Ophion
Mortalis Brewing Co.

 

2021 vintage (released in 8/2021); consumed on 3/16/2022

Pours a dense, inky midnight-black body capped with a half-finger of mocha-hued foam, receding quickly to a blank cap, thin, creamy collar, and minimal-no lacing holding to the walls of the glass.

Aromas open to a hint of cherry with steady barrel undertones building to a hit of bourbon accentuating milk chocolate through the middle; raisin meets dark chocolate brownie batter as a roasted malt richness peaks with a mild coffee imbuement on the back end of the bouquet.

Taste brings dark fruits melded seamlessly to bourbon-imbued milk chocolate as slight brown sugar undertones make way for burnt brownie crust and a distant hint of caramel over the mid-palate; a burlier oak presence amplifies a deft, bittersweet char peaking through the back end, leaving leather and shreds of vanilla lingering through the finish.

Mouthfeel offers a medium-full body with a lightly perceptible carbonation producing a silky texture, consistently creamy into a lasting prickle dispersed over the mid-palate; a soft warmth into the back end sees touches of stickiness begin to dry out into the finish, with a roasty grit remaining subtle and ever-present.

A rich, balanced display of bittersweet roast and level bourbon influence a perpetual wave of flavor carried atop a brilliantly attenuated texture, levying decadence against a soft barrel undertone across a warming and expressive experience; a subtly abundant and diverse, satisfying sipper.

 

 

This one pours a dark and inky looking black color, with a small head, with impressive legs, and sticky lacing down the glass.

This smells like fudgy brownies, raisin, roasted malt, oaky char, leather, caramel, ganache, and dark roast coffee.

Mortalis is primarily known as being located in downtown Adjunct City. However, this stout does a fantastic job of showing they can bear down and make an amazing beer just based on stout and barrels. It's just so thickly and monstrously fudgy, with a some bittersweet caramel, mildly sweet dried raisins, barrel-derived vanilla, oaky char and leather, and dark and bitter espresso shots. It's got a great mix of sweet and bitter - each individual sip seems to teeter on one end or the other.

This is so thick and luscious, with a silky and creamy mouthfeel, and a fantastic drinkability - as there's no booziness to it at all. It didn't matter that this was drink outside in 80 degree heat - it went down so easily - it's so smooth.

This is absolutely impressive, and the second best barrel-aged stout Mortalis has done after Pear Brandy Leto. It's nearly flawless.

It pours jet black, with a very thin, brown head, that quickly dissipates, and leaves a small ring around the edge of the glass. Aromas of burnt sugar, coconut, bourbon, and vanillin-heavy American oak. Oooh man it’s good. Flavor is.. wow. It’s so clean. Roasted malts, bitter dark chocolate, coffee.. everything you’d want in a perfectly executed Maillard reaction. Barrel erupts with vanilla and coconut, toasted challah bread.. I cannot stop drinking this. This is a masterpiece of a beer.