I should have read some of these reviews before I drank it. I got dark roast aroma and a contrary sweetness, but not much banana. I also got a lot of alcohol heat. I wasn’t impressed. But I probably drank it between 47F and 53F. I wasn’t really interested in dragging out the experience.
I really like bananas so I have been looking forward to opening this can. I am glad that I read the other reviews so I took my time and let the temp drift upward. I quickly got the banana notes in the smell but the taste of bananas was dialed back. That is a good thing as it danced well with the cinnamon and alcohol burn to result in a REALLY nice pastry stout. I am not picking up much in the way of vanilla, though. Overall, this extreme beer entry comes close to achieving a Banana Foster like experience. Well done and I would gladly buy more if it was available in my area!
We enjoyed this well crafted dessert beer early in the process and the majority enjoyed it. Better, more expressive, and nuanced, flavor with warmth, and Aardwolf reached their goal: bananas foster.
I rather enjoyed this but didn't think it quite hit the mark of its namesake. Just too much cinnamon - dial that back and we would have a winner!
My 8th beer from the box: 4.02/5 rDev +1% look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4 A: Pours an opaque yet still clear thick viscous jet black in color with moderate amounts of fine active visible carbonation rising along the edges of the glass and faint dark chestnut brown + dark cola brown + dark amber colored highlights. The beer has a three finger tall dense sudsy foamy dark mocha colored head that reduces to a medium to large sized patch of thin film covering a little more than 35% of the surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Minimal amounts of lacing are observed. S: Moderate to strong aromas of roasted + dark + caramel + toasted + chocolate malts with a slightly heavier than moderate amounts of lactose sweetness. Moderate aromas of bananas + cinnamon + vanilla. Light aromas of booziness. T: Upfront there are moderate to strong flavors of roasted + dark + caramel + toasted + chocolate malts with a slightly heavier than moderate amounts of lactose sweetness. That is followed by moderate flavors of bananas + cinnamon + vanilla as well as light flavors of booziness. Finally there are hints of earthy hops. Light amounts of roasty bitterness which lingers slightly though overall there is a moderate amount of lingering sweetness. M: Full bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth and slightly creamy. O: Drinks pretty easily for a big sweet dessert stout with decently well hidden alcohol and a nice full mouthfeel. Doesn’t quite capture the flavor profile of banana’s foster (which I learned to make in a cooking class with a New Orleans chef) though close - too much cinnamon and not quite enough banana. Still a very enjoyable dessert beer.
