08/24/19 Sangoivese grapes sold me. I mean, it’s probably going to be a cool Southampton era saison or something. I didn’t read the stout part till I got home. Short 10oz pint glass. Matte black with a light brown, filmy head. I want to smell grapes, but can only envision them. Smell mellow roast, brown sugar & a little smoke. Maybe a little pith in there. Taste is velvety, bitter charred malt. Lingering & oily, like good coffee dying for a splash of milk to help open it up. There’s this so faint dark cherry note, but that’s the only fruit I really get. Too bitter for me, but a good stout.

Super dark brown coloured body with a thinnish, relatively fast-dying deep brown head that leaves nothing on the sides after even just a few seconds, but is about 95 per cent opaque, deep dark brown coloured body. Aroma of alcohol, rich molasses, a lot of pitted fruits, some mild grapes, a big hit of alcohol and oatmeal and some coffee for good measure - quite strong in the nose. Full-bodied; Very rich and flavourful up front with still somehow a lot of effervescence as well, but the rich, roasty and bitter notes from coffee and chocolate dominate with some oats, vanilla, lactose and pungent burnt sugars are all here, but some lighter and more complex notes from pitted fruits, molasses and grapes do come out towards the end with more of a vinous feel and some acidity as well near the finish. Aftertaste shows some deep sugars, mainly from the roasted malts and oatmeal notes, but some caramel and treacle are noticeable, as well as the molasses and rich tannic notes from the grapes that make this finish as dry and even slightly tart, but the real flavours come from the bitterness and rich malts which are big and pungent. Overall, a rather complex and elegant beer with a ton of bitterness, pungency and flavours that come from the malt bill, especially with the burnt sugar and grainy notes towards the end, but the acidity and light tart flavours from the grapes are in the middle with some enjoyable pitted fruit and molasses sweetness at the very end. Great to sample and the time that I kept it was nice, but perhaps another 2-3 years will do this wonders as this is still somehow a bit too pungent, bitter and effervescent. I sampled this sixteen ounce, pint-sized can, purchased from BeerTopia in Omaha, Nebraska on 10-October-2019 for US$5,99 sampled at my house here in Washington, a bit more than three years later on 13-October-2022.

On tap at Twelve Percent, North Haven. Appearance is opaque black with no sparkle, thin ring of light brown head with decent retention. Aroma is sweet malt, chocolate, dark fruit, mild alcohol. Taste is strong chocolate, lightly roasted malt with mild tart fruit balance, dark fruit. Mouthfeel is light-to-medium bodied with smooth, creamy texture, average-to-lively carbonation and dry, crisp finish as taste. Overall, good strong flavors but some alcohol astringency and overcarbonated.

Can - viscous black pour - nose and flavor of fudge, chocolate cake batter, grape juice - pretty boozy on the tail end - it’s honestly a little difficult to enjoy, and I general quite like Stillwater brews.

Pour is a black motor oil with a large tan head. Aroma is a roast and then a big grape. Flavor is more roasted malt and again a even bigger grape. Way more grape forward than the malt. No alcohol is present as well. I did not get any oak but the grapes took over everything. This is bordering on a fruited stout more than anything. Tasty and different.

Can? at TCBW. Pours dark brown-black. Aroma and flavor are sweet, bitter, roast, malt, floral notes, fruits. Overall: very good.

Sweet, malty, alcohol, light