Chère Mardi
The Bruery

 

this is insanely good, black tuesday with cabernet sauvignon and petite sirah grapes, just magic! love the wine/beer hybrids and this is a damn good one, although still kind of makes me miss their yount from all those years ago, maybe the best grape based stout ive ever encountered, and this doesnt hit like that one did, but its amazing. french oak on this, lots of fruit, enormous and iconic base stout not compromised by the wine elements at all, rather enhanced, still so recognizable in here. inky black with very little head and carbonation, leggy and viscous, an almost oily shine to it. the nose has some tannic tartness from the fruit and oak amidst all the roast this has, light smoke, blackberry jam of the finest kind, dark leather and wet tobacco too, espresso and good chocolate, tons of grain here, but the fruit is so forward as well, huckleberry, dried blueberry, and marionberry nuance, light vanilla, as tart as it is sweet to me in the aroma. the flavor is like the nose, even more wine grapes though, so bold, its killer. heavy blackberry to this, almost bloody minerality, iron and wet soil, volcanic, ashy, smoldering with the roast in here and the warming coffee note and of course alcohol, which is certainly a factor. the french oak is a distinctive wood treatment for this and has a big impact, milled lumber, vanilla bean, honey, all real compatible. some twang to the fruit, grippy tannins, dark cocoa, and lots of booze. palate coating, sweet and strong, smooth too though, luxurious feeling, heavy and colossal, very unique, love how much fruit this hits with, and the long aftertaste is great. this will appeal to any wine lover, but the stout base remains impressive too. wonderful beer, way cool to score this on tap! still not yount, but it slaps!