Pairing mediocre Ten Penny Ale with brewers’ signature stout works wonders. Though a bit thin, bitter coffee bean roast fades succinctly into vanilla-sweetened black chocolate finish. Peat, hickory, and soy nuances prickle molasses midst of easily imbibed deep mahogany black & tan.

Diffident amber-hazed lager-porter mix retains initial creamy chocolate-sugared Sugar Daddy frequency as woody hop bitterness softens dry coffee contour and roasted nut mildness for honeyed granola-oats finish.

Soothing pale malt opening softened further by bland mocha and pallid nuttiness fading to acidic finish. Vanilla-chocolate suggestion lacks creamy nuance.

Creamy Irish Stout/ German-style amber lager mixture receives wood-singed toasted hop deepness to complement black molasses sappiness. Receding cola finish allows toffee and almond notes to penetrate roasted barley seam.

Whether or not fully convincing as a surprisingly light black & tan (mixing Drayman’s Porter with Hoosac Tunnel Amber), there’s plenty to appreciate. Chewy vanilla-chocolate sweetness weaves through permeating honeyed wheat spine, brown sugar glaze, milky chocolate souring, and minor hazelnut haze before enduring raisin-prune-fig expansion dominates hazelnut coffee-influenced finish of glowing copper amber curiosity. On tap at Doherty’s, fudgy caramel-burnt brown and black chocolate sweetness as well as mild coffee tones embrace fruit-spiced pale malting.

Short-lived purple hazy stout lager retains powdery chocolate sweetness as roasted overtones and maple sap thicken sugary molasses finish. Unobtrusive hop bitterness firmly anchors creamy coffee-laden resolve.

Strong fruity essence not often associated with Black & Tans. For better or worse, bitter chocolate notes overwhelmed by grainy lager sharpness. Distracting over-carbonation and sour mocha finish are letdowns, but a burst of sweetness coats the aftertaste. As with many black and tans, it loses its natural essence since it’s difficult to create in the bottle and easier to blend on tap when mixed at the time of serving.

In wide-mouth bottle, relaxing Black & Tan leans towards a dirty brown ale due to soft fizzy hopped nose, pleasantly bland chocolate sweetness, and lingered nuttiness. Easy to get bored with before fully consumed, as lager lightness obstructs mocha stout tendencies.

Tar-blackened mocha presence and stifled barley haste form basis of smoothly unassuming black and tan. Instead of being profoundly bitter or ‘toot’ sweet, its meandering grains get top billing. Closer to mainstream lager than well-crafted porter and thankfully, priced accordingly.

Dry-hopped black malt bitterness chafes dark-roast barley essence, but chalky mocha spunk damages tepid B & T. Problem may be it’s too drab and superficial while lacking expected dried fruiting and black chocolate creaminess for its lofty class.

Gentle overriding carbonation consumes faintly mocha-scented deep brown body, degrading insignificant black & tan. No bittersweet malt thickness exists and plain toasted hop finish stumbles.