Transient Artisan Ales Buckley

**Aroma:** “Big dark chocolate and coffee aroma. Big plum, dates, moderate cherry, light acidity, moderate caramel, light umami, light earthy hops, some brown sugar notes. A backbone of bready malt. I’m sitting by the fire with a snifter of...not barleywine, but this beer. Rich malt complexity with sherry, dried figs, and raisins, and warming alcohol. More caramel than roast, but the coffee and chocolate are there.” **Flavor:** “Lovely complex malt sweetness—like chocolate-covered Fig Newtons, or maple syrup, with a touch of earthy hops to help balance. Like a shot of strong expresso, no cream. Complex and deep, but a bit intense so sessionable is not part of this section. Big cherry, light plum, big chocolate, moderate coffee, light hops bitterness, touch of alcohol, moderate caramel. Aftertaste: big chocolate, touch of coffee, light bitterness. Starts out like a thinner-bodied barleywine, but the hops and roast bitterness crack that illusion. The promise from the nose is here, but it doesn't quite mesh as well in the flavor because the lingering hops and slight astringency add some harshness. Hops flavor is as big as the roast. Sherry, malt, dried fruit and esters are still nice, though.” **Overall:** “Very tasty, but could use a bit more carbonation to help the flavors pop. Love the fruitiness. Fun dark-fruit dominated imperial stout. The chocolate, caramel, and roast notes are present throughout with just enough hops to balance. It is fairly well carbonated, but that works to bring out the brighter fruit notes. The nose had me, but the flavor not so much.”

Aroma: “Aroma is fairly subdued overall. Some toffee and toasty malt. A bit of apple or pear. Bright raisin and plum characters up front with some very light green-apple aroma in the back. Slight wood aroma but very subtle. Slight caramel notes with some very light chocolate, too.” Flavor: “Subtle malt complexity comes through with toasty and caramel notes that meld with the malt to produce a feeling of chocolate liqueur. Esters contribute notes of stewed apple, plum, and fig, while a bit of vanilla chimes in from the barrel. The aftertaste brings wine sweetness and some balancing bitterness that lingers long with a touch of black licorice.” Overall: “Really enjoyed the complexity and balance of this one. Coffee and caramel up front with a supporting (but not overwhelming) barrel oak flavor that finishes with a mild sweetness, nuttiness, and chocolate before fading into an alcohol linger. It’s a fun old ale.”

**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.”