Sinister Sixth V1
J. Wakefield Brewing

 

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a large dark brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of fudge notes with some strong bourbon notes and some vanilla notes are also noticeable. Taste is a mix of fuge notes with some residual sugar notes offset by woody bourbon notes with some vanilla notes and vanilla. Body is thick with good carbonation and some warming alcohol notes. Solid pastry stout with some dominant bourbon notes.

Had Sinister 6th "V1" poured from 16.9-oz. bottle, no date, gift from cousin, into snifter.

Pours absolutely black with a thin tan head, which dissipates immediately to a thin ring, which leaves minimal sketchy lace before it also is gone. Aroma of whiskey and chocolate off the pour, soon joined by vanilla and spice (rye or hop or both), all of which continue throughout. Begins smooth and creamy, then whiskey and roast malts, and soon sticky chocolate and a little crisp cola, before a sticky, slightly warming finish.

This huge, smooth, clever beer does not reveal its secret 12.00 ABV, until you stand up.

 

A: Pours a very thick viscous opaque jet black in color with light to moderate amounts of fine active visible carbonation rising slowly along the edges of the glass and very light dark chestnut brown + dark cola brown + dark garnet red colored highlights. The beer has a finger tall dense foamy dark mocha head that reduces to a large patch of very thin film covering a little more than 90% of the surface of the beer with a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Strong aromas of spicy rye whiskey along with moderate aromas of toasted oak barrel and light to moderate aromas of caramel. Just shy of strong aromas of vanilla with moderate to strong aromas of chocolate + cacao nibs. Moderate aromas of roasted + dark + chocolate + caramel malts with moderate amounts of lactose sweetness. Hints of earthy hops.

T: Upfront there are moderate flavors of roasted + dark + chocolate + caramel malts with moderate amounts of lactose sweetness. That is followed by moderate to strong flavors of chocolate + cacao nibs as well as just shy of strong flavors of vanilla. Finally there are strong flavors of spicy rye whiskey along with moderate flavors of toasted oak barrel and light to moderate flavors of caramel as well as a hint of earthy hops. Moderate amounts of roasty bitterness which fades away relatively quickly leaving lingering moderate chocolate + vanilla + spicy rye whiskey flavors.

M: Medium to full bodied with light to moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth with a hint of alcohol warming in the finish.

O: Drinks pretty easily considering the strength but this is definitely a big beer and needed slow sipping in my opinion. Enjoyable with rich chocolate + vanilla flavors and aromas and a big spicy rye whiskey presence. Very good and I would gladly have this one again (as well as being interested in trying the other variant).