Alright, time for an old classic. This was one of the first "obscure" (relative term) beers that I ever tried, and it was my gateway into strong porters, stouts, and the imperials of both styles. I believe this a 2004 (?). We will be getting in cases of the '97, '98, and '00 within the next month, and I am excited to do a vertical tasting as soon as the opportunity arises. Expect to see the results here first thing.
This pours a near black, with dark shades of chocolate-y brown peaking out. The head looks like it belongs on a cup of hot chocolate. The general aesthetic is quite enticing. The head retention is impressive considering this beer is several years old, and the retention is nice and sticky, leaving a pleasant cocoa lacing down the glass. I also really dig the bottle design on this, cool shape, with a very imposing looking logo. This beer isn't something to be toyed with.
Alright, on to the nose. There is a bit of sweetness of the bat, molasses, caramel, toffee. A touch of soy sauce comes through as well, but it is not prevalent in the fashion that it is in say, a Sam Adam's Triple Bock. Vanilla tones are present. Just a touch of malt powder and Hershey's syrup finish off the complex nose coming off of this one.
Flavor is bold, and malty. Chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, malted milk balls, mocha, and vanilla are all readily apparent. So many layers to deal with here. The hops are present just enough to keep this from being cloying, though the roasted malt character adds some much needed bitterness as well. Caramel and toffee win out in the end, leaving a bittersweet finish in the mouth that begs for another sip.
This one is surprisingly carbonated for its age. Quite smooth and coating on the palette. For being somewhat of a big beer, this isn't too filling, and definitely not just a night cap beer (though it is currently serving this purpose nicely). Right at the end of the sip, there is a slight, almost chalky cocoa sensation as it leaves the tongue. Superb.
As I said before, this is an all time favorite. Such excellent balance and complexity. 93/100.
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