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Once again, I have surprised myself by finding out that I have never reviewed this beer before. I've had it a bunch, and I know it well enough, but I never grabbed it for a review before. I will do the same thing I did last time I reviewed a black and tan and comment that I've had most black and tans as Guinness and whatever pale ale was on tap at the time. I think a good Irish stout is what the base should be, but I have nothing against a good porter. Let's see if it's a good one.
The pour is one of those things that makes me wistful for some contraption for making a black and tan, sticking it in a can, and having it come out poured properly. This is, as the current technology would dictate, just the two beers mixed together. There's no line of demarcation that has the dark beer floating atop the light beer in a mesmerizing and almost magical way. The aroma is cocoa, caramel, and dark fruits. It's enchanting.
First sip is lighter than you would imagine, it has a slight hint of coffee and roasted nuts added to the aroma, and it ends in a distinctly dry manner. I will absolutely not judge this based on a sip, as I know these kinds of beers just don't properly blossom without room to fill the mouth in a full swig, so I'm jumping ahead.
Tip-in is bitter chocolate and light coffee grounds with some caramel to smooth things out. The middle sends daggers of carbonation to the roof of the mouth while the river of smooth, rich, and almost creamy beer calms the rest of the mouth with increased sweetness to tamp down that bitterness. The finish brings the coffee up a bit and tones everything else down before a somewhat bitter and dry finish.
Bottom Line: Genuinely enjoyable.
4.0/5
