Dark Passenger
Griffin Claw Brewing Company

2017 bottle 9.5%ABV.Pours into a stemmed glass a deep burgundy with a tinge of russet,a half finger tan colored head atop.Spiced cherries with a tinge of nuttiness,very fall/winter-like.Flavors are of fall mulling spices a bit of sour green apple,again the roasted nut comes thru as well,slightly spicy in the finish.A smooth but mellow feel makes the beer even more appetizing.A smooth spiced Wheatwine,a great sipper on this cool fall evening from the home state.

 

This one has some punch to it, definitely well balanced and you do not notice the potency right away. This is a very potent beer, this one tastes like a stout with some fruity notes. This is one that I cannot find around very much, this one is a specialty treat if you can find it.

 

 

 

A - Pours a very dark brown with a one finger tan head. Light spotty lacing.

S - Aroma is tart cherries, plums, raisins and chocolate.

T - The taste is cherries, plums raisins, toffee, chocolate and vanilla. The finish has a slight tartness.

M - Full bodied with low carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a sticky dry finish.

O - There is so much going on here. The flavor is fairly sweet with a nic lingering tartness. Not your average wheatwine.

 

 

Purple wax capped 22oz bottle from LambicPentameter (thanks man!). No discernible bottling date. Served in a goblet.

Pours a deep burgundy brown with just over two fingers of tan head. Very dark for the style. The bubbles fade to a milky haze and full collar that leaves huge sheets of lace where the head rested and a few lower scattered spots.

Smells of port, soured plum, tart cherries and fruit cake. Nothing necessarily reminiscent of sour or wheatwine but not bad either.

Semisweet malts and mildly tart fruits comprise the bulk of the flavor. Caramel, plum, tart cherry, apple, brown sugar, vaguely nutty, bready fruitcake and a little nip of alcohol. While this drinks much smoother that expected for the abv I'm still left a bit baffled by the lack of typical flavors associated with wheatwines.

Softly creamy, fullish feel with fluffy carbonation. Aftertaste of semi sour dark fruit, muted caramel and fruitcake.

Dark Passenger is a style bender for sure. Its neither wheatwine nor sour but it is at least interesting and goes down dangerously easily.

22 ounce bottle into snifter, 2015 vintage bottling. Pours fairly pitch black color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense tan head with with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big milk chocolate, cocoa, caramel, vanilla, maple syrup, molasses, toffee, cinnamon, nutmeg, bourbon, toasted oak, and light leather; with lightly tart raisin, plum, cherry, fig fruitiness and yeast/toasted earthiness. Fantastic aromas with awesome complexity and balance of dark/roasted malt, spices, bourbon barrel, and dark fruit notes; with great strength. Taste of big milk chocolate, cocoa, caramel, vanilla, maple syrup, molasses, toffee, cinnamon, nutmeg, bourbon, toasted oak, and light leather; with light lightly tart raisin, plum, cherry, fig fruitiness and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/tannic tartness and spice bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, caramel, caramel, vanilla, maple, molasses, toffee, cinnamon, nutmeg, bourbon, toasted oak, and lightly tart dark fruit flavors after the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roasted malt, spices, bourbon barrel, and dark fruit flavors; with a great sweetness/tartness/spice balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a very smooth, moderately creamy, and lightly slick/acidic mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a light warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this is an incredible spiced blended RIS/Barrel aged wheatwine style. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roasted malt, spices, bourbon barrel, and dark fruit flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the huge ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.