Origin of Darkness - Southern Grist (Maple Syrup, Pistachio, Vanilla & Lactose)
Collective Arts Brewing

Aggressive pour creates a massive foamy head that builds so slowly I overfilled my goblet and almost spilled some. Aroma is mainly roasted malt, a bit of yeast, some sweet vanilla. Not much here. Flavor is great. Loads of sweet maple and vanilla at the start, sweet maple dominated the middle, but the pistachio kicks in for the finish, reminds me of pistachio spumoni. Carbonation creates a creamy texture. Overall a good pastry stout, glad I found it, mixed in with a bunch of other beers at a Total Wine in Miami…

4/20/25
16.9 oz bottle, $13 @ Total Wine Miami
4.5 rating

 

 

 

 

Just too sweet to be, unobtrusive minor elements of roasted barley and of pistachio make their appearances. Liquid sugar and ok to sample and that alone.

 

I like the return to the 500 ml bottle - perfect sharing size and, I dunno - seems classier….
Pours a very dark brown verging on black with finger of creamy reddish brown head - dissipates shortly.
Nose has big notes of vanilla, coconut, maple with lesser players including chocolate and bourbon.
Taste is definitely sweet with vanilla, milk chocolate, maple and bourbon. There is a definite nutty flavour.
Rich and creamy full mouthfeel - coating and sweetness lingers - a bit of boozy heat on the swallow. This is dessert and wonderfully so but do your pancreas a favour and share this bottle.

Pours nearly black, with a one finger head of foam. Aroma is strongly vanilla, with maple overtones. Taste is...OMG...one of the smoothest brews I've ever had. This is supremely balanced with lots of maple and vanilla. The pistachio adds nice smoothness. Don't walk, run to taste this one.

L: Pours a thick hickory, slick and almost oily. Forms a moderate tawny head, with a swirl of effervescence forming a thin film of retention on the surface and a fairly thick ring of lacing around the edge of the snifter. Held to the light, this beer has an opaque pitch black hue.

S: Aromas of chocolate, vanilla, lactose, and maple syrup.

T: Follows the nose - a nice chocolate bourbon barrel imprint that meshes well with vanilla and hints of lactose, brown sugar, and maple syrup, yielding a balanced profile. A hint of dark fruit - perhaps cherries? Faint pistachio notes towards the back. Some roasted malt present throughout as well.

B: Medium- to full-bodied. Slick, oily, wet mouthfeel. Some coating as well. Light carbonation.

O: This beer grew on me. Initially it profiled as another near-cloying dessert stout, but as it warmed up it became more balanced. The mix of flavors leans sweet, but not nearly to the level of other pastry stouts. A hair under 12%, this beer was pleasantly boozy. Definitely worth a purchase.

Outstanding, deliciously syrupy with a lovely pistachio and molasses finish. Superb dessert beer. No head, no lacing, color is a deep black. Beautiful beautiful label. I want a print!

Pours a very dark color with a slight head and lacing
Aroma has abundant maple syrup, pistachio, chocolate and vanilla hints
Taste has a very generous and well balanced maple syrup, pistachio, chocolate and vanilla flavor
A medium bodied well carbonated beer
A great Imperial stout

500ml bottle served cold into a chalice. Purchase from the brewery.

Appearance - Inky black brew pours with slick viscosity. A finger and a half of tan head is poured and stays for quite a lengthy period. A bit of tan spidery lacing remains behind.

Smell - Maple syrup, chocolate and vanilla are most [prominent. Hard to pull pistachio. Dark chocolate and maraschino cherries (this might just be me) also shine through as the beer warms. For me the cherries really tie the maple syrup, vanilla and chocolate together.

Taste - Maple syrup and vanilla to start. Sort of like a topping over ice cream. Hints of cherry in there too. Some bits of nuttiness. Cocoa powder for a long while afterwards. Initially very sweet, but reeled in by the roasted nature of the cocoa powder flavor.

Mouthfeel - Luscious and velvety feel. Creamy and smooth, full bodied with lower than average carbonation. A sipper. Disguised ABV until it hits the back of your throat, then it's wake up time.

Overall - One of my best beers of 2023. Fantastic imperial stout and well worth the large cost ($15). The combo of maple syrup and vanilla, the kiss of cherry and the finishing with a healthy dusting of cocoa powder just pulls it all together so nicely.