Hunahpu's Imperial Stout - Cigar City Brewing

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Capone's...
Appears a pitch black with a small tan he'd that quickly fades out into a mild cap. Scattered bits of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of molasses, herbal tea, chalk, black grapes, spicy balck and dried red pepper.
Taste is of the aromas with vanilla yogurt, cinnamon, pasilla peppers, and red grapes.
Mouthfeel is full bodied, spiced, a bit of chile heat lingering with cinnamon and cumin. A bit of abv noticed in this.

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2010 02:00:46 | More by weeare138

radioscooter

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This one has some hype to live up to.

Pours dead black with the most amazing cocoa head ever.

Smell is a bit off-putting. Nothing inviting here, bitter, dark hops and/or cacao.

Taste is COMPLEX. Getting cacao beans, and a healthy cinnamon burn which is amazing. Coffee roast coming through as well. Not getting a ton of vanilla. Did I mention Cinnamon and chile burn?

Wow, this is a wonderful taste. I love cinnamon and chocolate combined and this is the best of all worlds - Cinnamon, chocolate and BEER! But it works. This reminds me of the descriptions of ancient Aztec hot chocolate drinks back when the cacao bean wasn't the invention of Milton Hershey.

Not much else to say. Not going to be a favorite if you don't like new things. :) I love this - though I can't see drinking it all night.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2011 03:35:32 | More by radioscooter

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 vintage generously shared by Rutager.

A: 1/8" brown head over black liquid.

S: Spicy with scents of chilis and cinnamon along with chocolate and toasted malt.

T: Chilis and cinnamon up front with toasted malt, roasted barley and some chocolate in the finish.

M: Medium to thick viscosity with a low level of carbonation.

O: Kind of disappointing, the chilis were distracting and overpowered almost everything else.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 16:10:25 | More by DaftCaskBC

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.05/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Many thanks to the ever generous Dyan for the opportunity to try this tonight.

The beer pours an impressive looking, motor oil black color with pretty good head retetion, but with considerable sticky lacing all around. The head on this beer is a very rich, cocoa/coffee color that dies down fairly quickly. The nose on this beer is huge and impressive, with consdirable coffee, cherry, dark chocolate and a hint of licorise. On the palate, the coffee and dark chocolate really dominate this beer, and push aside pretty much everything else. While the mouthfeel is impressive, this beer is very monolithic, with the flavor profile completely dominated by the chocolate and coffee flavors. There is a hint of leather in the finish, which helps to counter the sweetness in this beer, but the sweetness, noticeable alcohol and slight licorise really detract from this beer's drinkability .

This is clearly a fine beer, but it just struck me as a bit disjointed and just too one dimensionable. The beer has a hugely impressive mouthfeel, with a mouthfilling, pillowy, very soft and long drawn out finish. Still, one glass was all I could do, and I can't imagine drinking an entire bottle of this at a sitting. Nevertheless, this is still a very fine, well crafted beer from Cigar City.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 01:52:43 | More by johnmichaelsen

Spica66

Indiana

4.05/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Got this in trade from FutureCowboy. Thanks, Timmons!

2010 bottle shared with gwuilliums as our first beer of 2011.

A: Black, slightly viscous pour. Good head formation and decent retention. Good legs and decent lacing as well.

S: Very dark and roasty smells. Some slight sourness like I have experienced with many RIS.

T: Very dark roast coffee with some chili pepper notes.

M: Very smooth and round. The alcohol is nearly completely hidden.

D: Easy to drink and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2011 20:11:40 | More by Spica66

Lunch

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Brought a 2010 bottle of this to a tasting a little while back. Received from a generous trader. Served in a Cigar City snifter as it would be crazy to drink this out of any other vessel.

Pours as dark as any bowel movement after a heavy day of drinking Pepto-Bismol, but with a lot better head retention. Cigar City has a way of crafter thick stouts that look great.

Smell is of chocolate and perhaps the faintest hint of vanilla, but the chili peppers are dominating and really detracting from the aroma. Taste is similar but slightly better. The peppers are not to my liking, but to each their own. Mouthfeel is thick with smooth and creamy carbonation.

This is a nice beer, but I'd take Marshal Zhukov over this any day, but I am glad that I got the chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 19:18:04 | More by Lunch

largadeer

California

4.08/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Mini-growler shared by nickd717 at a recent Cigar City tasting. Thanks for sharing this rarity, Nick.

The pour was black, tar-like and completely opaque, topped by a head that was a shade or two lighter than black. The color made me dread that this was going to be another burnt, acrid Cigar City imperial stout.

