Heavy Seas Beer Siren Noire

**Aroma:** “Rich malty and roast character with very light fruit and some alcohol notes. Sweet chocolate, caramel, and nice coffee notes round out the malt forward nose. Toffee, caramel, butterscotch, moderate sweetness, and no heat.” **Flavor:** “Bitter chocolate and dry cocoa carry through from the start through the finish. Sweet dark fruit, raisins, and prunes add to the sweetness. Roasted malt character increases in the finish, with nice coffee qualities. Some alcohol warmth in the finish.” **Overall:** “Very tasty and enjoyable, but this is an understated imperial stout: a mild example for simple pleasures. Malt sweetness and roast character come together well, and warmth adds nice complexity. Mouthfeel is nice and keeps you coming back for another sip.”

**Aroma:** “Orange and lemon with a touch of pineapple and pine as it warms up. Cut grass, lemon, grapefruit, and pine resin. Slightly subdued nose.” **Flavor:** “Rich malt backbone, possibly some adjunct use with proteins to thicken things up? Hops are strongly citrus, mostly orange and lemon with some pineapple beneath. Well blended throughout the palate and no rough edges. Nice citrusy hops—tangerine and grapefruit—buoyed by a breath of malt. Good bitterness that lasts into the finish, but the citrus is the main impression. Nice malt sweetness to back the hops. Lots of juicy fruit character—pineapple, orange, lemon—it all comes together and blends but stands out nicely. The finish is equally strong. Great hops flavor that carries through this beer.” **Overall:** “A great example of the evolution of the style despite the delicate nose. Smells and tastes very fresh. The malt here is well played and supports the flavor even as it balances the bitterness. Great beer with delicious depths of bright flavors.”

**Aroma:** “Piney and citrusy hops notes up front work well with the malt spiciness. A touch of malt sweetness comes through, maybe with a hint of caramel. Medium yeast notes of plum and apple cider. Pine and citrus hops give it a slightly earthy character.” **Flavor:** “A bit more subdued on hops flavor than most APAs, with the hops flavors competing a bit with rye and maybe even caramel malt notes. This pale doesn't make the hops the star of the show; it’s more a bit player behind an intriguing maltiness with bread crust, caramel, and biscuit notes. Earthy and spiced notes of rye add complexity.” **Overall:** “I like the complexity the rye malt adds, but think it would work better with larger amounts of spicy hops, such as Chinook. The citrusy hops don't seem to play as well with the rye. Enjoyable, and a different take on APA. The spice and malt character blend well with the hops that come through more in the finish than on the front. Very drinkable.”