Judge's Review: 86 Rating - Situational Ethics - Maple Cognac by Monday Night Brewing

Situational Ethics - Maple Cognac by Monday Night Brewing was judged as a 33b-Specialty Wood-Aged Beer due to the use of a spirits barrel. In addition, the base style falls under 30a Spice, Herb or Vegetable beer due to it's use of hazelnuts, pecans, cocoa nibs and vanilla.

The beer shows little activity, pouring with virtually no head and a bit of fizz. Deep and black with some auburn notes at the edge. Opaque, I'd say.

The nose is pretty neat, showcasing dark chocolate along with some light bittersweet nut notes of pecan. The vanilla and hazelnut are in support and let the beer itself pop through. The nose does show some sweetness and booze from the barrel as well. The roast does stop just short of balancing the nose, however, leaving the beer a bit too sweet aromatically.

On tasting, it works quite well. Praline is the first word that comes to mind, with pecan and maple syrup leading the way. The beer could use a bit less sweetness and a bit more body overall, as it does come across very maple-forward and a bit thin on the body. The carbonation is nearly absent. Up front, it seems like it's more attenuated than it truly is, fading into lingering sweetness from the maple, nuts and vanilla. The barrel character is charming, but on the whole, a bit more balance is needed, as it's difficult to continue drinking after a couple of sips. I do think they hit their target of a praline pastry stout, I just also think the drinkability here is lacking. Balanced barrel character, but a more robust imperial stout would seem to stand up better, I think. Neat beer.