Draft (tapped 2/7/14) at Sweetwater Tavern Merrifield poured into a standard pint glass. According to the board, this batch/year is 8% ABV. Pours black with just over a finger of nice frothy light tan head. Little brown hues around the edges of the glass. Head sticks around for a good bit. Very sparse lacing. Aromas of roast, dark chocolate, light dark fruit, coffee. Hard to get a good smell with the pint glass. Tasting notes of dark fruit including cherries, dark chocolate, caramel, roast. Medium body with a dry and slightly bitter finish. Light creamy mouthfeel with medium carbonation. Pretty good beer and definitely one of GAR’s better brews, probably the best I’ve had from them so far. Wonder how this would compare to the original 10.8% version.

Draft at the source. Very dark brown color, small brown head with good retention and solid lacing. Aroma of rich chocolate syrup. Taste is thick chocolate ice cream soda. Very nice.

On tap at Merrifield location. Pours a dark black, with a small dark, tan head. The aroma is chocolates, coffee, roasted caramel. Flavor has a noticeable alcohol bite, with plenty of dark chocolate and roasted malts. About on par with the oaked version of the same beer, though I find it quite interesting that I did not have this until some time after having the oaked version of this beer. Aside from that it’s one of the best crafted beers that I’ve tried from them.

On tap at Sweetwater Tavern - Sterling. Dark black body with a large frothy brown head that persists. Chocolate roast and caramel aroma. Sweet molassas flavor with rum soaked fruit, roast and caramel and a firm bitter ending. Full body with moderately low carbonation and a thick almost syrupy finish.

Growler shared by Odeed; Nose of chocolate, raosted coffee, and a bit of smokiness; black with a big beige head; flavor has chocolate, light hoppiness, coffee, and and alcohol note; finish is light hop bitterness.