Dark Arts (2018) - Scotch Barrel-Aged With Espresso
Wicked Weed Brewing

Pour is dark brown out of the bottle and black in the glass with a super small fizzy tan head that dissipates almost instantaneously. Aroma is very interesting, it has a big capsaicin peppery heat up front and there are no peppers in it; hmmm. Once you get past that there’s decently big chocolate, subtle peat characters showing the barrel, and subtle dark fruits. Tastes completely different than it smells and thus I am truly perplexed here. Roasted malt, fusel alcohol bite, bigger scotch peat characters, coffee is noticeable and is mostly on the finish. Very little sweetness to balance which is atypical for this Dark Arts series. Not really sure about the Brett in here, def not any noticeable funk, perhaps some subtle earthy, drying notes. Fairly straightforward, not much going on other than roastiness, coffee and moderate barrel notes (read alcohol and peat). Mouthfeel a touch thin, it has noticeable alcohol presence but not bad considering the ABV, drinkability pretty good. Overall it’s not a bad beer but certainly falls short of expectations. Not sure if 2018 was just an off year or if quality has consistently decreased (haven’t had any 2019 nor 20 but should be heading to Asheville soon); regardless I long for the glory that was the 2017 Tequila variants.

3.5/3.75/4/4.25/4

Short-lived fizzy head, leaving behind an oily sheen. Not unexpected based on the style, ABV, barrel aging, and Brett.

Huge aroma, absolutely swimming in deliciousness! Chocolate, molasses, espresso, booze, Scotch (slightly peaty, slightly sour, slightly sweet), coconut, vanilla, toffee, caramel, toast, very slight char.

Similar on the palate, although it's just a touch thinner than the nose suggests. It's a touch funky, but it's not exactly what I would call a sour or wild stout. The Brett mustiness goes hand-in-hand with the oak from the barrel. Plenty of coffee and Scotch, even at two years old. Flavor tones are very similar to the nose, rich and semi-sweet, with a chocolatey finish.