Coconut Love Shadow
Brewery Vivant

I quite enjoy the regular version of Love Shadow, which is big on toasted marshmallow and chocolate notes, with hints of a Belgian stout influence. The coconut adds a new dimension, despite being fairly nuanced. I also get some herbal notes that lend an impression of root beer or other colas, like kola nut, lemon, and vanilla. Not sure I like it as much as the original, but this gets points for being distinctive.

Possibly one of the smoothest stouts I have ever had. It was fantastic.

Can from @whyteboar in a LIF associated with BIF#12

16 oz can poured into a snifter

Dark cola liquid capped with a fizzy brown cap , quickly settles to a. Brown ring

Aroma is bourbon, leather, tobacco, toasted coconut

Taste is bourbon, whiskey, toasted coconut, hint of milk chocolate

Light mouthfeel, sudsy, taste lingers but does not burn

Good beer

 

 

Quite a nice imperial stout with good flavors and depth. Canned date 7/22/19. Pours a very deep dark rich brown, almost black color with very minimal tan head and really no lingering lacing. Smells of some milk chocolate, medium roast coffee, caramel, malt, vanilla and some surprisingly distant bourbon and oak. Really no detectable coconut aromas. Taste follows the nose, except that fortunately I could pick out the coconut notes - although they were not too strong I felt the balance and depth was well done. Not overpoweringly sweet. Smooth, slightly sticky, mildly rich mouthfeel and decent carbonation. Enjoyable and the high ABV was well hidden but I was a little disappointed by how distant the coconut was.

A: Very dark black in color with a rich dark brown head, that quickly turns rocky, and dissipates with frog eyes.

S: Deep rich malt aroma, with huge vanilla, and oak notes. A hint of the coconut int he finish.

T: Big oak and vanilla up front, followed by coconut, and chocolate. Bourbon and coconut round out the flavor.

M: Medium thick in body, with plenty of carbonation, there is a little bit of a creaminess to the mouthfeel.

O: Overall just a damn fine beer.

 

 

Dark, mahogany body; thin and fizzy head with a slight ring around the top. Fine aroma of roasted grains and chocolate; some coffee. The toasted coconut blends well with notes of chocolate and a touch alcohol; sweet. Heavy body; slick and oily; a bit of boozy heat.

This is a pretty nice imperial stout, highlighting nicely balanced addition of coconut to add depth and character to the roasted grain flavors.

A - Pours a very dark brown with a one finger creamy tan head. The head dissapates quickly leaving some very light lacing.

S - Aroma coconut, vanilla and bourbon.

T - The taste is coconut, dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel and light bourbon.

M - Medium body with medium carbonation. Soft mouthfeel with a crisp dry finish.

O - Very nice coconut BBA stout. I wish the mouthfeel was thicker, but tasty nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

16 ounce can into snifter, canned on 7/8/2019. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 1 finger fairly dense and fluffy khaki head with solid retention, that reduces to a minimal spotty lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, coconut, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, roasted nuts, and dark bread/crust; with lighter notes of licorice, raisin, prune, cherry, fig, date, smoke, char, leather, peppercorn, herbal, grass, and yeast/roast/toast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malts, coconut, bourbon barrels, and light fruity/spicy yeast notes; with big strength. Taste of huge milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, coconut, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, roasted nuts, and dark bready/crust; with lighter notes of licorice, raisin, prune, cherry, fig, date, smoke, char, leather, peppercorn, herbal, grass, and yeast/roast/toast/oak earthiness. Very mild herbal, roast, char bitterness; and yeast, bourbon, oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, coconut, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, roasted nuts, dark bread/crust, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, char, leather, peppercorn, herbal, grass, and yeast/roast/toast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, coconut, bourbon barrels, and light fruity/spicy yeast flavors; with a fantastic roasted bitter/sweet and bourbon/oak spiciness balance; with zero cloying/acrid flavors after the finish. Slightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness. Light-medium carbonation and full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/velvety/bready, and slightly slick/chalky/tannic mouthfeel that is fantastic. Minimal warming 12.1%, or lingering barrel booze after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic Belgian barrel aged imperial stout. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, coconut, bourbon barrels, and light fruity/spicy yeast flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the huge ABV, with the mildly bitter/spicy/drying finish; amazingly smooth/soft feel for the ABV. Perfectly balanced rich malts, coconut, and bourbon barrel presence/integration; with restrained fruity/spicy yeast presence. Not overly sweet/heavy from lingering dryness. Not overwhelming on any aspect. Not much more coconut presence than the base beer from overall barrel character. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing style example. Not as amazing as the base beer, but still very high quality for the style expectations.