Funky Buddha Nib Smuggler

Brewed by Funky Buddha
Style: Sweet Stout
Boca Raton, Florida USA

Serve in English pint, Shaker

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Tap at Funky Buddha’s 2nd year anniversary. Black, tan head. Nose is artificial chocolate (though I know it’s real nibs) and coffee. Taste is cocoa, dark chocolate. Dry, bitter finish.

Draft at Monk’s Cafe in Philadelphia, PA. Pours a dark chocolate brown color that’s almost black and opaque except for faint mahogany edges when held to a light. One and a half finger beige head that quickly settles into a lasting ring. Spotty lacing left behind. Robust roasty aroma with a nice balance of dark malt, lactic cream and sweeter notes. There’s a strong dark chocolate presence along with robust coffee bean and oatmeal countered by sweeter cooca, toffee, caramel and hazelnut. Faint earthy hops as well. Medium bodied but a bit thinner than expected with an intense overly roasted dark malt character that dominates the flavor. Really dry and bitter with hints of burnt toast, charred malt, robust coffee, dark chocolate and oatmeal. Not nearly as complex or well balanced as the nose suggests. Subtle lactic creaminess but all of the sweeter notes are completely overpowered by the roasted dark malts and intense dark chocolate flavor. Not a bad beer but very one dimensional and verging on acrid. Disappointing, especially coming from a brewery that I usually enjoy which specializes in dessert beers.

On tap at Monk’s. Dark brown with a beige head that settles to a frosting. Nose is chocolate, caramel, hay and coffee. Medium to full body with a tang. Taste is sweet chocolate, vanilla, hints of licorice with a bitter grass finish and some ash. After trying three of the berliner weisse this was perfect for soothing the sour overload. Great sweet stout.

At Monks, cool story about this beer and the difficulties of getting quality nibs into the US. Peruvians were used instead. Pours a dark brown color with thin white head and lacing. Aromas and taste of light cocoa, vanilla, and malt. Finshed on the dryer side. Very good but I prefered the Last Snow.

On tap at Monk’s. Pours a deep black with a thin tan head. Lots of chocolate, roast, and cocoa. Sweet, coffee and roast. Tastes of sweetened coffee and chocolate. Very sweet, too sweet for my liking. Chocolate and cocoa on the finish.

UPDATED: JUN 4, 2012 Draft at monks for the funky Buddha event with jay, Andy, pearl and vin. Pours a deep brown body with thin white lacing. Aroma is roast and chocolate. Mouthfeel is thin for a stout, feels more like a chocolate porter, notes of roast, chocolate, light spice. Solid.

On draft at the Funky Buddha, poured a dark brown color with aromas of chocolate, vanilla, roast, and sweet malt. Flavor is a great mixture of all the aromas that blended nicely on the palate. After each sip it left me wanting more, and more of this amazing brew.

On draft at Funky Buddha. WOW. This has to be one of the best non-Berliners they have done. Pours a typical stout brown with a tan head. The nose is what distinguishes this beer for sure. It has a significantly pronounced cocoa nib smell with a some underlying dark chocolate, vanilla, possible lactose, and some light roast. Flavor is amazingly chocolatey- cocoa with dark chocolate, nibs, and a bit of dryness in the finish, probably courtesy of the yeast. The nose and flavor together are very unique- the closest thing I can think of is Southern Tier Choklat, but with MUCH more balance. Some might consider this over-the-top, but it is a chocolate sweet stout; it is just as it says.

This is by far one of my favorite beers of all time. I’m a sucker for good chocolate so that is a part of this scenario. Nib pours a very dark brown, nearly black. The aroma is a combination of dark cocoa nibs, sweet malts, with a hint of vanilla. The smoothness was perfect and the temperature also seemed to be perfect. (Had it at the Buddha on tap.) This is the perfect beer to drink after a big steak and potato dinner. The palate has a nice hint of chocolate for quite some time. Supperb!

Growler thanks to johndoe8 on BA. Dark brown in color but lets some light through. Small tan head. The aroma is great and intense. Loads of chocolatey nibs and some roast and vanilla notes to go with it. The flavor is also nib city, very chocolatey but the integration could be a bit better. Sweet and mildly tart even. Medium-bodied and fairly smooth and drinkable. A good first Funky Buddha tick.