Hello, my name is beer. I am not barrel aged, but I have somehow managed to reach 8% ABV. I have a scary looking Baphomet on the front of the can, some cloaked skeletons, and a record player. The name of the beer implies something about the Satanic Panic of the 80s in a playful way. Well, I say playful, but there are plenty of people who would probably still take this seriously. Not the fine folks at 3 Floyd's. They don't appear to take very much seriously, and that's just fine by me. One thing I want to take seriously is my beer, and so far, they have taken it seriously too.
Brown. I'm gonna say this is brown. It's actually black, but people get upset when you refer to a black beer as black, so I am going to say that this is a very, very dark brown. If you look at just the edges of the beer, and you hold it up to a bright light, you can almost imagine that it is actually brown. The tan head has tiny bubbles, and they eventually dissipate to leave a incomplete cover on top of the beer with some small patches and a strong ring around the sides. The aroma is roasted oatmeal, and it is delicious smelling. I just want to get in there and drink my way out.
First sip is dry and bitter with a sneaky sweetness that manages to come in at the end. Nuts have surprisingly joined the roasted oatmeal for a good, solid flavor that is somewhat picked apart by the dryness and bitterness. I'm thinking that this could eventually be a good sipping beer, but the first sip isn't the best. I used to think that Imperial Stouts were one of the beers that were so daunting and imposing that they were difficult to entertain. Oatmeal stouts are generally not as bad, but this one is more dour than most. I'm not saying it's bad, but I'm not saying that the average person trying this is not going to like it immediately.
Tip-in is roasted chocolate with caramel and sweetness. The middle sends carbonation to the roof of the mouth as a dark mix of toasted malt, light coffee, and caramel make their way down the gullet. The finish turns dry with grains and bitterness taking the smoke into the trail off.
Bottom Line: I will enjoy drinking this all night.
3.75/5