Lake Surprise
Twin Elephant Brewing Company

 

A: silky dark black color with some darker brown notes towards the edge of the glass. Thin, tan head

S: roasted lays, grassy hops, soy sauce, milk chocolate, genetic woody note, and bitter dark chocolate. Very rich smelling

T: oaky/woody note followed by bitter roasted malt. Big dark chocolate and caramel behind that. A boozy note in there as well. Some sweet milk chocolate in the back as well. Finish is a bit of caramel sweetness and more roasted malt

M: heavy mouthfeel that is a touch sticky. Medium carbonation

O: nice stout here. Not the best in the world, but balanced well and made be a sipper. Very enjoyable

I had this on draught at the brewery on its release weekend. It pours a dark walnut color - almost black. The thin, mocha-colored head faded quickly leaving a thin sheen of mocha lacing. I wish the head was longer lasting. Its nose features dark chocolate/fudge, roasted malt, and a whiff of freshly-brewed coffee. Its taste opens with roasty malt, burnt coffee, earthy char, and dark bread. As the glass warms, there is increasing dark chocolate that is not overly sweet, along with hints of caramel and dark fruit. There is also warming alcohol. The feel is on the thin side for a RIS with lite carbonation. And it's hard to believe the ABV is 10.5%; it doesn't seem that high. Overall, this is a nice rendition of my favorite beer style. I only wish the dark fruit were more prevalent.