Beer Forum

On the bottle, they never mention it, but on their website they actually
claim RIS status for this big bear. It weighs in at around 8.1 abv and
1.076 OG, kind of a lightweight RIS if you ask me, but it's a pretty good
beer! Poured from a 22 oz bomber right into my snifter, and let warm a
bit.

Appearance: Dark, but lighter than the Oatmeal Stout I reviewed
previously. Not much head, but it laces pretty nicely and
sticks around.

Nose: Smells good -- I get a roasted grain and some raisin. And maybe
just a little alcohol.

Taste: This one is tough for me to pick apart. I'm a newbie, what can I
say. Fairly complex, I'm guessing this is a complex malty thing. The fruit
is present in the taste, some warm alcohol taste, and on the finish a bit of
coffee. I love it!

Mouthfeel: This one doesn't slam you, but it "ramps up" quite quickly, and
ends up being a pretty big beer fairly quickly. A little sweet in the front,
nice malt flavors, and just enough hops to balance out the malt, but no
citrus tones, or other characteristic hop notes customary of the Pacific
Northwest. I'm ok with that.

Drinkability: It's a big beer, and with the high abv, it's a great after dinner
beer. Great beer, would definitely drink this one again. Perfect on a cold
day.

Cheers!

Wow,
Nevermind -- I found the hops. If you swish this beer in your mouth pretty
quickly right after getting it into your mouth, you'll pick them up loud and
clear. So there's the balance. It's actually a pretty straightforward malt
profile, it was the hops I was tasting, just didn't come clear until now. Please
comment if you've had this one. Thanks.