Hunahpu's Imperial Stout - Cigar City Brewing

huntermop

South Carolina

4.91/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

A - Really thick, really black, nice brown head, and again really thick

S - Smells amazing! Choc, cinn, and especially vanilla. A hint of chilies

T - Best thing I've ever put into my mouth! I got chilies right away along with the incredible chocolate/vanilla. Little bit of cinnamon, not much. Malty and rich. Damn good

M - Creamy, roasty, malty goodness. Slight/perfect heat.

O - So lucky to try this 2011 Huna. Like I said, best thing I've ever drank! Just a perfect beer in my mind. Only thing that might be better is the BB Huna!!! Need one. can't wait for my first Hunahpu Day next year.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 18:12:26 | More by huntermop

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.23/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Received in trade from cpetrone84, thanks for the opportunity Chris.
Pours a thick solid black color with a decent sized long lasting dark cocoa head. Smells of chocolate and roast up front with lots of anise and dark sugars supporting. Light cinnamon as well as earthy hops provide a bit of balance. Thick chocolate syrup, dark chocolate, licorice, nutmeg and cinnamon flavors come out up front. Lingering chocolate covered pitted fruits, licorice and roast coats the digestive track long after every sip. Thick body with a creamy syrupy mouthfeel and a light level of carbonation. This is a big thick sweet chewy stout, just the way I like them, bring on the diabetes.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 21:37:25 | More by johnnnniee

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

4.71/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

God bless the kind soul that shared his bottle with me on Dark Lord Day 2013. It was a highlight of the day, experiencing the best non-barrel aged stout I have ever had.

Poured into my trusty travel snifter, the stout was a deep black color with a mocha head. The beer did not appear to be as thick as I would have expected. In the aroma, one gets chocolate, a slight hoppiness, and a certain spice. One also gets a malt backbone on a lesser scale. In the initial taste, there was so much going on, it was amazing. One the detectable notes are chocolate, citrus, pineapple, cinnamon, spice, and burnt malts. What is most amazing is that these notes co-exist rather than clash. In the aftertaste, the citrus is most apparent while linger on the back of the tongue. The mouthfeel is a hair too thin, as I find myself wishing this one would last a lot longer.

Hunahpu goes to close to the front of the line in terms of the beers I have had in my life. I need to find more.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 22:16:34 | More by JohnnyHopps

BrownNut

Florida

4.39/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - 4.5 - Pours a thick, viscous black, like crude oil. Aggressive pour yields tons of thick mocha head that persists. Note - a gentle pour gets you nothing but an aggressive one gets you way too much. Go gentle and then finish off with some high pour. The enduring head wins it points over, say, BCBS or other big stouts that just don't give you much.

S - 4.5 - Smells a bit like Golden Grahams cereal (and/or maybe some kind of malty dark brown raisin bread loaf) crossed with a hint of chili pepper. I aslo get something like coconutty suntan lotion. I get something akin to fresh pork bbq with a sweetish sauce. Smells like good food! All in all it's a very clean and comforting smell - not really what I was expecting.

T - 4.25 - Milder than expected for an imperial. Overall I think that holds it back a bit. Nicely composed and subtle. Leans sweeter. There's almost a liquor to it, or a liqueur. It's a rich, concentrated flavor like a very dark chocolate liqueur. There's almost a fruit something but I couldn't say what it is. As with the aroma, there's something almost like that nostalgic suntan lotion you remember from childhood beach trips, but in a totally palatable way. Maybe that's the vanilla. I don't think I'm getting any of the advertised cinnamon. After a while, the aftertaste is surprisingly of char, a char that was lacking in the main body, and missed. But if you've ever had cacao nibs, it's also similar to that earthy bitter taste. I'm left with a nice mild chili burn in the throat. There's a hint of chili burn/sting on the tongue, but not much. It's just enough that you like it and no more. That afterburn really adds to the savor and, along with the ABV, makes this one ideal as a nice long slow sipper.

M - 4.5 - Silky smooth but surprisingly less viscous than it looked when pouring. I'd call it medium bodied,leaning medium-heavy. Was expecting super heavy.

