Evil Twin Yin - Evil Twin Brewing

philbe311

Pennsylvania

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

A - Two plus fingers worth of dense rigid medium-to-dark brown colored head... Impressive retention finally gives way to a full slightly creamy lacing... Completely opaque... Still with no discernible carbonation... A bit menacing but quite inviting at the same time... All American Imperial Stouts should aim to look this good...

S - Dark fruits... Smoke... A touch of licorice... Faint chocolate... Even fainter coffee... Some brown sugar... Roasted malts... Molasses... Powdered Cocoa...

T - The taste while not subdued, is much less potent than expected based on the aroma... Espresso... Dark chocolate... Brown sugar... Malt balls... A bit fudgey... A slightly burnt roasted malt finish...

M - On the fuller side of medium bodied... Slightly lush... Slightly creamy... A bit of a chalky finish...

D - A nice American Imperial Stout... Not top tier, but very good none the less... There are a lot of good things going on here... The 10% doesn't attempt to hide itself... Would easily recommend for fans of the style...

Yin & Yang Blend (Black & Tan):
A - 3.5 S - 3.5 T - 3.5 M - 3.5 D - 3.0
Overall - Wasn't the most seemless of pours (my fault), but the red highlights of the Yang really standout... Most of the complexities of the respective aromas and tastes get lost in one another... I would much prefer to drink these brews separately as they stand quite nicely on their own and lose something when combined... Overall, the drinkability scores go down as the 10% ABV is tough to take once all the nuance is lost...

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 00:54:29 | More by philbe311

Arenbeer

Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2 oz bottle into a Goblet glass.

A- Pours solid black with a thin khaki 1 finger head that doesn't last to long and leaves splotches on the side of the glass along with sexy legs.

S- Dark deep roasted malts with hints of burnt espresso and chocolate. Definitely some alcohol in the background that gets amplified as it warms.

T- Just like the smell but better. The burnt coffee really takes the lead on this one and is really palate friendly. As it goes past the tongue and down the the dark roasted malts come and as well as the bitter unsweetened chocolate.

M- Medium to fuller body with moderate carbonation and a nice wet finish.

Overall this is a really damn good stout. The flavors blend really nicely even for being so simple.

Blending the Yin and the Yang

A- Looks like the Yin

S- Dark roasted malts and coffee with a strong sweet sugary note from the yang. Yin dominates overall.

T- Really nice and smooth. On the tip of the tongue you get all that is the yin but behind it the hops and fruity flavors come out in the finish. So damn good!

Overall I'm giving the Yin Yang Black and tan a A-. Really great combo and if you love hoppy Imperial stouts this is definitely for you!!!

SkÅL!

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 21:53:13 | More by Arenbeer

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to krkearney. Served in a Mikasa tulip side-by-side with Yang, and also blended into a black and tan.

Pours a very dark color bordering on black with a thin tan head and some spotty lacing. Thin collar throughout. The nose brings forward some roast and char plus a bit of espresso and very dark chocolate. The flavor is also quite roasted with some char and just a touch of roasty smoke. Coffee in the background. Medium body with good carbonation and no noticeable alcohol. Pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2011 00:27:06 | More by Thorpe429

tmoneyba

Ohio

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

Poured a black color with an average frothy brown head that lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate to heavy roasted chocolate malt, earthy hop and alcohol aroma. Heavy bittersweet roasted black sweet coffee and dark chocolate flavor with a heavy bittersweet and small alcohol bite finish of long duration. Full body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. This is a near standout beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 01:33:24 | More by tmoneyba

womencantsail

California

3.48/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks for sharing this tick, Bobby.

A: The beer pours a dark brown, almost black, color with a finger or so of tan head.

S: The defining characteristic of this beer is probably the roast. Lots of roasted malts and coffee notes, particularly espresso. Some booze and dark chocolate are also noticeable, as is some char.

T: More heavy roast character on the flavor. Lots of roasted malt, char, and intense coffee. There is a bit of chocolate, but it's sort of overshadowed. The same could be said about the bit of toffee sweetness that exists.

M: Medium to full in body with a medium carbonation.

