Big Bad Baptist - Epic Brewing Co.

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark chocolate brown color with a one finger mocha head that quickly settles into a lasting ring. Spotty lacing left behind.

Roasted malt aroma with a very strong coffee bean and dark chocolate presence along with a well integrated barrel character. Deep roasted gourmet coffee, dark chocolate, toast and oatmeal complimented by toasted oak. Subtle booze/whiskey in the nose.

Medium bodied with some tight carbonation and a very dry, roasted malt presence that dominates the flavor, lingering into a dry finish. Slightly acrid, heavily roasted coffee bean and bitter dark chocolate notes along with some toffee and oatmeal. Barrel character is most prominent toward the finish with dry, toasted oak complimenting the roasted malt profile and faint boozy whiskey sweetness providing warmth in the finish. Whiskey notes are there but subtle, allowing the other flavors to come through. As it warms the richness from the cocoa and dark malts shine but it's still a bit strong in the roast department for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 04:36:13 | More by corby112

Beerandboards

New Mexico

3.86/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Batch #8, reviewed 12/30/12

Poured from a bomber into a snifter.

A - pours almost black, poured pretty cold, so a small amount of head forms and dissipates to a ring and some whisps. Lightens a little on the edges when held to the light. Second pour after warming a little doesn't produce much more in the way of head.

S - Coffee forward and coffee dominates throughout. Also some vanilla and a little bit of the bourbon whiskey. Some oak-y barrel as well. Petty nice,if not a little thin.

T - COFFEE. This is almost a coffee bomb. Medium roast coffee dominates the whole show. It's good, near great, but the coffee dominates. There are notes of vanilla and bourbon, as well as some roasty elements as well. There is some hop bitterness to finish. Can't quite decide whether I don't like it or if I really like it. At first I found it a little bit of a turn off, but I find it keeps me wanting another sip. Nice element I suppose.

M - above average. Low carbonation, thick. No complaints here.

O - I would definitely buy this again. I put it in the like it but don't absolutely love it. The interplay between the coffee dominance and the hop bittering at the end was interesting. I like coffee beers, and this one was very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 06:54:53 | More by Beerandboards

zaphodchak

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One finger tan head, black body, nice lace.

Nose is coffee grounds, and rich ones, too. But pretty much nothing else.

*Huge* coffee taste. Some bitter cocoa, subdued bourbon, decently balanced, on the bitter side.

Rich and thickly textured.

A stout that's both rich and dry... rare. Incredibly coffee heavy. I can only wonder what aging would do.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 01:30:55 | More by zaphodchak

MaxSpang

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

APPEARANCE

Hey, this a stout here. It's dark, and it's viscus. It had a smidge of a khaki head that went away fast. Only a little bubbles crept up the glass. What else can you say about this Big Bad Baptist?
SMELL

Coffee dominates the nose at first. It's followed up by a nice amount of bitter dark chocolate. After awhile, the whiskey comes through and brings a tinge of alcohol, but it doesn't smell boozey. There's a little bit of bread notes a well as some slight raisin and dark fruits. It's definitely heavy on the coffee, but isn't completely overpowered by it.

TASTE

Like the nose, coffee dominates the palette. The first sip was almost all coffee. Subsequent tastes brought in the dark chocolate in a big way. The whisky is present, and comes through toward the end. There's a lingering sweetness toward the end as well, which brightens the chocolate character. The bitterness is also high, from the hops, coffee, and bitter chocolate. There's a little liquoroce after taste. This isn't as boozy as expected, but it does have a little heat as the beer warms in the class.

MOUTHFEEL

This has got some definite body. It's pretty big on residual sugars, and it's not the easiest drinker. It has a slighlty dry finish, but it isn't smooth per se. The carbonation is medium, and only slighty foams up in the mouth. It's a good example of a "meatier" Imperial Stout.