O - 4.5 - Certainly a winner and pleasantly unique. It definitely has a distinct identity, and in a good way. It's very well balanced. It's more delicate than I expected. Compare to Zhukov, which really grabs you by the balls and blasts you. I'd go about 4.4 overall if we could score freeform.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 01:25:14 | More by BrownNut

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.71/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Bottle: Poured a deep pitch-black color stout with a medium size deep brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of deep velvet chocolate notes with light spicy notes and some light vanilla and cinnamon can also be detected. Taste is a mix between some deep chocolate notes with light cinnamon and vanilla a with some residual sugar notes with dry bitter notes subtle finish. Body is full with limited filtration and with a smooth texture with almost motor oil-like consistency. Extremely complex while retaining a good level of drinkability. I found it very hard to do justice to this beer as I am missing work to explain how good it is.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 16:06:14 | More by Phyl21ca

jdprmd

Missouri

3.33/5  rDev -27%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

2013 release, served in snifter

A - Black, creamy dark brown head, finger length... not much lacing

S - Milk chocolate

T - tastes like an imperial milk stout

M - Rich and creamy

O - Very disappointed, I would have much preferred the 4 KBS I traded for this... the beer is very one dimensional to me. I served the beer at 55 degrees and over an hour drank this beer and let it warm to room temp. It smells like carbonation was rushed if that makes sense to home brewers. I did not get any of the spice or vanilla... it just tastes like a creamy chocolate milk stout... not that that is bad, I just expected a lot more from this... I think this is the first beer where I gave the highest rating due to the appearance... due to it's price/rarity and what it is trading for I would give the beer a 2 out of 5.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 05:19:47 | More by jdprmd

cnbrown313

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a wine glass

A - Pours super thick and jet black. Like motor oil. Probably one of the darkest, most viscous beers I've poured.

S - Smells of sweet chocolate, coffee, and a little bit of peppery spice. Maybe some cinnamon.

T - I don't know why, but I was expecting this to be boozy and maybe a little bitter - but it was not at all. Very sweet, creamy, and complex. Sweet chocolate up front, followed by some chocolate, and finishes with a spicy touch.

M - Liquid fudge. Very creamy and delicious.

O - I was very happy to have gotten a chance to try this. I think I actually like Abraxas from Perennial a little bit better, but if you are a fan of big, complex, sweet stouts - seek this out.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 14:13:01 | More by cnbrown313

Beerandboards

New Mexico

4.79/5  rDev +5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

2013 vintage - bottle shared by shuntstout, you the man

A - inky oily black. Super thick. Minimal tan, brown head.

S - heaps of coffee, then chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla. Smells like an amazing dessert.

T - holy s***. It tastes like an amazing ice cream. Chocolate, coffee, vanilla, cinnamon. Just enough sweetness and just enough bitterness. Just an absolutely amazing flavor profile.

M - super thick, rich, low low carb. Exactly what you think a stout should feel like.

O - definitely in my top rung of stouts. Probably the best non-BA stout I've had. So much flavor and all of them play very very well together. A+.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 02:07:32 | More by Beerandboards

BgThang

Texas

5/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is the stout all others should be judged by. I definitely compare all others to this beer. vintages 2011 and 2013 are the best years to get.
it pours as black as dark lord but in a whole nother category. the nose is that of vanilla, cinnamon, tabacco, chillies. Smells like a liquified swisher sweet cigar.

The mouthfeel is heavy and coats very well. the glass takes three rinses to clean.
just a bad ass beer period!

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 20:40:22 | More by BgThang

mechamifune

North Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Been wanting to try this one for a while. Got one as a wedding present for a friend and have been lucky enough to obtain a second bottle, so here we go.

Pours a pitch black with a motor oil complexion. Very very slight brown head. Looks the part of a big IS.

Smell is vanilla sweetness upfront, followed the smell of sweet malt and some cinnamon. The faintest hint of chili is also evident. A great, complex smell.

Taste is sweet upfront with immediate notes of cinnamon as well. Lots of vanilla comes forward midway through and chilis come on strong at the end of each drink. Certainly a spicy element here, but far from overwhelming. A great combination and blending of flavors.