O: Pretty run of the mill, overly roasty imperial stout. A tick and little more.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 16:17:04 | More by womencantsail

prototypic

Ohio

3.15/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Yin pours a dark chocolate fudge color. It’s almost opaque. A few burgundy highlights are noticeable at the outer edges with backlighting. The head is tan in color, and rises to about a finger in height. It’s slow to dissipate completely. Lacing was sticky and moderate.

The nose is pretty good. It starts out with a pretty nice mix of roasted and chocolate malts. The chocolate variety smells like dark chocolate. Not sweet at all. There’s a fairly strong smoky scent that’s just okay. It’s a little too strong, frankly. Secondary scents include roasted coffee/espresso and molasses. Alcohol is a little noticeable. Doesn’t smell overly strong, but it’s there.

The flavor is actually rather average. Roasted malts are the primary flavor. Dark chocolate isn’t far behind. There’s more of a sweet flavor than I anticipated, but it tastes like burnt sugar. Roasted coffee/espresso flavors are quite strong. At the secondary level, there are some molasses and light dark fruit flavors. Dark fruit adds a tangy twist that’s just okay. Not a big fan of that. Alcohol is much stronger in the mix than anticipated. It’s definitely boozy and warm. Finishes roasty, burnt, chocolaty, and…boozy.

Yin has a medium body. Carbonation is light, but it’s not smooth. It’s average for the style and needs more body. I’ll probably finish off the 12 ounce, but the flavor is bold. I’m not sure I could handle more than one.

It’s my understanding that the guy who started Evil Twin is the brother of Mikkel Borg Bjergsø (of Mikkeller). Interesting. Yin is an alright first experience, but it could easily be better. The flavor features a strong burnt, smoky flavor that is a little much. I’m also not a fan of the tangy dark fruit or the strong alcohol flavor. The alcohol is just too much. At the end of the day, it’s just alright. I’ll probably try some other releases with the hope that they’re a little more refined.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 03:27:11 | More by prototypic

avalon07

South Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a jet black color and a thick, opaque texture. There was an inch of tan-colored, fairly long-lasting, creamy head. Very good lacing.

S: A big smell of chocolate and coffee with a bit of malt thrown in.

T: Tasted predominantly of chocolate and coffee, with hints of malt and (I thought) a little licorice thrown in. A solid and well done flavor.

M: An average amount of carbonation with a slick finish. Full-bodied.

O: This is a surprisingly easy to drink stout with a lot of character and a good, forward flavor.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2011 12:07:52 | More by avalon07

BigB415

California

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

One half of the black and tan and the yin-yang. I decided to enjoy the Yin by itself since I'm not into IPA's that much.

A: Pours pitch black with medium tan head.

S: roasted chocolate malt, coffee. I can imagine having this in the morning with my newspaper and breakfast burrito.

T: More chocolate and coffee.

MF: I rated 3.5 on this part because the mouthfeel is a little thin for me, especially for an imperial stout. I was expecting a thicker mouthfeel. Something that sticks around after you take a sip and doesn't go away right away.

O: Other than the mouthfeel this is still a good beer and I didn't know it was from Denmark. I probably wouldn't buy it again though since it was $10 for a single 12oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2011 03:21:51 | More by BigB415

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured out Jet black in color with a nice dark borwn thick head. the lacing was very nice on this brew. The smell of the beer was heavily roasted and had some nice charcoal and chocolate aromas in there. The taste is rich and very roasted, had some good complexity to it with a boozy aftertaste. The mouthfeel was smooth and thick. Quite enjoyable stout overall. Tried it with the IPA also mixed as the black and Tan it was pretty good also.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2011 02:05:29 | More by Knapp85

Bendurgin

Maine

3.55/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip. Pours black with three fingers of rocky light mocha colored head. Real nice retention on this one with sticky lace.

Roasty malts right up front on this one. Earthy leather aromas with a little bit of dark fruit and a little bit of alcohol to round this out. Dark fruits are present but it also seems to have a little bit of a fresh mango. A little bit of milk chocolate to start this one off and it has earthy leather characters and plumbs.

The body is very robust on this but the carbonation is a little sharper than I would like. Pretty good beer here. Has a lot of run of the mill stout qualities. A little hot right now, maybe hanging on to this for a little bit and letting it settle down would be a good idea.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 04:19:53 | More by Bendurgin

shand

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 11.2oz bottle into a nonic.

