As a long time fan of Black Label Society, I wanted to make a beer explicitly designed for the band, all the way from ingredients to artwork. Being well aware of Zakk Wylde's very own Valhalla Java Odinforce Blend from Deathwish Coffee, I figured it would be interesting to go for a coffee stout. That's how I crafted the recipe for one strong, roasty, dark beer which I let smooth out for about 1.5 months after fermentation before adding the cold brewed coffee along with some cacao nibs for a smoother, rounder taste. With another 3 months of final cellar conditioning, the beer was ready for release just in time for the launch of the band's "Grimmest Hits" album. Since then I have experimented with several different coffee and cacao origins, as well as different periods of cellar aging before finally arriving at my current recipe. The most recent batch has a lower alcohol level for better drinkability, and by cold steeping the roasted malts and adding in flaked oats to the grist it's also much smoother and darker, allowing me to be more mindful of what coffee and chocolate to use. With a flavor profile of berries, cherry, and dark honey in mind, I went for a Red Kenibon coffee from Tecapa-Chinameca in El Salvador, locally roasted in Munich by Café Blá, and used it together with Maya Mountain cacao nibs from Belize, roasted also locally by Truly Chocolate. The resulting beer is a smooth and silky pitch black stout with a soft coffee backbone and notable aromas of dark chocolate and berries.