Big Bad Baptist - Epic Brewing Co.

Someguy1_8t

California

4.78/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Release #7 - served in a tulip glass.

Appearance - The color for this was black. It had about a finger of rapidly diminishing head.

Smell - The first aroma to hit me was a strong coffee scent. This was followed by wet oak or wood grilling planks, which I'm assuming comes from the whiskey barrel aging. The aroma was strong enough to smell from about 2-3 feet away. There where also hints of sweet vanilla and chocolate and some booze, again probably from the barrel aging.

Taste - The taste was much like the smell. Bold taste of roasted malts , chocolate and dark roast coffee. There was also vanilla, oak, and a hint of booze.

Mouthfeel- There was a full bodied mouth feel to this one with very little carbonation. Viscous and velvet like. With a lingering of the roasted coffee for a bit.

Overall - I thought this was one of the best Imperial stouts I have ever tried, if not certainly the most interesting and intriguing.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 05:33:37 | More by Someguy1_8t

rangerred

Tennessee

4.08/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Release #10. Poured into a snifter out of a 22oz bomber.

Pours inky black with just a small dark tan head that fades to a ring around the side of the glass. Pretty decent lacing considering the abv.

Coffee is quite prominent in the aroma with hints of dark chocolate. Lots of roasted malt that seems slightly burnt. There is vanilla and just the slightest hint of whiskey buried way in the background.

The coffee carries big time into the flavor mixed nicely with cocoa creating almost a mocha character. Lots and lots of heavily roasted malt that borders on being a bit acrid and charred. There is still just a little bourbon in the background that I wish was a little more prominent. Nice vanilla and caramel touches too. The alcohol is well hidden with just a slight warmth in the back of the throat with a creamy and just slightly sticky mouthfeel.

Overall, a very tasty imperial stout but one that is not quite Earth-shattering. I don't know if I would go out of my way to pick this up but if you do come across it, it is worth drinking.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 02:02:27 | More by rangerred

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

4.18/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Release #7, 11.0% ABV.

I wasn't really planning to review this beer. I just wanted to open in and drink it. But then I smelled it, and knew I would have to review it. So here goes.

A standard pour into a tulip produces a pitch-black liquid and an ethereal, dark tan foam. The head is not aggressive, and it dissipates fairly soon, leaving little lacing. The beer itself is as dark as any I have seen. It's not quite as viscous as some, but it's espresso black.

Coffee is evident to my nose. But chocolate is the dominant smell. And I don't mean it smells like a typical chocolate stout. To me, it smells like one of those chocolates that are 75% or 85% cocoa. The label says it spent time in whiskey barrels, but I would never have guessed.

It tastes like it smells. A hint of coffee, but huge, high cocoa chocolate notes. No oak, no whiskey. And hey -- it's none the worse off for lack of whiskey notes. I sometimes think brewers try to cram too many flavors into a bottle. This one is complex enough as-is.

Mouthfeel is a little thin for such a big beer. Alcohol is well-masked. This one is really easy to drink. It's my favorite beer from Epic so far.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 05:23:44 | More by DaveAnderson

KingEdward

North Carolina

4.98/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer is awesome! Smell is of coffee, caramel, and sweet malt. Taste is of dark roasted coffee, vanilla, roasted malt, dark chocolate, and finishes with a boozy whiskey flavor. It looks good with a light brown head that becomes a creamy ring and the beer is jet black. The feel is very thick, creamy, and like velvet. Overall this is a great beer! I will drink as much as i can get!

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 01:02:20 | More by KingEdward

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Batch #10 - Cocoa Nibs and Coffee in Whiskey Barrels

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with some very dark amber highlights and a moderate amounts of visible carbonation near the surface. The beer has a three finger tall dense foamy dark mocha head that slowly reduces to a thin film covering the entire surface of the beer, a couple of small thicker patches, and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Strong aromas of dark roasted malts and green + freshly roasted coffee beans with moderate aromas of oak, whiskey, and cocoa. Lightly bitter in the aroma. Very light notes of vanilla and char.

T: Moderate to strong flavors of green and freshly roasted coffee beans with some more moderate flavors of roasted dark malts. There are some more moderate elements of oak, whiskey, cocoa, vanilla, and charred wood. Light amounts of lingering bitterness.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: This beer is pretty easy to drink considering that it is 12% ABV (roughly) and it is quite enjoyable - the coffee is very present but the whiskey barrel is not as much. Very enjoyable but definitely a sipping beer considering the strength.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 02:33:14 | More by dbrauneis

metter98

New York

4.3/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A: The beer is absolutely jet black in color. It poured with a two finger high dark tan head that died down a bit and left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface and a small collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of coffee beans n the nose along with some hints of roasted malts.
T: The taste shares some similarities with the smell in terms of flavors of coffee beans and also has notes of whiskey and hints of roasted malts The roasted toffee beans linger throuh the finish and overall become stronger as the beers wrms up.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: For a beer of this strength, the alcohol is well hidden from the taste.