The aroma alleviated my fears somewhat as a huge bouquet of chocolate and cinnamon wafted up from the glass. Hot pepper and alcohol stung my nostrils, while vanilla brought a balancing sweetness. Beneath it all was the signature of Cigar City - burnt things, tar pit and fresh asphalt.

The taste, sweet and chocolatey up-front, spicy both from cinnamon and hot peppers - truly like drinking a blend of stout and xocolatl. Despite the almost excessive use of adjuncts, the base beer shines through with its heavily roasted, nearly burnt malt character. Sweetness from the chocolate and vanilla balance the bitterness with surprising finesse, never quite becoming cloying despite its richness. The finish reveals flavors of French roast coffee and burnt toast, and just when you think it's done the heat from the peppers coat the palate, leading into an aftertaste of cinnamon and chiles.

Well, they finally did it. That's right; Cigar City made a good beer. I know, I'm surprised too. This is good stuff, I might even track down a bottle when they come out next year.

Edit: Had this from a bottle, not as good, though still solid.

Serving type: growler

11-30-2009 22:31:53 | More by largadeer

beerpirates

Belgium

4.08/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Vintage 2010
Poured from a 750ml bottle into my lost abbey stemware glass.

A - This pours out about as thick and black as I've ever seen. A thick 2 plus finger dark mocha head forms and slowly settles into a
layer of mocha foam and lots of lacing.

S - This smells interesting, a subtle smokiness, cocoa, vanilla, roasted malts, and spicy chiles. Smells of a stout.

T - Taste is similar to the nose. Starts with a bit a sweet chocolaty goodness, into a bitter roasted malt/coffee backed by some vanilla and cinnamon notes, and finishes with a touch of spicy chiles.

M - This feels medium bodied but really creamy and smooth, slightly hot from the chiles. Carbonation is perfect which compliments the beer nicely.

D - A sipper for sure. This is a heavy stout with many different layers.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 19:38:29 | More by beerpirates

rachelerin

South Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to the guys for bringing us beer!

It poured out get black with lots of tan foam and lacing. Very thick

The smell had hints of chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla, but it was overwhelmed by chili peppers.

The taste started out with some faint bitter chocolate, but smoothed out as the beer warmed. The cinnamon and vanilla were very present, but the overwhelming flavor was pepper. It wasn't very spicy, but did have a lot of the flavor characteristics of a hot chili pepper. It was well balanced and very enjoyable.

The carbonation was very heavy- I think too heavy for what I wanted, and it took a lot of swirling to get it to calm down. It is a little lighter bodied than I had hoped for the flavors, but very good nonetheless.

It was excellent for an imperial stout, but after what my neighbor said he had to give to get it, I don't think I will be pursuing this to have again.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 12:59:40 | More by rachelerin

pmarlowe

California

4.11/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2012 vintage. Tulip glass.

A: Pours a thick, viscous black with a cap of red-tinted dark brown which recedes quickly to a thin ring. No lacing.

S: Red chilis, cinnamon bark, decadent cocoa, cocoa powder, cherry. Like mexican hot chocolate.

T: Big dark, mouthcoating chocolate, cocoa powder, sweetish spicy red peppers which linger on the long finish, and some subtle vanilla and cinnamon. Slight off taste on the finish, like a coffee bitterness crossed with a spicy note.

M: Silky smooth. Full body, mouthcoating, and light but sharp carbonation. Alcohol is well hidden despite the 11% ABV.

O: Solid variation on an imperial stout, but nothing exceptional. The flavors don't quite come together as they could, and kicking up the vanilla--which is quite faint--would do well.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 07:12:06 | More by pmarlowe

alcstradamus

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Although I enjoyed them, I haven't been particularly blown away by either of the other Cigar City stouts that I have tried (110k+OT and Marshall Zhukov). Nonetheless, I have been impatiently waiting for months to get a chance to try this one, and that day is finally here.

This one pours a thick, black nightmare with a towering cascading head that is as dark and menacing as any you will ever see. Awesome. Be sure to be careful with your pouring here, or you will end up with a countertop soaked in Hunahpu overflow like I did.

The aroma starts out light up front, mostly a dusting of cocoa and some bright fruity/metallic notes. As the head dies down, the metallic element thankful disappears as well. Whew...had me worried there for a second. What appears is a nice mix of milk chocolate, faint peppery spiciness, and floral hops.

