Mouth of Madness (Seafoam Wax)
Mortalis Brewing Co.

2021 vintage (released on 9/4/2021); consumed on 10/20/2022

Pours an oily jet-black body topped with just over a finger of creamy, pale khaki foam; solid head retention yields minimal cap along with a slight, frothy collar and minimal-no lacing holding to the walls of the glass.

Aromas brings caramels and cocoa into charry barrel feeding roasty undertones to sweet raisin, peaking with a subtle fruitcake accent as tannic bourbon and stewed fruit comprise the back end of the bouquet.

Taste opens with notes of cherry cordial, soon fading to cola imbued with waves of bourbon and roasty malts as syrupy raisin residuals meander over the mid-palate while vanilla accents cocoa and toasted caramel on the finish.

Mouthfeel presents a medium body and a subtle, moderate-low carbonation, leaving a backing stickiness apparent immediately though balanced by a consistently attenuated roastiness prominent through the mid-palate; the back end is awash in barrel warmth, easing into a semi-sticky finish.

A full-bodied profile marries defined elements of both barleywine and stout, divergent threads entangled in oaky intensity for an unabashed amalgam of leathery fruits and toasty chocolate subtext; a bold blend carried by extensive and relentless layering to distinction.

2021 Sea Foam green wax. Poured cold to a Glencairn glass. Midnight black, no head, can’t see any carbonation. Nose gives some hints of the Makers Mark, with a plum type background and faint caramel in the very back. First sips are fantastic. There is an immediate symphony of flavors: chocolate, stone fruit, caramel, which all work together, despite sounding messy. The bourbon is strong enough to cut through all those heavy flavors, resulting in an excellent balance. Mouthfeel is perfect viscosity…not syrupy, not medium, just the right combination. Alcohol has a little warming, no burning or biting flavor. Mortalis barrel aged brews are really spectacular…worth the few hours of line crawl trying to get some.

2023 update: Bottles have been refrigerated. This is still amazeballs. It tastes like a chocolate covered cherry in reverse. Think sweet caramel and vanilla sweet liquid shell around a cherry that’s hiding a chocolate ball. The barrels used make all the difference. Maker’s Mark on the stout and Elijah Craig on the BW are a superb pairing.

2024 update: Last one. Still quite delicious. The Makers Mark still comes through in spades, and the sweet Bacchus cleans up the back end. Overall a fabulous combination.

This one pours a mostly black color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.

This smells like black cherry truffles, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla cream, oak, and raisin.

This is a big step up for me from the first, less aged batch of Mouth of Madness. There’s a deep and rich barrel character, giving off lots of caramel, oak spice, and vanilla, along with a killer black cherry cordial type flavor, and loads of both milk and dark chocolate.

This is medium bodied, creamy and rich, with a lower level of carbonation. The first batch was essentially uncarbonated - this one is low but definitely there.

I really like this one, and continue to hope for more non adjunct barrel releases from Mortalis.