Benthic - Cherry Brandy
Half Acre Beer Company

 

 

12 ounce can into a snifter. Canned 10/18/22, had 1/7/23.

Pours near black and opaque, with a brief quarter inch foamy head and speckled oily lacing. Aromas of roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, coconut, some oak, light cherry brandy, light char. Flavors of cocoa, chocolate, coconut, vanilla, malt, cherry brandy, some oak. Smooth, lightly creamy, a solid full body, appropriately carbonated.

The coconut and vanilla are the stars , and while the cherry brandy barrels are noticeable, would have liked a bigger presence. A delicious and excellent effort, as usual.

 

 

 

 

Pours pitch black with a 1.5 finger reddish-mocha head that sticks around for a long time, especially considering the abv. Aroma and taste are similar and that's not a bad thing at all. Getting dark and milk chocolate-covered maraschino cherries, Hershey's chocolate syrup, rich vanilla bean, some marshmallow, shaved coconut macaroon, slight cinnamon spice, charred oak, brandy spirit. Full body and a thick, mouth-coating feel. The barrel character surprisingly goes so well with the base and adjuncts. I can't say enough good things about Half Acre's barrel program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canned 10/18/22; drank 1/2/23 @ the Yarchives.

Brown/black appearance.

A violent pour yielded a big dark tan head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lace remained.

Cherry, oak, booze heat & faint oatmeal notes in the nose.

Thick, creamy mouthfeel.

Cherry, coconut, oatmeal & oak flavors; booze heat emerged as this warmed.

Even better than the 2020 version; finally some oak, plenty of cherry and balanced at that. A stunner.

 

2022 release consumed 12/15/22

I think this is the thickest stout now that I've seen from HA or anyone. It's super dark and black as a stout should always look. The feel is super thick and coating. The nose is phenomenal like all Benthics. I can pick out the cherry brandy notes even among the other adjuncts. So, how does the cherry brandy affect it all? For me, I am really liking the combo. The cherry is certainly there and it could be a bit much for some folks. It is probably the most prominent flavor, but it is still in balance for me. I would say if you do not like cherry at all, you will not like this variant. If there's anything I would ding the beer for it would be that it seems to finish a bit sweeter than the other Benthics. Now I need to drink the other variants to see which is my favorite for the year

 

 

poured from a 12oz can into a perennial snifter. pours a stark black with a thin dark brown foam cap. aromas of chocolate, sweet coconut, chocolate-covered cherries and vanilla. taste follows with chocolate and vanilla sweetness up front followed by coconut and the cherry brandy on the finish. the base stout, the vanilla and the cherry brandy work so well together. it’s extremely balanced with a thick, full mouthfeel. i wasn’t sure what to expect of this one going into it, but it works. very well balanced, thick, rich and decadent without being overly sweet. good stuff.