The brown-so-deep-as-to-be-indistinguishable-from-black beer doesn't have a whole heap of head, and it vaporizes quickly enough, leaving an incomplete ring around the glass with a few scattered bubbles across the top. I expect no lacing.First sip literally makes me shake. It is full of damn flavor with a heavy, heavy alcohol being masked by tartness, fruitiness, and chocolate. It is a good taste, but it is strong. It reminds me of those old TV shows where someone would take a shot of alcohol and then stomp their feet with a screwed up face because they are overwhelmed.
Tip-in is tart, chocolate, berries, and oak, and the tartness is really hitting hard right from the get-go. The middle opens up into a rich, syrupy sweet berry, chocolate, oak, alcohol, and bourbon; I mean, this is seriously sweet in the middle to the point that it's completely discordant with the tart flavor. The finish is an echo of the middle, but it is less sweet, more berry, and it has a bit of vanilla in it.
Bottom Line: Intense and complex, this is a seriously fruity beer that might be too much for its own good, but it does what it does well enough.
3.25/5
