Cadillac Mtn. Stout

It's probably not fair that I review such a great beer that's not available in CT. Oh well, it gives you an excuse to get up to Portland and visit Downeast Beverage Co. at 79 Commercial St. A great bottle shop that usually has plenty of Cadillac Mtn. Stout.

Pours black with no light penetration. A sizable tan head forms before receding to a clingy film. The aroma is deep and full, with the predominate characters of chocolate and roasted notes. There is a subtle sweetness like toffee lying in the background along with a hint of alcohol. Taste is extremely complex with bittersweet chocolate notes vying with an intense roasted bitterness for dominance. In the background is an alcohol note along with overripe fruit and toffee. It finishes with an amazingly intense bitterness from the roasted barley. The taste stays in your mouth long after the swallow and I was tasting hops in my burps even though I didn't taste hops in the swallow. Just a wonderfully complex stout with everything you look for in the style, plus much much more. It even lacks the alcohol of imperial stouts, so you can keep drinking it. This beauty deserves all the accolades it receives.