Kill the Sun - French Toast
Ex Novo Brewing

tasty but enormous, and flavored enough that its approaching that novelty level for me, well made as it obviously is. these guys are awesome, i have not had nearly enough of their beer, so this was a treat, seems like they do some pretty righteous barrel aged stuff. would love to try this one just the base stout in bourbon, it has a ton of body and lathery richness to the texture, probably isnt quite so sweet on its own, and really has a nice whiskey and oak profile with all the roasty grain. this edition is done with maple, vanilla, and cinnamon, and its all pretty bold. warm cinnamon, sweet maple, and the natural vanilla all pop in the nose, and its cool because those are all things i smell and taste in different bourbons at times, so they seem to highlight that element in here. to me the extra elements overwhelm the base beer just a little, the maple is natural too but its very sweet, the vanilla is bold and there from beginning to end, and the cinnamon peaks late, but lingers longest of the three, a neat companion with the staying power of the roasted barley beneath it all. warming alcohol for sure, teeth coating body and sweetness, and layers upon layers of flavor, cocoa, licorice, black tea, some spiciness from the cinnamon, and the intensity of the wood and barrel char. complex, luxurious, smooth feeling, robust but nicely proportioned if you like them flavored like this. to me the nose is a little ahead of the taste, more true to each extra ingredient and less overdone. maybe being too harsh here, this is leagues better than most others in this space, the barrel treatment is excellent, and the overall quality and blend of flavors is fire. a treat to be sure! perfect for deep winter, a very cozy brew!