Velvet Magnum
Other Half Brewing - Center Street

 

Disappointing. No aroma. Much too thin. Once it warms, there’s some okay flavors, but it’s overall just lackluster.

 

 

Picked this up when it was released, getting around to it on this windy winter night. Loved the label and the idea of this beer as it was quite complex but smooth at the same time. Lots going on here and with the amount of alcohol that was present in this, it took a bit of getting used to as it warmed up and fully emerged on my palate.

Nice pour to this beer as it was dark, slick, and topped off with a thin but offsetting mocha head that topped the liquid off nicely. Star-like spots remained on my Teku glass as I worked my way through this as this wasn't terribly thick for an American Double / Imperial Stout when it come to consistency but in terms of heft, this was on par with the best of them! Loads of coconut, pineapple, and pineapple in the nose, along with a raspberry-like sweetness and hints of brandy. All of those were present in the taste as this was sweet and slick, which was certainly a result of the cognac barrel aging. Hints of cherry, brandy, and milk chocolate could be found here as this had a wonderful dessert-like quality to it without being overly sweet or artificial-tasting. A sticky aftertaste was detected as the cognac reared it's head, making this feel as much as a liqueur as a beer in terms of it's sensual aspects.

Sure, this was strong but with so much going on here, that was expected and ultimately, par for the course. The name of this was quite appropriate given the velvety smooth feel and strong punch that this packed. Everything worked well together and in the end, this was a Stout that had everything going for it except for overt potency; which tends to be a turn-off when all is said and done. Wonderful stuff that proved that Stouts can have a full range of flavors, including fruit, and be slow sippers worth contemplating over. A near-perfect brew for a winter night such as this!

 

 

 

 

Visually a bit of a letdown, not much of a head despite an aggressive pour, lacing pretty much nonexistent. Flavor begins as a full bodied coconut/dark chocolate dessert stout, quite sweet but appealing, but as I worked my way through the cumbersome 500ml and the beer warmed an overwhelming note of canned dole pineapple juice just dominated and took this to an unappealing place. Hefty and sweet and in the end, too much pineapple throwing things out of whack.

I liked this beer but could have shared it one or even two ways and could have done with less pineapple juice and more cognac barrel notes, which were quite subdued aside from some undefined boozy/fusel characteristics.

Kinda was disappointed in this one. The taste and sweetness was a bit cloying for me. I never really understood that concept of cloying until this beer. I wanted to like this beer and perhaps my expectations were too high. Its definitely not as exceptional as Snowbirds collaboration with J Wakefield, which may be the best stout I have ever tasted from Other Half.

Look: Jet Black with a dark brown head that fades quickly. Small bubbles rather than a nice foam.
Smell: Green apple, Pineapple, Coffee, Molasses, Caramel, Cognac.
Taste: Pineapple in the forefront, Coconut and Apple in the middle, Syrup and Cognac to finish. Notes of Plum, Cherry, Pear, Marshmallow, Creme Brulee, and Lemon peel.
Feel: Very syrupy at first, but opens up nicely to a smooth brew. Alcohol is hidden, well blended and complex.
Overall: I was very questionable about this beer, but glad to have been able to acquire it. Very strong at first, but let this one open up and enjoy it after a nice dinner by the fire. I experienced a huge amount of fruit and sugars from this, unlike most stouts we are used to. Hidden aftertaste of coffee and smoke.