OVERALL

This is a tasty beer! It's not as polished as other similar beers (Founders KBS, for example) but it's still a good brew. It could stand a little age on it to smooth out, but it's very nice fresh. The name implies that perhaps omeone was sending a message in the land of Mormons, but the massage I'm getting is that this is good beer.

Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 23:44:50 | More by MaxSpang

crewfan16

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

the girlfriend surprised me with two bottles of release #1. poured from a bomber to a snifter.

a- looks completely black to me. khaki colored head doesnt rise too high, but its 11.7 %, so I didnt expect a ton of head.

s- tons of coffee grounds on the nose and some bittersweet chocolate. just a hint of oak and whiskey.

t- again with tons of coffee, but the chocolate comes out way more. just a light tingle of whiskey and oak at the end. nice flavors but seems to lack a little of that complex heavy punch that i expect from a huge imperial stout

m- a tad light for the style. flavors linger on the palate nicely, but lacks the heavy thick feel of a great imperial stout. abv is hidden nicely though, which is a nice plus.

overall, I had mixed feelings on this brew. the coffee and chocolate flavors were great, but the whiskey and barrel again didnt seem to come out much. it was also a little light texture-wise. if offered again, I would definately have some, but I dont know if i would put in the extra effort to find this somewhat rare beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 03:49:54 | More by crewfan16

output01x

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz. capped bottle (Release #1) into a snifter glass.

A vigorous pour yields a 1 1/2-finger tan-colored head that fades over the course of a couple minutes to a thick, clumpy dusting and thick foam ring. The body is a nice near black with no traces of color when held to light. Some decent lacing can be seen throughout consumption.

A subdued whiskey (almost like well liquor) aroma is the first and strongest character of the nose. Some baker's chocolate and roasted coffee beans aromas are also there but take a little digging to find.

Dark and bittersweet chocolate, freshly roasted coffee beans, concentrated espresso, and just a touch of dark fruit (black cherry?) all hit the tongue at first sip. As the beer is swallowed, dark and milk chocolate flavors really come out along with more espresso. Just a hint of bourbon-like alcohol warmth is noticed in the back of the throat. A nice black coffee aftertaste settles in between sips.

Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation, this beer isn't as creamy as it is silky. The body is a bit on the light side for an 11.7% ABV Imperial Stout, which helps to keep this beer from becoming overly sticky and syrupy (which it is neither). The carbonation is almost unnoticeable but is definitely doing a fantastic job in the background. This beer really slides over the tongue smoothly while coating it completely.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 06:56:58 | More by output01x

masterofsparks

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a real coffee bomb of a beer, like Founders Breakfast Stout but even more so. The smell and the taste are overwhelmingly coffee-forward. Chocolate flavors lurk in the back, and the barrel character is nicely understated. A lot of barrel aged stouts go crazy with the booze/barrel character, but this one pulls it back nicely.

Whether or not you like this will really depend on your feelings on coffee-forward beers. This is honestly the most coffee-forward stout I've ever tasted, so if this is going to be a problem, I'd skip this one. The coffee flavor is so powerful that you will have no choice but to sip this beer. I savored it over the course of a cold winter night and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Will try again.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 15:23:05 | More by masterofsparks

Viciousknishs

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- pours a solid black color with a finger and a half of creamy beige colored head. Good retention no lacing.

S- huge one two bunch of roasty malt and espresso roast oily coffee beans. The middle is cocoa nibs and rich gourmet dark chocolate. Soft oak tones on the finish with a touch of whiskey.

T- huge dark roast French press coffee(just had some this morning) permeates this brew with layers of oily coffee bean and double shot espresso. The cocoa nibs come out in the middle with a bit of dark chocolate as well. Some roasty malt blends in as well with a slight char. Soft oak and a touch of burnt caramel hit the palate on the finish with a whisper of whiskey and alcohol warmth.

MF- oily coffee like mouthfeel with a medium body and low carbonation.

