 whaleman (2168), North Wales, Pennsylvania, USA
Aug 15, 2003 Updated: Jun 3, 2006
Jet black, opaque. A batch from 2003 was as flat as Lubbock, Texas, but later batches have produced a nice creamy head. Aroma of licorice, soy sauce, alcohol, chocolate, black coffee, and mellow hops. Ultra-thick and full bodied, this beer is jam packed with flavors of figs, coffee, chocolate, licorice, raisins, plums, berries, soy sauce, tobacco, smoke, port, nuts, molasses, hops, and ethanol. Evokes memories of the three-course meal gum from Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory that turned Violet into a giant blueberry. The aftertaste is rich and indulgent. Lack of carbonation, depending on the batch, and ultra-complex flavor make this brew a fantastic, slow, port-like sipper.
Re-rate, 1/16/04. An 8 inch fall managed to produce a loose tan head the size of my pinky, showing me that the 2003 is indeed carbonated. At least this bottle was. I bumped the appearance up one point. The only additional comment worth adding is that this stuff is UNBELIEVABLE with dark chocolate.
CaryTheDude (172), Ripon, Wisconsin, USA
Aug 29, 2008 Cellaring a few of them, but couldn’t help but give one a taste. Big in every way, with a finish that lingers and lingers, and every aspect seems to change and evolve with each sip. Remarkable beer. Challenges the Dark Lord. I’d like to try them back to back.
emerica56 (454), Bristol, Rhode Island, USA
Aug 24, 2008 The beer pours a dark black with a thick tan head. There is a nice streak or film of head residue left along the sides of the glass. The nose is a extreamly intense chocolate and roasted expresso with mocha. The flavor is so robust and has a malted milk ball smoothness on the palate. It also leaves a nice bitter hop finish that sticks on your tounge. The finsih is so creamy and full of rich coffee and dark chocolate.
Michmike (11), USA
Aug 24, 2008 This beer offers as very enticing, dark chocolate, coffee aroma. It pours very, very thick - almost like syrup. The head is almost non-existent and there really is no noticable carbonation. This negatively impacted my experience, but only moderately. The taste is diverse and explosive. A strong coffee/caramel foundation with significant hints of raisin, plum pummeled the palate as a nice shot of hops helped finish off this robust beer at the finish. My stomach’s capacity for additional consumption was limited after just one of these. I can’t imagine sticking with this one throughout a festive evening. Overall, a very good stout...
PeterLikesBeer (103), Berwyn Heights, Maryland, USA
Aug 23, 2008 Batch number 8145. This beer pours pitch black with a very small of white head that fades quickly. The aroma is not as powerful as I expected it to be. There was some hops lots of malt an little bit of chocolate and coffee. The flavor is very complex. I can taste chocolate, coffee some dark fruits and some bittering hops. The taste lingers in the mouth and there is hardly any alcohol. The Beer is much better at almost room temperature as opposed to right out of the fridge.
Bhops (195), Dallas, Texas, USA
Aug 21, 2008 bottle thanks to mar. I mean really, thank you mar. This beer was incredible. Pours brownish black with caramel head. Aroma of chocolate, dark fruits (specifically dates or prunes), roasty, smells like something that needs to be consumed, immediately. Flavor is complex, coffee, burnt malts, smooth and creamy. Has to be my favorite stout.
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