Evil Twin Yin - Evil Twin Brewing

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

4.45/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap. Snifter glass. Enjoyed on dec´11. Dark brown in color. Crown is beige in color, creamy & leaves copious rings & collars on sides. Toasted & roasted malts, with chocolate touch to he nose. Intense cocoa upfront the gentle toasted malt sweetness. Dry nuts & kind bitterness in the middle. Full body, moderate carbonation. Notes of molasses & dark fruits into the finish with dry bitterness. Well balanced flavors. Great Beer !!

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2012 18:44:52 | More by GONZALOYANNA

ehammond1

California

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Nearly black in color with a small light brown head that leaves dots and irregular lines of lacing down the glass. Pretty and appropriate.

The aroma is a big combination of roasted malt, espresso, mild chocolate, and a hint of booze.

The flavor follows the aroma similarly, with big notes of roasted malt and espresso leading the way along with a tiny bit of smoke and char.

Medium to full mouthfeel with moderate carbonation.

A nice, roasty, flavorful imperial stout, though there are certainly better and less expensive options available from closer to home.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2012 23:59:58 | More by ehammond1

Arborescence

Finland

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Black, remains of a dark brown head.

Aroma: Roasted malt, pungent, some coffee.

Taste: Alcohol, barley wine characteristics, dry. Sweet aftertaste, nice chocolate flavours!

Mouthfeel: Soupy, thick, full bodied.

Overall: Good one, but I need to try it again from a bottle to form a full idea.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2012 23:31:39 | More by Arborescence

Ruds

United Kingdom (England)

4.15/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Cask, Pimlico, Feb '12 served into a half pint tulip style glass.

Pours a rich black colour, dark chestnut brown on the edges when held to the light, with a frothy brown/cream head.

Roasted malts dominate the aroma along with a little coffee, treacle and leather.

Roasted malts also made for the large part of the flavour, nice as it was perhaps a little OTT on the roasted malt front? Also getting a little licqourice, tar and coffee and a smidgen of molasses.

Slick and oily in terms of mouthfeel and it went down very well, almost too well for a 10% ABV beer if you know what I mean !!!

Overall a very good imperial stout, and I felt that the flavour improved a little when the beer began to warm slightly.

Followed this up immediately with ET - Yang ! That's how is was supposed to be !

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 18:19:44 | More by Ruds

Phelps

Arizona

3.7/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed in snifter at Papago.

As black as the dark side of the symbol it's named for. Not a hint of light getting through. One finger of creamy tan foam quickly becomes a thick ring.

Unusually light aroma. A hint of anise, semi-sweet cocoa. Only the whispers of burnt, roasty grain or booze.

The flavor is similarly light — it’s surprising a beer that looks this menacing can be such a mouse. The front doesn't amount to much; just the same subtle anise and cocoa notes. The swallow delivers more, with a smooth burnt note rolling in. Bitter dark chocolate, a bit of spicy hops, a smooth licorice twang. Things get better and better as it warms, with more flavors seeking to emerge every few minutes. Some molasses and peanut skins come out, eventually.

Carbonation pinches lightly inside a smooth body a shade behind medium-light that becomes fluffier as it moves. Some booze fumes come through the nose, but they're nothing to get distracted by.

Yin’s a little pricy for what it is, but once it's given a chance to tech room temp, it's not bad.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2012 03:14:35 | More by Phelps

david18

New York

3.83/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had a twelve ounce draft of this at Cannibal, a new beer bar and charcuiterie in manhattan. It first caught my eye because of Heretic Brewing's Evil Twin, which is apparently no relation. A great double stout but not my favorite.

Poured a very dark brown/mahogany with a dark brown/cream colored head. A lot of carbonation and some good lacing.

Aroma was toasty/roasty. Sight amount of aroma hops but this was really about the coffee/chocolate aromas.

The taste was also roasty and a bit tannin. Tasted good but a little thinner than I expected it to be.

Overall definitely worth trying. Will age well as well.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2012 19:53:19 | More by david18

taigor

New York

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into small glass.

A - Poured jet black non-transparent color with medium head that dissipated slowly leaving lots of lacing around the glass.

S - Lots of roasted malts, coffee, dark chocolate and some burnt wood.

T - Very bitter coffee and dark chocolate to start with roasted malts coming through towards the middle and a very dry finish.

M - Full bodied with very high carbonation.

