Hunahpu's Imperial Stout - Cigar City Brewing

SykDoc

Wisconsin

4.68/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Purchased this one with the help of StoutsnIPAs, much thanks.

Poured from a bottle into a snifter. It pours like a black motor oil and is completely opaque. A 1/2 inch dark brown head forms and reduces modestly quickly leaving minimal lacing.

The aroma is great with a blend of bitter dark chocolate, roasted coffee, a little less molasses sweetness and perhaps is touch of tobacco and vanilla.

The taste is as expected with a strong up from roasted coffee and dark chocolate combination. Some oaky vanilla notes pop up a little later. There is an interesting pepper component, not spicy but like a bell pepper.

The mouthfeel was full bodied. The carbonation was just right, now detracting from the flavor and in fact highlighting it. It is very smooth and creamy and leaves a pleasantly dry aftertaste. This beer changes rapidly and loses the carbonation making it an interesting drink that changes during the session.

Overall, this is extraordinarily easy to drink. I was concerned as two of my friends had concerns about it being flat, which it definitely was not. I can say this is a solid beer and well worth the effort to get. Let's see how it ages.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2010 23:45:41 | More by SykDoc

Beerisheaven

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Much thanks to tpd975 for passing along another great bounty of CCB beers. Greg is one of the best traders and all around good guys in this community.

Anxiously awaited this beer and was thinking of Black Tuesday the whole time I was drinking it. Hard to imagine a beer getting more hype this year than Black Tuesday so I was really interested to see how this brewery release would hold up against BT and some of the other high profile releases of the past year.

A - The best appearance of a beer that I have ever seen. Poured from a chilled bottle into a snifter. Pours black and oily with a billowing head rising up. Absoulte perfection all the way around.

S - Chocolate certainly rules but there is enough going on there to make this very enticing. Some small scent of molasses, vanilla, are also there but the chocolate and chili let you know that it is there.

T - Was on the borderline of a 4.5 and 5 for this one. Would have thrown a 4.75 down if I could have. Exceptional taste as all of the previously noted goodies come through. A layering effect as each one presents itself.

M - Great. Oily and smooth feel.

D - Hard to imagine that this one is what it is. You simply want more and more of it as you drink it, it is that good.

This beer in my opinion slaughters Black Tuesday. The best beer that I have had this year. Can't wait to crack open another one. A great, great beer. Bravo to CCB.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2010 21:02:02 | More by Beerisheaven

FreshmanPour77

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Reviewed 04-01-10
Reviewed cold from a bottle to a glass, thanks to Shango42 for sharing, let sit a bit for closer to room temp

A - Poured black with a dark brown head, little signs of carbonation but couldn't really tell

S - Coffee, vanilla, dark chocolates, no real hop presence in this brew

T - WOW, dry roasted coffee taste followed up with dark chocolate, vanilla and a smoke after taste

M/D - A big thanks to Shango42 for cracking this open, a great brew to have had, my first Cigar City brew and man I would love to have another. Sorry I couldn't pick out the chili like everyone else but the balanced flavors in this brew can speak for itself. A must for anyone to try, if you're a fan of this style then you gotta get your hands on this. A full bodied brew with that can be enjoyed over and over.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2010 04:53:04 | More by FreshmanPour77

MbpBugeye

Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had to part with some KBS and Nemesis for this one. This little trade was set up on another forum.

A- Now THIS is the darkest beer Ive ever seen. Pours inky black, absolutely no sign of lightness or clarity. The head is hard to coax out but even it is the darkest thing Ive seen. This is really unlike any foam Ive encountered. Its a really deep, burnt, rustic brown/red. It fades into a thick collar. I cant see through this beer at all. This is EPICLY dark.

S- Wild stuff, I can already tell. Intensely complex and intricate here. Raw cocoa, vanilla, coffee, roasted peppers and more. Some alcohol and faint cinnamon and licorice.

