Hunahpu's Imperial Stout - Laird's Apple Brandy Barrel - Cigar City Brewing

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.58/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I was thrilled to be able to finally try this one. I honestly did not think I was going to be able to get a hold of it, but lucked out. Served chilled and poured into a snifter.

The pour was dark as night, thick, viscous looking like motor oil with a light ring of tan around the edges that quickly faded and left behind no lacing to speak of. Just a thick, still, black liquid.

As I reach in for a sniff, warming comes through the air. Rich cocoa, light, very light hint of spice, oak, hints of vanilla and a light touch of tart fruit as it comes up to room temperature. Nicely done here. The depth of the profile seems to show no bounds. When compared to the regular Huna, this just seems to have less of the thick chocolate edge to it and more of the brandy shine through which is nice. As a side this also seems to have tempered the chili a touch as well. Really nicely done I have to say. Then the first sip rolls across the tongue with a gentleness that seems like I have longed for it forever. Really fine swirling vanilla and brandy notes are tucked away behind coffee and chocolate, I got a nice little boost of the chili on the palate at the end, nicely done again, and really brought it around full circle for me. Smooth, delicious, needed a bit fuller profile for me, but very well done.

Overall this was a great, great beer. For all the hype I was expecting a perfect beer, which this is not, but it is very, very good. Still dying to try the bourbon version, hopefully one day.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2010 01:33:57 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.28/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thank you very much to Henry for bringing this beer to the tasting.

A: The pour is almost black with a nice viscosity and almost no head.

S: There's a slightly metallic note at first, but it seems to diminish as the beer sits in the glass. I get a lot of chocolate to begin with. The chili note is there, too, but is sort of overwhelmed by the oak, brandy, roast, and coffee.

T: Surprisingly oaky at the first sip. There's some nice brandy flavor here and the barrel provides some spicy notes and tannins. Quite a bit of milk chocolate and a nice chili flavor in the background.

M: The body is medium to full with a low, but smooth carbonation.

D: I think I actually still like the regular Hunahpu's the best, but this was quite good. I wouldn't turn down another glass of this.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 19:41:15 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at CCB during the Hunahpu's release party.

A: Look was very similar to regular Hunahpu's, as well as bourbon Hunahpu's, which made for some fun at the table. Very dark black with a very rich deep tan head and a pretty good amount of lacing.

S: The smell of brandy is immediately present alongside all of those other beautiful scents that come along with the regular version. It's quite nice and not overpowering, but at the same time I'm not sure it really complements the essence of the Hunahpu's all that much. Left me wondering whether a "Humidor Series" Hunahpu's would have been even more outstanding. Still, very beautiful nose that I won't actually complain about.

T: Very similar assessment to the nose. The brandy actually did work pretty well, and I think this is true more so for the taste than the nose; however, still not quite a perfect 5. Again, didn't like the taste as much as the standard Hunahpu's, as I felt that some of the more subtle flavors from the original version might have a bit lost.

M: Superb. Very thick and viscous and good carbonation for the style.

D: Very beautiful. Although not nearly as drinkable as the standard version, that one was well past the standard 5.0, so I have no problem giving that to the brandy version as well. Just a beautiful sipping beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2010 12:38:08 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

4.38/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler pour at Woodshop 7 held at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Long Beach, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that fades to nothing. No lacing on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, brandy, and wood. Taste is much the same with a slight alcohol kick and a woody finish. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is quite tasty and super easy to drink.

Serving type: growler

07-24-2012 02:02:33 | More by UCLABrewN84

drabmuh

Maryland

4.65/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

What just happened? Thanks Brad for this share, completing my Huhaphus journey. Beer served in a cervoise.

Beer is black with a nice tan head, small bubbles, lacing, low carbonation, decent retention.

Aroma is hunahpu's base, chocolate, sweet, mild spice, with this incredibly layered liquor, this smells perfect.

I'm cautioning myself from giving this a perfect 5 but it is damn close. Nice body, medium, creamy, coats the mouth almost completely, mildly roasty, sweet liquor up front, mild fruitiness, chocolate and fudge on the palate. An awesome beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 19:26:22 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.53/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to bu11zeye for sharing this beer.

