Tyranena Doubly Down 'N Even Dirtier

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Brought to me in person by pfoxyjohn at the Hootenanny. Mahogany black pour, thinnish, with no head nor lacing. Boozy vanilla aroma with toasted malts, chocolate and Bourbon. Thin mouth feel. Big Bourbon vanilla cocoa flavor with toasted malts, a bit hot with the booze but that's to be expected. Another ballsy bold release from Tyranena - I love this brewery! Big thanks to Brother John.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

12oz bottle (received via trade with heybeerman) -

A beer with a description like this not only is right up my ally, it'd better deliver and this one does. Just a great, great beer that's complex on all kinds of levels, AND seals the deal with a statement that Tyranena is a GREAT brewery. Chocolate notes, vanilla, bourbon, chocolate sandwich. It's like they took some kind of incredible chocolate dessert and stuffed it into the beer. Decadent. Flavor profile explodes with rich, decadent chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, toffee and light cream. Even as much as I loved this beer, I wouldn't quite call it an imperial stout...more like an imperial porter or a robust porter. Fantastic no matter the style.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Very dark with minimal head, smell is chocolate and smokey. Chocolate, licorice and tobacco taste, with a hint of vanilla. The beer pours very thick but isn't overly cloying, very smooth sippin' beer. Deffinitely would buy this one again.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Alas, I can't share Phishpond's enthusiasm for this one. After having enjoyed the Down n' Dirty recently, I was eagerly anticipating this supposedly brawnier version, but was very disappointed in it. Maybe a bad boggle, I dunno. I have 3 more to choke down, so if my opinion changes, I'll edit this accordingly. But as it was, I thought it nigh undrinkable. The pour was dead flat. Appearance otherwise was just deep and dark, but so is Quaker State 10-40. No points there. Aroma was its best virtue, smelling of the chocolate nibs in the recipe, but I really didn't detect the Bourbon or vanilla. Flavor was sweet and mildly hopped, and the lack of any appreciable carbonation detracted considerably. Mouthfeel and finish were pedestrian at best. If the next three are like the first, I'll contact Tyranena about it. There may well have been a problem in production that wasn't picked up on, and a recall may be in order.

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

Yowzah! Big beer headed your way when you first try it. Chocolate sundae, smoke, earth wicked bourbon vanilla notes throughout. Both flavor and aroma are equally impressive. Sipped on this for about 20 minutes. Smokey sweet, soft caramel finish.