Mouthfeel is about right for the style. Very full and smooth, but not quite to the point of being sticky like, say, Dark Lord.

Overall this is one hell of a beer, and one that demonstrates the ability to integrate some marginally out of the box flavors without making them feel gimmicky. No one note dominates and everything comes together fantastically. There are few things better in the beer world than when you find a beer that is both unique and rewarding, and this fits the bill.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 14:58:17 | More by mechamifune

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.64/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2013) to HFS sniffer

A:Dark dark brown like the color of black coffee it has a small tan head with a medium sized lacing around the top of the glass. It is completely opaque and there is no light get through its about as thick as you can get.

S: There is quite a wide range of scents in here the vanilla is defiantly the strongest, but you can definitely still smell the chilies and they blend interestingly. The cacao is present too in the background it is a very unique spicy scent that I can't really compare to anything else I've seen.

T: Ok so I am really glad I had this beer fresh as the chilies are present and prominent and mix in well with the vanilla flavor. There is so much depth to the flavor the chilies stay on the tonuge and start to blend with cacao nibs for one deep unique flavor I really can't describe it better but it is really good.

M: The feel is surprisingly thin for the style and abv but it does go down fairly smoothly the vanilla matches that well. There is no carbonation and with it not being thick it is kinda weird. This is pretty much the only aspect of the beer that does not blow me away.

O: Wow this is such unique beer it has some much different flavors and scents there is really nothing I can compare it too. It is also delicious I could drink this for days and drink it fresh the chilies really come out and mix in well. This is a hard to get but totally worth it get it if you can

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 00:34:02 | More by Pinknuggets

MCain04

Illinois

4.79/5  rDev +5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Got this bad boy from a trade with Dimenhetfield, thanks bro. 2013 vintage split with BostonRyan, poured into snifter glasses, reviewed from tasting notes.

A: Pitch black body with a dark head of 1-2 fingers with awesome retention and lacing.

S: Complex smell, a lot going on. The chilli is strong on the nose. The cacao is also strong and quite bitter. There's a good amount of spice, cinnamon is present, and a little vanilla but not too much. No alcohol on the nose.

T: Again, very complex, but different from the nose. The cacao mellows out with the sweetness from the vanilla. Unlike other chilli beers, the chilli is present throughout and works really well. Cinnamon is not as present as it was in the nose, a little overwhelmed by the chilli. A lot of flavors going on, but a really solid malt backbone is a great foundation with roasty characters and the overall medley leaves little to no alcohol burn.

M: Just the epitome of the style. Creamy and full, rich and thick, a little dryness from the pepper but wet otherwise.

O: I loved this beer. Definitely worth the hype. A delicate balance that plays very well. It may not be for everyone, and I may have enjoyed this a bit more than my compadre, but it is really world class, and definitely the best non-barrel aged stout out there.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 00:02:31 | More by MCain04

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This poured out as a rich deep black color with a creamy looking brown head on top. The retention fades over time with a light lacing. The smell of the beer is a little boozy, there is molasses on the nose, deep roasted malts and some sweet cocoa. The taste of the beer is pretty complex, the spices come through pretty strong, the vanilla is very subtle in the finish. The flavors are very rich. The mouthfeel is thick, oily and heavy. The carbonation is minimal. Overall I was hyping this up in my mind to be much better than what I felt it turned out to be. You win some, you lose some. I enjoye trying it but I don't feel the need to get it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 23:32:56 | More by Knapp85

rlee1390

Indiana

4.71/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A-Deep black motor oil-eqsue. One finger deep brown head that leaves behind some lacing, not much carbonation.

S-Roasted malt, coffee, pepper, chocolate, vanilla, some burnt notes.

T-Amazing balance. Roasted malt, lots of pepper, vanilla, coffee, chocolate. Mild bitterness, come burnt notes. As it warms the vanilla takes over and the peppers die down a little.

M-Heavy, thick, and creamy. Some carbonation.

O-Wow. What a beer. Easily the best non BA stout I've hand. Absolutely wonderful. A must try.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 21:55:07 | More by rlee1390

davey101

Connecticut

4.51/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2013 vintage into a Teku glass. Thanks so much LiquidDegenerate!

