Black body, a tall fluffy tan head. Aroma is apples, and a light touch of chocolate. Flavor is some chocolate, and cola. The chocolate layer is quite nice.

22oz bottle, from mug. Found on an unrefrigerated shelf at the local mini-mart; I’m not sure how many times I passed by without noticing it, but this beer isn’t mentioned on the brewer’s website, so maybe it’s been there for ages...was this bottle perhaps aged at room temperature? Heh... Pours a very dark brown. Fluffy, aerated brown head is short-lived, leaving mild lacing. Body is nearly opaque black in the glass; when held against strong light only the faintest ruddy hues pass through. Aroma is immediately of bitter dark chocolate and roasted coffee, as expected, but there’s a hint of fruit or berries that I can’t quite place...is it cherry? I forced myself to let this sit and warm awhile; that’s when a wine-like note emerged -- or perhaps the cherry aroma matured as it warmed... Mouthfeel is creamy, not-quite-full-bodied (but close), with soft carbonation. Flavor is chocolaty, with a roasted bitterness and a smoky quality. Alcohol is lightly detectable in the finish. I tasted none of the "balanced hop character," but I didn’t expect to. Being a hop-lover, I need some little unique qualities to keep me interested in low-hopped beers, and this delivered. I’m glad I was among the first to rate this rare brew!

Nearly opaque pour, with a small ring of off-white fizz - fairly dry, cocoa-like aroma, with notes of espresso and tobacco - fairly creamy mouthfeel - all components of the aroma are present in the flavor, in a pretty good balance, along with some light cream sweetness and faint hop bitterness - finishes with chocolate and coffee bean - pretty good, but lacking a character that distinguishes it from other middle-of-the-road stouts.

22 oz bomber from Lou’s in Augusta. Black body with just slight ruby-red highlights and an inch of tan head that dissipates slowly. Smells chocolatey and grainy. Tastes chocolatey/coffee, toasty, with hints of hop. Almost has a tobacco smoke quality to the flavor, which is typical of a Maine stout... Full-bodied. Tasty, but not as flavorful as its competitors like Cadillac Mountain Stout and Lake Trout Stout. Has an astringent quality that hurts the drinkability and flavor... An okay stout, but not my favorite.

Fast-fading, beige-colored head over a dark brown body. Not particularly oily. The aroma is very mild - some faint roasted malts and coffee, with a hint of cocoa. The flavor is much of the same. Slightly tart and bitter finish actually pairs well with the lactose sweetness of the flavor. A little bit thin overall, but really not bad at all!