 ElGaucho56 (369), USA
Dec 30, 2007
Finally got a few down in FL so popped one open tonight. Pours about as dark as beer can get with only faint chocolate brown highlights, the head a thin but rich espresso film with spotty lacing. Nose is massive roastiness, rich chocolate with tart yeast characters, also faintly dusty and with a surprising amount of alcohol considering it’s only 6%. Licorice hits you right up front and seems almost overwhelming on first sip, but as you keep going you realize how well integrated it is into the body of the beer. The beer is quite lively on the palate, as the licorice brings initial bitterness that is quickly melded to notes of coffee, bark, drying out to a lingering smoky aftertaste where wintergreen hop character appears. Not a simple beer by any means, made even better by the fact that it’s bottle conditioned. Very nice.
glennmastrange (392), hobe sound, Florida, USA
Aug 20, 2008 Bottle. Moderate malt aromas of cereal, dark chocolate, and strong coffee, light herbsfor the hops, with date, brown sugar, vanilla and milk in the background. Head is creamy with some large bubbles, light brown, with good lacing and is mostly diminishing. Color is black with a red tint. Flavor is moderately sweet and lightly acidic to start and moderately sweet and bitter in the long finish. Palate is medium to full, creamy, and has a soft carbonation. It finishes moderately astringent. A good Stout with some deep flavors and aromas
chandler0201 (102), Durham, North Carolina, USA
Aug 20, 2008 Nice mocha aromas and a decent head at pour. Smoky fruits with a hint of raisin and plum, not too bad, but a bit overrated.
shalloWMeans (113), Florence, Kentucky, USA
Aug 17, 2008 A dark, ferociously roasty stout. Jet black body, with a frothy tan, root beer float like head. Smells like a mocha latte: rich bittersweet baking cocoa, plum, damson, and roasted, smoked malt. Like a bonfire. Further notes of lavendar, overripe grapes, raisins, boysenberries and a soil-like earthiness. And that’s just the aroma! The taste is remniscent of a smoked porter, with gunpowder tea, intense roastedness, chestnuts, kalamata olives, licorice, blackcurrants, and once again, a rich, damp earthy character. This beer is intensely complex, the finish is full of thick smoke and grilled meats. Chewy, bitter and bracing, yet oily, soft, and not overly harsh on the palate. Very long lasting, dry finish.
brew4fun (116), West Virginia, USA
Aug 17, 2008 12 oz. bottle. Not served in a glass. Aroma of dark malt. Swirling the bottle, I see a creamy persistent head. Taste of dark roasted malt, prunes/raisins, dark chocolate and licorice. Medium full in body, carbonation pleasantly medium-low. Good brew, but one a sitting is plenty.
afireinside96 (390), Mountville, Pennsylvania, USA
Aug 15, 2008 12oz bottle served in an English pint glass. Very dark brown/nearly black body with an inch of tan head. Deeply roasted smell of dusty chocolate & coffee. Big bold burnt/roasted flavor, deep earthy undertone, some dark chocolate. Like a sessionable Imperial stout. Good stuff.
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