Pours cloudy. A tan, small bubbled, inch of foam covers the top. Retention is maybe average.
Aroma has some sweets that lend to the fruity side of things, but really a lot of caramel malts.
Taste isn't sweet up front as expected but bread and roasted malts. Fruits, caramel, and molasses start in the middle and go to the end. No where near as straight forward sweet like the nose. Dark fruits really start to shine as well as some tea bitterness.
Body is a bit thick, syrupy from all the malt but not really sweet tasting. Strange. Carbonation is at least medium.
This beer has all the traits of the style but one thing is missing for me: drinkability. The sweetness along with the sweet, dark fruits start to coat after about half a glass making it difficult to continue with one, let along more. Solid beer. Enjoy!
"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, 'It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than selfish and worry about my liver.'" - Jack Handy