good earth

Something that goes direct from farm to bottle can't be anything but Californian, at least being presented like it is.  The bottle also makes a point to assure us that the hops are also local, California hops.  Despite the locavoracity, I found it in Spain.

It's more chocolate syrup, but with a fluffier head than Rooie Dop.  It's porter, not stout, so that accounts for the sharp smell, not very sweet, maybe a little bitter, like a robust dark chocolate.  The taste is sour first, then chocolatey but not very sweet.  A tongue covering bitter develops after a bit of sitting, also a touch of smoke.  I don't catch the vanilla outright, although the label insists it's there.  It's probably too melded into the chocolate part, which is just fine with me.

Dark chocolate, unbeatable