From tap at the brewpub. Pours pitch black with a small tan head. Aroma is roasted malty and dense liqourice. Dark malty and roasted. Smooth hoppy and dens chocolate. Dense malty and roasted finish.

Enjoyed on tap as part of the Beachwood sampler at Bruery Provisions in Orange, CA. I tried to go to Hollingshead, so I walked there from my hotel which was 2 miles away on a Saturday night, at 5:30pm, and it was closed....F that place and their stupid Packer fandom. Anyways, walked the extra mile to Bruery and was pleasantly surprised. Appearance is really dark, oil like consistency, dark tan head that rims around the glass. Aroma of espresso, mocha, chocolate, cream, roasted malt, a bit of vanilla. Taste is über decadent, chocolate consumes the palate, I can rattle off a bunch more ingredients, including dark fruit, cream, coffee, light bitterness, very smooth and masks the high ABV. Almost perfect.

On tap at Beachwood BBQ. Pours with a pitch black hue with a brown head. Absolutely incredible lace. A full sheet down the glass as you drink. Intense, and amazing to look at. Aromas are intense with espresso, molasses, chocolate, vanilla, dark fruits and roast. The malt seems a bit bready and biscuit like as well. Really inviting with mild (really mild for how big it is) alcohol. Flavors are great! Chocolate, roast, tons upon tons of espresso, very mild alcohol. Great balance of bitterness, dryness, alcohol, and roast. Somewhat dry on the finish, with some bitter coffee, rich chocolate, molasses, dark fruits. Bitterness (seemingly coffee) lingers. Creamy, velvety and full mouthfeel. Absolutely mouth coating, smooth and mildly warming (although you can really feel the affects of the alcohol on your second glass).

This beer is not "EXTREME" by today’s standards, but its subtlety and balance at this alcohol level (or any alcohol level for that matter) is beyond belief. In a word: exquisite!