Yo-Ho Tokyo Black

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

Can pours nice and dark with nice firm mocha head of nearly creamy foam. The aroma has a fun mix of bold malts, roasted malts, molasses, coffee and a bit of chocolate. Smells great. The taste is similar with roasted malts heading into dark roasted malts and molasses. It gets a little coffee and chocolate like to midway and into the finish. This is a toasty roasty robust porter. Yummers. I’m lovin’ this.

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

Very dark, almost black colour with nice white head. Taste is really good and strong with caramel and bread. Aroma as well as the after taste are a bit weak and is lacking of personality. Aroma has hints of caramel and cookies.

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

I went looking for a Japanese milk stout, but this was the closest thing I could find, alas. I do love a can, especially when my beer's going to travel so far and, at least potentially, sit so long on the store shelf. True to the name, this beer is opaque black with just a light ring of brown when held to the light. A brown head disappears fast. Bitter coffee smell, mildly acidic smoke and char, with a bit of caramel to it. Hops and malt vie for bitter dominance: orange oil citrus versus coffee. The char finishes the battle cleanly, making the flavor not quite so bitter as the aroma. Not surprisingly, this brew is best as it approaches room temperature. Lightly tingly, very smooth and heavy, thick and chewy.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

It pours a luscious opaque sable brown with a thick, fairly persistent, fluffy, fine-bubbled pale tan head that leaves a good bit of lacing. Aroma is smoky with an overtone of quality roast coffee and hints of molasses and chocolate. Flavor has tones of semi-sweet chocolate, fine coffee and molasses with hints of wood smoke and licorice. There is also a bit of a metallic tang, possibly from being in a can. Texture is smooth, oily, a little thick, with just a bit of a fizz.

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

Cask at GBBF. Pours out in a black colour with a low tan-coloured head. Malty aroma of coffee, licorice and dried cherries with touches of smoke and flowers. Dried fruit, coffee, smoke and sweet licorice in the flavour with a medium bitter finish. Hints of smoke and dried fruit.

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

Cask@GBBF2007. Dark amber, almost black colour, bubbly brownish head, which vanishes quite quickly. Aroma is mildly roasted malts, some hoppy hints as well as slight caramel touch. Flavour is quite the same but has more spicyness and licorace.