Let Your Indulgence Set Me Free
Breakside Brewery - SE Taproom

 

 

really badass imperial stout blend, done with single hill and including some of their beer, i trust breakside with pretty much everything, but they always really crush the big barrel aged dark stuff, and this is no exception, really complex, dark, full, and regal, i was impressed with this. inky black and majorly viscous on the pour, amazing to get it on tap, short but lasting dark mocha head, pretty frothy and active looking for the style, glossy look. the aroma is amazing, tons of specialty dark malts in here, barrel char emerging alongside the obvious whiskey character, some warming alcohol too, but its not super aggressive for its strength, wood and ash there too, bitter coffee, well layered, zero appreciable oxidation for its apparent maturity either. in the taste i get a rush of bitter dark chocolate, a little sweetness in the center that hints at vanilla before the whiskey comes with more of it, never all that boozy even on the swallow and at temperature, low end spiciness, licorice and wet tobacco, sweet yeah but bitter too, stays balanced, big but not huge, on the teeth but in a good way, molasses in there, trace smoke from the barrels late too, richer chocolate, this is elegant too for being huge, lots of body and a slow mover in the best possible way, i love the linger. breakside does it again!

Thank you, John.

The nose has a really rich and deep barrel character, bourbon, mild vanilla, toasted wood, warming booze, tobacco, earth. Bitter dark chocolate, burnt caramel. Toffee. The palate opens bittersweet with barrel, wood, toasted oak. Burnt honey. Cocoa, bitter dark chocolate. Warm finish. Medium full body, softly carbonated. Lingering cocoa on the finish. Great stuff.