The beer pours a black color with a huge brown head. The aroma has a ton of chocolate in it, as well as some roasted malt, oak and brandy. The flavor is similar. Upfront I get a ton of sweet apple brandy notes, with some chocolate and roasted malt coming through as well. I get a hint of spiciness and pepper, but the brandy and chocolate come through the strongest. Thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Awesome.

Serving type: growler

07-04-2012 18:35:02 | More by Mora2000

MasterSki

Illinois

4.83/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Hunahpu's release party. Served in a snifter.

A - (Copied from my Bourbon Barrel Hunahpu's review) Looks like Hunahpu's - inky black body that is impervious to light, a finger of dark, dark, mocha foam that dissipates slowly to a ring and some haze and leaves a few spots of lace. For a beer that must be pushing 12-13% (11% is for regular Hunahpu's) it looks excellent.

S - Unlike the bourbon barrel edition, the brandy presence is not overpowering. It is instead well-integrated into the the incredible depth of the base beer. Rich chocolate cake, vanilla, a touch of peppery spice, earthy woodiness, and apple brandy. The combination is incredibly unique and utterly sublime.

T - Again, it's a wonderful combination of apple brandy, chocolate truffle, vanilla, and touches of cinnamon and chili peppers. Very woody finish, although it's hard to be totally objective as I had a ton of barrel-aged beers and the tannic aftertaste started to persist despite numerous glasses of water. Still, this was the best of all the Hunahpu's variants - the barrel wasn't overpowering like the bourbon version, yet it was enhanced with a complementary flavor of tart apples.

M - (Copied from my other Hunahpu's reviews) Very smooth, sticky, full body, that is chewy and viscous. Lowish carbonation, with a dry tannic finish and only light residual stickiness. Spot on for the style, and highly satisfying.

D - It's like having a rich dessert in beer format, but without the heaviness and extreme palate fatigue. Still, this beer has the same inhibitors as all variants of Hunahpu's - the richness of flavor and high ABV would keep me from downing this all night. Still, I was far more motivated to have multiple glasses of this one than the bourbon version. It was too bad the keg kicked so quickly. One of the best beers I've ever had - can't wait for the next batch.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2010 04:48:27 | More by MasterSki

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Foofaa for this glass. @ OctoFFEJ.

A: After fishing an extraneous fly or two out of my glass, I settled in to enjoy the fruits of Foofaa's labors. The stout, bold and black, has a dark tan head that stands out most significantly on pour. As it settles, the head tames itself, eventually disappearing.

S: The nose is rich, the brandy barrel has eclisped all of the Meso-American mole aromas of the original. The brandy adds a fortified wooden scent, with vanilla and a grape-like intensity.

T: Incredible. The brandy has completely transferred the stout, minimizing the Mayan flavors. In their place, the barrel sings with an oaky intensity. More fortified grapes hang around, upping the intensity of the flavors. The ancho chiles hang around the end of the sip, waiting for the brandy to siddle away. The heat that the finish provides is a nice blast of flavor after the barrel. That heat is fleeting, strong before disappearing. Surprisingly, the ale offers little in the way of lasting flavors.

M: The brandy really takes hold of the ale. In fact, my last sip revealed an apple cinnamon flavor that I hadn't picked up on earlier. That is a nice twist that may be the best selling point of the stout.

D: The heat and excessive booze are a little much but the nuances, like the apple cinnamon, are divine. The brandy pushes out much of the heat, to the detriment of the ale.

