Year of New Beer: Gates of S'Mordor, Westbrook Brewing Co (SC)

Written By: Dion on 04/02/2020

With my fridge now holding only about 5 or 6 new beers, I decided to pop one that I had originally intended to hold for a group tasting. Can't say that I'm disappointed, but I sure would've liked to have shared this with friends. Straight fudge brownie and bourbon on the nose with the initial pour. Warmth allows a subtly sweet marshmallow fluff to sneak through. Near the end of the pour, graham cracker is perceptible with the glass sitting two feet away. Unreal. No letdown on the tongue as a rich, fudgy chocolate again leads the way, with even more layers opening up over time. Vanilla and a marshmallow sweetness balance nicely against a building campfire char that harbors plenty of oak and burnt caramel. Approaching the finish, the sweetness begins to subside, giving way to a toasted graham cracker and bourbon heat. This is simply outstanding. Wishing I had picked up another bottle, but I'm certainly glad my stop in Birmingham yielded at least this one.