Melange No. 3
On draft at Monk's. Pours a ruddy dark coppery chestnut brown color which is completely opaque with a half finger dark tan head that quickly fades into a thin lasting ring. Boozy bourbon aroma with lots of sweet alcohol along with caramel malt, toffee, chocolate and hazelnut. There's also a bitnof dark fruit, most noticeably dRk cherry, plum, fig and raisin. At first it smelled a little bourbon heavy but becomes kore complex in the nose as it warms. Slightly chewy medium body that is surprisingly spicy up front followed by sweet alcohol heat and bourbon that lingers throughout into a sweet and very hot finish. This beer becomes more complex as it warms and a ton of complexity begins to show. Lots of sweet caramel and leathery malts along with earhty oak, vanilla, toffee, caramel, hazelnut and slightly tart dark fruit. A very nice balance of spice, sweetness and bourbon/alcohol heat. Hints of tart dark cherry, plum, raisin, fig mixed with silky chocolate malt and caramel. Very well balanced and pretty drinkable considering the ABV. You can taste the heat butni wouldn't have guessed this beer was 17%. I'm actually very surprised that after the initial palate shock is beer is very smooth and flavorful. The bourbon and barrel notes are excellently integrated Making me salivate for another sip. Very well done and actually lives up to the hype. I'm psyched that I got a chance to try this one. Highly recommended!