Heresy

Heresy is a limited release Oak barrel aged Imperial stout from Weyerbacher. In the past, I've had mixed luck with oak-aged beers; many of them simply can't stand up to the oak, and end up being harsh and unbalanced. That is not a problem with the Heresy. This is one of the most insanely intense beers I've run across recently.

The nose has a strong aroma of dark chocolate, with hints of coffee, and a little vanilla. One sip is enough to make you sit up and take notice; a very slight sweetness up front tempers the intense roasted flavors, and the oak definitely shows through, but doesn't overpower. Then the dryness of the oak and the slight hoppiness kick in to give a long dry finish, with some almost caramel like overtones.
The label states that the alcohol content is 8%. I would have guessed a little higher to have the intensity that this beer has. A true sipping beer, as I write this I've been drinking this beer for over an hour, and I'm not quite finished. Makes the nearly $4 pricetag seem quite reasonable.

Highly recommended to those who enjoy huge intense (but not overly hoppy) beers, especially those who consider Guinness a "light" beer. If you prefer your beers lighter and thirst quenching, then avoid this one. This is more like a meal in a glass.