Birds Fly South Nights Like These

__Aroma:__ “A nice medium roast on the nose, with secondary notes of bitter and semisweet chocolate. There’s a fair amount of caramel and dark toffee on the nose that pairs nicely with the roast, but the earthy aroma at the back really dominates. Initially, it almost comes across as a chocolate latte.” __Flavor:__ “Bitter chocolate covers the mouth with some extreme roast character, which gives it a slight wood and tobacco presence. The roast really dominates with a chewy flavor, as if biting into an espresso bean−laced dark chocolate bar. The mouthfeel is fantastic, and coats the cheeks. Finishes with hoppy bitterness, cigar, and tobacco notes.” __Overall:__ “A very good beer. The chocolaty sweetness comes through on the nose and holds on just long enough to balance the roast and cigar notes.”

Cholate cake, caramel, light hazelnut spice in the nose. Booze bite could use some backup, but there is a pleasant bitter chocolate caramel, toasted coconut, cinnamon taste as it warms.

The nose paints a picture of dark malt carrying a sack of figs, raisins, and caramel and a filigree of dark roast coffee. The flavor fills in some details—a roast-forward, bitter base, a touch of raisin, and bread crust. The roasty finish cuts that richer picture down to size. Tasty, but a little less roast would help.