Browar Maltgarden - Park Bench Afternoon

Another pastry stout variation by Maltgarden, the Polish craft brewery specializing in this concept, this time simply with hazelnut and chocolate flavouring. Bottle shared with Steve at Bar Beenhouwer. Thin and open, pale yellowish beige, eventually dissolving ring for a head, black robe with thin mahogany-reddish edge. Intensely desserty aroma of indeed hazelnut purée and 'Nutella', brownies, milk chocolate, caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream, cocoa, mocha, brown rum, granola, marzipan, old port, eggnog and even oxidized red wine faraway in the background. Very sweet onset, brown-sugary, candied figs, bit sticky, with softish carb and very full, thick, syrupy mouthfeel; lots of milk-chocolatey and hazelnut paste-like flavours linger, with additional highlights of vanilla, nougat and granola, before a warming, very liqueurish alcohol glow sets in. Retronasally, an unexpected but interesting effect of oxidized and fortified wine shows up. Again a typical Maltgarden pastry stout indeed, not lacking in complexity (certainly for style), rich, opulent and decadent but well made - though one tasting glass is more than enough...