D- good drinkability

Overall the coffee dominates the brew with other flavors coming in softer and subtle. Pretty tasty if you like coffee.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 03:42:00 | More by Viciousknishs

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

3.93/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Draft poured into a snifter

A: Pours pitch black with a heavier than normal consistency and light brown bubbles that favor a coffee's creme.

S: Aroma is all coffee with hints of bitter roasted malt and some chocolate sweetness as well.

T/M: Flavor adds a dimension of smokiness to the coffee and bitter malt. Bubbles are tiny and lend a creamy mouthfeel. There's a little bite from the alcohol, which is tamed, but also thins the beer out.

This is a well balanced, strong stout with an enhanced coffee profile that adds character.

TheBeerAlmanac.com

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 02:12:57 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

vkv822

Oregon

3.93/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

on-tap at Belmont Station.
from notes.

Pours black with a foamy, creamy looking light brown head.

Big chocolate and faint roast.

More chocolate and roast coffee in the taste as well.

Medium-light body with bubbly, medium carbonation.

Enjoyable Imperial Stout, chocolate and coffee for the most part, with the body sitting slightly on the lighter side for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2012 05:29:25 | More by vkv822

Magpie14

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Release #7.

A: velvet pour. Inky brownish black in color with soft cocoa cream cap. Looks sumptuous.

S: the nose suggests dark fruits and coffee. Whiffs of oak and whiskey can be noted as well. Not to involved overall. Not as big as I was planning.

T: sipping unlocks whiskey soaked coffee beans, bitter cocoa, ripe currants, and burnt oak. To me, the collection of flavors struggle to meld well. Not that it is bad, it's just a little lackluster. The tail end of each sip is occupied with whiskey and then burnt/charcoal bitters. Warming helps a little and brings a nice smoothness, helps round out the flavors a little.

M: smooth with moderate to heavy body. Standard for the style.

O: enjoyable and worth the trying. I will reach for others when spending/considering $12.99 for a bottle. Epic is fairly new to the market here in Michigan and this is my first Epic brew. Overall, it is nothing near "epic" in character, rather it is just shy of a "great" beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 15:23:32 | More by Magpie14

BearsOnAcid

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Heard good things. Batch #2, just released I believe.

Dark brown to black pour. Some clarity in the light. Small coffee colored head.

Picking up a lot of coffee in the nose. Roasted malts, dark chocolate, but mostly dominated by coffee.

Taste had even more coffee. It was very bold and robust. Chocolate underneath. Bitter with a medium sweetness for an imperial stout. I had a little trouble picking up the whiskey barrel. At times, I tasted some vanilla, oak, and maybe some honey but it wasn't very forward at all so I wasn't sure if I was just imagining it. Mouthfeel was thinner than I'd like.

This was a nice surprise from Epic and definitely worth a try. Excellent price too. I hope they get some more character from the barrel for the next batch. This coud be a good substitute for Bourbon County Coffee.

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2012 15:42:43 | More by BearsOnAcid

Scotchboy

Idaho

3.98/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big Bad Baptist, on-tap @ Bier:Thirty in Bound Crossing. This is Batch #7; not sure how much batch variation has been encountered with this beer. Poured into a snifter, review from notes:

A: Opaque body with a huge tan head (impressive for a BA beer with adjuncts added) that recedes to a constant ring.

S: Tons of coffee with hints of smoke...a bit of boozy sweetness. There is an underlying whiskey note, but no real oak or vanilla, its just spirit.

T: Semi-acrid coffee on the front of the palate, with a moderate roasted malt component...hints of smoke and char again...mocha...the spirit burn on the back of the throat meshes pretty well with the notes of coffee and buried chocolate.

MF: Thinner and closer to medium than full...lighter to medium carbonation, light alcohol presence on the finish.

O: Decent but not great. I don't go gaga for this like a lot of guys buts a solid BA coffee stout.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2012 16:49:23 | More by Scotchboy

katan

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz into a pint

A - Pours a deep black motor oil color with just about the same texture. Little mocha colored head, breaks down to a film fairly quickly.

