What Our Panel Thought
Aroma: “Rich chocolate roast character with vinous dark fruit and white pepper.”
Flavor: “Fantastic rich and chewy stout character, huge chocolate and dried cherry, with hints of vanilla. The finish is quite sweet, but cut by the tannic barrel-aged character. Not as much red-wine character as in the nose, but it still adds some complexity.”
Overall: “Wow! This is an awesome beer. The milk stout borders on being overly sweet, but it has some really nice complexity and when paired with the barrel-aged qualities, it leads to a fantastic rich and chewy finish. The red-wine qualities from the barrel are evident throughout and accentuate the complexity.”
What the Brewers Say
“Patiently aged in red-wine barrels. Port-like qualities with distinct dark chocolate and molasses characteristics. Oak and leather dominate the aromatics. Ruse offers a rich mouthfeel with a deceptively dry, tannic finish.”
