From the masters in Auckland, NZ comes this vintage stout, released only twice a year.
Poured into a beer tulip it’s mat black pour arouses an initial finger of foam which disappears to a 5mm tan head with some oily lacing on the glass. There is a nice, deep mahogany rim at the bottom that’s revealed when held against the light. Really attractive appearance. Some solid aromas here we’re picking up rich and layered notes of chocolate, espresso, licorice, brown sugar and caramel. The mouth feel is ‘wow’..very deep. Flavours of dark chocolate and caramel, with licorice again leading to sweet molasses in the finish. It’s slightly chewy in the mouth due to the depth of this beer..9% alc vol, but it’s insanely smooth to drink and disguised really well. The back palate is a tad salty with a nice mild bitterness cutting through. After each sip there is lovely build up on the throat of dark chocolate. Combining this with low carbonation and a superb balance of flavour it’s easy to say that this is a brilliantly brewed beer. Enjoy in cooler months though, and remember to leave the beer at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before consuming to allow the flavours to ripen. Then crack open and bask in the richness and complexity this stout has to offer. Excellent offering.