Lone Buffalo: Rye Barrel Aged Stout by Wild Leap Brew Co., and I am judging this according to the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines, Category 33B – Specialty Wood-Aged Beer.

A dark black, nearly opaque beer arrives with a large, fizzy brown head that fizzles away quickly despite bubbles continuing to breach the surface rapidly. Upon my first sniff, and still a few inches away from the surface, I come away with a nose full of warm brownie batter and spicy rye whiskey. There are loads of maillard products from the dark malts of figs, prunes and dates, which add complexity and depth to the nose. Richly sweet warm brownie batter encompasses my first sip, and the spicy rye whiskey dries the sides of the tongue and warms on the way down.

Additional evaluation exposes sweet vanilla and light roast malt in the aroma, as well as the flavor. The rich, dark malt esters carry over from the nose, reminding me of minced meat pie filling, without the spices. Rich Luxardo cherry notes enter late and mix with the esters and dark malts (roast, chocolate). Fermentation is clean and there are no noticeable hops or hop bitterness. The beer finishes sweet, and the rich esters linger long into the finish. This full-bodied beer has light carbonation and medium alcohol warmth.

This beer is begging to be drizzled over some vanilla ice cream, though it would serve as a desert on its own. Rich New York cheesecake slices would also accompany this well.