Brother of Night
Ten 10 Brewing Company

 

22oz bottle poured into a snifter. Bottle purchased at the brewery. Brother of Night is a barrel aged imperial stout weighing in at 11% ABV. Pours a dark black color with nearly zero visible carbonation despite a semi-aggressive pour. The nose features a lot of oak, bourbon and vanilla from the barrels the beer rested in. Upon first sip, my initial observations about very little carbonation in the bottle are confirmed. I would much rather little to no carbonation over an over carbonated beer any day but the mouthfeel and overall experience of the beer does take a hit. The flavor is really nice with some sweetness and roastiness up front and a big lingering warming finish from the barrels and high alcohol. Overall, I think the base beer is really solid but the lack of carbonation and the booziness from such a young bottle detracts from the beer. With proper carbonation and a little aging, Brother of Night would be a really solid beer.