A - Pours a pitch black body with two finger's of dark mocha foam. Settles down quickly and sits still after a few minutes. Moderate lacing with weak retention. Swirling does coat the glass in a thin brownish yellow film.

S - Starts off with roasted char and just a phenomenal chili aroma. It doesn't smell spicy or burnt or over the top, just delicious chili peppers sans the heat. Sweet vanilla, chocolate and earthy cinnamon really work to balance things out on the end. Has a sort of "faux-cinnamon flavored coffee flavored drink" thing going on, but in a good way. Really complex with a lot of different elements working seamlessly together.

T - Very roast dominant, and reminiscent of Founders RIS in the beginning. However things start to get complicated when the vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate take over. On the very end is some subtle roasted chili flavor and even further back is a slight burn of the tongue. For some reason I was expecting something spicier, not the case as this is beyond approachable. All the flavors are present and just meld together. Medium bodied and creamy. Alcohol is very well hidden.

O - I absolutely love this beer. Completely lived up to the hype for me. The ingredient lists reads off like a most wanted lists for the perfect stout, just fucking fantastic!

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 04:48:31 | More by davey101

merc7186

New York

4.49/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber into snifter glass.

A: Dark Opaque Hue, Passes No Light, Brown Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Cocoa, Hot Peppers, Dark Chocolate

T: Cocoa, Mildly Heated Peppers, Dark Malts, Mild Brown Sugar

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium to Full Bodied, Mild Heat, Mildly Sweet

Overall, a great balance of the cocoa nibs and ancho chilies, melds so well together.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 00:19:18 | More by merc7186

jimmy82063

Connecticut

4.59/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Finally am having this fresh and I am certainly in for a treat. The por is a jet black with no head and no lacing. The smell belies cocoa, vanilla & coffee this is one of the best smetting beers I have had. Yeah I know kind of weird. Taste, is there a lot going on here! Vanilla, coffee, chocolate, cinnamon but the kicker is the nice spiciness of the ancho chiles everything melds so well. To try this at the day of release would be a treat. Well done!

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 23:46:49 | More by jimmy82063

ffOpusx

California

4.74/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Pours pitch black

Smells amazing big chocolate & Coffee notes, with some vanilla

Tastes even better, like melted chocolate bar, big chocolate and espresso notes,
Little vanilla, and cinnamon, light pepper under tone

This is the best non barrel aged beers i've ever had!

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 17:10:07 | More by ffOpusx

Biggesthouse

Florida

4.79/5  rDev +5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Picked up a few bombers at Hunahpus Day! Filled myself with Hunahpu on draft at the event, it was absolutely delicious! Huge fan of CCB and their stouts; Marshall Zhukov's, Cafe Con Leche and Moat Water! I actually prefer it from the bottle, just opened the second one. The flavours are even more delightful from the bottle!

A: Midnight black, never changed motor oil, Pepsi
S: Fairly alchish, chillies, chocolate, berries, cinnamon
T: Slightly spicy, hints of multiple peppers, dark chocolate, cinnamon

It's so good I can no longer focus on this review.
Drink it if yah got it!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 02:36:23 | More by Biggesthouse

SaisonRichBiere

Michigan

4.74/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a bottle. 2010 vintage. Big thanks to alefish for hooking this up!

Appearance- The Darth Vader of stouts. The blackest of the black with a dark dense head that slowly dissipates. Liquid is muddy rather than shiny. Leggy enough that it leaves no lacing at all. It all gets dragged back into the tar...Very commanding presence once decanted.

Smell- Strong dark chocolate, dense, earthy cinnamon notes, dried dark fruits, and smoky pepper. The nose suits this one well.

Taste- Salty caramel followed by cinnamony chicory coffee. Big creamy chocolate notes followed by a big, blunt, pure dark chocolate hit. Bitters out a bit before finishing smooth and chocolatey. Peppercorn zest and espresso take turns hanging out on the tongue in the aftertaste. Not boozy at all for an imperial, there's just way too much else going on here that masks it. Very complex, unique, and distinct. One of the best.

