Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout

This is easily one of my favorite seasonal beers. Dark like filthy motor oil, with a deeply tan head to it, and almost imposing at a first taste, this once a year visitor clocks in at an impressive 10.6% ABV, which I think is up .1% from last year. This also puts it cleanly in the "imperial stout" category, although the label won't tell you that unless you give this beer a closer look. This is also one of the strongest beers I have ever seen available this cheaply - I got my last six pack for a little under nine dollars. The first taste is very bitter and acrid, and more flavors emerge after that first sip. There's a lot going on here, somewhat like the complicated taste of a good barleywine. There's also a notable but not overpowering hop aroma. This drinks like a dessert, and a few of them will hit you pretty hard. I should really remember to cellar some of this for next year.