Maple Ralphius
Free Will Brewing Co.

2018 edition. Poured from a bottle into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Thick viscous black pour with thin brown head. Falls fast... trace lacing around the glass. Low carbonation.

S: Rich and decadent. Sweet cocoa, roasted grains, char, bourbon, and sweets.

T.F: Just like it smells. Complex... luxurious... sweet roasted grains. Maple syrup is subtle but present. Oak and vanilla.. bourbon/booze... loads of dark chocolate. Bitter char for balance... smooth and thick bodied. Creamy. More of the same at the finish. Warming... ABV dangerous.

O: Absolutely wonderful 'Ralphius' variant. A big, boozy, corona-virus sequestered treat. 100% fantastic.

Appearance - Pours black with a decent mocha colored head that settles to a thick rocky ring. No lacing.

Aroma - Nice bourbon aroma, rich chocolate, light maple, oak, mild vanilla. Nose is pretty sweet just a touch of tobacco lying underneath.

Taste - Not the usual bitterness of a RIS, big dark chocolate, nice maple on the finish, vanilla, lots of bourbon and oak. taste is just the right balance of sweet and boozy. Really nice smokiness as well.

Feel - Medium bodied slightly slick feel, nice warming and a dry finish.

Overall - Really well done RIS, flavors are so well balanced and smooth, easy drinking for a 16.6% stout!!

L - 1-finger mocha head recedes rapidly, leaving behind a motor oil body.

S - bourbon, maple syrup, vanilla.

T - bourbon-soaked pancakes. The maple is strong but not overpowering. Wood, chocolate, char, vanilla, lots of alcohol, a hint of sour cherry. Moderate bitterness. Low sweetness. Moderate-high booziness.

F - medium-full body with low carb.

O - coffee and the base are better, but this is still a contender.

Pours jet black with a little bit of chocolate colored foam.

Smell is intense, with big notes of dark chocolate, fudge, rye bread, coffee and a whiff of maple syrup.

Taste is soft, but still intense. Fudge, chocolate, some sweet maple syrup and some hints of raisins and dried fruit. Remarkaby, it's not boozy at all. You feel the strength, but you don't really taste it. Impeccable balance.

Mouthfeel is rich and full, with decent carbonation.

Overall, a terrific stout. I would have wanted a bit more maple syrup, but still kick ass.

A - Dark, dark brown pour that's almost black. Thin toffee colored lacing with low to no carbonation.

S - Chocolate, cocoa syrup, bourbon, light maple, and alcohol.

T - Toasted cocoa, maple, oak, bourbon, and somewhat alcohol forward.

M - Thick and chewy, viscous, lip smacking sticky, and dry on the back of the tongue.

O - Really dig this beer but not the price tag.

 

 

Black with a thin and short-lived mocha-colored head. It quickly settles into a thin crown and leaves minimal spotty lacing.

Chocolate and bourbon stand out most in the nose. There’s a hint of maple, but it’s very light.

Cocoa, light char and dark chocolate bitterness show up front in the taste. There’s a touch of umami in there, too, but it’s very light and complementary. Just a little maple sweetness mixes in with the alcohol burn in the finish. The overall impression is still more bitter than sweet — but both elements are in there.

Medium bodied at best with a light oily quality to the feel and just enough carbonation.

A couple of the Ralphius variants, I thought, were a little too light on the flavoring additions. This one is light, too, but works just about perfectly. It’s still Ralphius, but with a hint of maple. Great stuff.