Xbeeriment Barack (Xbeeriment #44)
Xbeeriment I/S

Pours a black color. 1/3 inch head of a tan color. Slight retention and decent lacing. Smells of strong alcohol, strong sweet malt, smoke, hint of roasted malt, hint of cherry, hint of oatmeal, and a hint of wood. Fits the style of an American Stout. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with a low carbonation level. There is a slight dryness and roasted malt bitterness. Tastes of smoke, sweet malt, slight roasted malt, alcohol, hint of oatmeal, slight wood, and a hint of spicy hops. Overall, weak appearance, body more balanced than aroma, good feel, but lacking in blend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black walnut highlights this very dark brown stout, (SRM 30-35), while a modest ½” chestnut foam quickly yields to a rocky covering. Fine lace ebbs and flows with a film after each sip, while microscopic carbonation clings to the Dogfish Head snifter, just below the surface.

Sweet roasted malt is accented by coffee and cocoa nibs. Warming opens acetones, though relegated behind fruit and ash aromas. All rather odd in my opinion.

Sweetness balances out with biter-sweetness for most of the sip, but ultimately wins-out slightly. Cold black coffee opens the experience, while fruits and cigarette ash slip in unexpectedly. A lingering, moderate ash-like finish detracts.

No alcohol worth mentioning, in this light bodied satin textured stout, with fizzy carbonation.

This experiment had promise, but fell short of my hopes. Still it was enjoyable while winding down with sweet bar-b-qued ribs.

 

Poured into a Reuben's Brew small snifter. Pours pitch black, opaque in the glass with a fine one finger khaki head with great retention and lots of lacing. Aroma of smoky toasted malt, mild chocolate and brown sugar. Flavor is dark toasted malt, charred coffee, milk chocolate, finishing with smoky dark malt with a hint of wood ash, more post-fire than smoky. Nice medium, lightly creamy body. A somewhat dry stout, leaning towards a foreign / export stout profile. The smoke is rather subdued, leaving a faint memory of the fire rather than smoke in one's eye and is mostly present in the finish.. Pleasant and full flavored, but I'd like just a little stronger malt support for the smoke in the finish.

 

 

On draft at Whole Foods, Chandler, AZ.

Dark brown, near black, body with a quarter inch of beige head. Sweet aroma and flavor. Sweet chocolates with a touch of spice. Interesting mesh of char and roast. Smoke character is nearly absent, which is a drag. Average.

 

 

Bottle.

Pours black with small tan head. Whiskey is prevalent in the nose - also charcoal, burnt wood (is that redundant?). Taste is whiskey, roasted malt, smoke...boozy but well balanced. A good "winter warming" type of beer on a cold night.