Perun II
Mortalis Brewing Co.

2022 vintage (released in 4/2022); consumed on 4/19/2023

Pours a molten jet-black hue topped with a slow-forming sliver of burnt mocha foam, barely coating the surface before fading to a blank cap, slim, creamy collar, and no lacing whatsoever holding to the walls of the glass.

Aromas waft black cherry through a sweet cocoa char upfront, expressing notes of dark chocolate brownie into toasted oak over the middle and caramel-coated figs lingering on the back end of the bouquet.

Taste opens to oaky cocoa upfront as black cherry lingers past the mid-palate, with a caramel peak finding prickly barrel roast and residual vanillins on the back end as notes of milk chocolate finish.

Mouthfeel offers a fuller body and lower-end carbonation, with slick textures fading to an oncoming roast as a creamy silk prevails through the mid-palate and clean barrel tannins linger through the finish.

Heavy tannins enmeshed in sweet barrel overtones produce waves of dark fruit decadence as bourbon char ingratiates heightened elements of a silky malt profile to a distantly bittersweet warmth; a top-tier barrel-aged offering, free of adjuncts yet richly expressive.

Viscous, motor oil pour; thin rim of beige foam surrounds the glass as it settles.

Stewed dark fruits, dark baking chocolate aromas from the bottle. Once poured, added complexity and richness brings notes of cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and brown sugar.

The palate mirrors many of the same qualities as on the nose; comes forward with that dried dark fruit, and finishes lightly bitter cocoa nibs, bread crust, caramel, toasted oak, and a touch of chocolate covered cherry. While sipping I notice notes of pipe tobacco as it continues to bloom.

Mouthfeel is smooth and viscous; distinctly dry on the finish and with a warming booze as it goes down.

This one pours a very dark black color, with a small white head, and not much lacing.

This smells like caramel candy, oak, coconut, vanilla, dark chocolate, oak, figs, raisin, and coffee.

This is another good entry in this cool series. The first one was super, super fruity, this feels a bit more “traditional” as barrel aged stouts go, with lots of caramel, chocolate, oak, bourbon, and coffee. There’s definitely some cool dark fruit notes, figs, raisin, etc, as well. It’s sweet, as most Mortalis stouts are, but not quite as cloying as some of them can be.

This is thick, creamy, and not at all boozy, with a nice drinkability.

I really enjoy Mortalis’ BA stouts that have no adjuncts. I wish they did it more often.