I think this was a totally random pick up from of all places a Liquor Barn in Kentucky.

Label offers the following: Vintage 2022, Lot no, Bottle Date, Best Before: 20230017 28/04/23 +5YRS, so we have a couple of years left on this yet. RIS or Belgian Stout? Does it matter? Maybe, maybe not.

Aggressive pour gives inky black boby and a very good, mocha head. Retention not great (14%!), but there is some minimal, spotty lace.

Plenty of alcohol in the nose. There’s a very light roast in the nose too.

Tastes don’t reflect the alcohol of the nose, but at 14% it’s obviously still there. The beer is absolutely and extraordinarily smooth considering all the parameters. Given the type of beer this is, and the ABV, the beer drinks incredibly easily and the mouthfeel is light. No cloying at all, and really simple to consume.

There’s a decent alcohol burn, but the bulk of the beer feels silky, with sweet milk chocolate notes. No liquor notes, rather a sugary, very slightly bitter finish. It’s a little too sweet for me.

My general disinterest in DSB beers is well-documented, so beers like this aren’t really something I reach or care for, but there’s no doubt that this is well-made even if it’s not really my cup of tea.