Dark Intrigue - Victory Brewing Company

HattedClassic

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance:
The beer pours a dark chocolate black with a vigorous brown head that lasts for a while as well as some nice lacing on the glass afterwards.

Smell:
A slight alcohol smell to it with hints of roasted malt and dark chocolate.

Taste:
A strong alcohol taste with bits of vanilla dominate the pallate with undertones of dark chocolate and roasted malt. I also got some milk chocolate but it was largely masked by the vanilla.

Mouthfeel:
Biting carbonation with a full bodied feel to it. The beer had a slightly thick texture to it.

Overall:
A very good imperial stout and one that I might buy again the next time I see it. It was definitely worth drinking during a cold night.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 17:34:48 | More by HattedClassic

badbilly30

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Semi-aggressive pour leading to a huge tan head that leaves thick lacing on the glass as it slowly craters out. Aroma is rich bourbon, fresh oak, dark malt, marshmallow, vanilla, and light coconut. Smells very good. No noticeable hops in the aroma. Taste is heavy, wet bourbon right up front followed by chocolate, bitter coffee, bitter hops, roasted malt, some subtle raisin/date notes as it warms, and a fairly heavy handed boozie tingle through the finish. The bitterness/boozie tingle through the finish is a bit much but perhaps this beer will come into its own with some cellar time. Still a very good beer as is.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 21:17:21 | More by badbilly30

jneiswender

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured out of a 750 ml bottle into a chalice. Served cool.

Pours a thick tan head and a very dark brown to black body.

herbal, minty, vanilla,

Strong bourbon front. Light chocolate, light coffee, boozy finish.

Full body. Fairly carbonated.

Nice beer. Not over the top, makes me want to wax poetic beer, but a good representation of the style. Probably one of the more accurate representations of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 13:14:48 | More by jneiswender

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle was poured into a snifter. This bottle survived the trip in my suitase back from Denver.

Appearance: The beer poured a one finger head that has reduced to a thin layer and left some nice lacing. Pitch black with some tiny little bubbles coming up the side of the top part of the glass. There is also nice lacing on the glass too.

Smell: bourbon, oak, vanilla, maple syrup, mocha, and boozy alcohol on the nose too.

Taste: whoa, super delicious. All of the above and some. Super bourbon and vanilla. Crazy good.

Mouthfeel: smooth, boozy, full bodied, medium to high carbonation, delicious, and easy to drink.

Overall: This is a very solid beer. The maturation in the bourbon barrels make this a treat. Will be enjoying more of this in the future.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 16:51:08 | More by Flounder57

mfrederick

Indiana

4.23/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My 1st review:

Poured jet black with one finger of brown head. Has a chocolate/coffee smell with bourbon, malt, and alcohol undertones. Strong alcohol taste with chocolate, coffee, rich malts, and bourbon. Felt thick with subtle fizz going down. Overall a great beer for the price but not as refined as other BBA Russian imperial stouts I have sampled. Definitely worth a second round.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 16:29:00 | More by mfrederick

DCon

Missouri

4.38/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Received a 1 PINT 9.4 FL. OZ. (750ml) bottle of this from amcmaho1 in a trade. Poured from the Caged/Corked, Purple/Black Labeled bottle w/ a Owl blended on top of a Black Barrel into a Shaker Glass. Has BOTTLED ON-NOV 19 2010 on the front of label.

Aroma- Tons of deep chocolate and light booziness. Has a definite barrel note and hits the nose hard. Nothing soft in this aroma!

Appearance- Pours a 1 finger, bubbly head that has average retention. Has the deepest brown body with legs. Leaves nothing behind on the glass.

Flavor- Barrel, Malt, Bourbon, espresso, and chocolate flavors are all blended together but enjoy their presence! Medium-High Bitterness.

Mouthfeel- Full Bodied, Light Carbonation, Smooth, Bourbon, and strong, sweet malt finish.

Overall Impression- Wow! I'm glad I traded for this one. Quite the barrel aged beer with tons of complexity and flavor. I specifically enjoyed how many characteristics there were but none were dominant. Also was a good choice to age this one for 2 years. Thanks again for the great brew Alex!

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 16:49:31 | More by DCon

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bottle of this Russell's in Amherst last year. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a nice, rich oily black with a big, fluffy two finger mocha head that faded to a nice thick creamy quarte rinch blanket. Some light side lacing on this.

