Silkenly caliginous ale loads black chocolate, gooey black licorice and raw Blackstrap molasses onto ashen wood-burnt hop char. Fudgy cocoa-powdered remnant, latent vanilla-espresso-burgundy undertones and coarse cola nuttiness reinforce thick mocha theme. (Contract brewed by Thomas Creek).
‘Intense’ full-bodied dark ale takes black chocolate roast up pine charred barley-hop trail leading to coffee bean-embittered Blackstrap molasses finish. Heavy mocha influence hides latent dried-fruited nuances.
On tap at Track 84, decadent rye-barreled Imperial Stout comes across velvety smooth despite well-hidden 13.2% alcohol volume, chewy mocha creaming, gooey molasses-sapped anise seepage and whiskey-nipped bourbon-burgundy wining. Oak-toasted hop char reinforces fudgy black-brown chocolate richness and ancillary black cherry, prune and raisin dried fruiting. Vanilla, marshmallow, coconut, pecan, praline and hazelnut subtleties abound below luscious creamed coffee theme.
Ultra-rich full body tries to squeeze a myriad of flavors into a single whole and nearly succeeds. Creamy dark chocolate fudging gets nudged by glutinous anise gunk as port-wined black cherry, blackberry and prune harden the edges. Pine-sapped molasses and oak-charred black whiskey tones thicken the embittered tar-like hop char. Just a little heavy-handed and overwhelming.
On tap at Monk’s Cafe, sweet mocha dessert treat layers black chocolate-spiced smoked malts atop chewy cookie dough yeast. Black cherry puree, raisin bread, toffee, vanilla, coconut, anise and biscotti undertones scatter by ashen hop char.
All-consuming anise influence almost buries ‘decadent’ Ecuadorian cocoa nibs flavoring. Sweet brown chocolate-fudged caramel roast needs deeper resonance above ashen wood-charred hop bittering.
Expressive Dutch dark ale goes a tad beyond stylistic boundaries with successful results. Lovely bourbon aromatics spread across swamp-watered dark chocolate entry. Black licorice influence gains prominence above molasses-smoked mocha malting over time. As latent cocoa-powdered burnt coffee acridity seeps into dried-fruited fig, black cherry, black grape and prune illusions, dingy cellar pungency ascends. Sherry, barleywine and burgundy undertones add depth.
Dryer than standard Imperial Stout, loading astringent cocoa-powdered chocolate malting above rye-toasted hop char. Tar-like molasses bittering thickens, infringing upon latent coffee roast and gooey anise tease.
Abstruse dark ale brings unexpected compost-wafted rauchbier-like cedar burn to dry cocoa-powdered Baker’s chocolate provocation. Smoky wet-wooded campfire setting outdoes dirty-grained astringency, tar-like raw molasses bittering, fig souring and anise seeding, disrupting stylistic mocha influence.
Voluminous bourbon-barreled Imperial Stout (circa 2013) gains warmth for soothing nightcap. Smoked bourbon saturates black coffee overtones and dark-roasted chocolate malting. Candied Jack Daniels whiskey sweetness picks up steam thereafter as lovely espresso, molasses, vanilla, anise and gingerbread undertones contrast hop-charred wood burn.
Uniquely rigorous hybrid balances peat-smoked German rauchbier grit with mild Russian Imperial Stout mocha sedation. Beechwood-smoked campfire setting picks up stylistic Band-aid astringency for ascending dark chocolate malting and mild coffee roast. Cured meat leathering gains prominence over fudgy molasses midst. Tertiary creme brulee, honeyed whiskey, black cherry, roasted tobacco and maple-sapped bacon illusions scamper by.
