Provisions Series:  Burly Gourd
Appearance: Opaque black, surprisingly dark and chewy looking for a lower ABV stout. The initial pour produces 3 fingers of thick foam that slowly settles to a film. Smell: A lot of cedar and spice, to the point of obfuscating the malt at first. Pretty much smells like a cigar box. As it warms, a bit of sweet toasted malt does come through, but you have to search for it. Palate: Cedar is dominant again, lending a woody, spicy and tannic character that isn't as abrasive as other beers I've had aged with cedar. Nonetheless it's still too overwhelming for my liking; it doesn't allow the malt to come through much until the finish, which has a mild roastiness and a touch of lactose sweetness and tang. There's plenty of pumpkin pie spice here too, though no real pumpkin flavor. Not necessarily a bad beer, but not one I'd revisit. Probably would have been much better with toned down cedar and spice.