Avery Mephistopheles Stout

12 oz bottle courtesy of mcbackus. Pours a coal black. So black that I swear the clear glass I was drinking it out of was stained afterwards. Had a 1/2" deep tan head that faded quickly. The nose was as wild and complex as the brew itself. There were aromas of chocolate, dark fruits, licorice and of coarse, alcohol. Mouthfeel was thick and heavy. This brew should probably age a few years to mellow out, but I just don’t have that much patience. This was one kick ass brew. Imagine if you will, biting into a double dark chocolate brownie that has a shot of rum in it. Your first sensation is of sweetness than almost immediately you’re hit with the alcohol. Finish is a little bitter and the alcohol stayed on my lips and tongue for a long time after I finished the bottle. The only reason I did not rate the beer even higher was because of the intense alcohol. It is over the top. That being said, I will seek out more in the future.

Name: Mephistopheles’ Stout
Date: February 18, 2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Appearance: black
Aroma: huge sweet fruity winey aroma with a bit of fumey alcohol
Body: big body
Flavor: rich malt flavor, lots of fruit character, big roasted provides balance, some bitterness in the finish, traces of chocolate, fleeting sweetness, very alcoholic, like a port wine, too over the top, needs five years to develop

Name: Mephistopheles’ Stout
Date: December 02, 2006
Source: tasting
Score: ii to iii
huge flavor but not so much over the top - after the strong ale fest it falls into place, chocolate is coming out much stronger in the flavor and blends nicely with the port wine character

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Drinkability: 5/10
Score: **4

12 oz red-foil-wrapped bottle. Pours a deep, opaque onyx with a thin, dark tan head that fades into wispy, haphazard clouds of variously-sized bubbles. The aroma is intense. It has a peculiar, hard-to-identify funk - almost brett-like. Beneath that are numerous smells of dark, syrupy, chocolatey liquid: lots and lots of dried fruit, raisins, hints of smoke, burnt & roasted grains, and lots and lots of alcohol. The aroma is hard to get past - lots of strong and diverse sensations. I’m not entirely certain whether I really like it or not. The flavor mostly follows the smell - but has much greater sweet malt presence. There is still a peculiar funk (that reminds me of Jolly Pumpkin’s Madrugada Obscura) but it is mixed with alcohol, and lots of other nice flavors that are strongly reminiscent of Kahlua. There is some chocolate and coffee, but also some sugar, dried cherries and raisins, and blackstrap molasses. Looking at the commercial description, I see that is is remarkably detailed and accurate. The mouthfeel is thick, but not syrupy. The carbonation and alcohol sting the tongue all over - but pleasantly so. Overall, very interesting - but it can’t take the throne of best Imperial Stout.

Bottle at ØLbaren. Black - light brown head. High licorice, light liqueur sweetness, roasted, burnes, coffee, syrup, soya, brown sugar, high sweetness. LIght mouthfeeling => compaired to all the sugar, syrup and candy that stays on the lips !!!

Bottled. Pitch black with a small brown head. Quite vinous with notes of prunes, plums, brown sugar, raisins and hits of coffee and chocolate.

Black as night, small dark tan head, port wine nose. Port wine, raisins, currants, plums, perhaps some chocolate and coffee, sweet, not terribly bitter. Hides alcohol exceptionally well.

Batch 2: Pitch black with thick brown head. Weird looking - bubbles inside of bubbles. Something already indicated that this was serious. Aroma was burnt malts, hops & alcohol. Sweet sugar, roasted malts coffee/chocolate & dark fruits. Alcohol is extremely well hidden. Only light burn. Soft & smooth carbonation. What a well balanced & tasty beer!

Nove 2006, Batch 2 bottle from Churchill’s pub in San Marcos. Amazing 1/2 finger head that lingers forever. Super creamy dark tan microbubble head. Aroma has medium oxidation, some cardboard, leather, yeasty notes. I find myself smelling it over and over again for nearly 15 minutes, while taking the tiniest of sips. No mistaking this is a sipping beer, and a wonderful one at that. 15 minutes later the 1/2" head is still hanging on. Taste is very sweet, with a medium to heavy body. Pleasant camel, and roastiness hide in malty base. Much better as it warms up. Optimum temp=55F.