Lawson's Finest Liquids - Fayston Maple Ale aged in maple barrels

Lawson's says of the regular Fayston Maple Ale : "A huge, rich, and strong stout brewed with a maple twist. Designed to keep you warm on sub-zero nights and for sipping with a fine meal or dessert."

Of the barrel aged version, the bottle says: "Brewed with loads of roasted and black malts, & over two gallons of VT maple syrup per barrel, this beauty was carefully aged for over a year and Sapling Maple Liquor oak barrels from Saxton's River Distillery in Brattleboro, VT. This rich & complex beer will mature for many months... 11% ABV. Bottled December 2012"

Out of Vermont, Lawson's is known for their stellar IPAs and maple-themed beers. One such beer, the Maple Tripple, is on my wishlist. Until then, I was lucky to receive the maple barrel-aged Fayston Maple Ale in a trade.

Appearance: No light comes through this. It's completely pitch black, and I couldn't get much head to pour from the bottle. When I swirl the beer, it definitely leaves legs down the side of the glass, but I don't get any lacing.

Smell: There are definitely prominent oaky notes from the barrel, as well as a sweet hint of maple. The oak cuts through the maple nicely so that it's not overly cloying. There are also scents of chocolate, coffee, and tobacco.

Taste: The maple taste is delicious, and there is almost a spiciness that layers on top of the chocolate character, which is really nice. These flavors are backed by a heavy roasted malt foundation and a hint of vanilla.

Mouthfeel: A little thinner than I expected. It's still smooth and creamy, but it doesn't quite have the weight and viscosity that I associate with a barrel aged stout.

Overall: I love maple, and the maple characteristics elevated this beer beyond the ordinary for me. I do wish the body wasn't so thin; a bit of a thicker mouthfeel would have kicked this up another level. As it is, on the flavor alone, this is still one of my favorite new stouts I've tried this season, but I can't award full marks.

4/5

Southern Tier Brewing Company - Choklat

Souther Tier says: "The Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya, unfolds a complex web of mystery around a beverage known as xocoatl (ch-co-atle). At Southern Tier, we’re not surprised that hieroglyphs of the ancient Maya depict chocolate being poured for rulers and gods. Even through the many voyages of Columbus, the mystical bean remained nothing more than a strange currency of the native peoples.

Moving through centuries, the circular journey of cacao has been realized in our brew house, encompassing the complexity of the darkest, bittersweet candy together with the original frothy cold beverage of the ancient Maya to bring to you our Blackwater Series Choklat Stout. We have combined the finest ingredients to tempt your senses and renew the power and interrelation of history in every bottle."

This 10% ABV Imperial stout is released in the late fall to most of the eastern US, as well as Washington and Oregon. It's okay, Southern Tier, California still loves you even if you don't love us. As one does, I traded for this bottle.

Appearance: Opaque pitch black with a practically non-existent head. I had to do a really hard pour to get the thin tan layer you see in the picture.

Smell: Rich, sweet chocolate is at the forefront, and there are also some notes of coffee and wood. Some caramel malt adds to the sweetness. Though some bitterness from the coffee cuts through, the overall mode of the nose is sweet, sweet, sweet.

Taste: Exactly as advertised! Huge chocolate, with some undertones of dark fruit and a bit of woodiness as well. As expected in a stout, the coffee note is there, but it's not very prominent. I rather like the woody character of this, as it adds a bit of uniqueness to an otherwise very chocolate-heavy beer.

Mouthfeel: This beer has a nice full body that's creamy on the palate but still manages a relatively dry finish. It's an appropriate feeling for the style.

Overall: This is a really enjoyable, solid beer, but I guess for some reason I can't put a finger on it didn't really knock my socks off. I think the nose may have been a bit too sweet -- even though it wasn't cloying in the taste, as I would raise the glass I'd get a blast of sweet aroma that was kind of off-putting. Otherwise, as I said, I enjoyed this. It's not a perfect imperial stout, but it's one I'd be glad to drink again.

3.5/5