Happy to come across this on my recent trip to NY. This never made it to GA (The Bruery got here after this was done), so happy to hook myself up! Also glad to to see a more sensible ABV from The Bruery on this one for a change.
Popped the cap on the 750 mL, usual style Bruery bottle (I do like their labels) and the pour is an impressive JET black! A few gold highlights at the extremities, but otherwise pretty solid.
Carbonation is annoyingly fizzy. It detracts from the smoothness, leaves little or no head and the lace is basically nil. Prickly mouthfeel results which is bearable, but little more. Sits there looking like a Coke.
Nose and tastes are light, roasted malts with a hint of bitterness and licorice but very restrained and subtle. Alcohol too is subtle, and the beer drinks like a very mild stout or perhaps a watery porter. Not much Belgian character.
To be honest, the beer drinks a bit better than my last paragraph would suggest! There is a decent maltiness to it, and a bread character that I enjoyed. A hint of chocolate and dry cocoa and a touch of Belgian character comes through in the back end and finish, as does the slight bitterness.
In the end, quite tasty and glad I tried it, BUT the fizzy carbonation and subsequent mouthfeel were turn-offs for me. I think the beer is a bit better than my scores would suggest.