Alternate Ending Beer Co. A Beautiful Friendship 2024

“Wood character adds an unmistakable cinnamon-spice character that balances the dark fruity sweetness and black malt roast on the finish. Subtle notes of chocolate, coffee, and roast in the aroma. Roast, chocolate, and coffee-like malt notes blend well with the woody, earthy cinnamony spice. Body supports the bold flavors. Finishes smooth and nicely spicy.”

“Rye bourbon notes lead in the aroma, followed by coffee roast, light caramel, chocolate, and notes of fig, dark cherry, and raisin. The flavor is where this beer shines: cooked sugar, ribbon candy, and spice from the rye that adds to the richness.”

__Aroma:__ “Cocoa powder, bittersweet chocolate, and coffee notes, supported by a crystal malt sweetness, reminiscent of caramel, with a hint of freshly cut oak chips at the end.” __Flavor:__ “Rich dark chocolate. The vanilla is fairly subtle and brings out the chocolate character rather than sticking out as vanilla. A bit of oak and toasty marshmallow reinforce the campfire feel. Mild roast gives way to some sugar sweetness.” __Overall:__ “Great example of the style that’s absolutely delicious if just a bit too safe to be truly one-of-a-kind. Great balance between malt, barrel, adjuncts, and mouthfeel with a depth of quality in the defining vanilla character that sets it apart. There are some top-tier barrel-aged stouts with vanilla that I enjoy more than this, but you could count the number of them on your fingers alone.”