Springdale Maple BA Brigadeiro

A nicely balanced and relatively subtle big stout. The lactose accentuates a soft, chewy sweetness through-out. Not much bitterness though there’s a hint of smoke on the finish to dry things up. A bit thin for style, though still reasonably complex.

**Aroma:** “Very nice sweet malt character. Inviting oak aroma up front comes through as vanilla and a hint of almond or toffee. The vanilla is very nice and the chocolate notes (coming through as semisweet and dark chocolate) come through great. Nice roasty and some nutty quality, with some coffee flavors in the back. Bourbon, dark cherry, dark roast, alcohol.. Earthy hops low but noticeable. Light fruity yeast character.” **Flavor:** Lots of chocolate and vanilla carry through from start to finish and are complex and full. Dark fruity notes/cherry esters. Roast and malt character add a good back to the malt sweetness with some good toasty/roast quality. The oak (almost like almond or toffee) adds complexity and shines well; it mellows out the edges. The bourbon and oak blend well, but don’t dominate. Nice warmth in the finish. Vanilla and caramel are in full force but not cloying or annoying. Hops bitterness is appropriately low to make room for the major wood. Alcohol is noticeable but smooth and dangerous.” **Overall:** “The beer is a surprisingly balanced and complex stout that showcases sweet malt, vanilla, and chocolate really well with some nice dark fruit characters. The barrel character was showcased well, and the beer backed up the barrel. Nice and smooth and came together great. Tons of chocolate and vanilla with a restrained roasty character that helps to balance. Definitely seek this one out and share with friends.”

Aroma: “Very strong coffee, moderate malt sweetness, caramel, touch of alcohol, toffee, touch of plum, and even a little funky. As it warms, there are stronger licorice notes and a hint of marshmallow.” Flavor: “Piney/citrusy hops, roast malt, dark Caramalt, and full body. Medium bitterness leads to a drying finish. Going deeper, it tastes like a raw hops tea with light malt sweetness, but strong bitterness holds it.” Overall: “Relatively straightforward American stout. Fair bit of hops that go throughout. May be a tad grassy for some.”