Whoa...Black Betty
Rustic Leaf Brewing Company

16 ounce crowler into tulip glass, filled on 1/19/2020. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a small dense light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a light amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, roasted nuts, and toasted dark/brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of dark fruit, smoke, char, herbal, grass, pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malts and light-moderate earthy hop notes; with big strength. Taste of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, roasted nuts, and toasted dark/brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of dark fruit, smoke, char, herbal, grass, pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal, grassy, peppery, roast, charred bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, roasted nuts, toasted dark/brown bread/crust, smoke, char, herbal, grass, pepper, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; with an awesome roast/hop bitter/sweet balance, and no cloying/acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering hop/char bitterness. Very clean on lager flavors with minimal fruity/yeasty notes. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, creamy, bready, and fairly sticky/chalky mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol for 5.5%. Overall this is an excellent dark lager. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mellowly bitter/drying finish; great soft feel. Not overly bitter/charred. Great clean/rich malt showcase, with balancing earthy hops. Light residual sweetness with lingering dryness. A very enjoyable offering, and impressive spot on style example as expected of the brewery. No complaints.