1912! The Goo Goo Cluster has been in production since 1912! That's... legitimately a long time ago. Yazoo has only been around since 2003, but that beats my blog by a decade (almost). So, we start with a candy company with over a century of history making a delicious confection and a brewery that is the butt of jokes by locals, but I have found to not be that bad.
The amber beer doesn't sprout much of a head, and it doesn't have any retention. There are a few bubbles left floating on the surface, but this isn't a head. When you add stuff like candy to beer, it changes the beer, so it's not that big of a deal. The aroma is strangely smoky cocoa with vanilla adding some sweetness. It smells pretty good for what it is.First sip is not as sweet or even robust as I expected to find. Maybe I was thinking about the recent porters and stouts I've had that were dessert beers, and they bring a solid flavor and mouthfeel. This, based on an ale, struggles to match the flavors it aspires to convey. Ever actually have a Goo Goo Cluster? This isn't it. This wouldn't have been sold for as long as the Goo Goo Clusters have.
Tip-in is moderate carbonation burn over caramel mixing with cocoa (and the bitterness) and a hint of coffee grounds. The middle becomes a peaceful, if watery, sloshing of vaguely chocolate brew with virtually no subtle hints of anything else. The finish is a spike of vanilla as the smoked cocoa tries to recover for the trail-off.
Bottom Line: Needs more work, guys.
2.0/5