realbama (35), Birmingham, Alabama, USA Aug 15, 2008 Thanks go out to the state of Michigan for having this stocked. This beer looked all the part of a top 90 percentile beer. So black light could not permeate. The head started out as about half the size of the pour and dwindled to about an inch thick in about 3 minutes. Smelled of coffee and burned hops, taste was extremely bold and stout (thus the name i guess). I love porters, i like stouts, but this one made me chase it with a shot of milk. Great beer though! JohnQPublic (387), Brooklyn, New York, USA Aug 15, 2008 Bottle into snifter. Pours viscous opaque black with a a very fine brown head that disappears as quick as it arrives. Nose is a combination of sharp, greenish hop acidity with a smooth, roasty espresso note. Taste is big and roasty - dominant roasted espresso notes, bit of bittersweet cocoa, paired with a sharp, acidic, almost astringent citrusy hop character. Finishes with a lingering hop bitterness on the palate balanced by more roasty espresso malt on the exhale. Mouthfeel is moderately carbonated with a medium-full body, not quite as creamy and viscous as I was expecting. The prominent hop note isn’t quite there for me - just a bit harsh and astringent, makes the roasty flavors lean towards burnt, without the creamy, rich qualities to properly balance it. Mouthfeel isn’t quite perfect either. Still a good beer, but this one wasn’t a 100 percentile for me. Steinface (77), Hatfield, Pennsylvania, USA Aug 15, 2008 Updated: Aug 16, 2008Thoroughly enjoyed this stout. Chocolate taste was overwhelming. Very tasty, but one is all I can handle. One of the better stouts I’ve had. Hophead22 (1056), Redlands, by way of Wisconsin,, California, USA Aug 14, 2008 12oz.bottle. Pours very dark of course, dark tan head. Smell alot of hops initially. Big bitterness at first sip as well, with a roasty/chocolaty in the finish. Love the hops in this, nice mix with the dark malt. Very tasty DrDavid (957), Johnson, Vermont, USA Aug 14, 2008 (Bottle). Aroma had a touch of black cherry, otherwise coffee, malt, and chocolate. Black in color, with a thinish brown head that did not last. Yummy bitterness in the hops, and overall sweetness. I was a little disappointed with the overall balance and complexity....perhaps my sample was too young. Still, a fine stout. SlowLoris (8), Boulder, Colorado, USA does not count Aug 13, 2008 head like espresso crema, lacy and brown and creamy. strong notes of espresso, for that matter, along with hops and roasted malts, a whiff of alcohol, and a slight bitterness like dark chocolate.
Good carbonation and feel; not excessively heavy, but so robust and complex that you want to carefully consider every sip. gkao007 (26), Jersey City, New Jersey, USA Aug 11, 2008 Great sharp nose. Great mouth feel. Great lacing. Great finish. The malts taste like espresso. nctomatoman (9), Raleigh, NC, North Carolina, USA does not count Aug 10, 2008 Huge bottle of beer just loaded with everything - alcohol (but not obtrusive), aroma (toasty, coffee), but especially, viscosity and intense flavor. This is one we like to sip slowly and contemplate - right up there with Rasputin for us.
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