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22 oz bottle I picked up from Hop City in Atlanta quite a while back. This is my second experience with this beer after having it on tap at the Thirsty Monk in Ashville, NC. Figured I would save the review for this bottle so I could take my time with it. Served up in a snifter. 2008 vintage.

A: Pours a dark black body that is nice and glossy. Body is completely opaque, no light getting this sucker. A somewhat vigorous pour yielded a little over a finger of dark mocha colored head. The head is a little bit fluffy and bubbly. It falls somewhat quickly to bubbly top cap. Lace is bubbly, and thin but it does have a little bit of stick to it and is scattered on the glass. Some of it does slip back in due to a sheen that is left on the glass from the liquid.

S: First thing that hits you is a beautiful roasted quality on the grains that translates beautifully as finely roasted coffee beans. Just wonderfully aromatic in this regard. Getting notes of coffee beans, espresso and mocha coming out. There is a little bit of dark and milk chocolate coming out as well. Although this isn't the most complex aroma, it is what it claims to be and the fact that they didn't use coffee or chocolate in the brewing process (so says the bottle), this is fuggin amazing.

T: Pretty much like the aroma but with some pros and cons. The roast really comes across in the flavor. Where it brings out some very clean aromatic notes, in the flavor it comes out a little burnt at times. The mocha and coffee notes are very present, but they just seem to be slightly over roasted and add a sometimes harsh bitterness. The chocolate is nice and comes out as almost like a chocolate milk made with some dark chocolates. There is a little bit of hop presence (citrus?)coming through on the backend that tries to cut a little of this sweetness.

M: This beer is sitting on the full side of medium in body. Has some smoothness and creaminess to it for sure, but it isn't crazy thick by any means. Carbonation is a little high for the style and for my liking, has just a little bit of bite to it. Otherwise this is sweet on the palate with a little bit of roasted bitterness on the palate. Aftertaste is chocolate milk and a mocha with a heavy roast.

D: Once again, if the claims on the bottle are true . . . DAMN! This beer is quite an accomplishment. It is as advertised and that aroma is pretty killer. The flavor does suffer a touch from the heavy handed roasting, but it is still damned tasty. I have to keep myself from drinking this too fast because it is so easy drinking. I enjoyed this on draft and just as much out of this bottle. Will have to see if I can track down a few more bottles of this next time I am at Hop City.

Served In: Pint Glass

A - Body is very dark brown, but definitely not black. Opaque with no light getting through. Small fizzy brown head forms, but it disappears quickly, leaving a wisp on the surface and a thin ring around the glass.

S - Tons of roasty dark malts come right to the nose, rather than the nose moving towards the glass. Within the roastiness, you definitely get the coffee aroma. Chocolate, I think mostly baker's chocolate.

T - First thing that hits the tongue is chocolate, and lots of it. Milk chocolate combines with dark chocolate. This thing is almost like a chocolate stout there is so much rich chocolate flavor here. Roastiness is there, but it's not nearly as vibrant as it is in the aroma. Like liquid mocha chocolate cake if you can imagine that. Bitter roastiness finishes it off, lasting into a short aftertaste.

M - Medium to full bodied. Carbonation is just a touch biting, nothing a swirl in the glass doesn't take care of.

Overall - This is a dessert beer. A big sipper that is so drinkable I seem to take gulps instead of sips. Really enjoyable and unexpected flavor profile.

Served In: Snifter