Mandorla - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
Esker Hart Artisan Ales

 

Pours a sludgy black, with faintly translucent edges. Generates a very thin head that quickly disappears. Unsurprising for a beer with fatty almonds and coconut. Coats the glass as it’s spun, and leaves dark tears streaming down.

Aroma is a touch muted, even at room temp. Just not leaping out of the glass. Toasted coconut, dark chocolate, bandaid box, touch of toasted oak. Good, but subtle.

How the hell is the nose so faint when the flavor is so massive?! Your palate is just assaulted with sticky, coconut chocolate cake. It’s dense, and sweet, but it saved by the faint barrel presence and bitter finish from the cacao nibs. Aftertaste is the burnt corners of the brownie pan. Tons of chocolate and charred bitterness. Wow, this is intense.

Phew.. this beer is a lot. For a small brewer, they put a ton of work and materials into this bottle. I almost think there were too many adjuncts to even let the barrel shine through, and that’s a shame, but it’s undeniably high quality.