The Time Traveler
Gigantic Brewing Company

Mondiale 2013. A very good porter. Black with almost no head, yet a lace trail. A tasty hoppy porter, nicely roasted, with good drinkability. Chocolate malt, caramel, and not overly sweet rather well balanced.Middling mouthfeel.One of my favourites over this fest.

 

 

 

 

22oz bottle. Poured out an opaque, jet-black color with a small, caramel colored head. It smelled of caramel, toffee and roasted malt. Tasted of sweet caramel, roasted malt and chocolate with a bitter bite.

 

 

Poured from a bomber into a shaker pint, the beer is a dark brown-to-black coloring with chestnut highlights and a thick, dense, frothy, foamy, light tan head that slowly settles and clings to the glass as it retreats. Aromas of chocolate, both milk and bittersweet/baker's, with a touch of mocha coffee and some roasted notes. Great, inviting nose. Flavors are roast forward, with chocolate notes in the forefront, as well, providing a good, rich blend. Bittersweet carries throughout, with an earthy and roasty overtone. Light, slightly effervesced body keeps things crisp and refreshing, not allowing the richness to lull you into a hibernative state. The aftertaste is roasty and bittersweet chocolate, with a dry, clean finish. Solid brew, and with a lean towards the chocolate, which hits me right in my sweet tooth.

Lightly chilled 22 oz. bottle into a shaker pint. No visible bottling or best-by date.

Look- Clear deep brown with three fingers of toasted marshmallow head. Very nice lacing.

Smell- Very interesting, unique aroma. Reminds me of beech nuts and root beer. Very appealing. Dark nougat and rum balls.

Taste- On the first sip, I almost spit this out. Thankfully, I gave it a bit and it grew on me- I'd definitely let this one hit room temp or near before imbibing. Started with a harsh, ashy, metallic flavor that mellowed out as it fell flat and warmed up a bit. After a half hour or so, some nicer flavors emerge- dry dates, heavily toasted graham cracker, strong nuttiness. Light, crisp black tea bittering cleans it up at the end. Overall-decent.

Mouthfeel- Light-medium body, smooth, juicy feel with a roasty bite. Mild coating, Dry-ish finish, goes down easy once it warms a bit.

Overall- Not quite sure what to make of it- pretty off-putting to start with, but it grew on me. More good than bad, but I'd probably avoid it if I saw it again.