T- Pretty insane stuff. This is a lot smoother with a bit of creaminess than I was expecting. Chilies and chocolate will always be a good combination, as long as it is done right. Hunahpu does it right. Starts sweet, chocolatey with a touch of roasted coffee and french vanilla creme. That breaks into a chili pepper, roasted red bell peppers, chili powder only not as spicy character. The finish has a touch of cinnamon and more peppers. There is even a very faint capsaicin heat, this is bolstered by a little bit of alcohol warmth.

M- This beer seems to lose carbonation very quickly. The beginning of this glass was pretty bubbly and sharp. Now it is noticeably flatter and creamier. This isnt the thickest stout in the world despite what the look would have you think. It is, however, one of the stickiest stouts in the world. My lips and the glass are so sticky to the point of it being unpleasant. Needless to say this beer doesnt finish clean, but who would expect that from a big stout?

D- Way too drinkable for a big stout of 11.5% ABV. It goes down with out a fuss. It doesnt really even make you feel like you are drinking a heavy beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2010 03:51:15 | More by MbpBugeye

maximum12

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Big, just-hit-a-grand-slam high five to moose3285 for sending this much-anticipated beer far from it's home town. We had a hint of this on a February visit to Cigar City - the brewer brought out a bit & we each had about a two-ounce swig - & I was eager to have an entire bottle to ponder. And here it is. Arrived this morning by FedEx, into the fridge, popped thirteen hours later.

Split the big 750ML bottle with my wife, who was all about getting on this right away. Pours that absence of light color with a beautiful, shimmering brown head (I'm a head poo-paher, but this one was nice) perched like a bubbly afro atop the beer. Smell is wild. Charred malts, sweet malts, sprinkling of chocolate, & I'll swear, a hint of chiles.

Hunahpu's delivers the goods. As the nose suggests, this is a stout that doesn't play well with one's expectations. A swig of slightly warmed up brew leaves one with the first impression that there's plenty of tastes mingling & having a good time, but nothing is dominant. The chiles are very evident, warming the lips, giving the beer a strange, non-alcoholic warmth. The chocolate is evident underneath the chile - and it's an odd, beautiful juxtaposition. Buried beneath these two are jets of moist chocolate, a dollop of very mild coffee/roasted malts, a line of vanilla, & the sweetness of the nibs blended into the cool malts. Wow. Just wow.

Smooth, dark, decadent. Drinkabilly? Uh, yeah. I'd take a case of this if I could get it. I'm trying hard to pace myself & enjoy this while it's happening.

Holy beer, batman. This is a masterpiece; insert superlative of your choice. I'm already a big fan of Cigar City, & with this gorgeous beast they've obviously taken their game to a whole new level. Amazing. Seek this out immediately if you are able. And thanks Mike, I owe you, good sir!

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2010 03:17:57 | More by maximum12

oglmcdgl

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750 bottle paired with mole rubbed duck over grilled polenta and a spicy chimi churi sauce.

A- poured about as dark as it gets, black as a moon less night with a bit of espresso colored creamy head. Super thick and oily so viscous it coats the glass.

S- amazingly complex. First I'm hit with dark roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate. Then smooth deep fire roasted chilies and chared wood. The chilies show up as a spicy but earthy burn. Layers of sweet dark berries and mexican cinnamon. Bourbon vanilla mixes its way in the sweetness with some brown sugar and molasses.

T- dios mio. This it the truth. Roasted everything! The coffee and chilies bust it up first and roll into the chocolate with such beauty. 86 percent dark chocolate with big tropical fruit and over ripe dark berries. The vanilla sweetens things up and brings a balance to things. Smokey wood and a slight nutty char deepen the flavor and bring it all back around.

M- chewy and thick. Light carbonation that lends its way to a nice linger and long finish, and that's super fine with me.

