Rocky Road
Broadway Brewery & Restaurant

10oz pour at the brewery. Poured an opaque, jet-black color with a small, light brown head of foam. It left sticky rings of lace on the glass. It smelled of whiskey, chocolate, vanilla and nuttiness. It really have rocky road-ilke flavor with a balance created by the barrel aging.

Poured from 500 ML bottle into a snifter at 59°. It's very nearly black in color with a thin, light mocha-colored head that dissipated rapidly. It has a very nice nose: roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, nuts, and subtle but noticeable whiskey. The taste is beyond my expectation. It's much less sweet than I anticipated. The cocoa is toned-down and I'm tasting acidic coffee, sweetened by vanilla and lactose. The walnuts are well-charred and bitter. The whiskey notes are strong but don't overwhelm the other flavors. It's nicely balanced and quite mellow. The brewery calls this a "pastry stout" but I think that does it a disservice. The mouth feel is plush and viscous with low/moderate carbonation, and the 15% ABV is remarkably well-hidden. It doesn't drink boozy. Overall, Rocky Road is a first rate BA Imperial Stout. It may have been sweeter when first released but I'm really enjoying it now.