La Muerta - Freetail Brewing Company

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Getting into the Halloween spirit with this treat from BGThang. Hmmm, what mysterious secrets lie hidden within the confines of....La Muerta??? (cue spooky organ music...)

Appearance - dark, cola pour, setting up mostly opaque in the glass, maybe a hint of ruby on the edges. Some light lace on top of pale mocha doesn't last long and is quickly struggling to hold a thin collar. Any lacing has difficulty holding on as it tends to slide down the glass.

Aroma - deep grain roast, hints of espresso and bitter chocolate, and a mesquite type smokiness.

Taste - sweetened cocoa , notes of cola and smoky espresso. Very warming on the swallow. Lots of chocolate on the aftertaste, malt sweeetness and abv helping that along to make a very nice flavor. Finishes dry with shadows of cocoa and a lingering, ~~~haunting~~~ sweetness...

Mouthfeel - smooth with a good solid body, medium carbonation.

Drinkability - I imagine this would be a fine cellarable but I wasn't about to wait. Happy Halloween '09, thanks Ken!

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 19:34:43 | More by brewdlyhooked13

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a dark brown, near black body with a tiny, tan head that bubbles out nearly instantaneously.

Smell: Dark, roasted malts imparting fragrant notes of roasted coffee beans, black licorice, chocolate, molasses, and even some soot.

Taste: Lip-smacking combination of bittersweet chocolate, dark caramel, and ooey-gooey molasses. Pinch of chimney ash. There's a strong roastiness to be had, but also plenty of sugar. Earthy bitterness. Minor dark fruit hints here and there. Touch of alcohol heat welcomes in the sweet, roast finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium carbonation. Appropriately smooth mouthfeel.

Drinkability: A full on good, enjoyable Imperial Stout to honor Día de los Muertos or any other various holiday, such as Columbus Day or Cupcake Day (August 18th).

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2009 19:26:10 | More by ChainGangGuy

wagenvolks

Texas

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz. gold wax-sealed 2008 bomber shared at an Austin BA tasting.

Pours a dark, nearly opaque seal brown body with a good retention to the slim, custard head. Aroma is laced with big notes of dark chocolate, vinous oaken wood, dark fruit, and earthen hops.

Taste is a bit dryer that I'd expected, but delivers a flavorful burst of chocolate, dark rum, black cherry, caramelized sugar, and a kiss of soil. Hops and Baker's chocolate linger into the finish, as the medium-thick body and low carbonation level make this beer dangerously easy to drink. Overall, a solid Imperial Stout worthy of the Freetail name, but I'm not sure if it will achieve the "beer geek" status level that it appears to seek.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2009 04:26:31 | More by wagenvolks

PDXHops

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to goatgoat for this bomber, poured into a Duvel tulip.

An agressive pour can't coax a head, just the tiniest ring of tan bubbles around the edges. Body is almost black, with reddish-brown highlights. No lacing.

Smells really good. Chocolate-covered cherries, dark chocolate, vanilla, dark roasted malts and a hint of coffee.

I didn't pick it up in the nose, but there's a nice smokiness to this brew. Aside from that, the primary taste elements are the same- chocolate, cherry, vanilla, a bit of coffee. A nice bite of bitterness on the swallow. There is lingering burnt malt and chocolate in the finish. Very tasty beer.

Body is fairly thick, chewy and creamy. Moderate carbonation.

Overall impression: Not sure when I'd ever be in the mood for an imperial stout in the Texas heat, but I'm glad to have come across La Muerta. Put a head on this one to make it look a little better, and this is absolutely a top tier imperial stout, IMO.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2009 22:43:02 | More by PDXHops

jnn4v

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Allow me to begin by stating right up front that I think this is one of the best imperial stouts I've tried. If you prefer neutral-flavored mild imperial stouts, you should head elsewhere. Now don't get me wrong - La Muerta doesn't cross the boundaries into Russian Imperial Stout territory in regards to big aggressive flavor, but it does definitely hit you strong up front and continue through the finish.

A: Dark, thick, oily. Just as an Imperial Stout should be.
S: Toasted malts, hints of coffee, hints of toffee, possibly some butterscotch buried in there. Very strong molasses and some brown sugar too. My mouth is watering already.
T: Taste is true to the scent. And also one of the best imperial stouts I've ever laid into.
M: Thick. Smooooth. No complaints or identifiable faults here.
D: As good as it could be for a big, bold imperial stout. I don't know if I'd have 2 glasses of this, but I definitely enjoyed the serving I did have.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2009 19:21:03 | More by jnn4v

spaceycasey

Texas

4.63/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on draft in a snifter at Freetail. Limited edition bombers are coming soon I'm told - this review is not meant to reflect that version. Appearance is black with a thick creamy tan head. Aroma is rich chocolate, roasted malt, coffee and a very faint hint of hops. Flavor of chocolate, coffee, hints of smoke, roasted malt and slight alcohol warmth. Mouthfeel is thick, chewy but creamy. A nightcap of a brew if there ever was one.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2009 20:00:01 | More by spaceycasey

pwsoldier

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Batch #0010, 10.2% abv

A - Nearly pitch-black when the glass is full, with some translucency around the edges that become more apparent as the glass becomes more empty. Pours with a tan head that dissipates fairly quickly, leaving a small amount of lacing.

S - Definitely the highlight of this beer, absolutely delightful! Dark chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and some faint aromas of dark fruit all combine to create a magnificent, complex nose.

T - Slightly bitter up front, with hops and coffee notes dominating. Plenty of sweetness comes through in the finish though, with the roasted malts complimented by flavors of vanilla and sweetish dark chocolate. Very nice balance.

M - Full-bodied, creamy finish, lingering chocolatey bitterness on the palate.

D - This is a very enjoyable stout, and incredibly easy to drink. Definitely my favorite local beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2009 05:30:42 | More by pwsoldier