Modern Times Beer City of the Dead Nitro Stout with Cocoa Nibs, Almonds, & Sea Salt Foreign / Export Stout at 7.5% ABV | 30 IBU (C$5.49 at Oak & Vine, 473 ml, packaged on 28-Dec-2017, acquired 25-May-2018, reviewed 31-May-2018)
Appearance: opaque black with no relief, a short creamy beige head, excellent retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: coffee, toasted malts, dark chocolate, bourbon, oak, vanilla, nuts. (10/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, light salt. (9/10) Palate: full body, soft carbonation, dry bitter finish. (5/5)
Not a lot of difference between the base version and this, as far as I can tell. A hint of nuttiness on the nose, and some slight saltiness in the finish, and that’s about it. Like the original, huge coffee notes dominate over dark chocolate and oaky bourbon, but neither come across as harsh or overwhelming. In fact, it’s incredibly smooth on the tongue, possibly assisted by the nitro. I’m a bit surprised that the head didn’t develop better, though – I guess without a Guinness-Style widget, you don’t get that nitro kick. I had high hopes for this (probably impossibly so) and they didn’t quite pan out. So, yeah, this is merely as great as the regular version – oh, well. (18/20)
9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
