 Quake1028 (628), Tampa, Florida, USA
Dec 18, 2007
2007 Vintage
12oz bottle courtesy of Gillard. This one has eluded me for quite a while for various reasons, so I was super excited to try it. Motor oil looking black pour, glugs and glops out of the bottle. Smallish dark mocha-tan head, very bubbly and loosely formed. Nice retention and sheet lacing. On the nose the bourbon is very apparent, along with dark chocolate, raisins, malts, coffee beans, licorice, and some fusel alcohol. It’s actually not super apparent, even at 13%, which is a nice surprise. Very chewy and chalky, tastes like a chocolate brownie with a huge kick of alcohol mixed in. Dark malts, raisins, bourbon, bakers chocolate and tart fruits are present as well, adding to the mix. Wonderful mouthfeel, just how I want a beer of this style to be. Almost have to chew this one to get it down, which is perfect. Finish is boozy, sweet chocolate and fruits, and extremely lengthy. Very warming as a result of the ABV, but it’s really quite masterfully kept in check throughout the range of the beer. Masterpiece.
KnutAlbert (2333), Oslo, Norway
Oct 13, 2008 Bottle from New Beer Distibutors, NYC.
Pitch black beer.
Lovely bourbon/vanilla aroma. Smooth stout base. Well composed, well balanced, well executed.
CaptBier (256), Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Oct 9, 2008 Bottle. Ill start by saying that I think my bottle had gone flat since Goose Island insists on using screw top caps for some reason. Nonetheless, the aroma and taste were very sweet and balanced. Strong flavor of alcohol as well. I really enjoyed it.
CanIHave4Beers (216), Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Oct 8, 2008 I was presented with the opportunity to try this one on tap last evening at El Bait Shop in Des Moines. I had a bottle of this a couple years ago, and I jumped at the opportunity to try it on tap. I was particularly surprised at how tasty this was considering how not long ago I thought it was a little bit "overdone".
This beer pours a jet black and has a big tan head that settles to a swirl on the top of the beer and leaves some lace. The aromas are of vanilla, oak, whisky and alcohol. The flavor is remarkable it starts off fairly intensely of roasted, almost burnt malt, which gives way to what can only be described as a strong mocha character displaying plenty of the chocolate and vanilla malt sweetness balanced very nicely with nutty flavors of oak and whisky. This is indeed best when sipped slowly, but there is virtually no alcohol burn, and this is remarkably smooth for all of its character. The only complaint I have is that everything tastes like water after drinking this one.
flatmatt (99), Northville, Michigan, USA
Oct 7, 2008 12 oz bottle, 2007 vintage. Opened it up for the second presidential debate. Pours black with no head. First aroma is alcohol, but after that there are deep sweet aromas of dark chocolate, bourbon, dark fruits and cherries. Flavor is sweet chocolate with some roasty coffee, vanilla, bourbon, smoke. The alcohol is there as well, but it’s mostly a pleasant backup to the other flavors. Syrupy palate. This is a great beer with huge flavor.
Two_Dudes (29), Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Oct 7, 2008 Bottle dated 7/3/06 - Pours black as night with a motor oil type body. NO carbonation. Nose is all alcohol and some candied fruit. Palate is dominated by alcohol and some bourbon...still!!! Good, but had to share a 12 oz bottle with the wife. Couldn’t have had much more than that.
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