Hoppy Lunar Twones

On tap at the brewpub. Near opaque black color with a creamy tan head. Laces like Guinness? Sweet roasted malt aroma with a touch of strawberry. Full bodied with creamy carbonation. Smooth near burnt malt flavor with fairly strong hop to balance the sweet. Coffee chocolate notes like a porter rather than a stout. It quickly warms the blood. And there is a fruity note. Finish is neither dry nor sweet; burnt/roast malt and a fair amount of bitter. It’s food.

16 ounce sample on tap at the brewpub. Aroma is a bit salty, leathery, roasted, with some chocolate notes present. Pretty aromatic stuff. Basically opaque black body with a medium tan head and nice, attractive lacing. Some anise early on before it becomes rich, roasty, and coffee-like. Plenty of chewiness in the body. There is a bit of burnt, lightly astringent bitterness later on. Some ethanol presence late with piney hop resiny flavors. Quite drinkable, well-crafted, but this just seems to be missing something. I would like a little more malt sweetness in this.