Day Block 3rd Anniversary Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

As I've stated previously, my current ambition is to make the rounds and re-visit local breweries, all while trying to catch up with writing the reports on the 113 Minnesota breweries I visited last year. 53 to go on the one side. And one the other, well, in the 28 days of January, so far, I've been to NorthBound,  Fair State, Town Hall, Inbound, Modist, Wild Mind, Day Block, and Surly. Not bad, actually, but I won't rest until I've hit them all again (and by all I mean the Minneapolis-St. Paul). And actually, not all, just the ones I like. And, I do rest from time to time. The growlers pile up, and you have to take time off and drink them. Of those eight breweries listed above, I took home growlers, crowlers or bottles from six of them.

The latest packaged product I took home was Monday night, the start of the 3rd Anniversary celebration for Day Block. Let the notes commence:

Day Block Brewing Company 3rd Anniversary Release Barrel-aged Imperial Stout. 10.4% ABV. 63 IBU. Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Solid blackness, slim, tight brown head.

In the nose: cocoa, tar, molasses, coffee, espresso, rich chocolate. Thick, rich, indulgent chocolate. And some whiskey, some vanilla, a touch here and there.

In the mouth: big, rich, full, thick, all that and more. Oaky, vanilla-y, and big, with booming alcohol. Still, surprisingly smooth and ridiculously drinkable. Tasty, dark, and delicious. Not too heavy, not too over-bearing. Big and delicious. Deep and decadent. Smoke and charcoal, massive malt, rich and chocolatey. Mmmm. ..

Notes trail off there, but they did the job. I finished the bottle and had to get to sleep in order to wake up in time to be ready for another bottle release today in Shakopee, Hexit from Badger Hill. Just one of many bottle releases today. Impossible to make it to them all. Good times for brewing in Minnesota. Very good times, indeed.