314. 450 North Brewing Co. (Columbus, IN) - Swirrrly

No description for this stout, apart from “chocolate and vanilla” and the 8.5% ABV notation on the board at the taproom. I tried it cold, and I also let it warm up for a good long time; but I don’t get any kind of chocolate apart from the chocolate malt. There might be an echo of vanilla in there, but the high alcohol gives it an almost astringent shine that is right on the cusp of unpleasant. It gets better as it gets warmer, but we’re not talking the 15-20 minutes it takes to drink it; we’re talking an hour or two. This is the first beer I’ve ever had where I feel like it needs to breathe like a fine wine.