Wood You Be My Neighbor
Benchtop Brewing Company

I don't see any date on the can or the label.

Appearance: The beer is completely black in the glass but there is a hint of dark brown at the edges. It has a medium-sized khaki head that is fluffy and sticks to the glass in shallow draped slopes. It has good retention and decent lacing.

Aroma: There is a roasted coffee aroma to the beer with hints of caramel. There is also a light note of cherry lip balm and a faint aroma of burnt toast.

Taste: Up front there is a burnt wood, charcoal-like, flavor. Towards the middle it takes on a bit of pine but it is mostly the same charcoal character. The back of the palate is bitter charcoal again. In the aftertaste a light nutty character comes through which is nice.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium body that leans a bit towards medium-full at times. It has a nice smooth texture with a medium roasted bitterness. Carbonation feels great and the beer feels fantastic on the palate. It is well-textured with a wonderful and noticeable presence.

Overall: The beer has some good aromas and flavors. The real star of the show is the mouthfeel. The can states that this is "4.8% ABV" and it feels weighty but also well-attenuated. The can also states that this is a "Foeder Aged Czech Dark Lager" and while the lager itself is good it doesn't seem to gather much character from the foeder. It could be that some of the nuttiness in the aftertaste is from the wood but it lacks that classic wood character. Still, the beer is very enjoyable to drink. I would recommend it and I could see myself picking it up again from time to time. This beer would be a great beer to enjoy around the holidays as it has an interesting roasted character. Drinking it on Christmas Eve with some cheese, sausage, and crackers would be great.