S - Hefty coffee flavor, roasted with a few burnt notes. I catch a little bit of deep flavors of chocolate, maybe even chipotles.

T - Starts off roasty, deep - with little bits of a campfire. Gets more coffee flavors, deep and dark. Chocolate and a little bit of oak in the middle. Hopping well hidden. Finishes with a burnt sticky flavor.

M - Strong body, moderate to lighter in carbonation by comparison. High alcohol is hidden pretty well. I get some burnt flavors sticking to the tongue.

O/D - An interesting big coffee stout. A bit hefty to the palette, the burnt flavors become very dominant. Alcohol is pretty potent, this one is a slow long sipper - fortunately the beer's style plays that way. A bit filling from its full bodied nature.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 03:25:40 | More by katan

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.99/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

From Steasy66, thanks man! Release #3.

Appearance. Pours a a deep chocolate brown, black in the glass with 1.5 fingers of creamy tan head that paints the sides of the glass.

Smell. Whiskey, chocolate, vanilla and old barrel. Maybe a little bit of coffee, but wouldn't have guessed it was in there.

Taste. Dark chocolate, lots of wood and woody vanilla, some sharp whiskey and dark roasted coffee in the finish.

Mouthfeel. Full body with medium+, smooth and soft carbonation, quite creamy and nice. There's a little astringent alcohol, but nothing too upsetting.

Overall. A very nice stout with lots of barrel but maybe not as much coffee as I would have liked.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 22:37:18 | More by Rutager

kirok1999

Ohio

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

Pours a rich looking black with a nice thick rising light brown head.
Smells of mild milk chocolate mixed with some rich coffee. A mild sweetness comes through as well.
Taste is very nice. Sweet and creamy with lots of coffee and mild milk chocolate. The coffee is well done here, not overpowering at all, just nicely there in the background. The chocolate comes through well and it finishes nicely with a lingering sweetness. Feels rich and smooth. A really well done stout but the price is a bit much to drink with any regularity.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 22:14:56 | More by kirok1999

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

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

Big Bad Baptist
Epic Brewing Co.

Pours black as night with an oily, deep brown head. Aromas of charred roasted malts, dark fruits, and alcohol. In the taste, coffee, charcoal, mild sweetness and small hop presence. Bitter almost acrid malt flavor, some barrel presence, providing a nice bite the the beer. Clean alcohol flavors are hidden underneath a strong coffee presence. Full bodied, thick feel. Overall, a beast of a beer, but one thats worth fighting.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 05:13:04 | More by Stinkypuss

4thelvofbeer

Virginia

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

Nice! Great stout. Dark, deep black, with a smell of strong iced coffee. Tastes as it smells--coffee, syrup, and chocolate notes. Silky smooth on the palate. One of the better stouts I've recently had. Bottle price is a little high, but worth the extra cost. Very nice overall!

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 02:04:55 | More by 4thelvofbeer

argock

Virginia

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

Poured from a 22oz brown bottle into a clear glass snifter. Release #3 on label. Purchased at Wine Warehouse (Charlottesville, VA) for $13.99.

A: Black body with 1-finger beige cookie colored head with big bubbles and decent retention with only spotty lacing.

S: Cocoa and dark chocolate with a fairly strong unfermented almost lactose sweetness with some light whiskey sharpness and bitter black coffee. I wish all of these components were more prominent, but there is nothing wrong with this nose.

T: The flavor is sweeter than expected all the way through with accents of strong black coffee and espresso. The milk chocolate middle add some sweetness. The roast comes through more as the beer warms giving some strong tobacco character. The whiskey adds a touch of vanilla sweetness but not much else.

M: I bumped this up a notch because this dangerously does not drink like 11.4% -- the body is medium and very silky and slick.