The taste big, bold, and roasty. A hefty dose of bitter dark chocolate on the front palate with a coffee bean finish. I'm not picking up very much of the peppers initially, but they leave their mark as a lingering aftertaste. Most of the flavor here is the enormous roasted malt profile.

The body here is full and there is sufficient carbonation yet not so much that it destroys the creaminess. Drinkability is OK, but this is such a huge bitter beer that splitting the bottle would be in your best interests.

Overall, I definitely really enjoyed this one. It was not as complex as I would have expected based on the treatments that the based beer received, but in the end that is OK because it is still extremely flavorful. The closest comparison I can make would be a fresh Bell's Expedition. If the Hunahpu's ages as gracefully as that beer, then it could be something quite special down the road.

UPDATE 4/27: I had a chance to try another sample of this beer and it was NOTHING like the bottle I opened. It was far more deep and complex, with big notes of cinnamon and chile pepper that were just phenomenal. There must be a lot of bottle variation in this batch, perhaps the bottles were pulled from different barrels and not blended???? Anyways...I would have rated it probably a 4.7 or higher, but until I get a bottle of my own that tastes like that I'm leaving it how it is.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 21:58:13 | More by alcstradamus

chaz01

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One of the few beers I took notes on at Dark Lord Day. 22 ounce bottle served into a 4 oz tasting glass.

A: Dark black and opaque with a think brown head.

S: Malty coffee aroma

T: Chocolate malt balls with a bit of an orange and tangerine twang to it. Dark fruits like plums and raisins along with chocolate and vanilla notes.

M: Full bodied, but light and creamy on the tongue. Smooth, nice dry finish.

D: Certainly worth another taste -- would be a nice beer to have after dinner or with a rich chocolate dessert.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2010 04:44:49 | More by chaz01

Bendurgin

Maine

4.13/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks for this one Grant!

Poured this into a tulip. Pours thick and black and leaves about of inch of dark mocha colored head. This head is beautiful, this really looks fantastic. I'm very attracted to this beer. I love the sticky lacing. The smell is complex, possibly a little to much. A lot of different scents going on and a little tough to focus on just one. Cocoa and roasted malts are very apparent. Hints of dark fruits, tobacco, and molasses linger in the background. Mild spiciness in the nostrils also, probably due to the chiles and cinnamon. I can smell the alcohol in this. The more I smell this, the more I'm put off by the smell. As I hoped, the taste is outstanding. Delicious and roasty. I can taste cocoa and rich malts. The cocoa is slightly perfect for me, just there enough in the finish to be perfect. A little spiciness, but not quite what I was hoping for from the presence of the chiles and the cinnamon, but none the less, this is mostly on point. The richness of the cocoa and the vanilla make for a nostalgic feeling of comforting hot chocolate. The mouth feel is great. The subtle carbonation is great for all the complex flavors in this. Thick and delicious, just what I expected from this Imperial Stout. Good drinkability for everything going on in this beer. A bit heavy and slightly boozy, but I want this to be a sipper anyhow.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2010 00:54:00 | More by Bendurgin

Verecund

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

My second time having this. Shared by a local BA on 09.23.2010.

Jet black with one of the meanest chamiosee colored head I've seen. There's nothing less exciting than talking about the color brown, but this is one heck of a dark brown.

The bottle was shaken the day before to maximize the chile presence. Cocoa powder, bittersweet chocolate, and chilies dominate. I think what's most absent, actually, is the coffee. The cinnamon, while faded, still provides some nice balance to the cocoa, and the peppers come through on the finish with a warming kick.

Thick and chewy, Hunahpu's delivers. As much as I dislike reading the description of this because of how over the top it sounds, this is a great stout. It's not hot, but I think it'd be hard to drink a lot of this. So split it. With me. (I'll also note that for me, this is a case where I can say that this is a great-looking and tasting beer, but the drinkability is low, and I doubt I'll actively seek it out. It just has a lot going on and the sum of its parts fails to live up to its individual elements.)

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2010 20:25:26 | More by Verecund

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a glass mug.

Huge thanks to Gtreid for this whale carcass!

'Twas indeed a tragic prelude to the brewing, when this bottle flung itself from the table, shattering its world, leaving an expanding sea of dark, roasty blood. We salvaged what we could from the wreckage, and the impression gotten therefrom is below. Full disclosure, home slices.