D- great I'd say. This is a huge brew in flavor depth and alcohol but this never get boozy at all. It just keeps me coming back for another sip.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2010 00:35:48 | More by oglmcdgl

mikeyv35

New York

4.8/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled On: 03/30/2010
Sample Type: 750ml. Bottle
Vintage: 2010
Glassware: Portsmouth Tulip

Acquired with the help of Zach(beeruser), thanks cuz! This brew poured like 10W-30 motor oil w/ a big two to three finger dark brown head. However, no pop when opening the bottle, I assume thats due to the bottle being almost filled to the top. Heavy lacing hangs on the glass and remains. Pretty awesome spectacle! The nose was of chocolate malts, molasses, peat, and oak. Tasted as you would expect from the nose, but with a finish of light vanilla bean, spices from the peppers, and a good hop backbone to balance. Extremely complex and became even more so as it warmed. The mouthfeel was perfectly viscous and chewy which is what I was looking for. This brew will tease you. Initially, you think you can drink alot of it, and really want to, but then soon realize that with the well masked ABV and thickness you cannot. This brew is really a meal in a bottle.

Overall, this is hands down, the best and most complete Imperial Stouts I have had to date. In my search for the Holy Grail of Imperial Stouts, this is as close as I have been. Fine job once again by Cigar City, this brew is worthy of the hype. If you have not sampled it you must seek it out! Thanks again Zach!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2010 16:10:22 | More by mikeyv35

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.68/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I got a bottle of Huna. Its been a long time coming and a beer I have searched for over and over again. Well the time came. I have been drinking less and less lately, but decided to go for a big one tonight. Ate dinner, enjoyed a fine sour, cleansed the palate and opened the bottle. Letting it breathe for a good while I proceeded to repeatedly pour it into a six ounce snifter over the course of the evening. Consumed on 03/30/2010.

The pour was gold, Jerry, Gold. Dark as night, with nothing, not a drop of anything coming through the other side of this beast. The delicate and evil reverse cascade of the deep chocolate colored head just sealed the deal as it rose up to nearly an inch it stays, never settling more then a couple of inches and leaving you just wondering how dark and rich can this possibly be? How downright dark and evil can it look? Just rediculous.

The aroma was heavenly. Rich cocoa layered upon warm roasted coffee with just a hint of spice are what comes across at first. Warming though brings out all the subtleties and richness that I would have come to expect. Cinnamon and vanilla and fighting it out to provide a hint of sweetness and character. Each sip seemingly more complex then the one before. It is literally just a bath in warm, malty flavors. Chocolate and vanilla, a light punch of cinnamon all combine to form a complex richness that is at the same time as subtle as could be. Truly a remarkable thing they have created. One of the fullest stouts I have run across as each sip is like chocolate mousse and even at 11.5% everything stays very well hidden.

Overall sublime, everything I wanted it to be and more. I would have no problem drinking one every night and could be a happy man. One of the best stouts I have had.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2010 01:12:00 | More by mikesgroove

JohnQVegas

Tennessee

4.33/5  rDev -5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle into Bruery tulip, courtesy the ever-generous Greg (tpd975). Huge thanks, Greg!

Pours absolutely pitch black, ridiculously dense and thick, with a gorgeous, dense 1.5 finger 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. Nice nose, but far from exceptional.

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 and a subtle heat from the peppers in the back of the throat. Long, full finish.

Drinkability is, surprisingly, pretty nice. Aside from a bit of alcohol heat, the flavor is massive, but I was wishing for more after my half of the bottle. A really beautifully done beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2010 02:03:40 | More by JohnQVegas

mdfb79

New York

4.3/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From 3/27 notes. Got to share with some other BA's thanks to a great trade with bobby8405... thanks Bob! Poured from 750ML bottle into a pint glass.

a - Pours a deep, dark black color with one finger of brown head and a little bit of carbonation evident. Great rentention on the head.

s - Smell is a mixture of cocoa, chile, chocolate, and vanilla. The chili was very interesting and gave it an almost fig/dark fruit taste. Very interesting mix, but enjoyable.

t - Tastes of chile, cocoa, and vanilla. Also some roasted malts. As the beer warmed up a bit, I got some cinnamon and some more of the chile. A very interesting mix.

m - Full body and low carbonation. Very thick.

d - I thought this was very interesting. It was probably the best beer using chile that I've ever had, and had a load of interesting smells and tastes that worked well together. Quite complex. All that being said, it's not my favorite stout. Don't get me wrong, this was a very good beer and I would love to try it again, but I felt, as did some of the others who tried this with me, that it did not live up to the hype surrounding it.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2010 01:50:37 | More by mdfb79

muttyd

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks to Jespo for sharing this bottle!

