Poured from a bottle it is acdark brown stout with a slight disappearing head. The aroma is of chocolate and the taste is bitter chocolate that flows into sour cherries then a roasted coffee flavor which resonates sour on the palate. Interesting. Then a licorice flavor lingers on the palate

From a12 oz bottle shared at home. Pours black with a quickly dissipating tan head. Aroma of chocolate. Flavors start with chocolate, moving to tart cherries and finishing with licorice. Medium bodied, light carbonation, lingering tart finish.

Rcvd in beer trade: It pours a dark brown close to a black and leaves the same sort of colored body with a half finger white foamy head that died immediately, no lacing; the aroma starts off exceptionally roasty and smooth through coffee flavorings and after a while, the tart cherries come slightly through; the taste is pretty much the same and has a super dry coffee/cherry finish; its kinda easy on the palate, but does pack a slight heaviness to assist in sustaining oneself through the winter months
overall; this is a pretty good American Stout by Bell’s with some nice tart cherries to come somewhat through

Duft av karamell og frukter. Lite brunt skum. Sort av farge. Smak av kirsebær frukter med en noe syrlig ettersmak.

Re-rate 3/16: Bottle sample at a Special Stout tasting at the Beer & Beyond shop. Black with a tan head. Sweet-sourish, chocolate, cherries, roast. Rounded mouthfeel.Very good and quite complex. 7/4/7/4/15=3.7

Bottle sample at a tasting at kerenmk?s place. Thanks kerenmk. Black-colored with a tan head. Aroma of some cherries, roastiness and olives notes. Sourish flavor with roastiness, cherries and a bit of chocolate. Medium-bodied. Tasty. 6/4/7/3/14=3.4

Tap at the Drafting Room, Exton, 27/11/13. Pitch black with a good sized dirty tan covering that retains well. Nose is a big roast blast, light smokey tones, mineral notes, dark bitter chocolate, berry fruit tang. Taste is once again big on roastyness, subtle cherry tones, Black Forest Gateaux, dark chocolate, brown sugars, dark toffee notes. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, drying finale with bitter roast and tarte cherry skin. Solid sweet stout carrying a good bitter edge which balances it out nicely.

Bottle: Black with a short, dark head. Coffee, black cherry aroma. Chocolate, tart cherry flavor....lactic tartness. Tasty initially, but the cherry becomes stronger as you go. At the end you can barely discern any coffee or chocolate... Just a bit too much.

12 ounce bottle into signature pint glass, bottled on 10/8/2013. Pours fairly pitch black color with a 1 finger dense dark tan head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of dark chocolate, roasted malt, cocoa, coffee, tart cherry, cherry skin, light char, toast, and roasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roasted malt with a fair amount of cherry presence; with good strength. Taste of tart cherry, cherry skin, dark chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, toast, light coffee, light char, and roasted earthiness. Good amount of cherry tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of cherry, dark chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, light coffee, light char, and roasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance and complexity of dark/roasted malt flavors with prominent cherry flavors; with great robustness and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a creamy and slightly syrupy mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with only a slight warming present after the finish. Overall this is a very nice fruited stout style. All around good balance and complexity of dark/roasted malt and cherry flavors; and very smooth to drink. A very enjoyable offering.

Originally sampled in summer, 2005. I recently found my rating scores written on a sheet of paper packed away. Unfortunately, I do not have my tasting notes.