7

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Draught at the brewery, 4/23/17.
Large, dark beige head tops a dark ebony body of undetermined clarity. Retention is moderate.
Huge coffee nose is quite enticing, though not a lot of beer comes through behind it. Some light caramel-vanilla and bits of fudge. Nicely balanced, though, and neither too roasty or sweet. No alcohol or flaw.
Significantly softer and fuller-bodied than the porter with a good deal of residual sweetness to balance the earthy, lightly fruity, flavorful coffee notes. Roast on the very end takes on a bit of a salty char-like quality. Acidity linger amid caramel-vanilla-fudge character from the malts. Low, engaging carbonation, no alcohol or flaw.