A - Jet black with a foamy tan head. Great lacing and sticks all over the glass.

S - Coffee, chocolate, roasted malts, slight alcohol.

T - Follows the nose, but the alcohol character is a bit more pronounced. Chili peppers add a nice flavor to this beer as well. Lots going on in this beer.

M - Thick and chewy.

D - I wish the alcohol wasn't as pronounced. Great beer, still.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2010 01:09:13 | More by muttyd

callmemickey

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Deep black with only the slightest hints of light poking through the edges. Not too impressive of a head... tiny khaki cap, with modest retention. Dissolves to a tight ring around the edges. An occasional wisp of lacing left on the glass.

S: Roasted malt, bitter chocolate and a bit of vanilla. Nothing unusual and certainly not a fair indication of the flavor just around the bend.

T: Bam... one of the most unexpected flavor profiles based on the nose... large blasts of bitter dark chocolate, cacao, roasted malts, and vanilla... supplemented with an earthy smoked-woodyness... a little bit of cola... and of course the spicy chilies! Reminded me of Black Tuesday in the sheer monstrosity and complexity of the flavor layering ... not quite as enjoyable though.

M: Heavy... dense... with some carbonation to balance out... nice prolonged finish

D: I have had this both fresh and with some age... I'd drink this on the younger side of things. One of the few cigar city beers that have been worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2010 22:34:48 | More by callmemickey

vacax

California

4.8/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours lightless black with cocoa colored head that a slowly expands, resulting in cap that spans multiple fingers. The foam shrinks slowly, ever thickening and leaving copious patterns of lacing along the sides of the glass. Taking a sip coats the entire side of the glass. One-of-a-kind fantastic appearance. At first I said the aroma was the weakest part of this beer, but it has grown on me as I sip upon this fine concoction. Near every aspect of this brew is unique, and the aroma has mild peppers, cocoa, buttery caramel, and some meatiness/umami to it.

The flavor is equally interesting with rich chocolate, complex yet mild peppery notes, and a salty, roasty, fudgey finish. There is an overall fruitiness that sticks around behind all of the other nice flavors here. Delivers a unique flavor experience. The body is chewy and slippery but also well carbonation, which fades yet stays active as I slowly savor this.

I have had at least a dozen different CCB brews and this one blows the others completely away. Many of their beers are purely hype driven but this one is legitimately sublime. Cheers, Cigar City!

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2010 00:19:45 | More by vacax

ChrisPro

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Talk about complex...

Had out of a growler and bottle at the Rosso Batch 2 release. Thanks to whomever brought these.

Pour was jet black with very little mocha head, no lace.

Aroma was incredible coffee and cedar aroma, hints of chocolate.

Flavor had an incredibly complex array of currants, plum, tobacco, pepper, and wine flavors. Overall, relatively sweet but this was balanced well.

Very thick imperial stout that drinks very well for the ABV. A fantastic beer that I'd love to get my hands on again.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 20:42:02 | More by ChrisPro

fiver29

Ohio

4.83/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by Josh. Thanks! I have been wanting to try this one. Pours oily thick black with dark tan head. Aroma is dark roast, cinnamon, spicy pepper, some chocolate, and coffee. Dense mouthfeel. This beer coats the glass its so thick. Flavors follow the nose and meld together perfectly. There is a touch of heat that I sense in the back of the throat, but its not overpowering. The pepper flavor I think is a real nice touch with the cinnamon and vanilla flavors that tickle my taste buds. Great stuff. More please!!

