Rich golden color with an amber middle and shimmering copper hues, crowned with a healthy white foam lace that sticks to the glass and retains well. Nose is soft, a bit musty, pear-skin-like, with delicate spices, rich toffee, and a slightly cheesy and distinct Chardonnay back.

This beer is quite smooth on the palate. A sweet creaminess builds from a tight carbonation tickle that eventually breaks to flavors of booze-soaked grapes, minty and sugary mojito suggestions, a buttery candy finish, some fig and granola bar. Lots of big, round, residual sugars. A vinous interruption occurs with a peaking sharpness of grape juice, grape skin tannins and black pepper dashed across the tongue. Some pear-skin grit on the palate. Ripe and juicy honeydew flavor harbors warming alcohol notes and adds further layers toward the finish, which is surprisingly clean, dry and more-ish.

A massive, fizzing, dense coffee-colored head rises from the pour and settles to a foam lace. Deep, rich, nearly opaque black, with ruby hues around the edges. Soft but distinct fresh coffee grounds in the nose, along with chocolate and roasted notes. Smooth, firm and even in the mouth, and not too heavy. Quite acrid up front, with a mouthful of roasted astringency, char, a sharp and semi-sour bite and a weakish watery hop flavor of the rind-like citrus variety just beneath the sourness. Minimal sweetness provides little balance, and allows the dryness of the beer to dominate. Smoky undertones. Bone-dry finish with residual roasted, stale-ish coffee grounds and acrid flavors lingering, not overly pleasant, too tannic-like.