“Luscious yet piquant,” correctly states the label for this well-rounded dark ale. Ample dark chocolate bittering and light cacao nibs powdering contrast creamy brown chocolate sweetness above reserved hop-charred chile habanero peppering. Musky bourbon, burgundy and Muscat wining seep into the backdrop alongside tertiary red cherry and anise snips, sidewinding its massive mocha-milked conviction.
Piercing piney citric brightness awakens prominent fusel alcohol burn of dry medium-full body. Heady wood-grained Simcoe-Amarillo hop bite reinforces juniper-licked orange and grapefruit peel bittering above slight metallic twinge. Juicy nectar, peach, melon and orange fruiting sweetens the load. Generous hop-head delight!
On tap at Rattle N Hum, brash hop-forward update of Singlecut Billy Half-Stack loads lemon-seeded orange peel bittering atop mild pine-spruced lacquer and brusque acetone solvency. Floral peach-tangerine tang brightens the corners and sugary crystal-caramel malts sweeten the backend. Another briskly sharp hop-head fave.
On tap at Rattle N Hum, intense tan-headed mahogany-bodied hybrid relies much more heavily on rich coffee-beaned dark chocolate roast than contrasting pale ale fruiting. Creamy cocoa-dried chocolate and vanilla malting finally allows serene orange-grapefruit bittering and modest guava-mango combo to flourish towards the nutty mocha finish. Not far removed from an Imperial Stout.
Despite Imperial tag and boastful “double the malts and hops” of Big Daddy IPA, sweet fruit-spiced overtones outweigh stylistic hop-forward grapefruit peel bittering for better approachability. Candied apple, honey nut and marzipan spread across the fruited plain, picking up tangy melon, peach, orange and tangerine juicing. Heightened 8.5% alcohol volume never gets above the sensational fruit-juiced flavor profile.
Stylistically soft-toned and sweeter, relying just as much on sugary caramel malting as piney citric bittering. Grapefruit-peeled navel orange, peach, melon, mango, cherry and apricot tones rise above the fresh-cut grass stash. Resinous wood-lacquered florality polishes the receding finish.
Tranquilizing sweet stout made with ‘real espresso verdi’ perfectly re-creates silken cappuccino-milked macchiato with its compact sweet n’ sour java theme. Maple-sapped molasses creaming, sharp blackened hop char, light cola-walnut conflux and dry bourbon sedation induce ethereal coffee-roasted pleasantry. Lactic-sugared latte finish freshened by smoothest mineral water soothe.