S - Nice aromas here. Rich roasted malts, chocolate, and earthy barrel notes. The bourbon is very smooth and mellow. The mingling of oak and chocolate roasty malts is creating a bit of a coconut aroma for me that is quite pleasant.

T - Hmm. Nice roasted malts, very creamy almost milky lactose. Good chocolate notes with alot of semi hot bourbon notes. Eh, not so much hot as it is prominant. Good barrel notes, tasty vanilla, and more of a slight coconut.

M - Mouthfeel is good for a stout, nice and creamy. Would stand from some age though to have the bourbon mellow out a bit more.

O - Overall this is an enjoyable stout for me. Really like the bourbon in this. Overpowers just a little bit, but its still quite enjoyable. Glad I have another bottle of this to cellar.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 04:29:15 | More by rudzud

ZombiesAteMyDog

Indiana

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Thick, sticky blackness of night with a small, tan head.

S - Highlight for sure... very complex. I get some chocolate, berry, vanilla, peppercorn, burnt wood, bourbon... sweet and spicy.

T - It's a sipper for sure with a big bitter finish. Wood takes over from the bourbon barrel aging, but there's still some bourbon present. Big roasted malts almost take over, but the charred wood of the bourbon helps to fight it

M - Carbonation seems a bit too high for my taste. Seems a bit too thin for me, too. Pretty smooth for the size of this beast.

O - I planned on letting this one age a year or two, but I wanted a stout tonight. I probably would have been better off letting it age longer than 4 months. Good but not great. For the price, I wouldn't bother getting it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 03:25:45 | More by ZombiesAteMyDog

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.58/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampling a cellar temp bottle poured into a plastic cup. It was what was available.
The beer pours dark brown to black color with a very large creamy tan head foaming up even with the cup tilted almost parallel to the floor.
Aroma is molasses, brown sugar, and dark chocolate, I also get vanilla and bourbon mixed in for good measure. RIch robust nose makes this start off nicely for a malt lover such as myself.The foamy head tickles my nose with each sip and it recedes very slowly to sturdy surface layer.
First sip reveals a smooth silky texture and fine rolling carbonation.
Flavor is all malt with bourbon and vanilla mixing with molasses and some dark chocolate. I dont get any real booze notes and the beer drinks very easy. As it warms up a little I do get some darker fruit flavors maybe some raisin.
Overall I really enjoyed this brew and would definitely buy another bottle if given the opportunity. Great Imperial Stout + bourbon barrels = YUM!

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 04:50:26 | More by sulldaddy

kylehay2004

Florida

4.4/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: three finger milk chocolate head, some retention and nice lacing on a jet black body.

S: lots of chocolate and bourbon, chili pepper, black pepper and some roasted malt.

T: chocolate, roasted malt up front with bourbon dominating the finish. Pepper notes.

M: very thick and smooth, moderate carbonation.

Overall: Very drinkable for what it is. not too boozy, complex aroma with a fairly simple taste.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 00:16:50 | More by kylehay2004

portia99

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle (bottled on Nov 10, 2011) courtesy of hoppymcgee, poured into a Brooklyn snifter.

A - After a lite pop of the cork, this one pours a thick near black but still distinctly brown color with a huge three finger pillow of fluffy chocolate milk shake-like head. Foam has excellent staying power, only giving up after several minutes and leaving behind sticky webs of lace on the glass.

S - Dark fruits take the lead in the aroma. Lots of berries and some cherry add to the overall fruity aroma. Noticeable sweet aroma of alcohol, notes of bourbon, some roasted malts but at a lower level of intensity.

T - Bitter roast malt, some coffee, touch of smoke, bourbon is more prominant in the flavor while the fruity aspects move into the background. Quite a bit more hoppy than the aroma suggests also. Finishes crisp, bitter and towards the dry side with some green, grassy hop flavors lingering into the aftertaste.

M - A bit on the thin side, perhaps only managing a medium level body. Carbonation is healthy and mid-level as well. Alcohol is rather well hidden. Bourbon is really on the backburner of intensity...only contributing a mild flavor component and really no booziness or warmth.