It pours a straight deathly dark brown topped by what seems to be a finger of brown foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, blackened pretzels, molasses, maple syrup, oak, vanilla, cocoa, and whiskey. The taste holds notes of heavy roasted malts, molasses, chocolate, sweet peppers, soy sauce, vanilla, and brown sugar. The body is a hefty medium, with a light carbonation and a kinda syrupy feel. Overall, this seemed a bit of a disappointment. A lot of dark, sweet, and spicy tones, but they don't really seem to truly mesh together properly. Honestly, though, because of the circumstances, this guy held up fairly well. I plan on trying to acquire a new bottle, though, so that we can determine how this ought to be. Until then, though, these were my impressions: take them as you wish.

Update (2/26/11):
Thanks to the generosity of florida9, I've been able to give this giant another chance. The taste comes up much cleaner, tastier, with the soy sauce now thankfully gone and the peppers coming in nice and subtly near the end. Everything comes through nicely this time, much more well-blended and neat. I'm glad I was able to try this as it was intended to be consumed, as it is definitely better than the literal wreck that the above bottle was. The scores have thus been appropriately adjusted.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 07:46:01 | More by TMoney2591

GregSVT

Texas

4.13/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

750ml capped bottle into a snifter - 2010 Vintage

A: Pours pitch black straight out of the bottle like motor oil...very thick looking. The head is one of the darkest I've seen on a beer and it fades to a ring leaving small bits of lacing.

S: The nose is full of big aromas including dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, peppers, fudge, and dark fruits. The peppers are actually more pronounced than I expected.

T: The taste is a big hit of roasted/burnt malts, coffee, and dark chocolate at first and as it progesses I can pick up the chilli peppers and a vanilla flavor on the finish. It's mainly all roast but the other flavors balance that out during the finish. It starts kind of bitter but ends sweet.

M: The beer is thick and creamy...definitely full bodied. Carbonation is actually nice for such a big beer.

O: This is one of those over the top beers that tastes good but is a bit much for one sitting. I like it but I don't think I'll search this one out again.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 05:08:03 | More by GregSVT

phichifiji00

California

4.13/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 bottle, poured into tulip glass.

Appearance: Pours black, with two fingers of thick brown head that slowly fades. No lacing.

Smell: very chocolaty, cinnamon, vanilla, peppers, graham crackers, somewhat sweet.

Taste: Cinnamon, peppers, cocoa, vanilla, oak. A sweet/chocolaty start, cinnamon/vanilla middle. Fades to peppers and oak.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, moderate carbonation. Smooth. Somewhat astringent as it warms.

Overall: A very complex beer. Probably the best chilli beer I've had to date. The cocoa, vanilla and cinnamon play well with the heat of the peppers and the stout base keeps everything in balance. Very drinkable. I'm looking forward to cracking my 2011 bottle shortly.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 17:52:10 | More by phichifiji00

thepeter

United Kingdom (England)

4.15/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

a-a dark little head on a black as night beer

s- chocolate, coffee, tobacco, hops, charred wood.

t- cocao, pine, dry wood that has been lightly charred, tobacco and coffee and alc warmth at the end.

md- Silky smooth and very drinkable closer to a medium bodied porter the way it felt. I could drink a bit more and found it to be very drinkable considering it's weight.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2010 20:31:43 | More by thepeter

ottovon

Arizona

4.15/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

opened at a tasting by ejyoung.

A: pours out a thick, opaque black with a brown head. the head looks very creamy.

S: smells of dark chocolate, roasted malt, burnt sugar, dark fruits. I get a little chili in the nose with hints of vanilla.

T: lost of dark chocolate and roasted malt. burnt sugar and some coffee, with a little chili and vanilla. a good balance of chili in this beer. not overwhelming.

M: thick and creamy.

D: this is a very drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2011 04:31:57 | More by ottovon

mgp2675

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2011 Hunahpu's, thanks to BRoss242 for the trade.

A- pours jet black, just like motor oil...small tan head with a reddish accent to it, other than that though pretty basic and typical for a stout of this caliber

S- there are a lot of things you can pick-up, especially knowing what's in the beer already. it's mostly dark chocolate, with some bourbon on the end of it, possibly some chili in there but again I was looking for it...some dark coffee notes, pretty sweet but yet bitter at the same time

T- lots and lots of dark chocolate...it has a bitterness to it but there are no hops present, it's a bitter chocolate taste and especially aftertaste, and that's where some of that chili taste comes in...definitely has some bourbon to it as well which I wasn't expecting. This has a bite to it, much more than Zhukov's but it's more complex...even though there is a consistent bite it gets better as it warms up like a good stout should