Serving type: growler

07-11-2010 01:40:29 | More by akorsak

mdfb79

New York

4.63/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

From 03/03/12 notes. Huge thanks to ygtbsm94 for sharing this one; thanks Brad! Finally getting to try this one as it didn't make it to the Hunahpu tasting last month. I believe it was bottle 61/84 but I forgot to write down the bottle number so someone at the tasting let me know if that's wrong. Poured into a tulip.

a - Pours a pitch black color with one finger of fluffy dark tan head and light to moderate carbonation evident. Very thick, looks like the normal version, and like a great big stout.

s - Smells of chocolate, roasted malts, cocoa, vanilla, spice, light brandy, oak, light fruit, and light coffee. Really nice nose, with a ton of chocolate which I love. No sense of the chili peppers, just still awesome.

t - Tastes of sweet chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, roasted malts, brandy, sweet apple and fruit, light spice and pepper, oak, coffee, toasted malts. Similiar to the nose but more fruit and brandy, and a tiny bit of pepper. Really amazing, better then the nose.

m - Full bodied stout and low carbonation. Very smooth and creamy, this one is easy to drink and not hot at all at this point.

o - Overall I thought this was a fantastic stout; I think it's the best of all the Hunahpu variants. I think it's drinking perfect right now too; I'd say if you have one dirnk it now. Would love to have it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 18:49:24 | More by mdfb79

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appears a dark brown nearing black with ruby edges when held to the light. Tiny speckles of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of oaky vanilla, black grapes, red wine, brandy, and brown sugar.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with a dry punch of cocoa powder
Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied, slick, and warming.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2010 23:34:21 | More by weeare138

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours pitch black and completely opaque without even a trace of lighter color when held to a light source with a half finger dark chocolate mocha head that quickly fades into a thick lasting ring.

Amazingly complex aroma with a huge chocolate malt presence which is only slightly roasty with hints of toffee and caramel. Sweet brandy alcohol heat that adds amazing complexity. Subtle oak and vanilla blending in with the vinous dark fruit notes.

Chewy viscous body with lots of silky chocolate maltiness that is balanced out by the vinous apple brandy barrel notes. Slightly earthy oak that is very vinous with hints of dark fruit and vanilla balancing out the chilli and roasted malt perfectly. The spicy cinnamon chilli flavor is prominent in the dry finish. Excellent! I don't see any way in which it could he improved with the exception of head retention.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2010 04:41:55 | More by corby112

HopHead84

California

4.4/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

6/11/2010

Bottle 76/84 with gold wax. A huge thanks to Dstructo for the trade! Poured into a snifter, the beer appears black as night with a great one inch devilish dark auburn head. The head displays good retention and lacing is scattered.

In the nose I find a moderate roasted malt character, accompanied by oak, vanilla, burnt sugar, cocoa, and cinnamon. The chilies are noticeable but their presence is stronger in the regular version. A light brandy sweetness permeates all aspects of the aroma, and there's a subtle apple quality to it. Again, it's light, but it's definitely there and adds depth to an already complex beer. I also get light oxidation notes and a whisper of coffee. The chocolate is dark and rich.

The flavor is of oak, cinnamon, vanilla, and chilies, with delicious apple brandy sweetness and notes of roasted malt. The chocolate is decadent, and the booze is understated. The finish displays a subtle spiciness in addition to rich chocolate, apple brandy, and lingering booze.

The beer is full bodied. Carbonation is at a moderate low level and the mouthfeel is thick, silky, creamy, and sticky. A complex and decadent beast.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2010 04:28:39 | More by HopHead84

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to CaptinRedBeard for sharing this on 4/2/11. Normal Hunahpu packaging but dipped in gold wax and a sticker on the neck: bottle 36/84. Poured into a snifter, this brew appears nearly black in color with a dark brown head about a finger strong. Spotty lace sticks to the glass. A light swirl revives the cap.

The aroma of this brew is lightly citrus-like from the hot pepper inclusion in the brew mingled lightly with hops. Lots of fresh chocolate scents that seem to be more cocoa than malty. The apple inclusion is sweet smelling almost caramelized along with a spicy tingle to the back of the nose partially from the abv and pepper's contribution.

The taste of the brew is strong with cocoa and coffee. There is a strong candy apple sweetness upfront that blends into chocolate flavors that are somewhat reminiscent of brownie batter. There is a citrus component throughout from the inclusion of peppers and a spicy warmth in the back of the throat. The spiced aspect meshes perfectly with the warmth of the alcohol and the roastiness of the malt.

