The Swill: Black Toad Dark Ale
The Still: Black Toad Brewing Company
Chicago, Illinois (contractor)
Goose Island Brewing Company
Chicago, Illinois (contractee)
http://www.gooseisland.com
The Drill: Porter, 12oz bottle, 5.3% ABV
The Spill: The beer is a deep, ruddy brown with a creme-colored head. The aroma has notes of chocolate, roasted malt and toffee. The flavor presents a tickle of fruit on the very tip of the tongue. The rest of the beer is dark bread, with a smooth, almost velvety finish and a touch of chocolate. It's a little light for a porter, but they call it a dark ale, which, technically, a porter is, but perhaps some expectation is reduced that way, and rightfully so.
Says Bill: Like the Stockyard Oatmeal Stout, this beer is actually brewed by Goose Island. Also like the Stockyard, I've only seen it at Trader Joe's. Why all the Trader Joe beer on the Wall lately? Easy. They sell bottles individually as well as in six packs, so it's easy to go and try a new brew without having to pick up more of them than you'll actually wind up wanting to drink. Why does Trader Joe's have so many sneaky beers that aren't really made by the people they say they're made by? I have no answer for that one. But this beer isn't half bad.
Refill?: Black Toad. Better than Bad Frog: 2.5 taps out of 5.