Appearance – Pours black in the glass, with several fingers of rich mocha colored foamy head. Wow, this really stays rich, retaining with a VERY frothy 1/2 finger the whole way through and just abosolutely slathering the sides with a ridiculous amount of sticky lace. Smell – The dry-hopping is evident in the nose, with some juicy and herbal smelling character, as well as some bitter fruit and light peppery spice. Smokey roast rises up underneath with a touch of sweetness here from the malts but most of it appears to come more from the citrus and herbal textures of the nose.
Taste – The taste is dark and roasty the whole way through, with chocolate sweetness and more tangy feeling caramel notes coming in off the edges. Hops add some pop here, with notes of earth and grapefruit, while pine and spice stretches out into a bitter and VERY dry finish.
Mouthfeel – The mouthfeel is medium-fuller bodied with crispness to the carbonation up front that then works itself into a much creamier backend. There is some heft to the body here but the alcohol is limited to some light warmth on the breath after each sip, helping keep this fairly sharp feeling and drinkable.
Drinkability & Notes – Decent drinkability, maybe not so much as your typical table schwarzbier but then again this is an anniversary beer and special occasion. Fairly smooth and solid all around, dark, roasty and earthy.
