Witch Meadow Black (2018)
Fox Farm Brewery

Having just consumed the 2019 vintage, I decided to do my 2018 from the cellar tonight. The beer has been in my cellar since purchase at the brewery.
Pouring into my snifter, the beer pours a rich dark chocolate brown color with a creamy tan colored head of 1.5 cm. The foam has some staying power and is leaving dense clingy lattice when I swirl the glass. Impressive foam clingability, is that a word?
Aroma is a big dose of bourbon while still pouring into my glass. SOme roasted malt and dark chocolate also, but a big hit of black coffee too. IN fact as the beer breathes a bit, the bourbon fades and coffee roast takes over, almost a charred note honestly. First sip reveals a thinner body than I expected and fine mild carbonation. Body is definitely light and this makes the beer go down fast.
Flavor is what I expect, there is some bourbon and vanilla up front and a bit of dark chocolate. This gives way to black roast coffee on the finish and this dominates the swallow and lingers after each sip. No hops anywhere in presence and the booze is fairly well hidden.
The coffee is a little too dominant on the finish and takes some of the sweeter notes of bourbon out that I enjoy. The beer is good, but given a choice I would do another bottle of the 2019 vintage over the 2018. Interested to see what happens next year!

This one pours a very dark black color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.

This smells like roasted malt, dark chocolate, cookie dough, chocolatey coffee, silky bourbon, oak, and vanilla.

This is absolutely not a coffee or vanilla bomb - it goes for a more subtle and refined approach. There's definitely more vanilla than coffee here. The barrel provides some sweet caramelly bourbon, and a nice toasted spicy oak character,

There's no booziness here, with a smooth and silky creamy body, and a great level of drinkability.

This is fairly elegant, and eschews any sort of ridiculous pastry nonsense.

 

 

500mL bottle. Bottle 359/1000. 2018 Vintage. Pours a viscous black color with no head. Almost no lacing. Earthy aroma of vanilla, coffee beans, chocolate covered espresso beans, and some bourbon. The taste is bourbon soaked cocoa with roasted malts, char, earth and dark chocolate. Bourbon finish with some vanilla and bitter dark chocolate. Medium body with little carbonation. Good variant but I think I still prefer the original.

getting way to much peppery coffee. what I’d expect from a first attempt coffee home brew. hardly any barrel, chocolate or vanilla. medium feel for the style. went in expecting better.

Base version plus Vanilla bean, cocoa nibs and coffee. Another solid beer from my local fav. Grabbed a few bottles and a draft today for later festivities. I got a lot of chocolate and coffee. Can’t wait to see how the base version compares.