On nitro tap at the brewpub on 10/04/2008. Dark black body with a large creamy light brown head. Big roast, chocolate and caramel aroma. Big roast flavor, chocolate, light caramel flavor with a substantial hop bitterness lingering behind. Medium full body with moderately low carbonation and a smooth creamy finish.

Served on nitro at the brewery. Pours almost purely black, with some ruby highlights. Thick, creamy nitro-like head. Very complex aroma of molasses, soy, bitter coffee, chocolate abd brown sugar. Very rich. The taste is even richer, with huge chocolate and coffee notes, with roasted malts, caramel, brown sugar, lactose and a spicy hop finish. Smooth, full bodied and hugely drinkable for an 8.5% IRS. Yes, I like this better than the Dark Hollow. 8/4/9/4/17

Served on nitro at Beer Run in Charlottesville, VA. Pours a thick, viscous dark brown appearing black in the glass. The nitro bubbles move so slowly to the top it almost appears that there is lacing in the glass behind actual beer. Kinda cool. Thick creamy brown head is appropriate for a nitro tap. Aroma is rich chocolate, light roast and some fruity notes. Taste is huge cocoa powder and chocolate, big bitter hops, coffee, tobacco and a touch of brown sugar and caramel. Full bodied, thick and yet light on the tongue. Somewhat different from the October 2008 batch, but damn good still. I can’t wait to try this after 100 days in Makers Mark barrels. 7/4/8/5/16