Black Wheat
Bottle courtesy of Goodbyeohio. Thanks man! Swampy umber, completely opaque, actually tending towards olive when held right up to a light. Yeast chunks float around. Entirely unique. Fat, sand colored head. This must be absolutely disgusting looking to the uninitiated. Fantastic head retention, keeping a solid 1/4 inch layer until almost the end. Smells like a cross between a stout and a hefeweizen. Cocoa and banana right up front. Lighter notes of coffee, charred malt, clove and cookie dough. Much lighter on the tongue than I'd expected, with an airy, thin mouthfeel. I'm betting the higher carbonation level contributes to that, although the body is certainly light. Cocoa right up front, with little of the abrasive charred quality a stout usually carries. Wheat malt is apparent in the softness on the tongue. The flavor dies out a bit in the middle, carried only by a soft banana taste. Clovey phenols in the finish. No hops. A touch of grainy, roasty, stout-like bittersweetness. The finish is reminiscent of a banana split, with the blend of chocolate and fruity esters, and a slightly cookie dough-like yeast quality. Somewhat dry, though probably more powdery than anything. A little on the thin side, but definitely a drinkable brew. Completely it's own beer, not really close to a german dunkel weisen. As I said before, it feels like a cross between a hefeweizen and an american style stout. This would be a great beer for someone looking to test the realm of dark beer. Not too bold, still flavorful, with enough sweetness and fruitiness so as not to turn you away at the door. That's assuming you can get past the appearance. Finishing the glass revealed a surprisingly thick layer of brown yeast sitting on the bottom. Hell yeah.