O - Very good stout with ABV well hidden and overall very balanced. I would highly recommend it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2011 17:05:53 | More by taigor

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On Tap at Kraftworks in Philly.

Evil Twin Yin goes in the glass looking black like a stout, even up to light not able to see through the blackness. A small amount of dark brown bubbles becomes nothing, leaving nothing.

Smell is very inviting with a dry roasty appeal mixed in with some dank chocolate and coffee/espresso tones. A whiff of vanilla and that about does it.

Taste is similar to nose in that it is not explosive. This baby is balanced and not extreme without losing it's RIZZ characteristics. Bakers chocolate with dry roasted malt backed with vanilla and espresso taste. i keep getting imperial Irish dry Stout in my mind.

Feel is smooth and not scorching hot from the 10%. It's a bit warm but not hot by any means, a small dab of alcohol on the tounge. Body is a nice healthy above medium with mild carb.

A nice IMPY stout from Evil Twin. Mixed this in with the Yang and i really did not see the point. I could do a bottle of this on a cold day.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2011 13:11:25 | More by onix1agr

kojevergas

California

4.2/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on draught at Ma Che Siete Venuti in Rome, Italy.

A: Pours a two finger head of lovely beautiful tan cream lacing, amazing thickness, and perfect retention. Solid black colour. Very appealing.

Sm: Coffee, roast, chocolate, toffee, and cream. Delightfully complex. A moderately strong aroma all in all.

T: All of the notes on the nose combine magnificently in the body. The finish is strong chocolate, and the aftertaste is one of the most pronounced, longest aftertastes I've ever had the delight of experiencing. The coffee and roast are restrained so as to not affect the mouthfeel too much. It's built to be a smooth complex beer. Very high quality. The climax is almost overshadowed by the finish, which slightly upsets the balance. Overall, it's divine.

Mf: Smooth and wet, and quite thick and filling as well. Perhaps a bit too thick.

Dr: It's a late evening conversational sipper, not a summer afternoon beer. I love it and would definitely seek it out. The price was fair in Rome (6 euro per pint) for how high quality this brew is.

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2011 04:43:32 | More by kojevergas

mdfb79

New York

3.68/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 08/03/11 notes. Had on tap at Rustico in Ballston. Served in a tulip.

a - Pours a pitch black color with one inch of dark tan head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of coffee, roasted malts, and bitter dark chocolate. Pretty basic with those three, but it works very well. Heaviest on the coffee tones and very enjoyable.

t - Tastes of bitter dark chocolate, bitter coffee, and roasted malts. Pretty bitter, moreso than I was expecting. A step down from the nose.

m - Medium to full body and moderate carbonation. Pretty thick body.

o - Overall a good stout. The nose is basic but I really enjoyed it, thought I found the taste a little bit too bitter. Would give it another shot.

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2011 19:34:53 | More by mdfb79

glid02

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Brick Store.

Pours black with a light brown head leaving solid lacing.

Smells of heavy roasted malts with hints of char and semi-sweet chocolate.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Robust roasted malts up front are mellowed out by semi-sweet midway through. Deep leafy hops and hints of dark char round things out. The ending is moderately bitter. Mouthfeel is very good, with grainy carbonation.

Overall this beer was much like Yang, not very balanced but still enjoyable. The aromas seemed more fleshed out in this beer but it’s still a little rough around the edges. Worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2011 17:47:19 | More by glid02

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very similar to the soft dookie, except I get more dark fruit, dark chocolate and less vanilla in this beer. On tap at Max's today.

Otherwise, the beer pours a blackish brown color with very good head retention and considerable lacing all around. The nose is impressive, with considerable licorice, coffee and dark chocolate. The licorice dominates on the nose. On the palate, the coffee and licorice dominate dominate again, although there's some noticeable bitterness in the finish as well. Mouthfeel is pretty full bodied, with a long, coffee and licorice filled finish. Aloohol is definitely noticeable, but this beer is not at all heavy or hot on the palate.

Another very nice RIS from the guys at evil twin....

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2011 20:20:47 | More by johnmichaelsen

Florida9

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On Tap @ the Bav Lodge

A: Served in a snifter. Appears black with no light showing through. Served with a minimal 1/16" of tannish colored head. Leaves just a little bit of lacing on the side of the glass.

S: Dark roasted malts, char, and the faint hint of smoke. Maybe a touch of cocoa.

