I hope I'm not just favoring Mayday because they are so local to me. I can't eliminate the possibility that I give them good reviews because I want them to succeed. The only balance to that is Blackstone - a brewery that I have not been reticent about expressing my disappointment with their wares. I would like to think I am just as honest about these guys.
The very dark brown beer would not easily be mistaken for black. It does manage to have a little mahogany red to it, but the depths just aren't dark or murky enough to be black. The head is a mixture of bubble sizes, and they boil away to an uneven yet smooth blanket on top of the beer. Shockingly, the smallest bubbles seem to be leaving a bit of lacing in their trail. The aroma is very faint, but the malt is foremost with a smoked wood presence.
First sip has a very strong, stabbing citrus and floral hop beginning, but then it evens out very quickly to a smoky and somewhat chocolate malt. There is a little bit of coffee in it as well, but the smoked wood really gives this beer its overall flavor, and it has a certain amount of heft to it. So far, I'm kind of digging this beer.
Tip-in is nonexistent carbonation with smoked wood that has been spattered with chocolate. The middle rises with bitterness, floral hops, and a bit of citrus to add to the malt-heavy beer. The finish is a much stronger wave of bitterness with coffee and chocolate joining the smoked wood for a relatively peaceful trail off.
Bottom Line: I'm in favor. I'll have another.
4.0/5
