The Trappings And the Suits of Woe
Breakside Brewery - SE Taproom

Vintage 2022
Many thx to muchloveforhops3 for the bottle.

A - Pitch black pour with dense caramel lacing.

S - Toasted cocoa, chocolate, Bourbon, and oak.

T - Chocolate, toasted cocoa, coconut, Bourbon, oak, and a tad bit of spice.

M - Big viscous body that's sticky on the lips and minimal warming from the ABV.

O - A fantastic Barrel Aged beer and well worth it.

wonderful liquid here, i like everything breakside does, but this is positively next level, and they always seem to excel the most at the barrel aged dark stuff. this is a big meaty imperial milk stout aged in whiskey and nocino barrels, a walnut liqueur from italy, how fascinating! never heard of beer in those barrels before. i usually fear the large milk stouts, dont love them all that sweet, but i think the lactose makes great sense in this, since there is still a lot of bitterness in the green walnuts and in all the roasted grain, i think it works to cream up the texture a little but also highlight some unique spicy notes in here, i pick up cinnamon, vanilla, black peppercorn, and black tea all in the depths of this, the nocino influence is significant, and the whiskey makes it a little richer and more familiar. love all the dark roast, coffee and dark chocolate in the malt profile. the walnut liqueur is awesome, comes out more as this warms, i get green walnut but also toasted walnut, its hearty and earthy and rather aromatic. smoke, raisin, toffee, amaro all come out too. this is boozy too, a little syrupy in mouthfeel, but it works super well with these flavors. not only is the barrel treatment unique and impressive but the base beer is too, these guys can do no wrong for me, never have, and its sick to get to drink a couple of their more special beers. nocino barrels, i will be on the lookout for more beers that use those, this is wonderful and super different!