O: I liked this beer but like a little more presence. It's a good stout but needs a little more body and a little less sweetness. I agree with those that don't think this will age well - the alcohol is amazingly well-hidden and I think the base stout is a little lacking in complexity.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 03:38:04 | More by argock

b3shine

Ohio

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

Batch #4. Deuce to oversized snifter. Looks good; pitch black with lacing. Smells good; coffee and whiskey with malty undertones. Tastes good. If I could give it a 4.0+ I would, but I can't, and I can't give it a higher review than I'd call it. I wish it was a little more barreled than coffeed. Overall, a tasty treat, and another great value beer from Epic.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 22:45:12 | More by b3shine

drabmuh

Maryland

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

Shared by Lunch the other day thanks! He told me it was described to him as a "poor man's KBS" but since this is slightly more expensive than KBS and not as good, I didn't understand why anyone would say that.

Beer is black with a thin tan head, low retention, some lacing, low carbonation.

Aroma is nice, coffee, sweet, a little chocolate, mild vanilla, no oak or bourbon.

I wouldn't have guessed this was a bourbon stout. I still don't really think so. This is a coffee stout to me, the coffee bitterness is there, the flavors are mostly sweetness up front, malt and a nice coffee finish. I liked it but probably won't have it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 16:35:09 | More by drabmuh

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

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

A coffee story from intro to epilogue. Black as night, oily texture, sweeter side with chocolate. The coffee wafts, it is much more coffee composition than coffee stouts. Some roasted malt. Good for what it is, it is surprisingly drinkable at 11% abv.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 03:19:59 | More by northyorksammy

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

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

Batch #2. Bottled 11/28/11 and brewed with Tanzanian Rimini coffee (from Epic's website). Poured from a bottle into a Brooklyn Brewery snifter. Very dark pour. Lightly carbonated. Thin tan head with rapid dissipation. The nose has a lot of coffee on it. GOOD coffee. It smells like fine roasted coffee beans (not bitter old coffee). There's so much coffee on it, I don't seem to get much else.

Very interesting flavor. The strong coffee components come in very quickly and hit you with their bitterness. My first impression was one of disappointment for having missed out on any malty sweetness. However, the bitterness is not overwhelming and at mid-palate, some oak and cocoa flavors join in and match their bitterness to that of the coffee. At the back of the palate, there's a bit of alcohol warmth and a slight touch of whiskey that lingers a bit on the finish with the coffee. The body is very full and the mouthfeel is slightly oily and mouthcoating.

You gotta love a beer from Utah called ``Big Bad Baptist". I would love to give this beer higher marks simply because it's one of the ``coffee-est'' stouts I've had, but it's just a little too bitter for me to rate it any higher than I have. Still, it has a lot of flavor and if you like bitter beers, you'll probably flip over this. For me, it would have been better with a bit more sweetness to balance out all that coffee and cocoa. Also, for a whiskey barrel-aged beer, it doesn't have much vanilla or bourbon flavor to it. Still, a solid and enjoyable beer that I may buy again simply to see how it ages. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 00:54:05 | More by deadonhisfeet

Holland

Pennsylvania

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

A: jet black, just as a coffee stout should be. Decent sized tan head, low lacing, heavy looking.

S: coffee, coffee, coffee, chocolate, malt.

T: delicious for a coffee stout, but I get little if any of the barrel flavor. Maybe that just blends so well into the beer I don't notice that the vanilla and toffee notes are from the whiskey, or maybe the coffee and stout overpowered the barrel.

M: fairly thick, but still well carbonated enough for my liking.

O: great coffee stout, but I might be missing the barrel on this one. Still very drinkable, something that some people enjoyed who don't care for stouts. Thanks to Mister_Joshy for sending me this one in a trade!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 19:09:10 | More by Holland

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a taster glass.

Pours near black with a thin mocha head. Not too much in the way of lacing. The nose carries some really nice cocoa and whiskey. Really nice combination and well done here. A bit of vanilla and oak in the background. The flavor isn't quite as intense as the nose, but still pretty good. Mouthfeel has a bit of heat, and could be a bit thicker. Overall, really a pretty tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 00:40:48 | More by Thorpe429