Pours opaque with a massive amount of thick, tan, very tightly packed bubbled foam. Retention is up there with the longest lasting ever. Lacing can be very thick at times and limited at other times.
Aroma is roasted malts foremost. Milk chocolate rides the tails of the coat. Alcohol and dank earth come in late but eventually begin to build.
Taste doesn't bring much new. Roasted malt, chocolate, and alcohol create the profile. The dank earth once again comes in and, in this case, late in the taste.
Medium body, maybe a bit more, with high carbonation. Dries the palate.
The earthiness, which might be from the hops, makes this one hard to really hit hard, no to speak of the alcohol. A solid offering but I think there are plenty of others that I would seek out first. Enjoy!
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Reviewed: Sunday, October 16, 2011 at 16:04:37
Tasted: Sunday, October 16, 2011
$9.99 for 750 ml bottle
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One fine body…
Beer Notes
Throughout the ages, man has been fascinated by the quest for hidden knowledge, the search for the secret to transforming the elemental into the extraordinary, the simple into the sublime. Ladies and gentlemen, we present for your consideration this exotic, inky concoction, the almost magical creation of our modern day alchemists who have turned humble grains—barley, wheat, rye, and oats—into black, liquid gold. Layers of complex flavors slowly emerge from the glass: espresso, roasted fig, crème brulée. Belgian yeast provides a plum-like fruitiness, noble German hops reveal spicy, herbal notes, while the rich, velvety mouthfeel mellows to a dry, smoky finish.