Sleeping Forever (2019)
The Veil Brewing Co. - Production Brewery

 

 

 

 

16 ounce can into snifter, canned on 4/10/2019. One of the blackest looking beers I've seen. Pours dense pitch black color with a 1 finger dense and rocky dark brown head with good retention, that reduces to a ring of lace eventually. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, apple brandy, molasses, toffee, fudge, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark/brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of vanilla, licorice, raisin, prune, fig, date, smoke, char, leather, tobacco, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Minimal booze in the aromas as it warms. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/black/roast/bready malts, light-moderate apple brandy barrels, and light earthy hop notes; with big strength. Taste of huge dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, toffee, fudge, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, and dark/brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of apple brandy, vanilla, licorice, raisin, prune, fig, date, smoke, char, leather, tobacco, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Very minimal herbal, grassy, peppery, roast, charred bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, toffee, fudge, roasted nuts, toasted biscuit, dark/brown bread/crust, apple brandy, vanilla, licorice, dark fruit, light smoke/char, leather, tobacco, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, light-moderate apple brandy barrels, and light earthy hop flavors; with a solid roast/hop bitter/sweet balance; and no cloying/acrid flavors after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and extremely full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/velvety/bready, and lightly slick mouthfeel that is fantastic. Slight sticky hops, chalky roast, and increasing dryness. Mild increasing warmth of 12%, with no booziness lingering after the finish. Overall this is an incredible imperial stout. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, light-moderate apple brandy barrels, and light earthy hop flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the huge ABV, with the minimally bitter/drying finish; amazingly soft/silky feel. Apple Brandy is mostly only prominent in the nose. Was expecting a bit more, but this is a blend of the base and BA versions. Amazingly rich malt complexity with solid barrel presence. Mild earthy hops and fruity yeast. Not overly sweet/heavy from lingering dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing style example as expected.