Celebration Eros
River Styx Brewing Company

Gross concept? Kinda! But that's ok, I enjoy sickly sweet every now and again.

16 oz can acclimated to 50°F and poured into a stout glass.

Pours so dark brown it's black, and no highlights, with a 1.2 finger British khaki head, leaving minimal lacing.

Initial aroma is bacon! Smoky and meaty, which is maybe triggering my "I smell coffee" receptors, or I'm actually smelling coffee, can't quite tell.

Definitely some vanilla (Madagascar?), and some alcohol, reminiscent of bourbon, but also reminding me of cognac, which gives off a cask aged vibe.

After agitating it's whiskey and cream cheese frosting. I'm also reminded of labneh or some similar cheese.

Initial taste before swallowing is heavy sugary sweet and alcohol burn on the tip of the tongue that grows stronger. Heavy vanilla, it's smooth and very buttery which leads me to believe my guess of Madagascar vanilla was correct.

I'm not sure how much I'd notice it if I didn't already know, it's something I have trouble detecting.

After swallowing I'm met by a powerful sweetness. It's accompanied by a fairly strong semi sweet chocolatiness, starting off as a chocolate bar type taste, which later reveals itself to be the Oreo cookie black chocolate taste. There's also a little coffee and some black licorice. Easily noticeable alcohol fumes are released after the mouth opens after swallowing, these become more of an immediate burn later on, and I feel the vanilla may be adding to the intensity. Aftertaste is both intensely sweet and slightly bitter, with something I can't really pin down, but feels almost maybe like a medicine? Not bad but it does become a little bit of an obstacle as I get further in.

Mouthfeel is very slick and ever so smooth. Oily is a good word but I'd go slick over oily. This one just glides over the palate with absolutely zero effort, it's impressive. I also find it somewhat thin, but with a little butteriness, which made me think of a chocolate bar somehow, not really body but a little richness? Idk.

Overall this is a bit back and forth. Good, though. I did find it kind of a chore to finish a 16 oz can, due mostly to the alcohol, which was less noticeable initially but became somewhat harsh. The sweetness, while very high, managed to stay at a non cloying level, and balance the alcohol some, which was necessary for me. I didn't taste sprinkles (who am I kidding they don't have a taste), and I tasted vanilla but not specifically frosting. The flavors I did taste were superb, however, I haven't yet tried their Oreo or double stuffed Oreo imperial stouts, but this makes me look forward to trying them!

I don't know if it's a yearly release (it's to celebrate their opening anniversary) but if it is I don't honestly think I'd buy it again. I'm sorry Styx, I love you guys and your stuff so much, this one just didn't do it for me.