Aphotic - Bourbon Barrel-Aged With Madagascar Vanilla
Voodoo Brewing Co.

 

Bottled on 8/26/2020; consumed on 5/5/2022

Poursa velvety, motor-oil black body topped with a slowly forming sliver of deep mocha foam, fading steadily to a viscous, glossy void encircled by an ample, fluffy collar and modest dotting of lacing sprinkled around the walls of the glass.

Aromas of fresh bakers cocoa phase to lightly burnt brownies with a gooey marshmallow underbelly, while a smooth bourbon flow brings level caramel cutting through intermittent char and steady malt roast.

Taste offers bittersweet raw cacao evened slightly by silkier notes of brownie batter as a hefty malt roast peaks over the mid-palate; ripe bourbon enmeshed in flaky cocoa into the back end proceeds into a heavy char with an acridity softened by toasted vanilla subtleties and tinges of oak on the finish.

Mouthfeel brings a medium body with minimally present carbonation; a silky texture remains unceasingly drying as shades of stickiness persist in barely perceptible waves past the mid-palate, coating a moderate warmth as a charry grit becomes increasingly delicate into the back end and finish.

A rich array of cacao is expressed on a rangy bitter-sweet spectrum, parsed through by robust roast and softened by the deft addition of pillowy vanillins; at times aggressively charry, the subtler aspects of this otherwise well-attenuated barrel-aged stout persist and succeed.

Very similar to the other 2 Aphotic variants. Some people said that they got no vanilla, but I was able to get it pretty easily on both the taste and aroma. Nothing like Vanilla Rye or FO mind you, but it's there. Just don't go in expecting a pastry stout because you'll be disappointed. Aphotic is a big, thick, rich, roast forward stout with a hint of vanilla.