Port Brewing Company, Santa's Little Helper 10% abv. I cellared this beer for almost 2 years. It pours pitch black with a dark tan head. Anise, chocolate, dark fruit , a touch coffee, and citrus on the nose. Nice carbonation, even after extended cellaring. Hop tingle all over the mouth, but hops are surely tamed a bit because of aging. Slight warming from abv, but alcohol esthers are well masked. You know in the first couple of sips that this beer is going to be real treat. Molasses, toffee, fig, raisin, chocolate, and touch of pine resin flavors in this pretty complex beer. Rumor has it they used brown sugar in this one. Alcohol is pretty sneaky. Wonderful mouthfeel. Sweet, but not cloying. Port Brewing Company is certainly one of the best breweries in the country and this Russian Imperial Stout is worth waiting for each holiday season.
