Ball or Sword
Other Half Brewing - Center Street

This one pours a very thick looking dark black color, with a small head, and not much lacing.

This smells like coconut, pure sugar, melted milk chocolate fudge, caramel, honey, and coffee.

This has potential, but it just sits so heavy and awkward on the palate. It's too sweet and thick ultimately - the version of this that had the sesame paste (Choose One) was definitely better, as that helped balance this a little better.

This is extremely thick and syrupy, just too much so. It's a slower sipper.

I love me some pastry stouts, but this is just going too far, in my humble opinion.

 

A: Pours an opaque very thick viscous jet black in color with light to moderate amounts of fine active visible carbonation rising along the edges of the glass and very faint very dark chestnut brown + very dark cola brown + very dark amber + very dark garnet red colored highlights. The beer has a finger tall dense foamy dark tan head that reduces to a medium sized patch of very thin film covering a little more than 25% of the surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of lightly roasted + dark + chocolate + caramel malts with slightly stronger than moderate amounts of caramel + chocolate sweetness along with moderate aromas of lightly roasted coffee and vanilla. Light to moderate aromas of nutty/earthy/sweet/umami black sesame paste.

T: Upfront there are moderate to strong aromas of lightly roasted + dark + chocolate + caramel malts with slightly stronger than moderate amounts of caramel + chocolate sweetness. That is followed by moderate flavors of fresh lightly roasted coffee as well as moderate flavors of vanilla. There are some light to moderate flavors of nutty/earthy/sweet/umami black sesame paste. Finally there are light to moderate flavors of earthy hops. There is a light to moderate amount of roasty bitterness which fades away relatively quickly leaving a moderate lingering sweet chocolate + vanilla + black sesame flavors.

M: Full bodied with light to moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth, slightly sticky with a light to moderate amount of alcohol warming in the finish.

O: Drinks relatively easily considering the strength of this one - definitely a slow sipper with the big thick mouthfeel. Lots of complexity to the flavors and aromas, very enjoyable but definitely sweet and a great substitute for dessert after dinner.

Pours thick and heavy, pitch black, zero head. Big aromas of chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and I definitely get the tahini. Nice sweet Vanillla flavor, I get the chocolate flavor from the malts, touch of coffee, and the sesame paste flavor blends in nicely, subtle at first, then more pronounced as it warms. Thick and sludgy, minimal carbonation. Overall a very good pastry stout. Black sesame flavor is not my bag, but still pretty enjoyable.

2/19/21
500 ml bottle, released
4.25 rating