The Year of Magical Thinking
Breakside Brewery - SE Taproom

 

another righteous adjunct free or nearly adjunct free barrel aged stout from these guys, i think all of them are blends, or at least they were in the last vintage or two, i dont know for sure about this, but i love it, its complex without relying on flavor additives, the barrel character is brilliant, and the overall quality is through the roof. very viscous, nearly midnight black, good head on it from the tap for what it is, half an inch high, mocha colored, and lasting. really complex nose of german chocolate cake, cooked sugar and toasted coconut, along with dark cocoa, lots of good bourbon, and nuances of graham cracker, vanilla, toffee, caramel, espresso, and cigar, immediately appealing, woody, cozy, and intricate, all without being too desserty and sweet. the flavor is like chocolate dipped coconut cookies, quite a bit of oak but it all casts a coconut vibe, toasted and sweetened, with good bourbon all through it, brown sugar, char, well roasted coffee, and some complex dark malts well woven in, little pops of milk chocolate, honey, cardboard, and molasses, incredibly good. its all body but both the alcohol and the residual sugar are limited, and it drinks maybe easier than it should for what it is, luxurious and interesting, silky and expansive, big without being intimidating, it warms up nicely, and seems composed from a pretty series range of malts, well beyond the standard fare for the style space, could even be a little rye zip to it, cool balancing bitterness at the end. a very nice nightcap, and i think overall breakside is doing these big barrel aged stouts as well as anyone in the game, this one is special, well matured, and worth seeking out! i need to score a bottle!