Naomi Dyal
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

Charcoal black with meager highlights of tangerine and bronze when backlit with midday sunshine. The beer was topped with one finger of pale caramel colored foam that lasted long enough. Thin sheets of lace became dots and spots over time.

The aroma was a pleasing combination of black/roasted malt and spicy hops (Willamette). Other ingredients included caramel malt, flaked oats and a wee bit of Lactobaccillus to deliver a Guinness-like tang. Spoiler alert: it all came together in fine fashion.

The flavor profile consisted of dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, black licorice and a tangy fruitiness that was a wonderful complement to sweet (slightly less than moderate) and bitter (slightly more than moderate). If blinded, I would have guessed schwarzbier due to the finely focused nature of the black malt flavor.

The mouthfeel *almost* earned the next highest score. Beer of this style needs to be a little bigger than a 5.0% American stout, which is what it felt like. It would be great to drink this ale at 8.0% (which will now be possible in this state).

Naomi Dyal is the name of wdmrock's grandmother. He tells me that she loved whiskey on occasion and I have no doubt that she would have enjoyed the beer brewed in her honor as well. This one is a keeper and deserves to be brewed again.