Much lighter in heft than I was expecting, much less than a 1.030 finishing gravity would suggest. This still has a viscous feel to it and a heft that coats the palate, but I would guess that it was a couple alcohol percentage points less than it actually is. Sweet tasting, but no where near cloying; the sweetness accentuates substantial cocoa flavors as well as notes of roasted raisins and a touch of figs. Finishes with a lightly bitter roast malt note, a round hop bitterness and a hint of burnt acidity; each of these combined does not really balance out the sweet up front malt; they actually help to balance the sweet malt quite well it is just that the sweet malt plays a bit more of a role here. The roast profile reminds me a little of a full-city roast coffee that has been heavily influenced by dark chocolate.

Almost more than the roast character, both the fruitiness and the chocolate notes play a substantial role here. A bit more balanced, even more refined than the London-style Porter, there is enough sweet malt here to stand up to the ample roast character, but I think I like the Porter better than this beer. This is still quite tasty and definitely interesting. It drinks a lot easier than its 10% would suggest."

Aroma: 8/10 Appearance: 8/10 Mouthfeel: 8/10 Flavor: 8/10 Overall: 8/10

Final Rating, by Style: (4) Sampled: Bottle Sample Size: 750ml @ $0 Unit Cost: $0 per Pint