Solemn Oath Black Is Beautiful 4Pk

Solemn Oath Black Is Beautiful 4Pk is a four-pack of American imperial stout brewed by Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville, Illinois, as part of the national Black Is Beautiful collaboration. Conceived as a charitable initiative involving over 1,000 breweries, Solemn Oath's interpretation channels deep roasted malt character with 100% of proceeds directed to My Block My Hood My City, a Chicago-area community organization.

Quick Facts: Style: American Imperial Stout  |  Origin: Naperville, Illinois  |  Format: 4-Pack  |  Brewery: Solemn Oath Brewery

Production & Heritage

Solemn Oath Brewery operates out of Naperville, Illinois, brewing on a fifteen-barrel Premier Stainless three-vessel system. Their take on the Black Is Beautiful recipe follows the imperial stout framework established by Weathered Souls Brewing Company of San Antonio, Texas, which launched the initiative in 2020 to raise awareness of racial injustice and fund police brutality reform and legal defense efforts. Each participating brewery was encouraged to put its own stamp on the base recipe, and Solemn Oath's version leans into bold roasted grain and dark malt intensity characteristic of their house brewing style.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Deeply roasted malts dominate the nose, bordering on charred, with concentrated coffee bean notes underneath. Subtle pine hop aromatics and chocolate round out the bouquet.

Taste: The palate opens with assertive roasted malt that sets a bold, dark foundation. Mid-palate, flavors of tobacco ash and bittersweet chocolate develop alongside that persistent coffee character. Piney hop bitterness emerges on the back end, adding structure and preventing the dark malt from turning cloying.

Finish: Thick and oily in texture, the finish lingers with dark roast coffee and residual malt sweetness. A faint ashy bitterness persists, keeping the final impression dry and complex.

How to Drink Black Is Beautiful

This imperial stout is best served at cellar temperature, around 50–55°F, to allow the full range of roasted malt and coffee flavors to open up. Pouring into a snifter or tulip glass concentrates the aroma and gives the thick, viscous body room to breathe. While sipping neat is the primary recommendation for a beer this robust, it also works well in beer cocktails: a Stout Float made with vanilla ice cream plays off the coffee and chocolate notes; a Black Velvet (blended with dry sparkling wine) creates an unexpectedly elegant contrast; and a Stout Flip shaken with a whole egg and simple syrup produces a rich, dessert-like drink.

Best For

• Supporting community-focused charitable brewing initiatives
• Cold-weather evening sipping sessions with friends
• Pairing alongside a dessert course at a dinner party
• Gifting to craft beer enthusiasts who collect collaboration releases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Black Is Beautiful taste like? Solemn Oath's Black Is Beautiful delivers bold roasted malt, concentrated dark coffee, bittersweet chocolate, and a touch of tobacco ash, with piney hops providing balance on the back end. The mouthfeel is thick and oily, giving it substantial weight on the palate.

How does Black Is Beautiful compare to other collaboration versions? The Black Is Beautiful initiative invited each of the 1,000-plus participating breweries to interpret the base imperial stout recipe in their own way, meaning every version varies in ABV, adjuncts, and flavor emphasis. Solemn Oath's rendition leans heavily into classic roasted malt and coffee territory without prominent adjunct additions, placing it on the more traditional end of the spectrum.

Is Black Is Beautiful good for sipping neat? Yes — this imperial stout's dense body, layered dark malt flavors, and coffee-forward profile reward slow, contemplative sipping at cellar temperature. A wide-mouthed glass helps channel the complex aroma.

Where is Black Is Beautiful made? This version is brewed by Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville, Illinois, on their fifteen-barrel Premier Stainless three-vessel brewhouse. The Black Is Beautiful initiative itself was founded by Weathered Souls Brewing Company in San Antonio, Texas.

What foods pair well with Black Is Beautiful? Slow-smoked brisket complements the charred malt character; dark chocolate truffles mirror the cocoa notes; aged cheddar balances the roast bitterness with fat and salt; espresso-rubbed steak creates a savory echo of the coffee flavors; and bread pudding with caramel sauce provides a sweet counterpoint to the ashy finish.

What sizes does Black Is Beautiful come in? Solemn Oath packages this release as a four-pack; individual can size may vary by release batch, with standard craft 16 oz cans being common for imperial stouts in four-pack format.

Is Black Is Beautiful worth the price? As a limited-collaboration imperial stout with 100% of proceeds benefiting My Block My Hood My City, the value extends well beyond the liquid itself. Within the craft imperial stout category, it positions as a mid-to-premium offering backed by genuine charitable purpose and a well-executed recipe.

Why Black Is Beautiful?

Solemn Oath's Black Is Beautiful stands apart because it channels the brewery's fifteen-barrel system toward a recipe with real social impact — every dollar of proceeds funds community work through My Block My Hood My City. The beer itself holds its own on pure merit: viscous, intensely roasted, and layered with coffee and chocolate depth that rewards patient sipping. As part of a collaboration that united over a thousand breweries around a single cause, this release carries cultural significance beyond its flavor profile. It represents one of the most widespread collective actions in American craft brewing history, and Solemn Oath's interpretation delivers a classically structured imperial stout worthy of the initiative's ambition.