New Leaf
Bottle Logic Brewing

Pitch black body, brown head. Big maple aromas meet roasted pecan, slight molasses, brown sugar, and char with big roasted malt backed by bourbon booze, just what I was hoping for. Taste is simpler in how it mashes the roasted malt, pecans, bourbon and char together into one with a maple thread running through it all. Feel is roasty, thick and warm, dries out through the sip, sneaky rustic. Hits the spot in late autumn

Drank from a 500ml/1 pt. 0.9 fl.oz bottle purchased on Tavour
Release 2024
Batch *001*
Served in a tulip

I thought this might be an aptly named beer to enjoy on New Year’s Eve, so here goes. The beer poured an ominous looking, thick and oily, complete pitch black hue. A short, burnt sienna colored film of bubbles topped the liquid, but it quickly dissolved. There was no lacing whatsoever.

The aroma was outstanding. Rich chocolate notes dominated. Dark chocolate fudge came to mind. Loads of brown sugar sweetness too. Smooth, boozy bourbon notes were also apparent. There was a punchy vanilla bean presence as well. As the beer warmed, some maple was detectable, but it was a lot more subtle than I anticipated.

The flavor profile was very malt forward but somewhat disappointing. Roasted malts were most apparent. Caramel malts were noticeable as well. Boozy bourbon notes came through strong as the beer moved along the palate. There was a subtle but notable maple presence too. Vanilla appeared on the back end. More bourbon and alcohol heat here and in the finish. Some bitter, roasty, char-like notes lingered after the swallow.

The mouthfeel was impressive and reminiscent of heavy whipping cream. It was dense and full bodied for the style. Oily and slick on the palate. The liquid contained a fine, subtle effervescence that fluffed up nicely. The sugars in the beer eventually left a slightly sticky film on my lips.

New Leaf was an enjoyable, bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout to ring in the new year. With that said, the maple was rather subtle, the roast was a bit excessive and the pecans were completely undetectable. Seeing as Toppling Goliath are masters at brewing massive, maple-infused stouts, I had higher expectations for this collaboration.

Matte black with a near finger of soupy dark mocha head. Quickly settles into a messy wisp. No lacing. Dry chocolate and some red wine in the nose. Dry dark malts again in the taste, joined by some light maple, red wine and umami. Kiss of alcohol in the finish. Creamy, slick feel with some light zippiness in the carbonation. Tasty.

500ml bottle sent my way by @Beersnake
Poured into a Bottle Logic snifter

P black w/ a 1f super dark tan head (probably one of the darkest I've seen); quick recession
N rich, inviting fudge w/ pecan nuttiness toward the finish; licorice as it opens up
T follows nose- big fudge notes dashed w/ light roast, maple mid-palate, and lots of warming booze in the finish; super cohesive and undoubtedly delicious
Mf full-bodied and silky smooth; soft-med carb
O outstanding stuff; thanks so much for sending this one, 'Snake!

Review date: 07.03.25
Bottle date: 2024 release

Bottle Logic/Toppling Goliath collab New Leaf BBA Imperial Stout, 14.6% ABV. Pours thick and black, with a ring of brown bubbles. Aroma is maple syrup, pecans, and roast malt. Taste is roast malt, maple syrup, pecans, black licorice, quite sweet, slightly bitter, some bourbon burn. Thick and smooth mouthfeel, leaving sticky lips. Overall outstanding to world-class adjacent.

 

Poured from a 500mL bottle into a TG DBA tumbler. Pours a viscous and shiny black with a thick mocha brown foam cap. Maple and dark chocolate on the nose. Hints of bourbon. Taste follows with perhaps a little more nuttiness although I do not detect pecans specifically. Full mouthfeel. Not bad but I had higher expectations for this one. TG does maple better than anyone and I was hoping that would translate here but it just doesn’t. Not a bad barrel-aged imperial stout by any means but definitely heavier on the dark chocolate with the maple almost an afterthought in the background and the pecans virtually nonexistent.

 

 

10/05/24 bottle @ home

 

The perfect beer for an autumn night by a firepit with a cigar and an ep of Band of Brothers. Scents of barrel, maple, dark malt. Not getting a lot of pecan on the smell. Same profile on the taste, pecan is more present, a boozy burn on the back end. Big, bold, bit thick, boozy. I like this.

 

 

Poured from a bottle at fridge temp. Pours a very thick black with a thin layer of brown head. The nose is dominated by maple syrup. The pecans don't really show up here. Some chocolate, maple, toffee, and vanilla.

The taste is fantastic. Again, the maple syrup is somewhat front and center. But also getting burnt toffee, milk chocolate, vanilla, maple, brown sugar, molasses, and a hint of black licorice. Lovely.

The mouthfeel is thick and viscous, and the aftertaste is burnt toffee and maple syrup.