Typical Stone, RIS jet black body with a creamy, bubbly, tan brown head.

Nose has light anise nose, but not much, it almost seems like a light peppermint aroma. There’s a pretty light touch on the tastes too, with some rather gentle differences between the original base beer and this. The hallmarks of the original remain, with some sweetness, a light roast and a nice, full mouthfeel with some licorice around the edges. Of course, the alcohol is there. Feels solid, but not especially different.

Because the beer is so much like the original, it feels like a bit of waste as a variant. With so little differences, why bother?