark fruits, very much like an English barleywine. There's some earthy Continental hop bitterness, just enough for balance, and pleasant but faint notes of chocolate, leather, espresso, and smoke in the finish. This one is big, but not heavy-handed."
 
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I cant fully help ya but ill take a stab at it. Coincidentally they have used 3 different types of bottle coding on the labels. I understand and can translate 2 of the 3...based on your picture, you got the lucky 3rd version which I dont fully understand.

The "best by April 2013" marking makes me think 2008 because im fairly certain they use the 5 year drink by dating.

Edit: Found an old review for what might be the same bottling you got. Sounds like that batch drinks like a quad moreso than RIS:
"330ml bottle, best by 04/2013, courtesy deepsouth. Thanks Jason!

Pours totally opaque, with the sort of swimmy, slowly dissipating head common to big Belgian beers. Nose is mostly boozy dark fruits, with only a suggestion of roasty chocolate. Taste is more like a gigantic quadrupel than any stout I've had, definitely thinner in body than most imperial stouts. The taste is full of rich, bready malt, rum-soaked raisins and other dark fruits, very much like an English barleywine. There's some earthy Continental hop bitterness, just enough for balance, and pleasant but faint notes of chocolate, leather, espresso, and smoke in the finish. This one is big, but not heavy-handed."


you are the man! thanks for tracking down that post. i guess i should open one of these, since i have over half a case of them and i haven't opened one in probably five years.
 
Bought 2 of the handwritten batch 0s from the yeast shop a few years back. Drank one right away and it was and still likely is a top 5 for me.

Aged one until a couple of months ago and it was a shell of its former self.

The delphine I purchased at the same time seemed to be slightly infected.
 
Bought 2 of the handwritten batch 0s from the yeast shop a few years back. Drank one right away and it was and still likely is a top 5 for me.

Aged one until a couple of months ago and it was a shell of its former self.

The delphine I purchased at the same time seemed to be slightly infected.
Bolded the parts of your comment that I can 100% relate to. Honestly, a couple bad experiences with delphine is what prevented me from ever buying more of it. However, I could see if a good roasty batch of black albert went into barrels and came out without infection, it could be amazing.

This talk of the OG batch 0 not holding up has influenced me. Time to toss one in the fridge and see for myself.
 
Bought 2 of the handwritten batch 0s from the yeast shop a few years back. Drank one right away and it was and still likely is a top 5 for me.

Aged one until a couple of months ago and it was a shell of its former self.

The delphine I purchased at the same time seemed to be slightly infected.

Still sitting on two bottles of the handwritten original Batch Zero I purchased form the yeast shop... I opened a few when I first bought them and they were great, I'll be bummed if they've oxidized.

I've run into more than one infection issue with De Struise: Pannepot 2007 was the first, since then the most memorable was a very expensive 22 oz. bottle of Mocha Bomb last spring that was such an infected mess that it was a drain pour.

I love what Urban does as a craftsman, but the infection issues have made me a bit wary now especially if your saying Delphine has had some issues as of late too.
 
I wasn't the only one who noticed the issue with CD at the time. Agree with Stakem that it could have been amazing.

OTOH, the 2008 pannepot reserve from the same order that I had last week was great. It seemed somewhat thinner than expected, but flavors were perfect.

UwOu5s2.jpg
 

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