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 14:18:02 | More by fiver29

HeyItsChili

South Carolina

4.9/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Pours so syrupy-sticky that it created a bubble between the bottle opening and the edge of my glass. The beer continues to coat the inside of the glass like wallpaper as I drink it. Pours black-brown with little noticeable velvety dark brown head.
S - Sharp chocolaty goodness, but doesn't quite match the intensity and variety of the flavor profile.
T - The flavor starts out as bitter dark chocolate, then softens a bit with a lot of cocoa flavor. The vanilla bean is sharp and complementary, and blends well with a little heat from the chili that seems to reemerge with the lingering alcohol finish marked with a tinge of charcoal. I've enjoyed numerous imperial stouts, but none I've ever enjoyed had such a startlingly flavorful profile while maintaining a balance.
M - Velvety, viscous, and perfect.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 19:19:45 | More by HeyItsChili

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.9/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Review #300

G - Chimay goblet 33cl

A - This is the most sinister and impressive looking beer I have ever seen in my life. Coupled with the darkest head of all time, a sort of black-crimson froth. The viscosity is devasatingly apparent.

S - The aroma is initially mostly dark and roasty, but as it warms and airs out the aromatic intensity picks up. Notes of cocoa, pepper, cinnamon and vanilla fuse at times and are completely separately discernible at other times.

T - The taste is nothing short of mind-blowingly phenomenal. Phenomenal! 6 out of 5. It is all its cracked up to be. The bitter cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, smoke, pepper, Mexican coffee, rich chocolate, cordial alcohol kick; everything about this beer is amazing, and presented in immense proportions. My jaw dropped when they poured it up, and I am now at a loss for words.

M - Many things claim to pour like crude, but this one really does. Like 25w50 after 500k miles.

D - This beer is good beyond description. Hence my woefully inadequate review. This beer is just ridiculous.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2010 07:05:04 | More by ktrillionaire

AWolf

Colorado

4.8/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I got to share a bottle of this among some friends the other night, as usual a thousand thank you's to hayes for hooking me up with yet another great beer.

We were concerned a little by the bottling, it had leaked just a bit (this was lucky for me however, hayes probably wouldn't have wanted to drink it so soon otherwise!). Once it was opened we were all impressed by the level of beer in the bottle, filled to the absolute brim - this probably explains the leakage.

I have to admit when we poured it I was initially worried we lost carbonation because no head was forming. After it was pured, however, the head accumulated quickly - this may be the darkest head of any beer I've had. It's dark. Really really dark. The head dissipates fairly quickly leaving a ring around the edges of the glass. And the beer itself is completely opaque, I'm getting excited.

Smells very strongly of super rich chocolate (must be the nibs) but also some very malty and roasty smells. The chocolate theme continues with the taste along with more sweet goodness - some vanilla and others flavors I can't place create a wonderful and balanced beer. The mouthfeel is tremendous as well - awesomely thick. Even after I swallow I can taste this beer for a good while as the coating remains. This is everything I look for in a stout and one of my favorite beers now - here's to hoping they make it again!

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2010 21:36:49 | More by AWolf

rhinos00

Colorado

4.47/5  rDev -2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Shared this beer with pecorasc and boothbeer. Poured from a 750 mL bottle into a tulip glass.

A- Probably the most impressive beer I have ever seen in my beer drinking life. Produced a finger and halfs width of vibrant, espresso colored head. With every swirl the beer seemed to produce more and more head. Poured out like motor oil. So thick that it stained the glass brown. Flat out beautiful.

S- Restrained vanilla sweetness upfront. Sweet, chocolate malts with an undertone of cocoa and faint notes of chile...ever so slight, peppery attribute. Not as intense and bold as I was expecting, but still quite nice.

T- The initial flavor is quite lackluster. A little bit a raw cocoa and slight chile flavor is detectable upfront. Vanilla comes in midway through and starts to change the beer for an extraordinary finish. Transitions into a cornucopia of vanilla, chocolate malts, coffee beans, and the perfect amount of roastedness. The finish more than makes up for the beginning.

M- This is what I'm talking about. Thick, viscous...truly like motor oil. Coats the palate very well and leaves a wonderful sticky residue on the lips. Little carbonation.

