I've been raving about this beer for a year so it seems appropriate to do a full review. And I know that of my four beer geek friends who read this blog, at least three of them have had this. Please speak up and comment about whether you agree with my assessment. Of course, if you don't, 'tough'…but let me know anyway. It makes me think someone is reading.
Brooklyn Brewery reports this being made in the Imperial Stout category, but many (including myself) tend to think of it as an American Double Stout, which may be about the same thing under a different, more modern, name. But however you classify it, this is one great beer made by the talented folks in NY. The wild thing about this brew is that they do not add any chocolate to the recipe (like with Young's Double Chocolate Stout). All these wonderful flavors are merely from the water, grains, hops, and yeast. Here we go...
Appearance is a shimmering pitch black, dark ruby on edges of the glass. A small brown head forms but doesn't seem to last. This is really the only tell-tale sign of a beer that was bottled probably 9 months ago.
The nose is a grainy malt mixed with tinges of hops and a nice wafting of alcohol, the 7.6% ABV coming through clearly. As it warms up, a liquid chocolate aroma develops quite nicely.
Mouthfeel is a slick, medium to medium-full, though very moderately carbonated. The inside of the mouth and tongue are coated with a viscous fluidity that invites the drinker to keep coming back for more. The carbonation has diminished compared to when I had these last year, but the change is a welcome one as my feeling was the fresh bottles were too carbonated for the style.
Taste…what can I say? A rich, creamy, sharp, and roasty chocolate flavor hits upfront, followed by a taming hop bitterness that remains from swallow to aftertaste. Very complex flavor with chocolate, hops, and a wood-like characteristic, all mixed with that subtle bite of alcohol, which really comes through when warmer.
Overall a fantastic beer. Drink on cold days, drink on warm days under an air conditioning vent. Drink with a cigar, drink with dessert, drink as dessert. But whatever you do, drink it thoughtfully, slowly, and with much joy. Such attitudes befit this excellent beverage. And don't be afraid to stock some away and drink later. It ages very well and such rewards belong to the patient.
Labels: beer reviews
