Finsternis Centennial Black Ale
Brouwerij VAT No.13

Found this one at Bert's Bierhuis in Utrecht. A new brewery on the scene, and this is their first time going beyond the traditional styles. Awesome packaging too! Couple that with a style I like, and I couldn't resist.

From a 750ml bottle into a snifter.

APPEARANCE: Clear brown pour yield a huge, three finger, thin and loose, fluffy off-white head with good retention. Deep mahogany brown/red in color with medium carbonation evident. Head slowly fades to a large, chunky foam cap leaving some chucky lacing on the glass. A full wisp remains leaving touches of lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Pretty hoppy on the nose. Pale malts, touches of dark malts and caramel notes, then a good dose of grapefruit and floral hop notes as well. Medium strength and pleasant.

TASTE: Not quite as impressive as the nose, but still pleasant. Pale malts, dark malts and a decent bitter finish. Grapefruit and plenty of floral hop bitterness at the swallow. Mild yet lingering aftertaste is bitter, plenty hoppy and floral with some light soapy notes from the citra hops. Decent finish, but could use some more flavor up front.

PALATE: Medium body and higher levels of carbonation. Light and fluffy on the palate, goes down fine, slightly airy, and finishes with a touch of dryness on the palate. A little too airy and light for my liking.

OVERALL: The airy feel made this one a little difficult to drink. Had the body been thicker and creamier, I can imagine this one would have been more enjoyable. Some nice flavor to contemplate, and certainly not boring, but a little rough around the edges. This is the first non-standard beer these guys have made, and while this one was not a complete success in my book, I look forward to their next bout of experimentation. Awesome label too. Cheers!