Öko Bomb
Third Window Brewing Co.

Type: 500-ml. bottle
Reviewed as: American Double / Imperial Stout
Glass: Jelly jar
Price: $12.00
From: Third Window Brewing in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Purchased: June 19, 2020
Consumed: June 19, 2020
Misc.: No bottled on date; Called the brewery and they said it was the 2020 version with Ugandan beans; 10.4 pct. ABV; Split with father-in-law

Snuck over to Third Window while I was in Santa Barbara just for this bottle. Had a version on Dec. 23, 2016 when they just opened, giving a taster a 4.50 and writing, “4-oz. taster. This is amazing.” This was a little different because of the coffee beans and ABV. This one went down as an, “Imperial chocolate stout with TwentyFour Blackbirds ¡Öko! Caribe cacao nibs and Ugandan vanilla beans.”

Poured a pitch black color with a finger of khaki frothy head. Could see a few bubbles underneath. Good spotty lacing. Good retention. (Sight - 3.75)

Smelled milk chocolate, vanilla beans, dark chocolate, cacao nibs, coffee malts, molasses and licorice. Even better out of the bottle with the addition of caramel and toffee. (Smell - 4.50)

Tasted almost as good as the nose. Got milk chocolate, vanilla beans, cacao nibs, cocoa, dark chocolate, molasses, hints of black licorice, coffee malts and chocolate cake. Did not taste anywhere near 10.4 pct. (Taste - 4.25)

Full body. Sticky texture. Average carbonation. Long, sweet finish. (Feel - 4.50)

Wasn’t quite as good as I remember it, but was different coffee roasters. Still was excellent. Would like to see a barrel-aged version of this. (Overall - 4.25)

4.31 | 96 | A-

Pours with a great head. Decent but not a strong smell at all. Taste is chocolaty but very much toned down by the vanilla. Feel is very thick (which I love). Basically a vanilla Bomb! With great notes of chocolate. Not Bomb but definitely very drinkable and a nice change up.

 

Looks jet black with light brown rad and lacing as it settles. Streaks of "skim" stay on top of the beer as I drink. Looks really nice. Smells so smooth and sweet. Tastes smooth, sweet and a hint of bitterness like in a coffee stout. Mouthfeel is very smooth, low carbonation but not too low. Overall I'd say this is an excellent chocolate stout with absolutely no standout negative flavors. Honestly it tastes like a better smoother less bitter less harsh version of Victory at Sea.

L: Rich black with foamy white head.

S: Tons of chocolate and roast malt. Like sniffing cocoa powder.

T: Fantastic chocolate at first, fades to very solid classic roast malt of a stout.

F: Velvety and sticky but not mouth-coating. Lighter than a BA stout but heavy for a regular stout.

O: Pretty fantastic. Throw in one more adjunct (like vanilla), barrel age it, and you might have something phenomenal. As is, just delicious.