Hardywood Park Trickery

The name is fitting here, as the brewery has accomplished an amazing feat in producing a well-balanced and surprisingly drinkable barrel-aged beer, despite the high alcohol content. An imperial milk stout aged in apple brandy barrels, it's black in color, with a brown head that falls down to a lingering rim of froth. The barrel aging certainly shows on the nose and palate, with forward aromas and flavors of warm poached-spiced apple and vanilla bean that ride atop a core of roasted malt, molasses bread and Baker's chocolate. It's slick and thick in feel, with just enough carbonation to keep an overly cloying sensation at bay, while the spicy, roasty finish is slightly warming and oh-so-comforting. Lauren Buzzeo