Varvar X North
Varvar Brew

 

my first ukrainian beer, some solidarity i suppose, i wish i could say that i love it but i’m not mad on it, the levels of smoke are really good, but the base beer is a bit lacking, doesn’t really have much depth to it, black bread, molasses, lot of liquorice, herbal, dark fruit earthy, high bitterness on the finish, medium body but really ought to have more, too thin, low carbonation, it gets better as it warms, but it’s not as nice as i was hoping it to be, i’m willing to give these lads a another shot mind

Pours a pitch-black coloration with a medium, creamy, mocha-colored head. Smells of roasted, smoked malt and chocolate, with hints of licorice, tobacco and plum as well. Taste is a great balance of roasted, smoked malt, some chocolate and dark fruit, with notes of raisin, plum and fig, as well as hints of licorice, tobacco and toffee. Finishes with a light/medium smokiness and some chocolate, dark fruit and tobacco lingering in the aftertaste. Full mouthfeel with a medium body and carbonation.

This makes for a really nice Smoked Stout with a great balance of smoked, roasted, bitter and slightly sweet notes, with a great campfire smokiness. Even though the prunes seem rather subtle here, there are still some rather nice dark fruit notes from the malts to this overall. This feels pretty rich for the ABV as well, with a good body and mouthfeel. I've really enjoyed all the stouts I've had from Varvar, even though their NEIPA didn't quite live up to them, and this is certainly no exception, making for a very well-balanced and rich example of the style.