A bit of a mixed bag! Oddly enough the stars of the show are variations of stouts or porters. Flying Monkey's Chocolate Manifesto is lengths better and more complex than their previous chocolate beer BNL. Outstanding examples of a Sweet Stout and a Porter from Beau's and Founders respectably, and a delicious Black IPA from DDC (they have a hard time making bad beer there...).
330 mL bottle. Pours a dark prune colour with an endless beige head of champagne like bubbles. Aromas of over ripe stone fruit, plum, date, dark brown sugar, bubble gum and spicy yeast phenols. Dry and boozy, with a spicy alcohol kick and a hint of hop bitterness and yeast tartness. Full bodied but light on the palate. Seems mildly disjointed; enjoyed the 8 a lot more. Grabbed another bottle to age.
Flying Monkey's The Chocolate Manifesto
750 mL bottle. Pours thick and black with a thick head of beige foam. Big chocolate on the nose; truffles and hot cocoa with bittersweet notes of tobacco and bourbon like alcohol. Balanced sweetness and a slightly roasted finish. Big chewy mouthfeel with moderate carbonation and a hint of boozy bite. Much better than expected, well done.
Great Lakes Brewing Pompous Ass
Cask. Light brown with a thin white cap. Earthy hop, bread, caramel and floral tea notes on the nose. Moderate body and carbonation. Light sweetness balanced by fair hopping. Sessionable.
Wellington Brewery Chocolate Milk Stout
Cask. Black with a thin tan head. Cocoa, bourbon, licorice and a touch of smoke. Light carbonation and moderate body. Sweetness just in check. Full mouth feel. Enjoy in moderation. One of Welly’s better brews.
Beau's Tom Green Beer
600 mL bottle. Pours black with a nice beige head. Nice aromas of chocolate, anise, coffee, lactose and a hint of herbal hop. Moderate sweetness kept in check with a touch of roast and hop. Moderate carbonation, full body, sits heavy on the palate. Enjoyed.
Founders Porter
355 mL bottle. Pours opaque black with a thick beige cap. Aromas of chocolate, breakfast blend coffee, vanilla, raw sugar and brown spice. Lightly sweet and mildly bitter. Coating mouth feel and lasting finish of cocoa. Moderate carbonation and above average body. Delicious.
Dieu du Ciel Penombre
341 mL bottle. Pours black with a hint of brown around the edges, a nice beige head of foam. Aromas of roasted malt, coffee, dried herbs and spicy hop. Very dry with a strong bitter finish. Lingers on the palate: sticky. A surprising amount of hop bitterness but little flavor or aroma. High carbonation. An interesting beer, not quite what I was expecting; more like an aggressively hopped porter than an IPA with dark malt character.
Founders Dirty Bastard
355 mL bottle. Pours dark mahogany with little to no head. Deep malt notes of amber caramel, raisin and dark honey. Smoky phenolics and heather herb like hop notes. Moderate sweetness offset by a bitter hop bite with a touch of roast. Full bodied with below average carbonation. Very much a love it or leave it style of beer for me.
Founders Backwoods Bastard
355 mL bottle. Pours dark mahogany with a khaki cap of head. Massive nose of bourbon, oak, vanilla, char, and deep caramel malt. Smoke and cherry cough drop like phenolics. Moderate sweetness offset by the heavy oak and a nice hop bite. Full bodied with average carbonation; warming alcohol. An absolute monster of a brew. Prefer this many times over the original.
Muskoka Detour
355 mL bottle. Pours golden straw with a white foam. Citra hop forward; notes of guava, mango and pinapple, caramel malt. Slightly sweet and fruity, only subtly bitter. Light bodied, average carbonation. Tasty and sessionable, no doubt, but feels a bit of a one trick pony.
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