Double Maple Work From Home (2018)
Cerebral Brewing

we probably should have drank this one when it first came out, it has oddly gone sour, but there is so much maple on it that it takes us a few sips to even notice, which is kind of odd, because once we did, its all we could taste, kind of threw us off a bit, but somehow didnt really diminish the enjoyment factor, odd as that sounds, its definitely infected in this bottle, but i like it anyway. i guess thats how much i love all things maple. the beer is black and thick as driveway sealant, shiny and without any head after the initial pour. maple syrup accosts my nostrils, fresh and intense, way more sweet and sticky than the original, its just immense, and the first few sips thats all my palate can pick up, its amazingly bold. soon though something astringent comes up, first i think it might be the coffee part gone a little stale, but its more than that, its bacterial, and its sharp, and when the beer warms up, its really pretty evident that this has gone off. still, there is enough to like about it that we finish the bottle, huge maple obviously, big black malt depth, earthy smoke, and hot alcohol. sticky sappy body to it, weighty in the gut, perfect for a freezing winter night. the heavy bourbon in the finish is weird with the sourness, really a turnoff late, and i have a hard time praising this too much with such an obvious issue, but with all the maple, i cant totally hate on it either. a mess up for sure at this stage, hopefully they do it again so i can try it in its full glory. curious if others ran into this issue...

edit: just cracked another bottle same vintage years later, and its even more decayed and infected, sourness is rampant, its sharp and vinegar forward, and even the lovely maple is in peril. a shame because i know these were expensive and hard to get, and i know the full potential is through the roof, but its undrinkable at this stage. i had hoped it was a one bottle thing, but this seems to be widespread across this vintage. such a bummer...

On tap at the source.

Tan head. Dark brown black color.

Maple bomb. Maple syrup pancakes. Bourbon and coffee with a light roast. Thick but not oil thick. Warming and smooth.

Really awesome!

 

 

 

On tap at the brewery on release day. Looks like Work From Home, black stout. Aroma is super heavy maple, so is the flavor. Boozy as well. Its a good beer but I feel like the maple was a bit overpowering.