This is a medium to full bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It is lightly prickly on the tongue and quite warming with alcohol and spices. This brew is easy drinking and deeply complex. There is such a deep amount of flavors in this brew and none of them are over-powering. I wouldn't change anything about this brew, I love it and it's one of the best I ever had. I honestly hope Cigar City considers remaking this on a larger scale because more people need to have the chance to try it or at the very least I would love to have it again! Thank you again for sharing Corey.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 14:08:03 | More by stakem

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.83/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to tytoanderso for sharing this one!

Poured into ccb snifter (how appropriate)

Pours a small tan head. This beer is motor oil black. Very thick. A swirl around the glass and it coats it with beer.

Aroma: There is so much going on with this beer. Deep roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, chipotle peppers, caramel, vanilla. It is sweet. The brandy adds an awesome layer of complexity to this beer. Oak shows as well.

Taste: Right up front is the chipotle peppers. Then some vanilla and caramel with cocoa and roasted malts. Coffee flavors hit with some brandy and oak next. Then a mix of dark fruits (dried apples), and molasses hit. Very rich.

Mouthfeel: Rich, sweet, warm. Full bodied with a decent amount if carbonation. Ends very roasted, leather like.

Overall, this beer is legit. Tons of awesome flavors. Great amount of brandy. One of the best BA stouts I have had. SO much awesomeness. CCB has brewed magic here. I wish I had more of this to drink.

Thanks Ty for sharing this gem!

Serving type: growler

09-22-2010 02:21:17 | More by mothman

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.45/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Douglas88 brought this one to a recent tasting... fucking amazing... I never NEVER thought I would have the chance to see this one, let along have many good pours... Thanks a ton Doug... Generous doesn't describe it.

29/84... too cool.

Great pour.... dark brown.. retention is off the charts... walk away and the brew is still waiting on you to take a sip.

Nose is deep cocoa... the brandy is there for sure but not heavy handed... hints of chili... calvados seems a stretch, but is certainly within the realm of conversation..

Cocoa and chili are up front.... the brandy sorta drags some wood into the picture... dark chocolate brownie batter is spiked with nice chili flavor.... the roast malt and minor char plays great with the chili... sweet cherry essence gives way with warmth and plays great with the chili and brandy notes. Warm Hersheys melts all the palate notes better than expected.

Body is better than expected and much better than the hype... thick and coating without ever being syrupy... carbonation is great for the style.

Apple brandy?? maybe... the "apple" is lost on me... but I get Brandy and love this one. I loved this bottle, but damn... alot is going on. Thanks Doug!!!

4.5/4.5/4.5/5/4

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2011 08:30:38 | More by JohnGalt1

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.63/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks goes out to Jefe73 for hooking me up with this one! Massive thanks for this one Jeff! Shared the same day of arrival with beeruser and funkydelic as well as the crew at The Trappe Door. Served from growler into a Cigar City Hunahpu snifter (proper!). Poured pitch black with a half finger brown head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, roasted malt, dark chocolate, apple, acetone, sweet alcohol, vanilla, pepper, and dark fruit. The flavor was of sweet malt, roasted malt, dark chocolate, big brandy, vanilla, sweet alcohol, dark fruit, subtle spice, and Snickers. It had a heavy feel on the palate with mild carbonation that was very thick and coated your palate completely. Overall this was a really great brew. I have to be honest and let everyone here know that I am a HUGE fan of Apple Brandy particularly from Laird’s, so this brew was right up my alley. And boy did it deliver! I really loved that I was able to pick up on the nice stinging acetone aroma on this brew that I have come to love from Laird’s usual offering. It really made me feel right at home. This brew really made me want to grab a nice cigar and sit down and sip on it just like a good brandy. The barrel absolutely transformed this brew to one of the best stouts I’ve had to date. And yes, you read that right in the flavor, it really tasted like a Snickers bar on the followthrough. Crazy! An absolute must try regardless of what/who you have to do/kill to get your hands on. You won’t regret it!

