Aroma: “Fruity dark chocolate—blueberry notes with a hint of coffee underneath. Moderate earthy hops. Some caramelized malt, slightly smoky, chestnut, roasted almond, frothy latte, and cocoa. Overall, all things brown. The great aroma doesn’t get lost after a few times.”

Flavor: “This has a good flow from roasty coffee with a touch of complementary earthy hops bitterness, chocolate notes that shift it to mocha with some help from a nice caramel sweetness, fading into a pleasant aftertaste with light reminders of your alcohol intake. Smooth and pleasant, with a superb balance for a roast-forward stout.”

Overall: “This fireside warmer has a bitter bite softened by a generous chocolate background. You could convince me that it has French roast coffee in it, but I am told that is not true. Very good. Balanced and a great introduction to the imperial stout style. Good stuff.”