Aphotic - French Oak Cherry Brandy Barrel-Aged
Voodoo Brewing Co.

Bottled on 8/11/2021; consumed on 2/6/2023

Pours a viscous, silky jet-black body producing no perceptible foam beyond a brief, withering effervescence at the surface, leaving little beyond a blank void along with a thin, frothy, mocha-hued collar and swiftly-fading webs of lacing around the walls of the glass.

Aromas waft cherry pound cake into dark chocolate brownie crust with fresh vanilla interspersed, leaving coffee-tinged cocoa and roast building through the middle of the bouquet as hints of smoke edge brandy sweetness lingering over time.

Taste features ripe brandy upfront, imparting cherry esters deep in the backdrop inflecting upon a clean roast washing over the profile; malty char building through the mid-palate softens to bakers chocolate on the back end as residual smoke lingers on the finish.

Mouthfeel shows a medium-full body and a subdued, mild-moderate carbonation; rounded, creamy textures upfront cede to a roasty bittering and soft barrel warmth past the mid-palate to a delicately sticky, ultimately heavily drying close.

Massive barrel tannins cut with sweeter brandy and a deft cherry inflection see a bombastic roast profile centered and refined; a balanced bittersweetness and deep fruit imbuement on full display.

Cherry in the nose, but not the taste. Dark chocolate, bakers cocoa, dry oak, leather, barrel char, big smoke. Very dry finish. No booze at all.

 

 

 

Used motor oil black with minimal head, even after an aggressive pour, building only a fine chain of dark tan that remains around the edge, but very thinly so.

Aromas of roasty malt meet damp oak, emulating peanut butter wafer, complete with hints of vanilla extract, oddly enough. It's that slightly spicy, sharp, almost rum-like quality just tickling the end of a whiff. With effort, a hint of cherry skin tannin crops up.

Taste is sharper, tangier and nearly tart. It's just so absolutely chock full of tannin that it's saliva inducing and almost puckering. To be clear, it is not sour, but wow, that is one helluva unique outcome. The intense tannin attributes seem to have thinned the body out while adding a hint of cranberry. But then, at its warmest towards the end of the bottle, I detected a distinct notion of Cherry Dr. Pepper. Holy fuck, what a wild ride.

The slick medium-light body has a sort of airy, bubbly yet crackly carbonation that finishes lightly paper dry, exhaling that peanut butter wafer originally experienced on the nose.

The contrast between this and the French Oak Bourbon Cognac aphotic is so drastic it's unreal. While the French Oak Bourbon Cognac bottle was incredible, this isn't nearly as successful--depending on your palate, of course.

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Almost two years later, mid-May of 2023, this beauty has settled down into a deeply rich stout showcase, exhibiting more toasty oak and roasty cacao qualities over a faint hint of cherry that finally begins to exude the cordial qualities I'm sure we all were originally looking for. If it had achieved this level of expression upon release, this would have definitely been closer to a 4.5 rating. Alas, I tend not to alter my scores as vintages begin to cellar age.