Storm King pours an extremely dark and dense color, impossible to see through and absolutely as dark as night. It is topped by a tan head that is thick and sticky and has amazingly good retention - it hung around for the duration of the session! The lacing on the side of the glass was thick and tan and also lasted long into the session. Bringing it to my nose, I immediately smelled chocolate and coffee, which was expected. Caramel also found it's way into the aroma, giving off a subtle sweetness, but, from experience, I knew that I would find almost no
sweetness when tasting. And I was not disappointed. At first, I was hit the enormous mouth feel due in part by the carbonation. I had not taken a large sip but it felt like a lot. Texturally, it was thick and chewy and a literal mouthful, like a meal in a glass. Then the bitterness hit, but not the over-the-top-hop kind of bitterness. This bitterness came from the chocolate and coffee notes that dominate the palate; no sweetness to be found. Further into the session, the brew turned out to be quite smooth despite the thick, big mouth feel. It lingered nicely on the tongue, on the bitter side, but for this hop-head, it's not unwelcome. It even felt somewhat chewy after it was gone but that didn't last as long as the warming taste it leaves behind. Throughout, however, the astringent taste of alcohol is prevalent, which isn't surprising considering it weighs in at 9.1%! Overall, it is quite an amazing brew, very tasty, though chewy, good notes of chocolate and coffee and the more subtle caramel, but the alcohol kind of gets in the way. I still rate Victory Storm King Stout 3.5 out of 5 pints and recommend to those who like dark beers that are high in alcohol. It is a tried and true beer for the cold months that will warm you all winter long!
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