Note: Batch #10

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 02:31:26 | More by metter98

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Fairly aggressively poured from a 22 oz. bottle labeled as Release #7 into an unbranded short stemmed tulip/snifter

Pours a motor oil darkest brown bordering on black capped by a two finger fluffy tan head. Some retention, which is unusual for barrel-aged stouts, and even a hint of lacing. The nose is wonderful, espresso, dark chocolate, toasted oak, roastiness, and some whiskey-tinged booziness. The balanced flavor of this brew is amazing: cocoa powder, roastiness, rich dark coffee notes, charred oak, some hints of vanilla and integrated whiskey. Finishes smooth with roasted coffee and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, slick and smooth with some underlying creaminess. Overall this brew is a masterpiece and shows a level of balance rarely found in big, barrel-aged imperial stouts. Impressive on every level.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 05:05:12 | More by chanokokoro

notchucknorris

California

4.49/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a rich black color with a dense looking one finger mocha colored head. Looks amazing. Exactly what I look for in a stout.

S: Crazy dark coffee. Someone else noted black iced coffee and I get that. You can tell that the coffee is really high quality. Espresso, dark chocolate covered coffee beans, some faint vanilla and some char. The smell is a little faint, but what I can pick out is really good.

T: The coffee absolutely dominates this beer, but that's a very good thing because this is some bomb coffee. Opens with a touch of dark chocolate and roasted malt. Then comes a huge wave of dark roasted coffee. The finish brings just a hint of whiskey, some anise, charred wood and burnt coffee grounds. Mouthfeel is slightly creamy and rich without being too thick and syrupy. Really nicely done.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 02:01:20 | More by notchucknorris

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.34/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Batch #9 thanks to rudzud for sharing, and thanks to jedi111 (Reddit) for sending me a bottle I can save for the right time to share.

Pours a nice creamy darker but small head covering, light lacing, just about pitch black color.

Nose brings plenty of fresh espresso, roasted coffee beans, so much fresh coffee it almost seems like I poured some beer into my fresh espresso. Chewy oats in there, light chocolate, light wood dust, hint of roast, hint of dark chocolate, wood and oak dust and barrel, a bit Canadian Whisky like surprisingly but I think mostly due to the beer overpowering what would be whisky.

Taste again fresh coffee, roasted espresso, ground coffee, light chocolate, roast, caramel, vanilla, toasty oak and again some Canadian like whisky that tastes sweet, fruity, and gamey almost. there is some booze warmth as well, with the fruity whisky, a maple cream whisky like too. Chewy oats come in, with light caramel and more vanilla barrel, some bitterness from roasted malts but also light earthy spicy hops. Some light wood dust and oaky flavors in there rounding it just a bit and bringing all that vanilla. Finish is drier, light booze, chocolate, caramel, lots of fresh roasted coffee all lingering, a light bitterness as well, and light wood dust esters lingering.

Mouth is thicker bodied, decent carb, fairly rich, light warming booze.

Overall quite a nice beer. Great coffee, freshly roasted, as well as nice malt base, some hops kicking in with a decent touch, and booze is hidden fairly well. All that with nice barrel flavors and whisky def cuts in but not the best whisky, more Canadian like it seems, or at least seems due to influence from the beer, but can't get any bourbon. Still a great beer and I'm glad I got another one in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 03:46:33 | More by jlindros

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.29/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Batch #10. Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a Pipeworks snifter.

A- pours black with a 2 finger dark cola head. Big blotches and trails of lacing remain on the glass.

S- amazing coffee aroma, some roast, faint vanilla and whiskey.

T- some chocolate followed by bitter coffee. Coffee dominates this beer with very little bourbon or whiskey.

M- full body and medium carbonation. Creamy, smooth feel and drinks very well at roughly 12%.

O- very good beer. I wish there was more barrel notes but the coffee in this beer is amazing!

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 04:55:22 | More by kawilliams81

GeezLynn

Minnesota

4.24/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Straight black, with a medium brown head that is short-lived.
S: Very earthy and roasted, oats are apparent, with light coffee and a hint of whiskey.
T: Starts off with a heavy dark coffee flavor, followed by a light whiskey bite, and finishes with a bitter chocolate covered coffee bean flavor. A little vanilla shows as it approaches room temperature.
M: Thick body with low carbonation. Overall feel is velvety smooth.

