BDR (2139), Roseville, Minnesota, USA Jan 4, 2009 Dark color with faint head. Strong roasted malt aroma with a similar taste, though more chocolate. CaptainCougar (5379), Rockville, Maryland, USA Dec 30, 2008 Pours a nearly opaque black with dark copper edges and a thin, spotty-lacing light tan head. Aroma of lightly sweet caramel malt with some roasted notes and a healthy dose of peat. Starts a little thin for the style, but has a decent amount of dark malty sweetness with some strong roasty bitter balance before a smoky, peaty, dark chocolate finish. Pretty smooth, yet complex and very drinkable. An interesting take on the style. Arayaga2 (933), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Dec 30, 2008 Cola brown black with a thin whitish brown head. Aroma is caramel with spicy cola notes and roasty undertones. Clean, powerful roasty taste with well balanced bitterness that fades without ever becoming cloying. $12/750 cmillward (419), Orlando, Florida, USA Dec 30, 2008 Bottle courtesy of hopscotch. Pours black with a tan head that leaves some lacing on the glass. Nose of roasted barley, chocolate, some vanilla and earthy hops. Flavor is a little rough, chocolate, caramel, earthy/spicy hops, a strong bitterness, touch of alcohol. Very roasty. Mouth feels a little thin. Viper666 (614), Greenfield Park, Quebec, Canada Dec 29, 2008 Bouteille 330ml. De couleur brune très foncée et claire. Nez de café, de malt moyennement rôti, moyen de chocolat noir avec des notes de crème (faibles notes lactiques) et léger de houblon herbeux avec de faibles notes fruitées (petits fruits). Moyennement ronde en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et d’une texture moyennement crémeuse. Léger goût fruité (notes de cerises noires, traces de mûres et de pommes) accompagné dun léger goût de chocolat au lait et de crème (notes lactiques) ainsi que des traces de vanille lors de lentrée en bouche auquel se rajoute rapidement un moyen goût de malt rôti accompagné d’un léger goût de chocolat noir, de notes de biscuits avec des traces de caramel sucré puis progressivement, un goût de café noir prend toute la place jusquen finale accompagné dun moyen goût de houblon herbeux. Post-goût long et un peu sec, moyennement amer de rôti, de café, moyen de chocolat noir et de houblon herbeux avec de faibles notes fruitées (moût de petits fruits).
Boutip (2334), Gatineau, Quebec, Canada Dec 24, 2008 Bottle: Poured a clear black color ale with a small foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of roasted coffee is pleasant enough. Taste is a mix between some roasted coffee and lightly bitter malt. Body is a bit thin and carbonation is also low but alcohol was not discernable. I would have appreciated this beer even more with some black chocolate notes and some additional complexity. merlin48 (509), New Tazewell, Tennessee, USA Dec 21, 2008 Bomber pours a thin dark brown body with a skimpy beige head. Aroma is red apple skins, caramel, and a hint of cocoa. Surprisingly creamy on such a thin bodied stout. Taste opens with fruity red apple, backed by dark fruits. Grassy hops offer more bitterness than the subtle dark roasty notes. Maltiness is a bit grainy. Sweetness harms drinkability. illidurit (851), Santa Cruz, California, USA Dec 21, 2008 500 mL bottle. Poured into a pint glass. Pours very dark brown, but clearly not black. Very poor head formation, hardly even a film forms atop the beer before it starts dissolving into a halo. Aromas of gooey brownie mix and graham crackers, but not very strong. Flavor starts out with dark chocolate, then melds into an ashy coffee roastiness. The bitterness of the roast combines with a nice herbal hop bitterness to make a long lasting finish. Unfortunately, everything is on the thin side. Low carbonation, light body, a constant struggle to really smell and taste it. Considering the absurd price tag, I don‘t think I‘m going to be buying from this brewery again anytime soon.
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