Pastry stout by this craft brewery in northeastern Romania, thanks Craftmember for sharing. Mocha-beige, membrane-like lacing, moussy, stable head, very dark chocolate brown (near black) with wine red glow. Aroma of strong coconut milk and Bounty candy, strong tonka (marzipan- and cinnamon bun-like), chocolate sauce, toffee, hazelnut paste, fig compote, ruby port, hint ‘speculoos’, brown bread dough. Sweet onset, coconut being obvious from the start, hints of fig and date as well, raisin, soft carbonation in a very full, oily body – though not as syrupy as is often the case in strong pastry stouts. Thoroughly chocolatey maltiness in the middle, toffee, brownies, deeply aromatized by not just the coconut, but the tonka as well, with those lovely marzipan- and cinnamon-like scents returning at full force; soft bitter aspects, more from cappuccino-like coffee roastedness than from hops, bring balance to the finish, highlighted by a glow of rum-like alcohol. Good choice of malts, good balance of added flavours (or aromas) for the intended effect, very well structured in not being overly ‘tiring’ and thick but maintaining relatively high drinkability (inasmuch as this is possible in a hefty pastry stout), not overly cloying in sweetness: this is not a good, but an excellent example of the style. I was quite surprised at that, to be honest – it seems Hop Hooligans, so far the best Romanian craft brewery to my knowledge, has stiff competition!

Bottle at home. Pours black, nose is huge cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, chocolate, coffee, coconut, taste is light spices, chocolate, creamy coconut.