Fiction Beer Alternate Present
What the brewers say
“Flavors of chocolate with a bit of roasted marshmallows up front, a slight fruity ester note in the middle, then fading to a clean malty finish. Despite the color, it’s a sessionable beer. Chalk additions add a lingering mineral flavor that enhances the perception of malt flavor and aroma.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Moderate chocolate with roast and toasty malt. Rich Munich-type malt in there to support overall, and there’s a very light touch of slight smoke. A faint hops note loiters deep in the background.”
Flavor: “More rich and toasty malts with hints of coffee, smoke, and bitter chocolate. Moderate sweetness morphs into a moderately low bitterness.”
Overall: “A pleasant, roast-forward beer with hints of smoke but a slight sweetness that softens any possible rough edges. Nice malt character and malt complexity, but still very clean—that body doesn’t linger in the finish, and it closes in a crisp and refreshing way. A tasty beer overall.”