Serving type: growler

07-10-2012 11:02:42 | More by thagr81us

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.63/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Shared by who else but ygtbsm94. Wow man, thanks for sharing another one of my most highly coveted beers.

Bottle 61 / 84

The beer is black. The appearance is oily and viscous. Atop the beer rests an inch of dense, beige head that hangs out for the duration. Cigar City sure makes some good looking stouts.

The aroma offers less cinnamon and spice than the standard Hunahpu's. Beautiful dark roast and chocolate aromas, along with oak, vanilla, and a light boozy sweetness.

The flavor is fantastic. The brandy character gains momentum as the beer is allowed to warm. Well balanced, teeming with flavor, complex, unique. Yeah man. Another amazing stout from Cigar City. What a treat.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 02:25:07 | More by Huhzubendah

largadeer

Kentucky

3.6/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks for sharing this rarity, Nick.

Black as pitch and quite viscous, there isn't much of a head, but it does have nice legs.

It smells strangely muddled. Bittersweet dark chocolate, a touch of tart apple, some leathery oxidation. The barrel aging seems to have actually simplified the beer and covered up most of the pepper, vanilla and cinnamon. As it warms, it becomes dominated by heavily roasted, tarry, almost burnt malt and sweet brandy. Not bad, but haphazard.

The apple brandy flavor comes through pretty strongly on the palate. It hints at apple, but it's more of an indistinguishable fruity sweetness. There's a little vanilla and oak, lots and lots of bitter baking chocolate, barely perceptible chili pepper. This is a huge, chewy imperial stout, almost Dark Lord-esque in viscosity. The finish is mildly boozy with lingering flavors of bitter chocolate, licorice, earthy oxidation and faint chili pepper. Barrel aging seems to have covered up the boldness of the adjunct ingredients in this beer, transforming it into something that's enjoyable but ultimately muddled. Perhaps Hunahpu's wasn't the best beer to put in a barrel. Pretty good, I enjoyed my glass, but it's not outstanding. There are a number of better and less rare barrel aged imperial stouts out there.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2010 16:37:52 | More by largadeer

jrallen34

Illinois

4.8/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Another casualty of the top 100 from our Chicago Epic Tasting...After the regular hunaphu rocked my world...Bottle no 54 out of 89...Nice dark black with a medium tan head but low carbonation in general...The aroma is medium in strength, chili and chocolate dominate, such a great and unique taste. Not sure if the ba adds anything here, would really need to have them back to back...The taste is utterly awesome, especially as it warms up just brings out more and more flavors; chocolate, chili peppers, and wood, can't really pull out any of the apple brandy.

This is up there with hunaphu, both should be sought out vehemetly.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2010 19:03:24 | More by jrallen34

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Shared by Sean at DLD 2011, both during and after. Although after DLD I was pretty much just nursing the glass, way too many beers consumed to finish out the event with a bruiser.

The beer was on the uncarbonated side, possibly due to the growler format and the little bit of age it had. Big apple brandy aroma, overcoming all stout qualities, it just smells like apple brandy. And it tastes like sweet apples soaked in brandy as well, overpoweringly sweet and a little spicy. I don't remember peppers giving much of a bite, but then my palate was well challenged on DLD.

Thick mouthfeel, owing partially to low carbonation but also the syrupy viscosity. I was really appreciative for the chance to try this, but once is probably enough.

Serving type: growler

09-04-2011 14:34:51 | More by TurdFurgison

tpd975

Florida

5/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at the Hunahpus release.

A: Pours black dark and evil, like all CCB Stouts. Very dark head, excellent retention and a crazy amount of lace.

S: Loads of barrel, woody, with a huge blast of brandy. The roast, earth, chocolate, and spice of the base Hunahpu's remains as well. It is hard to describe.

T: Pure flavor explosion in your mouth. I really didn't think you can improve on the base beer but they have. The brandy barrel just puts this one in another class. Huge brandy barrel without being over the top. Tons of charred malt, earthy chocolate, light chili's and hints of vanilla. Rich chocolate, light molasses, and a dash of unicorn horn.

M: Very full in body, bold, rich, perfect.

