Barrel Faker
Varvar Brew

Pours a pitch-black coloration with a small, creamy head. Smells of slightly roasted, caramel malt, herbal hops and notes of chocolate, coffee and dark fruit, with distinct plum accents Taste is a great balance of slightly roasted, caramel malt and bitter, herbal hops, as well as notes of chocolate, coffee, licorice and dark fruit with accents of raisin and plum. Finishes with a medium bitterness and some coffee, herbal hops and dark fruit lingering in the aftertaste. Full mouthfeel with a medium/rich body and medium carbonation.

This makes for a rather nice, dry and bitter stout with a good balance of sweet'ish caramel malt, dark fruit and roasted malt and bitter, herbal hops, with the focus being on the more dry and bitter notes here, although the dark fruit is rather distinct as well, without feeling too dominating though, with a great body and mouthfeel for the ABV as well. This is already the second stout by Varvar that has really impressed me, which to be honest, I didn't really expect from this mall Ukrainian brewery during these trying times. Looking forward to the other cans I got left from this brewery and feeling less bad about really overpaying for them.