T: Rather intense flavor of deeply roasted malts, roasted almost until the point of being burnt. Burnt coffee bitterness. Char, baking chocolate. Ends with a slight acidity before turning to a long residual cigarette ash finish.

M: While this one probably still has a heaviness to it, the mouthfeel is much thinner than expected, and certainly not enough to round out the bold char and bitterness. Lower carbonation levels are appropriate.

O: A decent Imperial stout with a bold and imposing set of flavors. However, I found this beer lacked balance, with a heavy burnt quality to it and a lighter than expected mouthfeel. Cigarette ash finish was unappealing.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2011 13:36:26 | More by Florida9

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Bavarian Lodge.

A- black appearance, slight lacing and head retention.

S- coffee, dark chocolate, roasted malts almost smoke

T- bitter chocolate, smoky roasted malts almost a burnt taste. nice balance of bitter hops at the finish

M- fairly smooth for 10%. medium bodied with a creamy semi-dry finish.

O- good imperial stout. had a little too much of the burnt/ash taste for me. But would have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2011 01:39:00 | More by kawilliams81

homebrew311

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: pitch black, dark cocoa head, good retention, no light passage

S: huge dry bitter chocolate, some mellow sweetness shows up against the roast, very nice

T: sweet malts , chocolate, tons of bitter roast all the way through, notes of coffee as well. This imperial stout leans more to the roasted side than sweet which I like

Mf: nice big body, mellow carbonation, smooth texture

O: very nice imperial stout, lots of flavor, worth a try

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2011 02:35:19 | More by homebrew311

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had a goblet at Liberty St. Tavern. I was looking forward to this beer, but disappointed. Now generally speaking, this was a fine beer, but the standards are high in this crowded style. This beer simply lacked the depth of flavor the great stouts hold.

The main notes I pull out are maple syrup and deep roasted grains, almost like burnt chocolate. It tastes good, but for a beer so big, it falls flat. I kept searching for flavor, and pulled some citrus hops out of the aftertaste, but I really couldn't find enough.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2011 03:11:52 | More by tempest

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First had: on tap at Capone's, Norristown, PA

This was labeled as a "Russian imperial smoked stout IPA." A complex label, and surely a complex beer.

Poured an opaque brown-black with a modest tan head that retained well throughout the session. Aroma of dark malts, bitter coffee, semi-sweet chocolate. Mostly coffee up front in the taste, with some semi-sweet chocolate; roasted malts, smoked wood in the middle; boozy finish, with a distinct hoppy bitterness. Very diverse display in even a single sip. Full bodied, complex, and very drinkable for the more daring imbiber.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2011 03:27:09 | More by Rifugium

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Yin is one half of the Yin & Yang combination designed to be blended into a black & tan style beer.

Pours a dark, near black with minimal cap of tan head. Scent is full on roast and charred grain with a noticeable hop profile, light hints of chocolate and coffee with some noticeable alcohol. Taste is quite bitter and charred grain, minimal notes of bitter chocolate and coffee. Fuller side of medium bodied, quite dry, lacks the umph of some other stouts.

By itself, the beer comes across as very roasty without much else going on. However, together with the Yang, it works well and since that was the original purpose, maybe im being generous with a slight tick up in my rating. Each beer is bold and aggessive, and when they are blended, the harsh qualities become quite muted.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2011 12:32:10 | More by rfgetz

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance
Pitch black with 3 fingers of loose, brown head that dissipates quickly. Tiny bit of light penetration along the edges.

Nose
Espresso, charcoal, dark chocolate, dark fruits and a little booze.

Taste
Deeply roasted barley and charcoal. Light notes of espresso and dark chocolate. Earthy and roasty with a bitter, piney finish. A little bit boozy.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, smooth, creamy and dry.

Overall
A good beer but it seems to be lacking depth. Perhaps a tad too bitter for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 13:32:43 | More by justintcoons

zac16125

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

8oz pour from a bottle into a tulip
Bottled on: 3/13/13

A: Pours an opaque jet black with 1 fingers width of mocha colored head. Head dissipates fairly quickly and leaves only the faintest spots of lacing.

S: Huge leather notes, followed by tobacco. Char, roasted malts, stale burnt coffee, burnt toast. Not my favorite IS aroma profile, but well done and very strong nose.

