B.O.R.I.S. pours midnight black and lashes the nose with a huge alcohol wallop laced with chocolate and coffee. On the palate, the beer pushes across the tongue in a complex union of flavor and mouthfeel. It starts with a nice singeing bitterness that morphs into chocolate and sweet caramel malt flavors; as the brew warms, it perks up with cherry fruit and quick turns of citrus hops. There’s an inherent earthiness that keeps the experience full; black licorice comes on sweet and bitter and fades into a long-lasting finish. Even at 9.4% ABV, the alcohol’s not the focus, though it’s definitely present through the swallow and warms deep into the chest. You could practically gnaw this beer, but it still has a velvety flow from the oatmeal that leaves the tongue gracefully.