D: Not really nor is it made to be. One I could sip on for days though.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2010 14:06:19 | More by tpd975

AgentZero

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drank at our Epic Chicago Tasting on 7.31.10. Bottle #59/84.

A - A little bit bit flat, not as viscous as I would have thought, but still a pretty good, heavy looking beer. Head rose up about a finger, tan colored.

S - Vanilla, cocoa, not quite as roasty as I would have guessed. The chili is nicely present and cuts through some of the sweetness. Oak is present as well as a nice sweet, brandy smell.

T - Loved the regular Hunaphu, this one is great as well. While the barrel aging mutes a lot fo the original characteristics of the beer, I think it just makes them more subtle. Nice brandy sweetness and the chili/chocolate combo on this one is pretty much perfect. Vanilla and oak add to a myriad of flavors in this.

M - Full bodied, a little bit sticky.

D - Sad I had to split the bottle on this one. Fantasic beer I would love to drink all the time.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2010 13:58:42 | More by AgentZero

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

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

On tap at Capone's on 6/5/10 during the Cigar City event for Philly Beer Week.

A - Appeared in my mini snifter as a raisin black liquid with royal purple tones and a very slim light brown head that reduced to a wispy ring of retention and traces of spotted lace around the edges of the glass.

S - Aroma is surprisingly somewhat muted overall. After I gave the liquid ample time to warm up, hints of apple brandy and barrel wood emerges as well as a hint of chocolate, cherries and vanilla.

T - Whoa! It took me a few seconds to really wrap my head around this one. The aftermath? This beer is freaking incredible! Sweet and dark fruit mingle with mild brandy and woody notes, while a hint of vanilla adds a bit of depth and more sweetness to the mix. Meanwhile, lots of dark bitter chocolate notes begin to emerge in the backend, followed by a dominant apple flavor that really expands into the finish, giving this beer such depth and complexity that it made my head spin. The alcohol never becomes overbearing, which allows the apple notes to really shine and blend nicely with the chocolate and woody attributes. Simply delicious!

M - Full bodied with an oily, viscous and somewhat sticky texture, yet all the while it retains quite a soft, creamy mouthfeel throughout. Finishes with a slight dryness on the palate in the midst of moderate alcohol and bitter notes.

D - While the aroma was a bit lacking, the flavor more than made up for it. Complex, delicious, amazing and decadent are some of the words needed to describe this fantastic creation from Cigar City. This 5 1/2oz. pour alone was worth the trip to Capone's.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2010 12:47:56 | More by ffejherb

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at capone's for beer week. I love this city and da burbs.

This version of the big ol hunna is black just like all other big stouts, with some light brown edges. Smell is of apple brandy under the base beer with the chilli's remaining in the picture and a touch of vanilla. There is a bit more chocolate & some coffee that I thought would not be as big. Taste includes chilli's mixed in with the brandy finished with a vanilla splash and a touch of alcohol. The green apples are a nice addition and come out big time. With the barrel aging, it's amazing the abv did not go up on this one. Some time brings cocco and roasted coffee and some minimal dark fruit under all that stoutness. The main tastes of the regular kind of get muted under the brandy. Full bodied, carb on the light side taste on the high side. A thick beer that calls for patience with small sips, big stuff here. When all is said and done this is great beer, but the regular is marvelous.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2010 17:06:03 | More by onix1agr

oline73

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the growler into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: The beer pours black as night with a finger of really dark brown head that leaves a ring around the pour.

Smell: Really sweet with dark chocolate and dark fruit notes. I'm getting the cinnamon, chillies, and vanilla. The brandy heat is there along with the sweetness.

Taste: Lots of brandy here. The malt and brandy combine to make this one very sweet. Tons of chocolate with pepper spice, mild vanilla, dark fruit, and some alcohol. The finish is peppery and sweet.

Mouthfeel: The body is very thick with tingly carbonation and a finish that is a bit dry.

Overall: I thought this beer was good, but I enjoy the regular version more. Quire complex and I would love to have it again.

Serving type: growler

08-21-2012 21:32:09 | More by oline73