What it is: A spiced porter that includes black walnut, licorice and roasted chestnuts — in other words, an ideal fall beer and alternative to sweet, cloying pumpkin ales. Shady Character is one of three year-round offerings from Forbidden Root, which launched in June in Chicago. One of the minority partners is beer author/brewer/label designer Randy Mosher, who is formulating Forbidden Root's recipes and labels. Forbidden Root is contract brewing for now, but hopes to open its own brewery by next spring.
Alcohol (by volume): 6.7 percent
In the bottle: A touch hazy out of the bottle — it reminded me of a darker chocolate milk — Shady Character boasts a web of subtle, interesting aromas: a little licorice, a touch of chocolate and a bit of earthiness, like the mossy smells deep in a forest. The body is a touch creamy, which provides a lovely canvas for all those complex flavors: chocolate notes lingering at the edge, herbal nuttiness in the middle and the aforementioned licorice and spice. The flavors are complex in Shady Character, but the beer is never overly busy.
Drink it with: Shady Character would pair well with many hearty foods, but right now I'm dreaming of it beside a cassoulet.
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