Rusalka

The name of this beer is inspired by a Slavic legend and is thusly intriguing to me because of my heritage.  According to folklore, a Rusalka is a water spirit that are the souls of young women or girls who died an unnatural or violent death. Rusalki appear as beautiful young women who try to lure men into the water, where they will drown them.

Fear not, White Birch Rusalka will not drown you. However, I suspect you could drown if you fell into a vat of it.

Rusalka (7.00% ABV) is a multi-grain extra stout. Extra stouts are commonly sweeter stouts, much like a milk stout, with a fuller flavor profile, similar to a Russian Imperial Stout.

It pours a sable brown with deep red highlights. The thick tan head builds thickly and leaves behind clingy lace.

The aroma was clean with gentle smells of roasty malt that waft forth.

The taste is of roasted malt, cocoa, and char co-mingling with the sweeter flavors of biscuit, dark fruits, and burnt sugar/molasses. The finish is dry and bitter sweet.

The mouth feel was rather thin with tingly carbonation.

Rusalka is a rich flavorful stout. A good brew to snuggle up with on a cold winter night. Just don't go swimming after you've had one. You know, the water faeries and all that.

Overall: very good