D- For a beer of this size, this drinks incredibly well. I had no problem finish my sample and could have easily gone for more.

Overall, haven't been impressed with CCB to say the least. However, this beer has given me some hope. If they can stay on par with this type of quality, then I might start trading for their beer again. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 14:23:36 | More by rhinos00

mondegreen

Georgia

4.78/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured into a DFH Signature Glass. Bottle shared with a friend.

A: Pouring this beer, I felt like I was peering into Satan's soul. It really is that dark. Rising from the fiery pit, I saw a dark brown head. The darkest I have ever seen. It sank quickly, leaving a rim around my glass. Holding the beer up to the light, there are no highlights. No garnet, not reflections, nothing. There is no escaping this darkness.

S: I got my first whiff while pouring. I am intrigued. Submerging my nose into the rim of my glass, I breathe deeply. This beer smells fantastic. The roasted stout flavor lies in perfect balance with sweet and spicy flavors. A wonderful aroma.

T: Much as the nose suggests, this beer is wonderfully balanced. It has the backbone of a traditional Imperial Stout, but with the essence of the cacao, chilies, and vanilla all working together. The sweet chocolate dances on my tongue while the spicy chilies light the back of my throat. The vanilla helps smooth the whole experience out. This is one of the most well balanced stouts I have ever tasted.

M: Thick. As heavy as can be. The beer needs the body, though, as the flavors are so pronounced. It feels great rolling around my tongue.

D: I could drink as much as I can afford. This is my first Cigar City beer, and I can tell someone put alot of effort into the quality of this brew. I hope they can get their distribution and production to a level that finding Cigar City beer isn't such a tough (and expensive) endeavor. Until then, I hope to try a few more of their top notch brews.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 03:01:16 | More by mondegreen

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

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev -20%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks are due to Karl (kfsv034) for this bottle.

The pour is seriously impressive, black with an espresso foam-colored head that recedes leaving no lace. The color of this beer made me smile, the last beer earning such an honor being Black Tuesday.
The nose is just excellent. Heavenly with a heavily roasted malt character along with dark chocolate, coffee and a light spice character, there's almost a molasses-like character to this. Some fruitiness is present as well. Alcohol is noticeable. The chili character is quite low, much to my liking, the combination of dark cocoa character and the chili and roast is quite excellent.

I've noticed that there's a certain offset between what my nose experiences and what my palate does, and this beer is just another data point confirming that. What seems balanced and complex to my nose often fails the palate test, and this is no different. Opening thick and heavy with a lot of heavily roasted malt character, there's a touch of char as well. A little anise is noticeable early, but there's a grainy, husky tannic character. Prominent cocoa character is present. Vanilla appears mid palate, with the cinnamon and chili character being low (both of which could be a cultural bias, since I use quite a fair bit of both spices in my cooking and the moderate level isn't really noticeable to me). Finishing with a boozy sweetness, the mouthfeel is definitely flabby, not well integrated at all, quite disjointed, in fact. Full in body with medium-low level of carbonation, this isn't my cup of tea. It's not drinkable in large quantities, and doesn't strike me as a particularly well-crafted beer. I drank about 6-8oz, and was quite content.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 01:36:48 | More by DefenCorps

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

hayesez

Indiana

4.8/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Ever since I read what Cigar City was doing with this beer, I've been excited to give this one a shot - I mean, a lot of stuff is going into this beer. The label says "Malt beverage aged on Peruvian cacao nibs, ancho and pasilla chiles, cinnamon and Madagascar vanilla beans." Seriously, that sounds amazing! Thanks to kbutler1 for trading me a bottle - my expectations are high! The bottle arrived with just a bit of leakage at the top (even though it was packaged perfectly and taped around the cap) - a very sticky, syrupy substance. Figured I'd better crack this one open soon - wouldn't want to waste it!

