Santa's Little Helper
Obtained fresh from Pizza Port Carlsbad back in March, I cellared it until yesterday. Appears a very dark brown, almost black color, no light shining through at all. Pours with very little head and a ring of tiny bubbly tan foam with little lacing. Smells very sweet and somewhat charred, with hints of cherries, molasses, dark chocolate, and coffee. Taste is very bitter from the start, but with enough sweetness from cherries and the molasses flavors to give it a nice balance. Very thick in body and hides the alcohol content wonderfully. A beer I will definitely be seeking out again when it's released later this year. Not the greatest RIS out there, with some imbalances, but extremely tastey and very flavorful.