Sól
HammerHeart Brewing Company

a smoked stout with chocolate and cherry in it, and a super unique winter beer that i think is both creative and different, yet perfectly seasonally appropriate here around the holidays! these guys are so creative, and as good as they all sound on paper, they are even better in the glass. the smoke in this full bodied black brew is mellow compared to some of the other ones they make in here, campfire notes, wood burning stove, but its not the main flavor agent, and its not over the top or palate ruining, its an accent to the dark black roasted barley in here, and a unifying agent across the added ingredients. the chocolate is nib type, also sort of roasty so excellent with the dark malts, and with fine earthen bitterness, fudge richness, and a density that is just fantastic, warming and hearty. the cherry tastes dried to me, both sweet and tart in here, right in the center of the flavor, but not over the top at all, in fact they are quite subtle, minimal even, with a light tang and sweet push right when the chocolate aspect is at its apex. this isnt a very fruity beer, and the dark roast of the grain, the bitter chocolate, and the smoke keep this a big bold dark stout long before its a fruit beer, but the cherry accent makes this festive and even more distinct. nice round smooth enormously full body, but at an abv that allows for multiple pours. a special and one of a kind holiday brew, no spices at all from what i can gather, but every bit as complex as anything else out there for this time of year. i continue to be wowed by hammerheart!

750 ml mini growler from the brewery. Poured into a Hammerheart tulip glass.

Appearance: Pours midnight black. Moderate amount of bubbles and a slight finger of tan head that settles into a thin creamy layer.

Smell: A roasty and sweet malt driven aroma with a scent of chocolate, smoke, and cherries. Dark roasted malt with a scent of dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, smoke, coffee, toast, and biscuit with yeast. Sweet hints of cherries. Also some hints of earthy hops. A really nice aroma.

Taste: Like it smells, a roasty and fairly sweet dark malt driven taste with notes of chocolate, smoke, and cherries. Dark roasted malt with notes of dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, coffee, smoke, toast, and biscuit along with some yeast. Some nice notes of cherries. Undertones of hop bitterness. A very good taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy and somewhat slick with a drying finish.

Overall: A very good variation on Sköll och Hati. The cherries add a nice moderately sweet kick to the roasty bitterness.