M- thick...just the right amount of carbonation

O- this was much different than I thought it would be...I'd preferably like to let one sit for a few years and see how it is. It has bitter characteristics to it but overall I think it's a little too sweet...it also has more of a bite than I was expecting. Overall a very solid offering from CC, but I've had a few stouts that I'd put a notch above this.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 04:53:00 | More by mgp2675

Schmaltzy

California

4.15/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2012 bottle poured into surly darkness glass.
Pours a thick dark dark brown like good black licorice with a half finger tan/mocha head that left slight soapy lacing and the beer itself coated the glass with a light brown coating.
The smell is great. The best smelling non barrel aged stout, more complex. You get nice loads of chocolate, slight vanilla, nilla wafers, graham crackers, earthy hops, cinnamon toast crunch and some chilies.
Taste is interesting nice bitter coffee, roasted malt, dark chocolate, slight graham cracker and loads of chilies and earthy hops on the finish. Wish the taste was as amazing as the smell.
The mouthfeel was lighter than I had hoped but that might have been the chilies that changed my palate. Slightly too much heat on the finish for me but it did make it easier to drink the bottle all by myself, it would have been tough if it was sweet and cloying.
Overall q good beer that has the most complex smell and a different taste from other stouts. Don't think I need to actively seek out though, I've had it twice now and would like to try a barrel aged treatment to compare.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 17:06:13 | More by Schmaltzy

Anthony1

Colorado

4.18/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours absolutely pitch black, ridiculously dense and thick, with a gorgeous mocha head. The head slowly settles down into a thin but dense cap, with excellent stickage and fantastic walls of lacing. Nose is roasty, light notes of smooth espresso and dark cocoa, bit of tobacco, and a mix of dark fruits and licorice. The taste, however, lives up to the expectations. Huge, deep chocolate and beautiful roastiness up front segue into big dark fruit, blackstrap molasses, more chocolate, and a nice smokiness. Alcohol emerges with a bit of booziness right before the finish, smoky pepper heat, and a firm, sharp, roasty bitterness that carries hints of burnt sugar. Mouthfeel is thick and full-bodied, decadent, with a firm underlying carbonation.

Serving type: cask

04-18-2010 13:42:50 | More by Anthony1

regspeir

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this side-by-side at Capone's with the Apple Brandy Barrel, which probably influenced this review. Sample was 5.5 oz. into a snifter. Poured a thick, black with a one-finger rich, thick, creamy head. Both the head and great lacing had great retention. Nose was chocolate, malts, toffee and vanilla. Taste was very heavy on the chocolate, but notes of the vanilla, some spice and a bit of the roasted malts. Mouthfeel was thick and creamy with a good level of carbonation. All-in-all, for me this was VERY sweet and I could only drink this at specific times. Great imperial stout but I much preferred the brandy barrel.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2010 16:17:32 | More by regspeir

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle, big thanks to my boy tpd975 for the hookup, SNIIITCH!

Pours a dark and opaque black, no light gets through, medium sized dark brown head forms, one of the darkest heads I've ever seen, settles down to a medium size ring, lots of lace chunks stick, with some spots.

Smell is neat, big chocolate and vanilla notes, brown sugar, peppery spice, caramel, toast, coffee, oaky, some alcohol, cinnamon comes through, really nice.

Taste is similar, super super roasty up front, fresh coffee beans, cocoa nib chocolate character, toffee, cinnamon and sugar, lightly peppery, vanillla, pretty intense flavours going on in this one, caramelized sugar in the finish, almost burnt, neat, with some alcohol.

Mouthfeel is nice, medium bodied with low to medium carbonation, a bit of warmth and some spice going down, but very drinkable. A nice beer and kickass idea! I've been inspired. Thanks Greg!!

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2010 04:38:05 | More by Viggo

ne0m00re

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Live review of a 2011 750mL bottle.
A: Opaque black with probably the darkest slow developing head I've ever seen with some lacing.
S: Boozy dark chocolate, spicy with a somewhat floral yeast character, banana and caramel, some vanilla oak character, and blackberries. Pretty good, but relatively unassuming.
T: Dark chocolate creaminess with a spicy (cinnamon) and a very mild pepper flavor (it tastes how peppers smell), while the linger is the peppers, spice, and vanilla. It almost comes off like a dark chocolate-covered chiles. The alcohol bite is noticeable and clean about halfway through. The spice builds as you sip.
M: Creamy, but thinner, with a crisp almost harsh finish (with the alcohol and heat).
O: This is probably the best use of chiles in a beer I could imagine. It's very original and almost difficult to compare to other stouts. I like it.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 02:23:17 | More by ne0m00re