The Bruery - Tart of Darkness

Unlike its namesake, Tart of Darkness does not involve riverboats and cannibals, but for what it lacks in literary pedigree it makes up for in an amazing blend of malts and tart fruity flavors.

Tart of Darkness, a sour stout, represents an interesting style that you really don’t see a whole lot of in the craft beer scene. Luckily, The Bruery has pulled off a wonderful balancing act with this one and created a good standard for this style. This particular batch was actually aged in barrels that were previously used for Black Tuesday, one of The Bruery’s most sought after brews.

The pour is pitch back with just a ring of slightly off white head. The aroma has a strong bready malt with a tart dark cherry note. It has a medium bodied mouthful with a decent amount of carbonation. The flavor starts with a very tart fruity flavor, reminiscent of very dark cherry, currant, and red grapes, with a bit of acidity that fades into a smooth bready malt with a hint of chocolate and toffee and just a hint of oak. The aftertaste has a similar dark fruit flavor with a bit of maltiness that sticks around.

Overall this is one exceptional sour. I very much enjoyed the play between the malt and the tartness of the fruit flavors. Now for the sad part. This one was a pretty limited release and may not see the light of day till next year, assuming they brew it again, and some select beer festivals. If you happen to stumble upon this brew, I highly recommend giving it a try.