Fremont Brewing Barrel-Aged Dark Star, Coffee Edition

**Aroma:** “Aromatic, mocha with enough oily dark roast coffee backbone to evoke thoughts of breakfast. Fruity with raisins and cherry. Plenty of caramel and sweet malt, too. Slight alcohol in the background.” **Flavor:** “The flavor follows up on everything the aroma suggested—rich, sweet, chocolate coffee but adds in a hoppy bitterness that supports the roasty edge. While the bitterness lingers into finish with a light acidity, it’s still fairly smooth. Just enough alcohol to feel appropriate for the style.” **Overall:** “Rich chocolate notes with a very dry finish. Big desert beer with a bitter finish. Lots of sweet chocolate flavor, dark cocoa, some dark dried fruit. Alcohol level is well balanced by the solid malt body and touch of sweetness.”

**Aroma:** “Dark chocolate, vanilla, coconut with a really nice roast character. Good bourbon character with nice oak. Other barrel character emerges as it warms, including dark cherry and alcohol sweetness.” **Flavor:** “Rich dark chocolate with dark cherry and subtle plum esters and a nice wallop of coconut to enhance the experience. The other barrel characters are there as well to provide a round richness. Finishes medium dry with a touch of roast. A decent amount of heat prevents you from forgetting the type of beer your drinking.” **Overall:** “This beer is fantastic. All the pieces fit together very well and the smoothness makes this big, bold beer dangerous. A great beer that does an excellent job blending a solid beer with a quality barrel.”

__Aroma:__ “A heavy vanilla defines the nose. Notes of burnt malt, fig, chocolate, dark stone fruits, a touch of raisin, toffee/caramel, and coconut are present as well. The barrel character is strong and wonderfully inviting.” __Flavor:__ “Sweetness is present up front, with burned roastiness and some dark fruits (raisin and plums) that follow. It’s a beautiful blend of chocolate, vanilla, coconut, roast, dark cherry, and molasses, with light coffee notes that add complexity. A nice blend of a bourbon-barrel character, with spice and booziness.” __Overall:__ “Well-rounded, blended beautifully, deeply complex, and distinctly unique. This beer takes the familiar barrel-aged stout dark fruit flavors and sweetness, braces them with perfectly placed roast, and wraps them in a warm envelope of bourbon. Delicious.”