T: Follows the nose with leather and tobacco coming out in full force. I also get roasted malt, char, subtle notes of dark fruit sweetness, burnt coffee, hints of piney hop bitterness, a touch of booze towards the end of glass.

M/D: Full bodied, but would benefit from being thicker. Carbonation on the higher end of the spectrum for the style. ABV is well restrained, and drinkability is moderate.

O: Overall, good not great, but well above average. Evil Twin really has an impressive lineup of Imperial Stouts. They make many others that I prefer to this one (IBB, Even More Jesus, Minigrowler), but I would definitely drink this again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 00:02:22 | More by zac16125

UCLABrewN84

California

3.71/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottled 2/13/13.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Thin streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, slight dark fruit, and alcohol. Taste is much the same with intense burnt cocoa and char flavors on the finish. There is a high amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but the roast presence in the flavor is quite strong.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 05:34:10 | More by UCLABrewN84

barczar

Kentucky

3.91/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an opaque black with a foamy one inch caramel head that dissipates somewhat quickly, leaving spotty lacing. A half inch cap lingers indefinitely.

Notes of coffee and roast malt are evident at arm's length. Citrus hops become noticeable upon further investigation. Grapefruit and tangerine, along with dank cannabis complement the roast, slightly charred notes. Chocolate becomes more prevalent as it warms.

Flavor reveals a huge citrus underpinning, with a roast malt backbone, finishing with coffee ground and hop bitterness. Grapefruit, lemon, and sour orange hit the tongue initially, eventually giving way to burnt breadcrust, coffee, and nutty notes. Pine surfaces in the aftertaste, along with dark chocolate.

Body is fairly thick and smooth, with low carbonation, a touch of astringency, and moderate alcohol warmth.

One of the hoppier stouts I've tried. The interaction between roast malt and citrus is intriguing. But I think malt flavor is a bit lacking in complexity and substance.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 22:47:28 | More by barczar

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

As the counterpart for "Yang" Mikkeller sets aside this massive Imperial Stout to possibly form the worlds strongest "Black & Tan".

Yin pours with an ominous black viscosity. Light 30-weight motor oil, the beer slowly allows a mocha-stained head to build upon its back. It culminates into a dense medium-statured head that makes penetrating its meringue a bit of a chore. Persistent retention and blanketed lace are hallmarks of its testament to quality.

Strong aromatics of roast abound: espresso, cocoa and burnt embers all set the stage for masculine session. Overcooked toffee, maple, and malt begins to round out the beer- giving the roast support. A tinge of grass and citrus are a prelude into hop bitterness to come.

Again, strength is the name of the game when it comes to taste as well. Embedded toffee and maple sweetness is quickly dwarfed by the roast character of bold espresso, bitter chocolate, light campfire smoke and charred toast. The beer slowly fades into a malty-dry finish of both coffee-derived and hop bitterness. Warming a bit, the taste of black licorice and cherry seem a bit like spiced rum.

Absolute fullness exudes in the beer's mouthfeel. Very full, thick, and nearly chewy- the beer slowly fades to a malty-dry finish of alcohol warmth, roast dryness and hop dryness.

Yin is far more hoppy than I expected, but balancing so. It seems to make sense as a stand-alone sipping session. The beer is effortless in its taste, but intimidating in its power. Though its nearly a perfect stout in many ways, I keep looking for some attributes to stand out and make it a world class example, but there are none- its just a really good stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 17:41:58 | More by BEERchitect

babaracas

Florida

3.99/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brown with transparent edges, two fingers thick creamy dark brown head settles to a thin ring, a few splotches of lace on the glass. Smell: molasses, french roast, green and slightly citric hopping, dark chocolate, buttery note. Taste: bitter chocolate, pine and lemon peel, brown bread, dark roast. Creamy feel into drying and sugary. It's good, but that's about it.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 05:17:05 | More by babaracas

daledeee

Iowa

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Still working on my Christmas presents.

Poured a dark brown/black with creamy tan head and good lacing.

Nose is quite strong with chocolate, fruit and hints of yeast.

Taste is much different. Taste is quite bitter with a smoky tinge. I mean this beer has malt bitterness to the max. It poured rather watery and the mouth feel comes across that way too. This is surprising due to the ABV. There is cocoa and espresso also.

I find this beer to be a slight disappointment, too bitter for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 23:18:06 | More by daledeee