Aroma: “Huge chocolate up front, with notes of dark cacao and bakers chocolate, along with a decent amount of vanilla and bourbon. Slight note of coffee and roast, with enough sweetness to balance. Deep notes of chocolate and raisin, with a nice vanilla oak character. Acetic aroma seems to be simply from the abundance of very dark-kilned malts.”

Flavor: “Very clean yeast profile. Hops character is subdued; bitterness is a bit over-accentuated by the tannic wood. Rich and malty with dark coffee and dark chocolate notes accentuated by hints of wood oak character and dark fruit. Finishes with a complex warming character.”

Overall: “The coffee flavors are quite nice. Alcohol is quite smooth. Grain bill is simple and straightforward, but the beer is so well done that it’s very tasty and a well executed example of the style."