<b>Date:</b> 04/29/2007<br /> <b>Mode:</b> Draft<br /> <b>Source:</b> Brewpub<br /> <br /> black, frothy beige head, lots of lace, light roasted aroma with a fruity edge, creamy body, rich chocolate and roast flavor, light fruity esters, the rich chocolate and the creamy body is a great combination and makes this beer<br /> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /> <b>Date:</b> 07/21/2007<br /> <b>Mode:</b> draft<br /> <b>Source:</b> brewpub<br /> <b>Score:</b> 3.7 to 3.3<br /> <br /> aroma is roasted with just a bit of the dark chocolate, rich dark chocolate and roasted flavor with burnt sweet dark fruits, the increase in sweet fruity character is a plus but the increasted roasted and burnt rubber character takes it away<br /> <br /> <b>Aroma:</b> 6/10; <b>Appearance:</b> 7/10; <b>Flavor:</b> 6/10; <b>Palate:</b> 8/10; <b>Overall:</b> 13/20<br /> <b>Rating:</b> 3.3/5.0<br /><b>Drinkability:</b> 7/10<br /> <b>Score:</b> **+/4<br />

Rating from a bottle bought at Pat’s Liquors in Porter, IN. It pours pretty much like a Pepsi but (very) briefly sports a fizzy brown head. It has an aroma of roasty malts, dark fruit, burnt molasses, and an odd sourness. The flavor seems a bit mixed up. Dark malt, burnt sugar, dark stone fruit, smoke, aniseed, and spices - mixed together in an interesting but not altogether pleasant way. Methinks they tossed too much into this with too little testing. The finish has a touch of sour milk to it, definitely not what I look forward to in a beer. Not too bad, but the recipe needs refinement.

on tap-pours a light brown head and black color. Aroma is dark malt-anise, peat/roasty, earthy. Taste is tart dark fruit, herbal/medicinal, dark malt-anise, peat/roasty, earthy. Minimum carbonation. Once it warms to just above cellar temperature it improves but still the same off notes.

Tap and served in snifter: Deep brown near opaque, small biege head, very good lace. The aroma has notes of plum, fig, chocolate, smoke, walnut, and woody esters. The taste starts with a big sweet malt character supported by some acidic twang, fruity. The finish is roasty and grainy with some smoke. The mouth feel is chewy, soft, lush, and oily. A solid dark ale, geek worthy. Could be a touch more balanced and attenuated to be world-class.

Draft in snifter at brewpub. Poured hazy brown color with an average fizzy off-white head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate toasted sweet malty and small alcohol aroma. Medium body with a slick texture. Medium spicy sweet flavor with a medium sweet finish of moderate duration. Complex drinkable brew.