BBB was a change of pace from the more common bourbon barrel stouts out there. This is very char-heavy without the bourbon derived cherry/fruit flavors. More of a vanilla/alcohol contribution from the barrel. Coffee addition was mild, but very nice. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 05:20:28 | More by GeezLynn

StoutHunter

Michigan

4.21/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I picked up a bottle of Epic's Big Bad Baptist a couple weeks ago for $11.49 at The Lager Mill. I have never had anything from Epic before but I've been interested in giving them a try ever since their beers started showing up in my area, I was told if I like KBS then I needed to try this beer, so I decided to take a chance on it, so lets see how it goes. No visible bottling date Batch #10 2012 Vintage. Poured from a brown 22oz bomber into a snifter.

A- The label looks nice and I think the name is pretty funny. It poured a nice dark black color that didn't let any light come through and it had two fingers worth of mocha colored head that died down to a thick ring that stayed till the end and left some nice rings of lacing. This is a good looking beer, I have no complaints at all.

S- The aroma start off with lots of coffee that is very roasted and robust, it imparts a very strong black coffee aroma that seems to dominate this beer. Up next comes some more roasted malt aromas followed by some dark and milk chocolate and a medium amount of sweetness. Towards the end I get a slightly oaky aroma that may have a little bit of whiskey to it but it hardly sticks out. This beer had a good aroma, it almost smelled exactly like an iced black coffee, but I wish the barrel stuck out a little more.

T- The taste seems to be very similar to the aroma and it starts off the same with lots of great coffee flavors that make for a taste that is very similar to an iced coffee. After that comes some roasted malts, chocolate and a medium amount of sweetness. Up next comes the barrel which shows up more when it warms but it's still a little light and imparts some whiskey, oak, and light vanilla flavors. Towards the end comes a medium amount of bitterness that resembles the bitterness you get in black coffee and it had a roasted and very coffee like aftertaste. The alcohol is hidden very well no way does this taste like it's 11.4%. This was a good tasting beer that was very coffee forward, almost too much so, it would be nice if the barrel stuck out more to balance out all that coffee.

M- Pretty smooth, creamy, velvety, full bodied, and it had a nice amount of medium carbonation. The mouthfeel was really good and it fit this beer perfectly, super smooth.

Overall I thought this was a good beer and a good example of a Imperial Coffee Stout, it had tons of great coffee flavors and it was very smooth, but I think it could have used a little longer in the barrel to balance out all those coffee flavors. This beer had great drinkability, it was very smooth and it did a good job at holding my attention, a bomber seems like the perfect amount for me, I wouldn't want to follow it up with another one. What I liked the most about this beer was the drinkability and the mouthfeel they were both very good and better than I expected. What I liked the least about this beer is that the barrel didn't stick out as much as I would like. I would buy this beer again when in the mood for a big Coffee Stout, but I won't be buying it often, I recommend it to anyone who loves Coffee Stouts. All in all I was happy with this beer but I don't think it's the KBS killer that some people told me it would be, it's pretty good, but the coffee is a little too dominating, it lacks the great balance that makes KBS so awesome. For my first Epic beer this made a pretty good first impression on me and I am down to try many more beers from Epic, good work guys, you got me to pay attention to your brewery.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 04:48:50 | More by StoutHunter

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

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

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

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

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.55/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bottle of Release #8 poured into a Nonic.

A: Pours a black color with a 1 1/2 finger head and some lacing.

S: Strong aromas of espresso, dark chocolate, vanilla, and oak. Very inviting smell.

T: The taste follows the nose...lots of espresso, dark chocolate, and oak. Hides the alcohol well.

M: Heavy bodied with good carbonation.

O: This is an exceptional Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. It's very smooth, extremely tasty, and quite enjoyable. I'll gladly have it again anytime.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 21:04:58 | More by nUgZ

themind

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A good stout aged in whiskey barrels. Epic does a nice job on this tasty beer. Has a nice aroma with hints of coco and large doses of coffee. The mouthfeel is smooth and the abv is hidden well. As a plain coffee stout this is very good but I feel it falls short on the barrel aging side of things. The whiskey can hardly be noticed. I would have liked a little more flavor in this department. Overall I would buy it again as it is a good price and worth the time seeking it out.

