Coco Dose
Horus Aged Ales

 

dont know what that one funky side flavor is but this perfect for 12% otherwise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossy black with a very slow to surface head that, as it slowly roils up, makes the surface a bit taut and convex, building a surprisingly thick mocha blanket that retains fairly well for a heavily adjuncted stout, slowly settling to a creamy film clinging in rolling chocolate hills on the glass.

Smell has that sweet sugary marzipan note to it that I've found in many Horus beers, which then pleasantly turns to a hazelnut wafer fairly quickly and expressively. Second whiff actually gives me a sort of Neapolitan ice cream vibe for a split second before becoming shockingly intense of milk chocolate, very milky even, with a note of mocha lingering after.

Taste is very chocolatey up front, verging into luscious hazelnut in the middle, with a sharply hot vanilla accent before capping off with a bit of mocha. This all starts off very sweet, but then shockingly takes a very bitter turn in the equally fusel swallow. I had an over 15% stout by Bottle Logic before this that went down way easier without any burn, while this one does have a formidably cutting sting all the way down. At times it almost seems more like a yeast burn than alcohol.

The fluffy medium to full body has a really pillowy carbonation, but as mentioned this comes into a finish that is surprisingly bitter, but also bone dry. The bitterness isn't quite that acrid burnt sugar note that their other beers have been known for, at least to me, but it veers dangerously close, almost like a charred oak note, but there's no actual barrel character present here, obviously. It's such a dichotomous experience in feel--so pleasant up front, and so displeasing right at the tail end--it's hard to rate.

Having had many Horus beers at festivals, tastings and bottle shares, I can see why, early on, they attained a lot of hype. In conjunction with their bottle art, their beers give a big, bold first impression, and if you're only having a few sips, that's likely to be a good one. But actually sitting down with a full bottle is very difficult to do. In contrast, I can easily put down a full Stasis release by Bottle Logic bottle and not only love it start to finish, but feel relatively fine, particularly in the gut, afterwards.

Sweet hazelnut vanilla syrup, vanilla coconut flakes, and hint of mocha coffee nose on this one! Whoa! Fantastic aromatics on this badboy! Taste follows with a soft and fluffy-thick, hazelnut coffee, and buttery-coconut cookie swallow. There are some bitter notes that linger on the backend...hard to pin down exactly what it is...dark chocolate bitterness? vanilla/medicinal? As it warms, this starts to influence and take away from the enjoyment of the end of the finish. The body/mouthfeel on this is different and I like it! It is more of a soft/pillowy feel than your typical soft/thick/viscous one you might find with some high-quality imperial stouts. Good stuff!