Mordred’s Void
Benchtop Brewing Company

L: Poured from a tallboy can to a pint glass. Had a dark brown / almost black color and a thick, opaque consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy, tan-colored, fairly long-lasting head. Below average lacing.

S: A pretty good aroma of bananas, coffee, nuts, malt, and vanilla.

T: Tasted of a decent bit of malt (subtle, yet strong backbone), some vanilla notes (kind of fleeting), a good shot of bananas (quite a sweet addition), some nuts (pecans, to be specific), and a little coffee (could've used a little more). This is a sweet, solid flavor that gets better as you go along. Well-balanced and flavorful.

F: An average amount of carbonation with a smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: On the whole, a solidly done stout. Worth a look.

I don't see a date on the can.

Appearance: It has a black body and a foamy textured, small, khaki head. It has pretty good retention and a small ring with a film of bubbles are left on the surface. No lacing aside from a few tiny spots that remain and slowly fade.

Aroma: The beer has an interesting nose; it smells like a mixture of chili seasonings with hickory wood. As the nose leaves or comes close to the glass there is a banana scent and and what smells a bit like apples. While the aromas are interesting they don't seem to go well with each other.

Taste: Up front there is a banana pudding flavor, then towards the middle of the mouth there is a woody flavor mixed with what tastes like cinnamon. There is a light note of chocolate in the background giving a bit of base to the beer but it is never the highlight flavor.

Mouthfeel: It feels full bodied but squishy in this light way, in the texture that a marshmallow might have. It fills the palate nicely. It is easy to drink but it is definitely a sipper.

Overall: It's an odd beer but an interesting one all the same. The can states that this is an "Imperial Stout made with Bananas, Roasted Pecans, and Vanilla." The bananas are definitely noticeable but the pecans and vanilla seem absent. There are a variety of other aromas and flavors that are not listed. I probably wouldn't buy it again but I am enjoying the can I have. I would recommend trying it because it is an interesting beer. My favorite part of the beer would probably have to be the strangely placed banana flavor that crops up from time to time between the other flavors. It gives the beer this funky vibe.