South Street Anastasia’s Chocolate Fantasy
This bottle of South Street Anastasia’s Chocolate Fantasy was purchased at the same time I picked up their Satan’s Pony and Virginia Lager. Even though I had mixed results with those particular brews, this big, 10.52% ABV Russian imperial stout seemed to be more inline with what I have come to expect from their parent company.
The only issue with this beer is the moniker. There’s really nothing fantastical about this beer — especially on the chocolate end of its flavor spectrum. Yes, there’s some cocoa in the mix, but it’s far from dominating in any fashion. The beer, however, is lightly robust and deceptively easy to drink despite its potency.
Appearance
Anastasia’s Chocolate Fantasy pours opaque black with a large, rocky stack of brown foam.
Aroma
The cocoa is there, but far from the levels of fantasy. It’s joined by coffee, a soft roast and a lightly earthy quality.
Taste
Overall this brew is pretty darn tasty. It’s lightly robust with a bit of an earthy character and isn’t overly sweet, which is a good thing considering how the label positions it. The brew is full bodied and slightly viscous on the tongue as it glides smoothly toward a softly warming and drying finish — that also feels a bit on the rough side. The higher level of alcohol is masked quite well.
Overall
After my hit and miss experience with the first pair of beers from this Blue Mountain off-shoot, I wasn’t expecting much from Anastasia’s Chocolate Fantasy. Thankfully, it’s a solid brew. There are other Russian imperial stouts that I prefer over it, but in the end, I thoroughly enjoyed what it had to offer. I’m glad it wasn’t overly chocolaty or cloyingly sweet. It also helps overcome some of the short-comings of the company’s other products and gives me hope for trying new stuff from them in the future.
Rating: 3.75/5