O - Overall, a good but not great RIS...barrel treatment is subtle leaving me wanting a bit more character added. I think I like the un-barreled Storm King a little bit better. This is well balanced but only lightly nuanced and just seems to be missing something that leaves this less than complete.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 00:04:04 | More by portia99

jegross2

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewing the Dark Intrigue from Victory Brewing Company.
Score: 83

2011 vintage corked-and-caged bottle served in a Half Acre tulip glass and enjoyed on 02/26/12 after helping a friend move into a new apartment. Review is from iPhone notes.

Appearance: Jet black color, totally opaque. This is a vacuum for light. Four fingers of super foamy mocha colored head at pour that gradually settles into a thin layer atop glass. Decent lacing, but poor retention. 3.5/5

Smell: Roasted chocolate, dark chocolate, black cherry, blackberry, and fruit esters. Some lemon zest too. A hint of "rubbing alcohol" appears as the beer warms. 4/5

Taste: Dark roasted chocolate flavor upfront, cut by a light berry/black cherry flavor and a decent amount of booziness. Charcoal and tobacco on midpalate and toward finish. Lingering finish of bittersweet dark chocolate. More chocolate and less berry flavor become apparent as the beer layers. As the beer warms, it develops an additional alcohol/boozy sting towards the finish. Not detecting much, if any, bourbon barrel aging flavor. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, low carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel. Dry and slightly sweet finish. 4/5

Overall: While not a bad brew, Dark Intrigue is a huge downgrade from the base beer (Storm King). At $15 for a 750 ml bottle, this brew is completely over priced. This beer utilizes too much boozy berry flavor to contrast the heavy stout chocolatiness and seemingly lacks any barrel characteristics. I like my bourbon barrel aged beers to have some degree of sweet oaky vanilla and raisin flavor, but this brew had none of that. Maybe some age can improve this beer, but I cannot imagine how Dark Intrigue will develop for the better over time (save for less booziness on the palate) given its flavor profile. From what I hear, Dark Intrigue will never be brewed again, so perhaps it is worth seeking out as curiosity -- just understand that it is not particularly worth the price tag.

Recommendation: Skip this one and just buy a six pack of Victory Storm King with your money.

Pairings: Chocolate cake.

Cost: $14.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 03:17:38 | More by jegross2

billab914

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2010 vintage poured into my CBS snifter. It poured black in color with a thin white lacing scattered across the top of the beer.

The aroma shows some of the woody oak and bourbon flavors to it. I still get a good amount of hoppiness to it with a little bit of a herbal, citrus coming though. I get some decent dark chocolate flavors to it as well. It's not bad but the hoppiness isn't really working with the bourbon barrel flavors all that well in my opinion.

The taste also shows some good dark chocolate flavors to it up front. The finish is where the hoppiness starts to become apparent again with some bitter herbal and slight citrus flavors. I get a good amount of oak to it but the bourbon is pretty moderate.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side with carbonation being moderate. Overall it was a pretty good beer but not an outstanding one for the style. The hoppiness in the base beer just didn't seem to be complimented very well by the barrel aging. The flavors just didn't come together all that well for me. Not bad, but not great either.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 01:03:09 | More by billab914

pburland23

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a caged and corked 25.4 ounce bottle into my CBS snifter.

I'm not the biggest Storm King fan. It's one of the rare Victory beers that doesn't do it for me but I was curious to see what some time in some bourbon barrels would do for it.

Appearance: Pours a black as dark as night. Two fingers of coffee colored head. Nice head retention and lacing.

Smell: Some roasted malts with some strong bourbon and vanilla notes.

Taste: Starts off with some smoky wood notes, definitely getting the taste of the barrel. The bourbon and vanilla notes mesh well what little roastiness that there is. Sip finishes with a pretty strong boozy burn.

Mouthfeel: Much like Storm King, I find Dark Intrigue to be very thin for an Imperial Stout. As noted, there's a very noticeable boozy presence, but as the beer warmed that faded somewhat.

Overall: Aging in a bourbon barrel definitely adds some dimension to Storm King. But, with so many great bourbon barrel stouts available, Dark Intrigue just doesn't pass the muster.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 12:35:51 | More by pburland23

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

3.48/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Good stout, with a fair if too raw and woody character from the bourbon barrel.

Presentation: 750 ml caged and corked brown bottle. Crowned Storm King eagle head label design over a barrel. Back narrative offers an insight into history, intent, and aging profile. Shows bottling date Nov 10 2011. Served in a snifter.

