Queen of Spices
Block 15 Brewing - Southtown Tap Room

Clear dark chocolate color with an abundance of beige foam in the big Stout glass. As it warms, there is a very interesting spice in the nose. The cardamom is rather subtle, but there is a warm and rich flavor enhanced by the spice. Quite mellow and bitter chocolatey with just enough malty sweetness. Dark roasted tastes with burnt sugar finish. Pleasant winey flavor with a hoppy edge. Overall this is a well-made dark brew with a smooth taste and even better that it's not too strong. From the 16 oz can purchased at Elizabeth Station.

 

16oz can

Pours a little over a finger of brown head into my nitro glass. Retention is pretty good, the head steadily fades over a couple minutes, down to a solid little sliver. Lacing is extremely thick. Body looks like motor oil. Looks quite nice.

Nose immediately showcases that cardamom. Notes of mint as well, this smells very fresh. Some sugars, though despite the big color it has a pretty vibrant feel to it, definitely “tropical”. Overall an aromatic and inviting nose.

Flavor is very different up front. You get some cardamom, but the roast takes a much bigger role here. However between the two, the flavor is still very light. After a while the flavor smooths out somewhat, and some of that mint comes through. It’s ok.

Even more perplexing is the mouthfeel. Carbonation is dangerously low. Body is somewhat thin. Malt bitterness hits extremely high in the end of the palate and draws out into a dry finish. This is thin, watery, abrasive, and unbalanced for a good part of the beer. As with the flavor, this mellows out over time - a small touch of sweetness and overall smoother feel comes on.

Drinkability is poor.

Overall this starts out very rough, gets a little better but definitely not enough to change the entire narrative.

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque in the glass with a two finger dark khaki head with great retention and solid lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, cardamom, lactose, light bakers chocolate and a touch of coffee. Flavor is dark toasted malt, bakers chocolate, cardamom, light licorice, coffee with a little spice bitterness in the finish. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. Although the cardamom dominates the aroma, it is beautifully balanced with the chocolate and coffee character of the taste. The malt body is classic export stout, dry and roasty. Intense spices like cinnamon, cardamom and clove seem like they would present a real balance question in beer, but like this one, there is usually a deft handling of the spices. Definitely like to see this one again. Looked great too.

Look: Pitch black in the glass and my pour initiates a succulent brown head to form and slowly crater away, leaving awesome lacing behind
Aroma: Dark chocolate, roast, cardamom, fresh baked brown bread, light earthy notes, roasted tree nuts, and light sweetness
Taste: Cardamom is the initial hit and right as it builds up, it is met with a huge hit of dry baker’s cocoa and roast that keep it from overpowering. Breda and earthiness join the party and cardamom returns to dance with them a bit as roast and chocolate weave in and out through the close, along with a light bite
Mouthfeel: Full, smooth, medium-high carbonation, and medium strength and felt dryness on the finish
Overall: This is one delicious beer. I love export stouts and this is a good one, plus one in which I feel the cardamom addition goes well with. A nice balance of roasted malt character, cardamom, and earthiness throughout, plus an awesome, smooth feel with a robust finish. Recommended