Beer Review: Black Damnation II (Mocha Bomb)

Reviewing the Black Damnation II (Mocha Bomb) from De Struise Brouwers out of Belgium.
Score: 92

Unknown vintage bottle served in a snifter glass and enjoyed on 05/15/12. A big thank you to Bryan Hernandez for bringing this bottle to my law school graduation tasting. Review is from notes.

Appearance: Pours a black coffee color with a thin layer of brown that settles to a ring around the glass. Oily lacing, minimal retention. 4/5

Smell: Freshly ground raw coffee beans, mocha, bark, raw chocolate and leather. A little beef jerky too. A little warmth in the nose, but there are no alcohol esters discernible. 4.5/5

Taste: Mocha bomb indeed! Sweet chocolate, cocoa and acidic coffee. There is a bold warmth on the tongue, but again, it's not what I would describe as a "booziness." Molasses, a light "woodiness" and a blend of dark and milk chocolate too. The acidic coffee lingers. Hint of residual berry in the aftertaste. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, no carbonation. Acidic, dry mouthfeel. Bittersweet leaning towards bitter. 4/5

Overall: Tasty, but the acidity holds this one back from being something potentially better.

Recommendation: Worth drinking, not worth going out of your way to hunt down. For the price, Black Albert is the better buy from De Struise in my opinion.

Pairings: Vanilla cream donuts.

Cost: $12 for an 11.2 oz bottle.