Hailstorm Brewing Vlad The Conquistador

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

I have had this beer many times on draft at the brewpub. This time from a bottle that's almost 2 years old. Poured into a snifter, it is a dark brown/black color with a small, but quickly disappearing tan head that leaves some short term lacing on the glass. Dark chocolate leads the aromas, think Hershey's Syrup with notes of roasted malt, vanilla and peppers. The dark chocolate leads the flavors with vanilla and spicy, peppery notes about half way through, lending to a Mexican style mole taste. As the beer warms a bit, the spiciness becomes more pronounced. The alcohol is well hidden making this a very dangerous beer, especially when it's not the first one of your night. The aging has changed the character of the beer greatly. An interesting contrast from the fresh version that I am used to. Hailstorm is a brewery that has certainly stepped up their game in the last year or so.