Dark brown with a thick, artificial head. Faint aroma is thin, spent coffee grounds, not much else. Light chocolate taste but this does not have pleasurable flavours and the nitro seems to mute anything positive that may otherwise be lurking.

Ignorant of the brewer when I tasted this, so no one can accuse me of bias against A-B. The head lingers beneath the surface of the solid black body for a good long while before settling inteo a medium tan head. Leaves tremendous concentric lace. Aroma is fairly faint, but what there is of it is sweet and mildly roasty. Taste is medium sweet, roasty up top, finishing much the same with a short-lived bitterness in the swallow. It's a bit watery, very smooth with pretty much no carbonation.

<b>Date:</b> 02/10/2005<br /> <b>Mode:</b> Draft<br /> <b>Source:</b> Tasting<br /> <br /> black, thin tan head, rich malt flavor with an over whelming amount of bitterness, touch of chocolate, could be a winner with less bitterness<br /> <br /> <b>Aroma:</b> 5/10; <b>Appearance:</b> 5/10; <b>Flavor:</b> 5/10; <b>Palate:</b> 5/10; <b>Overall:</b> 10/20<br /> <b>Rating:</b> 2.6/5.0<br /><b>Score:</b> *4<br /> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /> <i>The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.</i><br />

Draft... Black ale with a mid-sized, creamy, khaki head. Excellent retention. The nose is just a touch roasty, but mainly a plethera of hop varieties (50 or so) and the same generic aroma of a textbook pale lager. How they pulled this off, I have no idea. Food color? The flavor is, again, just a toach roasty, but with undertones of a Michelob or World Select. Light to medium-bodied and (believe it or not) creamy with medium carbonation. Finishes bland and dry. At least AB is trying. Imitation (even a poor one) is the most sincere form of flattery.

<i> Draught </i> Jet-black; rather light yellow, dense nitrohead. Roasted & burnt malts, licorice without the sweetness fresh greenery aroma. Very little sweetness is all that gets through the ice-cold temperature. Very professionaly served & ruined. Light MF, even empty, just typical grist slickness. Disappointing, but is it the serving or is it the beer?