I'll be honest: I was convinced I was going to hate this beer. Somehow I got this as part of my latest Beer Drop shipment (either they screwed up, or I did) and I've been putting off trying it because, to me, beers like this tend to be "stunt beers" or made sheerly for the shock effect. They tend to suck, and I'm always mad I got suckered into trying them.

Three Scoops Neapolitan Stout is different.

Now don't get me wrong, there is no way I want to drink a whole pint of this stuff. I had a couple of swallows, said, "Wow, that's really well done," and then dumped it out. It just is not the kind of beer that entices you to drink more of it and it tires the palate (mine, at least) quite quickly.

But, for what it is, it's very well executed.

Starting with the color, it evokes a bit of chocolate ice cream. It's not pitch black like some stouts but falls more into the deep rich brown category, and though I filled the glass too full to do it justice it has a nice medium tan head on it.

The aroma doesn't smell like ice cream exactly, but you do get notes of dark chocolate from the grains, some vanilla, and a prominent note of strawberry from the strawberry puree. It definitely smells inviting.

The flavor is pretty amazing. Very rich mouth feel with vanilla and a lot of strawberry in the body, with a nice finish of chocolate and roasted grains reminding you you're drinking a stout beer, not a milk shake.

What can I say, this impressed me. By all rights it should have been terrible but it was far from it, and while it's not as good as Great Divide's Chocolate Raspberry Yeti Imperial Stout (another one that surprised me), it's quite good.

But it's too much. Maybe this would be a great pint to split between about eight people to go with dessert but it's not a beer I wanted to finish, whereas with the Chocolate Raspberry Yeti, one sip left you wanting another. After a few minutes anyway.

So, if these sorts of beers are your thing, you'll probably love this one. For me, I'm glad I tried it and am impressed with the execution. But I don't think I'll ever drink it again.