I know some people would say that this beer is a deep ruby or that it is dark, dark brown. Those people are lying. This beer is black. Black as midnight during the dark months of Alaska while in an unlit house fruitlessly banging on the inside of a closet door screaming to be let out. The head had a bit of a red hue to it before it went away like a puff and left a simple, smooth ring around the top of the glass. The aroma is smokey malt and dark, unsweetened chocolate.First sip brings a very powerful taste. It's chocolate malt and smoke. It's simple and bold. Tart and sweet. Sour and more smoke. There's a heap of flavor in a very little amount of beer, and it doesn't let the proper flavor come out. I can't say it's bad as a sip, but I can't imagine it is best sipped. If only there were a way to drink more beer at one time. Wait - a gulp!
Tip-in is heavy, but watery at the same time. A carbonation burn is noticeable, but the sour taste is reminiscent of a Belgian dark ale. The middle approaches with layers of deep, dark chocolate. It's rich and creamy - not at all harsh as I had expected. The finish is a bit more taxing, with a note of hops kind of waving at the taste buds from a distance. As the beer vanishes, the harsher finish lingers in search of the next draught.
This is possibly the best chocolate stout I've ever had at this point. See, there have been others that have added synthetic chocolate or even real chocolate to their detriment. This one doesn't taste forced. It's lazy, rich, and malty taste is a delight to the tastebuds.
Bottom Line: A delicious example of the style. This gets full marks.
5.0/5
