Erebus
Winterlong Brewing Co.

A- Whoa, this opened up with a bang, releasing way too much foam immediately....overcarbonated! Once this settled down and I cleaned up the mess it created on the table, I poured this and was greeted with creamy, dense, dark tan colored foamy head that is at minimum a couple of fingers thick, before eventually settling down into a thick film that resembles whipped cream in texture. Lacing is quite modest for what I was expecting here, with pretty much all of the protein sliding back straight into the liquid with gusto....oh well! The brew itself is heavy looking, oily, deep dark brown cola in color and rather opaque in nature. Aside from the lacing, this looks like a nice beer, with the head being rather impressive!

S- Definitely detect dark chocolate, toasted char, dry cocoa powder bitterness, black and chocolate malt astringency, blackstrap molasses semi sweetness, dry grains, dry grassy weed, weakened day old black coffee, hints of vanilla, and a dry biscuit like crackery yeast note....smells more of a traditional old school Stout that I enjoy!

T- This one comes across fairly bitter to be honest, which isnt a bad thing at all! Loads of dark chocolate, with muted flavors of rich cocoa powder, semi sweet blackstrap molassess richness, creamy vanilla, heavier tones of nurturing yeast, slightly of prune/fig fruits, and a grainy Earthy charred bitterness on the finish, that also lingers after the swallow.....quite nice to taste!

M/O- This has a medium/full body....it isn't as thick and oily as it appears on the pour; and the carbonation, well it is much like I was hoping for....relatively soft, but not quite as creamy as I normally would like....this isn't a major concern though. For an 8.5%/alc brew, this isn't really boozy at all, and while it is flavor forward and shows some intensity, the drinkability factor would be leaning high in my opinion....I have no issues enjoying this can in full! Would pair well with a sharp cheddar and sausage platter, or if one has a sweet tooth, a creme brulee or just a good old fashioned square or two of 70%+ dark chocolate. My first beer to try with this brewery and I like what they have offered here....cheers!

2021 version of this brew.

Appearance - Pours a dark jet black with three fingers of creamy mocha head.

Smell - earthy, leafy, floral, and weedy hops, molasses, chocolate, cocoa, roasted malts, hint of dark fruits, and earthy yeast.

Taste - earthy, leafy, floral, and weedy hops upfront then quickly goes into the bold notes of molasses, chocolate, bitter cocoa, and roasted malts. The hint of dark fruits and earthy yeast round out the brew.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate to full carbonation. Finishes velvety smooth with the bitter cocoa, and other elements lingering.

Overall - A bold RIS that delivers on all fronts. I like how bitter the cocoa is in the taste and this is a great representation of the style.