not before the studio

Cervezorama, one of the first beer stores in the city, has left us.  It closed up last week and I took the opportunity to splurge a little bit as the last bits of stock were leaving the shelves.  Mikkeller has filled my glass before, but this is one big, bad looking bottle.  750ml of Black Ink and Blood Imperial Raspberry Stout.  Brandy is also on the label.

Who needs a handprint tattooed?

Gooey, chocolaty in appearance when filling the glass, with a thick dark beige head.  It's a little sweeter smelling than a typical stout, but given the raspberry and brandy that's not surprising or ominous.  There's definitely a fruitiness in the scent, although I probably wouldn't identify raspberry without a little hint.  The taste is heavy on the smokiness, with a little dark chocolate bitter that hangs around in the back of the mouth.  The raspberries figure strongly in the first few seconds of the sip.  A woodiness builds after a time, perhaps an influence of liquor.  There's also a certain heaviness that sets in after a full glass down, which can probably be put down to the rather high alcohol content (17%).  Not a beer to chug down on an empty stomach, although it's a taste worth sampling.

Supplier: Cervezorama (RIP)
Price: €13.80