 VeloVampire (410), Parkdale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Dec 20, 2007 Updated: Jan 16, 2008
341 ml bottle - pours near black with a beautiful cinnamon cap that lasts for awhile and leaves thick lace. Really full aroma of dry cocoa, espresso, roasty malts and a slightly vinous quality as well. Flavour packed with really roasty malts, but as others have mentioned, not burnt tasting, and very smooth in the mouth. I agree that, while not as complex as Tsarina, this is one dense, bold beer. The label says 6.7%, but multiple sources have the ABV closer to 9% (not sure which is right), but either way it is masterfully hidden. As the glass warms, the alcohol becomes slightly apparent, but not overbearing, just warming. A mild hop bitterness is present in the finish. A superb, chocolatey IS, and a welcome sight on the IS-free shelves of the LCBO. Beautiful stuff, and something I’ll be drinking all winter (or until stock at the LCBO runs out.....).
Marsiblursi (1468), göteborg, Sweden
Sep 19, 2008 (Bottle thanks to TheCheeseMan) Pours dark brown to black with a fast decreasing brown head. The aroma has strange notes of brown beans (The Swedish dish bruna bönor) alongside more normal tones of red wine/vinous/cherry oxidation, black wine gums, dark raspberries, dark chocolate, prunes, dark bread, dark syrup, light smoke and light caramel. Hints of coffee, dried herbs and maybe a whisper of citrus. The flavour is of dark chocolate, cherries, light smoke, caramel, red wine and some light sheet metal hints in the finish. Light to medium sweet and light bitter. The mouthfeel is flat, light soft and light sour. Medium bodied.
iowaherkeye (1428), relocated to Santa Rosa f/Iowa, California, USA
Sep 9, 2008 12oz bottle, no date from <i>MaxxDaddy</i>, thanks Max! Pours deep brown with a one finger creamy tan head, pretty good retention. First things I smell--roasted malts, milk chocolate, and piny hops. Toasted nuts and salty soy are more in the background. The flavor had the soy and pine coming forth stronger, and there seems to be more roast as well. Milk chocolate kinda fades until halfway through where it picks up with a nice sweetness. The finish is dry with some ash and roasty char, bitterness peaking around a 3-4. Full body with low prickly carbonation. Very good beer, I figured it’d be thin and blah with the low alcohol for the style, but it turned out just fine.
TURDFERGUSON (1182), Carrboro, North Carolina, USA
Aug 26, 2008 Bottle, sent to me by kramer. Thanks Jason! Pours deep brown with a tan lace. Nose is fairly muted with a bit of char, some nuttiness, . Flavor comes through with a bit of coffee, alcohol, smoke. Thin mouth feel shows a bit of booze in the finish. A nice change of pace from the heavy american imperial stouts I am used to.
PaulHegedus (177), Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Aug 26, 2008 Bottle, December 2007. This pours a beautiful dark, purple-black with a wonderfully dark roasted coffee aroma. The flavour is fantastic, especially with this slice of pumpkin cheese cake my wife made to go with. Hard to beat with dessert. Another Scotch Irish gem.
jimmay (21), Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Aug 18, 2008 Stubby bottle. Pours black, with brown, almost milk chocolate head. Leaves some lace. Aromas and taste of coffee, strong, chocolate, and roast malt. Thick. Good example of the style.
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