Saturday
18th Street Brewery - Gary Taproom

Appearance - amid the blackness of the porter, a dark mocha colored head crowned the glass.

Smell - Well balanced notes of sweet bourbon arose from the glass.

Taste - Chocolate sweetness came at the beginning. Light tobacco ran as an undercurrent. The bourbon and the chocolate are nearly perfectly balanced throughout.

Mouthfeel - The feel had a sticky sweetness to it.

Overall - This was a superior collaboration. 18th Street does some really solid stouts by themselves, and perhaps even better with others.

Had on tap. Collab with Cycle. On the smell I got a robust malt base, with big barrel character, both wood and booze. Yet in the taste it starts this way but brightens and sweetens in a hurry with a big caramel note. Clearly a big sipper, but the booze is well hidden considering 16% abv. Thick and chewy but not overkill in the body and goes down smooth despite weight.

 

 

Jet black color with a dark tan head, the barrel is immediately evident on the nose, and there are also rich caramel and toffee notes.

The taste has rich milk chocolate, piles of toffee and caramel, and a smidge of alcohol heat from the barrel. When I added this collab brew (with Cycle), I saw the 16% ABV and assumed it was a BA RIS - it’s not. It’s an imperial porter.

Whatever it is, the caramel, toffee, milk chocolate, and barrel meld together to produce a traveshamockery excellent beer.