A - Black pour, with an average 1/4" head, small retention and little lacing.

S - Soft roasted nose with a bourbon, vanilla hint and plenty of young barrel...

T - Good roasted notes, chocolate and coffee with soft fruitiness, under faint bourbon notes masked by a heavy sense of wood.

M - Full to medium/full mouth, with good carbonation. Too much of a feeling of raw wood that hinders its texture…

O - Not a bad experience but certainly too raw…

Notes: …and again this is not so much for the alcohol or wild bourbon character but for a chewy fresh wood feel, which is not terrible but not that palatable either.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 03:41:24 | More by Daniellobo

Bendurgin

Maine

3.15/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured into a tulip. This one pours black with a dark tan head and some sticky lace.

The aroma is robust and roasty with some leather and hints of dark chocolate. Not much in the way of a barrel however. Full roasted malts with some dark chocolate. A little bit of dark fruit in the background and only the slightest hint of oak in the background. Again, the barrel doesn't seem to add much here.

The body is full with soft carbonation. Overall this one isn't bad a good stout. But not a very well done barrel aged stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 04:32:03 | More by Bendurgin

andrewinski1

Maine

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip. The color is black with a large thick creamy tan head. Lots of sticky lacing.

The aroma is slightly fruity. There is a little bit of chocolate malt and stout flavor to go with this as well.

The taste is full of malty cocoa with a very bitter slightly hoppy finish. The flavors are clean with some oak coming through as well leading to a warming finish.

The body is light for an imperial stout, but medium bodied overall. The carbonation is smooth and mellow.

This is pretty good. Considering the delicious barrel aged brews this isn't up there with the elite, but the accessibility and price point are something I can certainly appreciate.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 04:31:49 | More by andrewinski1

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.63/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle - Olde Crabapple Bottle Shoppe in Alpharetta, Georgia. Bottled On: Nov 10, 2011. BT6.

Appearance: Pours a black body with a tanned mocha head, fairly foamy, and fairly lasting. A little bit of lace action going on here, but just a little.

Smell: Roasted malts, very distant chocolate, grapefruit segments, and cracked charred oak barrels still slightly damp with bourbon. Maybe a little mint rising up with the alcohol wafts, too.

Taste: A blend of roast and dark chocolate powder with a sugared sweetness that's soon curtailed by a kick of twangy road tar and, maybe, a hint of barrel tannins. Fairly mild, very mellow bourbon inclusion, leaving me wanting those subtle, enjoyable hints of coconut or vanilla. Moderately bitter. Faint mint accent. Some grapefruit, some pine hop hints. There's a necessary pinch of alcohol on the dry, roasted finish. A lingering astringency begins to emerge as it warms and opens up.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. A bit smooth, a bit sticky.

Overall: Never a keen devotee of the original, long-standing Storm King, I was curious to see how the bourbon barrel aging had affected the base beer. While a bit more effusive in the nose, in the taste it's as neat and folded into the standard flavors as a deceased grandmother's favorite doily stored in a box in the attic (she's gonna haunt your ass for that, you know).

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 20:59:51 | More by ChainGangGuy

Imsothirsty

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours like oil, dark brown head, leaves almost a solid film of lacing.

Nose: Huge pile of vanilla, very sweet caramel malt, smoky, roasted coffe and some dark chocolate

Taste: Tons of vanilla, dark chocolate, coffee. Smoky bourbon notes with sweet caramel and dark fruits. Some alcohol comes through. Just a little bitterness from roasted malt of hops I can't tell. Molasses and brown sugar finish it out.

Mouthfeel: Super oily and chewy, medium carbonation. Some heat from the alcohol.

Overall: An excellent beer, would probably do very well with age. What hinders it is high abv, and maybe vanilla and bourbon notes come through a little too strong, probably greatly improved with cellar time. Definitely pick one up if you see it.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 13:46:15 | More by Imsothirsty

atr2605

New York

4.43/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-pours black with foamy tan head with leaves a very nice lace
S-rich cocoa aroma with coffee, raisins, and a slightly burnt aroma(not a bad burnt)
T-All the flavors in the aroma continue in the palate but the bourbon barrels come through way more than I anticipated. The coffee and chocolate mixes nicely with the bourbon after taste. Tons of flavor
M-full bodied and rich
O-Great expansion on storm king. Lots of delicious layered flavors that makes it a great beer to sip all night

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 03:14:57 | More by atr2605

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a very deep, deep, dark brown; almost black. Has 3 fingers of foamy tan head that dissipates slowly leaving behind thick webbed lacing.