Bottom Line: Epic age this stuff in the barrel a little longer and you will have a legend in the making.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 11:37:33 | More by themind

t420o

California

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 Release

Epic Big Bad Baptist 

Release #6

A- aggressive pour yields a 1/2 finger mocha colored head receding to a thin cap. Body is black 4

S- coffee sticks out the most and it's more of a fresh cup of coffee smell than a bean smell. Cocoa and the whisky barrel are there too and smell good. 4 

T- taste is like the smell. The coffee is excellent, maybe the best use of coffee in a beer that I've had. It's just like a fresh cup of a nutty and roasted coffee. Again the whisky and cocoa nibs are in the background and very nice. You can feel the lingering taste in the nose and mouth like coffee too. So nice as it warms the whisky barrel becomes far more noticable and adds a nice warm booziness to it (in a good way) 4.5 

M- low carbonation as expected but nice and viscous. I liked it 4.5

O- excellent beer 4.5

A/A+

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 22:36:46 | More by t420o

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.35/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Never have seen this one around my area, so when I saw a bottle at Peabody's in Boone, I snagged it right up! Once I got home, I found out my local store had some cases in as well. Oh well.

22oz bottle. Batch #8 (Sept. '12 release). Poured into my brand new Hardywood snifter.

This beer just hesitantly glugs out of the bottle. This is an über thick coal black beer. Sits in the glass nicely. A small mocha head rests atop. Great spotty lace left behind, reminding me of what was. The aroma just smacks of fresh coffee. Big roasted coffee bean scent, chocolate powder, some booze quality. Really a nice inviting aroma.

Wonderful creamy feel that just envelopes the palate like a warm blanket. Subtle carbonation never forces itself. Smooth finish. This is one of the heavier beers I've had in quite some time. Coffee. Coffee. Coffee. Did I mention the coffee? This is one of the most potent coffee-forward beers I have ever had. This would wake up a dead man. Huge roasted flavors abound. Subtle sweetness of cocoa nibs and chocolate chips. Mild oak-like character gives it s a slight dry aftertaste. The whiskey isn't as prominent as I expected. I had hoped for more of a bourbon kick, but with this batch, there is none. This sort of muddles out at the end, and just finishes with more coffee.

I'm not sure what I think of this. I guess I expected a more balanced barreled beer, but this is a one-trick pony: a straight up coffee beer. I normally like that style, but this just seemed too much overkill. I don't think I'd revisit this batch again. Glad I tried it, but holy crap was this rich.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 01:13:42 | More by Onenote81

Nugganooch

California

4.28/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Release #3 – 12.5% ABV (per the label)
-Purchased at the Green Jug in Woodland Hills

22oz bomber w/ my Gentlemen Jack tumbler. (Seemed fitting)
*notes from 12/06/12

A: Pours a dark black bean color body with a thin cap of brown sugar head. Wisps away relatively soon thinning out to just a fine collar. Some loose running legs upon the glass with each sip.

S: Initial aromas are of dark roast malts with light barreling character to it – wood, sweetened vanilla, and some earthy char. Nose really blooms with fresh espresso beans and chocolate after the pour. Very nice. Has an overall coffee liqueur quality that just takes over. I could smell this brew for days.

T: Premium dark roast coffee abounds. Espresso beans coated in dark chocolate. Highly kilned malts carry through a charcoal note that is met by some oak and vanilla crème. There is a nice earthy hop presence with an almost piney accent to it. The beer has a higher level of bitterness with an emphasis from the coffee but never becoming acrid. Alcohol is present and warming but incredibly well integrated at such high levels. Some faint brewer’s licorice noted. Rich but not overly sweet. The coffee flavor in this is quite intense. Like a sweet coffee liqueur. Really great stuff.

M: Body is moderately heavy and viscid but seemingly thinner with an oily slick and fleeting feel to it. A little perplexing. Somewhat wet however silken smooth and almost non-existent at times Carbonation may be on the lower end.

D: This is a big beer so you will want to take some time with it. Super rich with intense bold flavors. The only other coffee beer I have had that was this concentrated is Pizza Port Carlsbad’s Coffee Monster. This one is on a whole nuther scale though. Somehow maintains a great balance. My biggest quandary was not picking up more of these when I had the chance…that and maybe the mouthfeel.

More like the Big Badass Baptist. I am actually shocked this is coming out of Utah.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 19:07:16 | More by Nugganooch

arizcards

Arizona

4.45/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bomber from Total Wine in mid-November for $11.99. Batch #8 is infused with Sumatra Coffee and aged in Colorado Whiskey barrels for a short period of time.

Beer poured black as night with a generous brown head that is leaving lacing behind.

Nose is cocoa and coffee.

Taste is coffee forward with the cocoa mixing in nicely. Generous amount of northwest hops keep the sweetness at bay. Slight hint of the whiskey in taste and warming but coffee is predominant in the end.

