22 oz bomber.
Having read a few reviews and considered the beer myself, I got a touch nervous about the combination of chocolate and oak. Frankly, these elements have the potential to be fighting one another in the tastes and this could be a difficult marriage.
Poured into the 22 oz, Terrapin snifter in several, small pours, the beer forms the expected look. Black body with a few dark brown highlights at the edges. Nice head initially, but this fades to a spotty, fine film on the surface of the beer with little or no lace.
Nose gives some alcohol, a touch of woody vanilla and a hint of chocolate.
The tastes do pretty much the same. The oaky, vanilla complements the minimal chocolate well, but then it kicks in some extra dry character and an ending which is also dry. This is a really close call, and although the oak doesn’t really HELP the beer IMO, it also manages not to hinder it – I thought it may have done that. Aftertaste lingers and little and there is a mild, chest burn in the finish.
Alcohol is an element, but feels quite well hidden for me. Chocolate is muted but at the same time it’s part of the beer. Frankly I would much prefer this without the woody oak AND with more chocolate, BUT even with this slight shortcoming it was not bad as I was concerned it might be.
Not perfect, and in my mind it could be better, however still a drinkable beer (better than expected) that I enjoyed sipping over the course of a couple of hours.