N: Nice bourbon aromas in the forefront along with semi-sweet chocolate, raisin, cheap coffee, overripe plum, boozey esters and faint notes of vanilla.

T: Watered down bourbon and burnt caramelized sugars upfront. Mid-palate shows some roasted malts, overripe plum and perhaps hints of red grape and charred chocolate. The finish is like gnawing on a charred piece of wood that has been soaked in black coffee and whiskey.

M: Medium bodied, creamy, semi-sticky, warming and dry.

O: I’m rather disappointed with this one. Tastes watered down, boozey and has too many burnt sugars. The barrel aging does no justice to the original Storm King. Seems like an unfortunate barrel venture for Victory.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 14:02:42 | More by justintcoons

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

At first taste, I really enjoyed this beer, but as the beer opened up and warmed , it became increasingly watery tasting and thin. Overall, I was disappointed. Pours black with a decent enough head that fades away to nothing after a while. Nice aromas of dark fruit, chocolate, a touch of espresso, and some cream. The taste initially exhibits some of the same flavors, along with a thin, but fairly deep bitterness and some cocoa notes.There is also a curious flavor of rice milk lurking in the background. Not bad, not great.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 03:12:52 | More by Georgiabeer

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled Nov 10th, 2011

A- Pitch black inky pour with a quick lived light tan head. Lacing is glorious and alcohol is stuck on the glass.

S- Baker's chicolate, medium roast coffee, brown sugar, molasses vanilla and subtle bourbon. Slight medicinal cherry smell with every swirl.

T- Sweet chocolate and molasses. Brown sugar and vanilla with a wonderful bitter roast taste. Bourbon is there but not mellow, slightly astringent.

M- Medium to full bodied, creamy with a touch of prickily carbonation. Sticky on the lips.

O- Great look and smell but the astringent alcohol kinda bums me out.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 00:55:36 | More by korguy123

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

I probably shouldn't be drinking this on a school night, and I'll surely pay for it at work tomorrow, but this bottle has been screaming open me for far too long now.
Pours a solid black with a huge frothy tan head that persists forever and gives a serious beer-stache to its imbiber. Heavy aromas of oak, vanilla, and bourbon with hints of ashy roast and coffee and chocolate deep underneath. Taste follows the aromas fairly well. I get a thick roasty caramel and chocolate base up front then the ethanol come in pretty hot and heavy. Lots of booze and the remnants of the hops that are so prevalent when the base beer is fresh. Citric fruitiness fades to an ashy almost chalky and somewhat dry finish. Medium to thin body, moderate level of carbonation with a sweet ashy almost sticky mouthfeel. Not bad, but I can see what everyone is knocking about this beer. The body is a tad thin, the finish a bit dry, and the alcohol still a bit harsh. I'd love to revisit this in a year or two.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 00:37:07 | More by johnnnniee

beerbiatchMD

Maine

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle into a grand Bordeaux wine glass
Bottle date: Nov 10, 2011.
Purchased at Downeast Beverage Co for $11.49

A: Pours a thick dark coffee brown--almost black with a finger of mocha-colored head on a gentle pour. Quite good lacing and good retention. 4.0

S: Poured a bit too cool at first. Initial aromas are of mild bourbon and a faint chlorine. As it warms I definitely get some chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt. The bourbon/vanilla and oak come through as well. 4.0

T: Sweet up front with a bit of vanilla and dark cocoa, then immediately goes to a slightly sharper alcohol and bourbon, mid palate is chocolate/bourbon and it finishes with a bit of burn and bitterness. Complex but a bit too harsh right now to pick out some of the nuances. 3.5

M: No complaints, good carbonation, an appropriate amount of alcohol heat, a bit sharp. 3.5

O: A good barrel aged stout with lots of complexity in the nose and palate. Still a bit rough though, and will thus be interesting to see how she ages. Would recommend for sure. 4.0

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 11:35:47 | More by beerbiatchMD