Train Fight
Tapistry Brewing

Bottled on 1/28/2016.Pours into a snifter ink black with a near half finger mocha colored head atop,black as an oil slick.Aromas of dark chocolate,slightly tart cherries,and vanilla,the cherry component really stands out.Flavors of black bread,black licorice, and those slightly sour cherries stand out most,mild char and earth in the finish mixed with bitter chocolate.The nearly three years in bottle really makes the fruitiness aka cherry flavors really stand out,quite an interesting palate to this RIS.

22 oz brown bottle - bottled on 1/09/2017

Train Fight filled my snifter with an almost black hue and has dark red edges. Atop sat a dark tan short head that shrunk rather fast to a narrow collar of foam. The aroma is toasted malts, dark chocolate, and toffee. The taste follows the nose only richer than the aroma. There is a little hop presence and alcohol warming at the finish. Mouth feel is full bodied, creamy and chewy.

Train Fight is full of flavor and its richness limits its drinkability. A nice RIS.

 

 

A - Pours a midnight black with a thin tan head.

S - Aroma is roasted malts, dark chocolate, black licorice and molasses.

T - The taste follows the aroma. Dark roasted malts, dark chocolate, molasses, toffee and black licorice. There is a nice char in the finish.

M - Heavy body with low carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a soft dry finish.

O - A really nice RIS. The flavors are nicely balanced with the ABV well hidden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I picked up a bottle of Tapistry's Train Fight at Boyne Country Provisions. I've had a good history with Tapistry and this Stout caught my eye, so lets see how it goes. 2016 Vintage, Bottled 1/28/16. Poured from a brown 22oz bottle into a snifter.

A- the label looks ok, it's a little weird and it's a little eye catching. It poured a nice black color that didn't really let any light come through and it had a finger and half of very creamy slightly darker tan head that died down to a thin ring that stayed till the end and it left some great rings of patchy lacing. This is a very nice looking RIS, I have no complaints.

S= The aroma starts off with a lower amount of higher sweetness with the malts being the first to show up and they impart some nice dark malt, roasted malt, slightly charred, grainy and chocolate like aroma with the chocolate and roasted malts aromas sticking out the most. Up next comes a slightly tart dark cherry aroma with some other dark fruit aromas showing up in the background that make for a little bit of a chocolate covered cherry aroma. Towards the end there's a slight and cardboard and drunky aroma with a little more tart dark fruit aroma. This beer has a nice aroma, but I wish it was more robust with out some of the off aromas.

T- The taste seems to be similar to the aroma, but more balanced and it starts off with a lower amount of high bitterness with the malts still being the first to show up and they impart the same aspects with the chocolate taking on more of a cocoa like flavor. Up next comes a noticeable boozy flavor that goes into the fruit yeast which isn't as strong as it was in the aroma, but it still imparts that same dark cherry and dark fruit aspects. On the finish there's no funky off aspects that I got in the aroma with a creamy lfavor and it had a lower amount of high bitterness that mixed with more sweetness and some warming alcohol burn with a cocoa, cherry, dark fruit and slightly smokey aftertaste. This is a nice tasting beer and it's more balanced than the aroma, but the sweet, booze and bitter finish isn't for me.

M- Not the smoothest, pretty creamy, a little crisp, slightly sticky, a little boozy, velvety, on the lighter side of being full bodied with a lower amount of medium carbonation. The mouthfeel is nice, but I wish it was a smoother and not as boozy.

Overall I thought this was nice beer and a solid example of the style, it's not bad, but it wasn't as robust as it was hoping and it had that nice thickness and body that I look for in the style, but I thought the flavor didn't line up and work as well together as they could. This beer had ok drinkability, one is enough for me, it would wear on me after that. What I like the most about this beer is the appearance, it's a very nice looking RIS. What I like the least about this beer is the taste and drinkability, they both could use some work. I don't think I would buy this beer again, but I would like to try it fresh to see how much it changes over time and I can't say that i would recommend it. All in all it's not a bad beer at all, but when it comes to the style it's a little rough around the edges and it just doesn't all come together the way that a great RIS should. It's not a favorite Tapistry beer and it's just a little bit above average for the style. Better luck next time guys, this one could use a little work.

22 ounce bottle into a snifter. Bottled 1/28/16.

Pours a dark brown, mostly opaque, with a small head and some lacing. Smell is lightly roasted malts, chocolate, vanilla, toffee, light licorice, a little smoke when warm. The taste leads with the malt, then chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, some molasses, raisins, some caramel. Smooth, creamy, full bodied, hides the ABV well, maybe a touch over carbonated.

Very good beer, a nice depth of flavor. Have second bottle that we'll let sit for for a little while, see where it goes. Well worth a purchase, whenever it comes around again.

22 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled on 1/28/2016. Pours dense pitch black color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky tan head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, toffee, molasses, toasted dark bread, raisin, plum, fig, light smoke/char/licorice, herbal, and roast/char earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt and moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, toffee, molasses, toasted dark bread, raisin, plum, fig, light smoke/char/licorice, herbal, and roast/char earthiness. Light-moderate roast/char and herbal/spicy hop bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, toffee, molasses, toasted dark bread, dark fruit, herbal, and roast/char earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt and moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; with a great roast/hop bitter/sweet balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light dryness from hop/char bitterness, that increases through the glass. Light-medium carbonation and very full bodied; with a very creamy/silky, and lightly slick/sticky/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is awesome. Alcohol is well hidden with a small warmth lingering after the finish, with minimal booziness. Overall this is an awesome Russian imperial stout style. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt and moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the huge ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.