Mephistopheles' Stout - Avery Brewing Company

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From BeerAdvocate Magazine Volume II, Issue VI:

No that's not a typo, Batch #3 bottled in November 2007 is indeed 16-percent ABV, which without a doubt is pushing the envelope.

Three fingers of brown head rise from a steady pour down the side of the glass, and the bubbles have a tough time getting through the viscous liquid to form their head. Black, there is no light when looking at this beer ... just black. Aromas of a charred raisin bagel, alcohol-soaked Bing cherries, light molasses, vague licorice root and vanilla, clean solvent and vinous alcohol, espresso and baker's chocolate all come to mind. Creamy and a little syrupy with a semi-smooth carbonation. Dense flavor profile slowly unfolds with each sip and each degree it warms up. Choco-goodness seems the strongest out of the bunch, molasses, charcoal, molten chocolate cake flavors blanket the taste buds. Hops are mellow and drop a little bit of flavor. Alcohol dials in quite cleanly for its size and the faint solvent flavor is a little spicy, but a vinous character really shows the complexity. Peppery sweet chocolate finish.

Chocolate wine? An extremely enjoyable sipper. Seriously, it tastes like chocolate wine if there is such a thing. Don't just buy one bottle, this is one gem that could be consumed now and cellared.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2010 13:41:46 | More by BeerAdvocate

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4.5/5  rDev +9%

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Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Black, little to no head fading quickly. This stuff is pitch black, no exceptions.

S: Amazingly it doesn't smell boozy at aver 16%. Nice brown sugar smell. Very faint cocoa. Roasty malts. It smells really good.

T: Wow, surprisingly smooth. I can taste "campfire", a smoky wood flavor. The turbinado sugar is noticeable and works nicely with the aggressive flavors in this beer.

M: Heat. The taste is smooth but this beer definitely leaves you warm in the mouth. Moderate to mild carbonation.

O: Excellent. Bold and smooth, smoky and sweet.

Serving type: bottle

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