Raspberry Vanilla Total Eclipse
Maumee Bay Brewing Company

 

 

 

This one looks much like the original, thick and black with a nice light brown head if somewhat less substantial. Still, it's about a finger's height with solid retention and good, patchy lacing.
With the additional ingredients, this beer is just as much a beauty in aroma and flavor. The raspberries pop on the both the nose and the tongue though, interestingly, it takes a moment to develop and then it just bursts out. Vanilla adds a creamy sweetness underneath that complemented by the roasty coffee notes. The coffee is not as prevalent up front, but comes out from the middle to finish as the sweeter notes ease off to let it in. It's a trade-off for mostly raspberry and secondarily vanilla initially with the coffee that offers itself up right from start to finish, but it's actually preferable here since they mingle well and one leads naturally into the other. A bit of balancing bittersweet cocoa rounds it all out very nicely.
The body is still big, rich, and thick, still running semi-sweet to semi-dry rather than allowing the fruit and vanilla to lead it too much from the dry end of the spectrum. Roast still brings a nice element to the feel and further balance, though it is really very smooth.