Split with a few friends and spread between three different glasses. As I cracked it open, it was immediately obvious as to why the beer was leaking. The bottle was literally filled up almost to the very top. One millimeter below the opening was standing liquid...beer! Cigar City did not skimp on this guy! I carefully poured into my Dogfish Head snifter. Whoa - that is an amazingly thick brew. As it stacks up in my glass, it appears that there is no carbonation...guh, disappointment...but wait! After I get the glass about halfway filled, I set it on the table and watch the upward cascade fill another third of my glass. From a vat of recycled motor oil to one of the thickest, darkest, brown heads I've ever seen, the bubbles keep multiplying as this thing nears the top of my glass - impressive. Fairly quickly it wanes, and by the time I've had three or four sips the head is merely a shadow of its former self capping the surface with a soft dark brown lid. The beer itself is a black hole allowing zero light to escape, even at the extreme edges.

Hunahpu's is chalk full of chocolate goodness. The chocolate malty smell dominates the nose at the beginning. A sweet chocolate rises through the head as well, making me think I'm about to enjoy dessert as opposed to a nightcap. No cinnamon for me but a bit of peppery spice when I try hard. As it warms up a bit, the alcohol becomes prevalent for the first time separating itself from a sweet vanilla and a bit of dark sweet fruit. A complex brew for sure that is only compromised just slightly by the alcoholic prevalence. Ok, I can't wait any longer to give this a shot.

Fudge. Sweet, chocolate fudge. It's pounded in there and is not shy. I do get a bit of the chili / peppery taste when I get the beer to settle on the back of my tongue. Again, as hard as I work to taste the cinnamon, I can't find it. The vanilla is definitely in there as well, adding yet another sweet component to Willy Wonka's wet dream. I'm very impressed by how well this is balanced. With a bunch of different flavors competing, things can easily get messy; but cigar city has done it right here. This is a thick and creamy brew that feels absolutely divine in my mouth. I rank the mouthfeel as a perfect 5, right there with Kate the Great's creaminess and the oily, thick, syrupy masterpiece of Dark Lords past.

This is a damn fine beer. As I finish my last few sips, my glass is laced with a thin grainy film left behind from this viscous beer. My upper lip sticks to the rim of my glass when I get a bit too close. Although the alcohol was prevalent on the nose, it is nearly completely masked in the drink. I'm wishing I hadn't invited so many friends over for this.

Consumed: 3/23/2010

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 05:43:59 | More by hayesez

Mavajo

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev -2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Finally popped open my first bottle of this bad boy, and pulled out a snifter for the occasion.

Total, utter oily black. Almost looks like sludge. The head follows suit with possibly the darkest brown head I've ever seen. Decent size to the head considering the ABV, and it retains fairly well. It settles into a ring with some filmy islands floating around after a few minutes, and then a while later finally disappears entirely. Once the head vanishes, you can begin to notice the garnett hi-lites around the edge of the glass. Make no mistake, though - this thing is completely opaque. Swishing it around coats the glass with a brown film. When it came time to clean my glass after finishing this brew, I had to fill the glass and rinse it out 3-4 times with water to get rid of the film.

The appearance perfectly sets the table for the intensity of this brew. The nose is strong with smokey notes, roasted malt, and bitter/dark chocolate. The taste brings even more to the table. Again, there's a fairly strong smokiness to this brew, but there's also other dominant notes vying for attention - roasted malts, dark chocolate, cocoa and then subtle chili powder. I must confess, I question whether I would have picked up on the chili powder notes had I not known to look for it. It's not a burn or sting, but there is an almost powdery sense of the chili there. Overall, this brew strikes a great balance in the taste and manages to show off all its different facets. The alcohol is completely and totally hidden.

The mouthfeel is thick and chewy. Almost felt like it was coating my teeth. Carbonation is perfect. Great mouthfeel.

Drinkable? I suppose - but this is a heavy, intense brew. If you've got the room in your gut for it, you could drink this all night. It manages to be intense without wearing out your palate, and because the alcohol is expertly concealed, there's nothing there to set off any warning signs to slow you down. Definitely an experience.

Thanks to TheBrodie for bringing me back a few bottles from the release. You da' man.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2010 12:54:52 | More by Mavajo