Grumpalumpagus
Norway Brewing Company

(500 ml bottle, picked up in Maine by a friend two months ago... we shared it from two Chouffe tulips)

Fairly standard oatmeal stout for its strength... Couldn't put my finger on from whence it came, but right from the start, an earthy-near-vegetal flavor coursed right through the core of each sip; not quite off-putting, not indicative of an infection or degradation of quality, just quirky and incomparable... I wish I'd had the bottle all to myself, so I could've further dissected this peculiar nuance... it otherwise had the quintessential texture and body characteristics of its ilk (1888)

 

Excellent head production; very good retention with minimal lacing. Extremely attractive imperial BA coffee stout.

Very strong coffee notes on the nose; very little bourbon presence (although it is only aged for six months). Nuts, oak, chocolate, and grains round out the profile.

Surprising amount of chocolate flavor on the palate, no doubt a combination of the coffee and malts playing together. Bourbon barrel influence is very neutral, with a bit of alcohol heat and some oak, but very little mash presence. Additional tasting notes include oat cream, red grapes, cherry, pecan, and caramel. Moderate coffee presence.

Alcohol sting is a bit high for the ABV. Very smooth, but drinks a bit thinner than I'd prefer. Overall a lovely mouthfeel but with room for improvement.

A- 500ml pours into a narrow chalice with a charcoal black body and a deep nutty brown cap. The head rises up to a few fingers high with a thick and creamy texture that has some massive pizza bubbles. Small ring and islands remain and lacing is spotty with a few small webs.

S- Very much a strong aroma that brings a decadent layer of really dark, fruity chocolate (like 95% cocoa) that is bright and pungent. Heavy toasted oats, hints of bourbon, dried dark fruits, raisin, toasted nuts and cocoa powder. Lots of espresso.

T- Again, the dark chocolate character of this album is beyond insane in terms of strength and flavor. Dark and bright fruity super intense cocoa leads into a hint of a peppery Bourbon barrel, toasted nuts, charred burnt barley, roast, licorice, booze, vanilla sweets, intense oat cookies and brownies. Desserty but not very sweet as the booze and oak/bourbon balance it out quite well. Espresso and dark roast coffee throughout.

MF- Moderately thick body but a bit lighter than expected, not a bad thing though. Medium level of carbonation as the texture is creamy and frothy. Slightly warm finish with a very dark burnt bitterness.

Bitter dark chocolate bomb that brings the cocoa and the fruity aspect of great chocolate alongside a ton of very dark barley and a subtle yet effective Bourbon barrel. Don't underestimate the oats as they give some cookie flavors without the sweetness.

 

Bottle was a gift from the brother-in-law who got it from the brewery in Norway, ME
Pours pitch black with beautiful espresso tan head, looks like fudge cake with maple butter cream frosting in a glass, smells is straight the Rains of Africa, salty wet soil, dusty pavement, freshly roasted coffee beans and hints of cocoa, taste is like drinking a dark chocolate covered espresso bean, with lashings of dirt/wet soil, and wood chips, body is thick and creamy. This beer takes me back to my childhood of eating mud in the front yard of our garden in Zimbabwe and hiking through dewy forests opposite the lake in Trout Beck Inn in the Nyanga mountains. Ladha bora, yum!

 

Had it on draft at the brewery, so good I picked up a few bottles, this is unbelievably good.