Mouthfeel in one word is perfect. It is what i look for when i am in the mood for an imperial stout. Thick and chewy, viscous, and pure satisfaction!

Overall i was pleasantly surprised at how much i enjoyed this brew as it does not come with all the hype but it does bring all the flavor and viscosity desired in this style. Would definitely purchase again and i would recommend that this be consumed right away to enjoy the coffee and booze crafted into this brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 23:35:19 | More by arizcards

kojevergas

California

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

Acquired in Los Angeles for $11.99 a couple days ago. Reviewed live. 11.4% according to my (2012) bottle. Release #10. 1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a New Belgium stem-goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Expectations are high given its current ratings.

Served refrigerator cold but allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger rich tan colour head of great cream, thickness, and retention (considering the high ABV). Body colour is a solid nontransparent opaque black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Solid for the style.

Sm: Cocoa, coffee, quite strong roast bitterness from the coffee, roasted barley, some stale coffee notes, and dark malts. Coffee/java is definiteley dominant. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Coffee (with some notable bitterness on the climax), some roast, java, subtle chocolate on the open, and whiskey - as subtle as can possibly be. Wow. A bit of malty sweetness. Coffee is dominant. Some caramel. Really marvelously balanced. I quite like it, though the bitterness does come through a bit too much on the finish.

Mf: Great. Ideal smoothness/coarseness balance. Good wetness. Perfect carbonation. Suits the flavour brilliantly. Great thickness to support the flavours. Actually not too heavy on the palate.

Dr: Very drinkable for the high ABV. I'm impressed. A very coffee oriented imperial stout. I could down this all night. Incredible. It's surpassed my expectations. I'd definitely have this again. Epic surprised me. I'd like to have it on-draught. Not a perfect example of the style, but a pretty damned good one.

Low A-

*I had to manipulate the appearance score to give it the letter grade I wanted. Please see my profile page for more information. This keeps my reviews fair and consistent.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 05:48:07 | More by kojevergas

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.55/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Release #7, bottled 8 September 2012. Tasted 7 December 2012.

Pours dark brown, effectively black in the glass. One finger of medium-dark tan head, good retention, and pretty darn good lacing. Looks tasty.

Smell is big on the coffee, with a chocolate chaser. Smooth, with little evidence of bourbon. I'm liking the coffee, just wishing there was more stout, or more something else in here. I get a touch of whiskey, but like I said (did I say it already?), it's heavy on the coffee.

Taste is decidedly disjunct. Starts out with coffee and a touch of chocolate, then fades, then comes ripping back with hop bitterness and a light bourbon kick. Pretty tasty, thanks to all the good parts that are in there, but they're integrated rather poorly. It's rough, in a way that I don't think would smooth out with time.

Mouthfeel is fine. Body is lighter than I expected; medium-heavy. Medium-low carbonation. Just fine.

A decent stout, but in the middle tier. Definitely more of a coffee stout than a barrel-aged stout. I really wish the components worked together better.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 04:55:23 | More by zeledonia

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch #3 care of joefc, thanks man! Bomber into a cervoise, the brew appears black with a finger of brown to khaki head that fades slow leaving some stringy lace sticking to the glass. A swirl revives about a finger back to the surface and paints some spotty lacing effect on the glass. When held to the light, the brew shows some ruby clarity through the body.

The smell is robust with earthy coffee. For being a year old at this point, it is still smelling pretty fantastic. I can only dream about how awesome the sumatra versions must be when fresh. The coffee imparts its own unique blend of citrus aspect mixed with hops. There is a raw oak quality about this that blends into the earthiness mixing with some mineral aspect that is almost dusty to rusty. The roasted aspect of the grain provides a bit of chocolate and a tang of whiskey becomes more evident as the brew warms up.

The taste is very roasty from a combination of heavily kilned grains and strong coffee flavors that are both earthy and include a bit of citrus coffee bean elements. Some warming alcohol is present with an accenting whiskey tang. The coffee's earthen aspect reminds me very much of kopi luwak for some reason. More sips reveal a bit of dusty to almost rusty mineral inclusion that while awkward at first dissolve away into a flavor of nothing but coffee and roasted grains that are at this point almost like milk chocolate with a bit of herbal hop flavoring.

This is a medium to lighter bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. I tip my hat to epic brewing company for making a seriously epic coffee stout. The alcohol is masterfully integrated and while the coffee flavors push to be almost excessive and overdone, it is fantastic. I need to try the other batches of this ASAP.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 02:18:46 | More by stakem