Cryptid
Coppertail Brewing Co.

Poured a black body with minimal offwhite head that quickly died. The aroma was like chocolate fudge, although it is a light aroma, with some roasted woody notes as well. Medium body, a somewhat dry and boozy cocoa sweetness with a coffee bitterness adding roughness to the edges and then adds, along with some booze, to a dry finish. Slow sipper worth trying if you like a dryer, less sweet "sweet stout".

Reviewed from (long-standing) notes. Bottle purchased locally on 3/8/17, kept in the refrigerator until consumption on 1/6/18. Poured from the 750 mL bottle into an El Catador Barrel-Aged glass.

A: Very dark brown, essentially opaque, with a thin tan head that quickly fades to a ring of foam. Minimal visible carbonation, but does appear quite thick while pouring.

S: Roasted malts, thick drying tobacco, and leather. Chocolate, cacao nibs, toffee and notes of vanilla. Nice – comes across as quite attenuated, almost European.

T: Dark roasted malts, cacao nibs, and baker’s chocolate. Tobacco and a good bit of roasted bitterness. Some toffee and caramel, and a punch of ethanol sweetness. Mild coffee flavors on the back end, and more dark roastiness takes us to the finish. Surprisingly, it's fairly bitter in the hang – I think some may be from hops, though hop flavors are lacking.

A: An average to a big thin for a RIS, but not watery. Carbonation sensation is about average. The alcohol is prominent, but not quite to the level to detract from the experience.

O: A more than adequate beer, but not great. It does come off as European in execution, with a nice balance of sweet and bitter flavors; letting the tobacco and vanilla wafer flavors come play with the bitterness. But especially for a Tampa-area stout, I’m disappointed in the body - thinner than I was hoping for. But very nice flavors.

 

Nice look and decent feel but strong alcohol and coffee flavors old it back.

12oz bottle (4pk) with pretty cool label art and some pairing suggestions. Bottled 12/21/19 #1130

L: Near black, decent brown head, good retention, some lacing
S: Sweet, chocolately, roasty
T: Not cloying but more balanced to the sweet side, moderate roastiness, and chocolate
F: Good carbonation (low) but a little thin for the style. No bite
O: Overall too inoffensive, though it does nothing wrong. Could probably use some more hop presence for complexity