Mouthfeel- Smooth, dense and creamy start to finish. Like a milkshake that melted a bit at room temperature. Par for the course considering the style.

Overall- I've waited a while to get one of these, and I am extremely fortunate to have gotten one with some age on it. Very happy with it. I love the style, and this is by far one of the best. I have another cellaring, and look forward to another in the future. A must have for all beer enthusiasts.

Cheers

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 02:03:43 | More by SaisonRichBiere

Uncleserg

California

4.64/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Hand bottle via neighbor who hooked it up literally at 10:30pm PST Thx Art S.

Pours pitch black and pretty viscous with a creamy tan head that has some large bubbles.

Amazing aroma - chocolate, spices, roast, smoke, and mild chili peppers burnt sugars.

Flavor is incredible and moves through several phases as it warms up. Starts with semi-sweet chocolate then roast and coffee, followed by some smoke, vanilla, then chili peppers, cinnamon, wood and bitter cocoa and hops on the finish. The complexity is pretty cerebral.

Medium full on the palate with a bitter cocoa chalkiness. Bitterness really sticks with you, and I feel like it's more from the cocoa than the hops.

Drinkability is semi-smooth at chilled level once it warms up its chalky , but I think this works very well as a sipper. Smell is amazing intense chilly mild vanilla. AMAZING BEER glad to try twice in one week.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 06:51:29 | More by Uncleserg

HopHeadCnK

Virginia

4.64/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

The head sneaks up on you. Dark tan head on a midnight black pour into a tulip glass, increasing as you pour. Extremely complex nose, different notes every time you smell, chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla. Almost medicinal on the nose.

Taste is extremely complex, sweet up front with toasted malt and heat on the finish. Soooo easy drinking for 11%, this beer could be dangerous.

The question is, good enough to be worth the round trip plane tickets to get me down to the release and back...ABSOLUTELY! Cheers

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 00:26:26 | More by HopHeadCnK

yamar68

Minnesota

4.61/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

HUGE thanks to LiquidDegenerate for this long-time want. 2013 vintage split with mnphish. From notes:

As dark as they come... an incredibly stubborn finger of creamy khaki awesomeness forms drapes and drapes of oily lace. Honestly, this is an absolutely perfect looking beer.

Like sticking my nose into a tub of cinnamon ice cream. Homeboy Evan says it "smells like a Cinnabon factory." I don't disagree. Milk chocolate, very faint chile contribution, a mellow suggestion of coffee on the tail end of things. Very dynamic... I'm glad I chose to drink this fresh.

Wow. Like nothing else I can think of... cinnamon and spice, vanilla bean, bitter coffee/chocolate, dry chile aspect... every ingredient plays a roll in a delicious way. Entirely unique. I wish there was some more attainable substitute. Fuckin... yum.

Forever ISO.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 20:52:31 | More by yamar68

bryang002

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -35.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Maybe I built this one up too much but I was greatly disappointed with 2013 Huna. The look and feel of this beer were amazing but for some reason all I could smell and taste was olives.

After a bit I finally got some vanilla undertones but this thing tasted like a olive bomb. No chocolate, no chilies, this thing was a mess.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 16:07:49 | More by bryang002

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

2.76/5  rDev -39.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2

I've had this on a couple occasions now. I was entirely underwhelmed by it the first time, so I had to give it a second try in order to understand why this beer is praised so much. And I still don't get it. This just simply is not a good beer.

The look is good enough: dark brown-black with a wispy tan head that dissipated almost completely. Aroma was pretty basic for a stout, dark malts, some roast, with distant spice notes. For all that's put into this beer, the flavor profile is extremely weak. Dark roasty malts typical of a basic stout, some sugary sweetness with a hint of cinnamon, cocoa powder, anise, pickles, something vegetal that could possibly be construed as hot pepper, but no real burn or nice peppery taste going on. The mouthfeel is on the thin side, which seems to be what makes this beer suffer the most; body is medium, very light for a stout, much less an imperial stout, and the alcohol warmth, while present, isn't too intense.

Of all the over-hyped uber-beers, this one probably impressed me the least, and to think that there is an entire day devoted to this beer, kind of baffles me.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 21:46:45 | More by Rifugium