The Mind Flayer
Barreled Souls Brewing Company

Poured at fridge temp. Pours black with minimal head. The nose is full of cherries and chocolate. Malts and almonds come through as well. A hint of vanilla comes through as well.

The taste is comparable to the nose. Cherries, chocolate, some roasted malts, smooth brown sugar, blackberries. This is slightly boozy, but just a really nice balance of flavors. I often fear fruit in stouts, but this was mild enough to make it work. I would summarize this beer as a fluid version of chocolate covered cherries. Really nice overall.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a nice level of carbonation. The aftertaste is fruity and malty.

I am sampling a 500 ml bottle poured into my snifter at cellar temperature. I picked up the bottle at the brewery during my recent visit in August. The beer pours a dark black coffee color with a spongey tan head of almost 3 cm. I actually couldnt get the full bottle in my glass. The foam slowly fades to a strong edging and one large island of foam. I do get some scattered lattice on swirls and sips from the glass.
Aroma is a good bit of dark chocolate, high cacao % kind of stuff, some roasted malts and I do get some cherry cordial scent when I take a deep whiff. No hop character and not boozy at all.
First sip reveals a medium body with very smooth texture and soft spacious, yet fine carbonation. Almost still to be honest.
There is some decent coating on my palate if I let the beer sit in my mouth before I swallow.
Flavor is similar to the nose advertisements with some dark chocolate , light bakers chocolate bitterness in there, some sweet cherry cordial note on the finish. Never any hop character and never any abv bite. There is a slight warming on the swallow, but it doesnt linger nor do I feel it in my belly.
This is a nice drinking imperial stout and it has the flavors I would expect from the description. I really like chocolate cherries, so more fruit presence would be a boost in rating, but I am still enjoying this beer tonight. Another win for the crew in Saco, Maine!