Deep Dark Woods Blend 003
Triple Crossing Brewing

 

Oooh, she‘s dark. Pours a thick, black sludge, and glugs into the glass, with a dark brown head that emerges from the bottom of the glass. Looks ominous.

Aromas of unsweetened cocoa, deep roast coffee, Mounds bars, with a touch of vanilla to round all out. Smells both sweet and bitter at the same time. It’s intense, and the intensity only grows as it warms.

Flavors of acrid black coffee that is wildly bitter. Really overwhelms the vanilla and whatever malty sweetness was present. Barrel is relatively mild, but still provides rich flavors of oak-derived coconut, caramel, pipe tobacco and dark chocolate.

Usually prefer to drink my stouts around 55°-60°, but in this case, I would have like it better around the 50° mark. At that temp, flavors were much more in balance and the charred bitterness wouldn’t be so overwhelming. But either way, solid beer.

Blend #3; no bottling date, but released on 1/15/21, so presumably bottled within a few days of that date

Pour crawls out of the bottle, dense, inky, and almost sludgy jet-black in body; activity persists briefly at the surface, and unable to form anything beyond a few meandering bubbles, renders a thin yet creamy, deep mocha collar guarding the edges; no lacing whatsoever holds to the walls of the glass.

Aromas of fresh coffee are a tinge nutty and conceal wisps of dark fruit interwoven into an initial bourbon-forward affront, all evenly dispersed to touch all aspects of the bouquet; cocoa enveloped in nuances of fresh bakers chocolate build to a peaking fudge brownie tone, while bourbon and vanilla tingle the back end in a nod toward a burly, roasty sort of sweetness.

Taste features a mild-moderate roast profile upfront, taking the grit of burnt brown sugar in tandem with the silkier character of coffee ice cream; pure dark chocolate culminates over the mid-palate, softened by hints of hazelnut creme, while an attenuated char gives rise to subtle vanillins along a smooth, bourbon barrel-laced finish.

Mouthfeel brings a full body and silky texture with a mild carbonation offering a light tingling sensation into an oily glide over the mid-palate; minimal grit and a deft stickness vie for attention into the back end as an equally subtle warmth shows a steady dryness into a charry finish.

Second-use ingredients see the barrel impart a more layered nuance, enhancing the bright, bittersweet contrasts of coffee, vanilla, and whiskey for a denser element of expression; so incredibly cohesive, consistency is at the forefront as properly balanced adjuncts don't define, but accentuate the overall product.

 

The beer pours a dark brown head that dissipates quickly while the beer itself is an opaque dark chocolate brown that strongly resembles black. It looks really good.

The smell is delicious. It has a nice mix of slightly burned roasted malts mixed with a bittersweet dark chocolate that finishes with a nice wood and light vanilla note. The bourbon note mixes well with the other notes.

The taste is delicious. It has a strong sweet chocolate note mixed with a bourbon note. The finish has a delicious and sweet vanilla note. The malt note is roasted and give off a good espresso taste.

The feel is very good. It has a heavy body with a milky texture to it. The carbonation is biting.

Overall, a delicious beer worth getting and having. It's indulgent and great for a cold day.