Priory of Shadows
Ethereal Brewing

I shared a bottle of this beer with the old Oswego crew at the the Air BNB we rented whilst in Lexington for our annual beer trip. The beer was a solid stout with dark chocolate, vanilla, and roast presence. This had full body and was 13% abv not 8.5% as entered. More a winter sipping beer.

Very black as ink. A tan head that leaves lots of tan lacing on the glass. Those is sweet like maple syrup. Also get a hint of bourbon. Taste is also sweet most likely from the vanilla beans. Get the warm, friendly alcohol across the throat and back palate.

 

Bold but smooth, dark but soft, rich but effortless, the English stout has always pushed the roast and then look for elements to temper its brunt. The brewers at Ethereal Brewing push both with an imperial strength stout, but then soothing it with a duo of lactose and vanilla.

A gentle black appearance comes from a silky smooth pour, one of velvet that softly layers in the glass. Priory of Shadows builds a dense but compressed froth while spilling a nougat and espresso scent onto the nose. Light hints of dark fruit, vinous tones and chocolate precede and malt dominant introduction of marshmallow, burnt cream and toffee.

While the flavors swirl on the middle palate, the stubborn sweetness is intent to saturate the tastebuds with sweet cream vanilla and butter pecan. Espresso turns to latte, dark chocolate seems milk-like and the nuttiness trends like cake batter as the sharp elements of roast are rounded and softened by milk sugars and sweet vanilla spice. Even a woodsy hop regimen is no match for the malt and sweetness.

Full bodied and with the textures of velvet, the lush textures seem milkshake-like while the alcohol spice trends kahlua-like into a long finish of sweet coffeehouse drinks but with a punch.