8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

16 ounce can into pint glass, best before 5/16/2017. Pours clear nearly opaque dark brown/black color with a 1 finger foamy light khaki head with poor retention, that reduces to a thin ring that lingers. Minimal lacing, good appearance. Aromas of huge milk chocolate, oranges, cocoa, toffee, fudge, vanilla, cream, caramel, toasted bread, light coffee, and roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great complexity and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, oranges, cocoa, and lactose notes; with great strength. Taste of huge milk chocolate, oranges, cocoa, toffee, fudge, vanilla, cream, caramel, toasted bread, light coffee, and roast/toasted earthiness. Light hop/roast bitterness and slight tangy orange tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of milk chocolate, oranges, cocoa, toffee, fudge, vanilla, cream, caramel, toasted bread, light coffee, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, oranges, cocoa, and lactose flavors; with a good roasted bitter/sweet balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Minimal dryness. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky, and slightly slick/chalky mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5.5%. Overall this is a great fruited milk stout. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, oranges, cocoa, and lactose flavors; very smooth and easy to drink. Feels richer, more dessert-like, and fuller bodied than most of the others variations I’ve had this year. A really enjoyable offering.