Profiled by Maria Devan
Pours black and rich looking with a cocoa colored head that falls slowly.
Nose is roasty malt and the light impression of caramel. Creamy cocoa and a light char. so smooth you can hardly believe it. Hints of dark fruit that are never fully realized are sweetly satisfying.
No real hop presence on the nose but a light herbal and a firm but small bitterness to finish it. Small bitterness? You have to try it and you will see. It’s actually quite exquisite. Earthy hop takes roasty malt to the finish with a little char and dry. Starts to warm after a few sips and you could drink this all day. Food friendly because it’s not loaded with sweetness or with fruity flavors on top of cocoa.
4.2
Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”
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Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is a great beer writer. That’s Maria in the middle. The other two are not, but they are lucky to have her as a friend.