This brew pours pitch black with a huge deep mocha head that retains and laces very well. The aroma is full of roasted (borderline burnt) malts, coffee, nuts, dark fruits, and a touch of vanilla. The taste isn't quite as complex as the nose would suggest, but is still nice. There's a decent amount of roastiness paired with some dark fruits, some coffee and just a touch of vanilla sweetness make themselves known on the finish. The finish becomes a bit aggressive, and also quite drying for an imperial stout. The mouthfeel is a bit thinner than the average imperial stout, but is otherwise nice. The drinkability is actually very good. Overall, this is a solid imperial stout.

Review for Taiji Black and Tan:

5/4.5/5/4.5/4.5

This one pours a perfect Black & Tan separation, with the stout perfectly floating on top of the DIPA base. The aroma primarily features the DIPA aspects, with the huge grapefruit and hops sitting on top of a solid roasted malt base. The taste here is easily the best Black & Tan I've ever had. This is seriously good, with the very strong roastiness and hoppiness blending together into a singular amount of deliciousness. The aftertaste is a delicious piney hoppiness over some burnt malts and coffee.Almost makes me wish I just drank both bottles as a Black & Tan, because the sum of the parts here is definitely greater than the whole. The mouthfeel almost feels thicker than either of the parts were by themselves. The drinkability? Superb. Overall, this was really a delicious treat. Any fan of Black & Tans and extreme beer really owes themselves to try this blend.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 04:02:40 | More by shand

gford217

Georgia

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

11.2oz bottle.

Pour is pitch black with a bigger head than I would expect with a frothy tan head that shows great lacing.

Aroma is heavy on roasted espresso with maybe a hint of smoke as well. It's got some cocoa powder and licorice sweetness though there is also some bitter green hops in the nose. Not a lot of hops but they're noticeable to me.

The taste has an initial hop kick but that's swept away by the burnt malt and spent espresso beans, which are the dominant aspects of the taste. The finish is smoky and bitter with some bakers chocolate sweetness.

The mouthfeel is extremely smooth with strong carbonation.

This is a seriously roasted coffee-heavy stout that I enjoyed but it's still a tad abrasive to be a great stout. That said, both the Yin and Yang are solid brews.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 03:47:56 | More by gford217

lordofthewiens

Maine

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

Best by 2015 on the label.
In a snifter the beer was a black color with a brownish tan head. There was a little bit of lacing.
Strong roasted malt aroma, almost burned. Sweet chocolate.
What I thought was sweet chocolate in the aroma turned out to be more of a bittersweet chocolate taste. Lots of espresso coffee, again almost burned (but not in a bad way).
Medium-bodied, alcohol not noticeable.
I liked both the Yin and the Yang. Will have to try the Black and Tan.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 10:53:43 | More by lordofthewiens

bluejacket74

Ohio

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

11.2 ounce bottle, best before 2015 (as stated on the label). Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with a half inch light brown head that didn't stick around for too long. There is a good amount of lacing left behind on the glass. Aroma is roasted malt, dark chocolate, burnt/charred malt, and some coffee. The taste is similar to the aroma, it tastes like roasted and burnt/charred malt, coffee, bittersweet chocolate and some dark fruit and licorice. There's also a nice roasted/ashy bitter finish. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's coating and smooth with moderate carbonation. I think it's a good enough stout. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes roasty/charred tasting beers. I do have a bit of this and the Yang IPA mixed together that I plan on drinking next. Hopefully they will be good together!

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2011 22:26:10 | More by bluejacket74

JayS2629

Alabama

3.85/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Motor oil black with a thick, creamy, tan head. Alcohol notes are not well hidden, but nice chocolately notes peek through an ashy, roasty, robust drink. Strong, but tasty. Roasted, nutty, dark fruit notes, and hints of vanilla. Lots of roasted coffee and hints of chocolate. Full bodied, but a bit on the ashy side. Much better as a blend with the yang.

The yin yang blend is awesome!

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 03:13:47 | More by JayS2629

MbpBugeye

Ohio

3.1/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a Mikkeller oversized wine glass.

Appearance
Just about average looking for an imperial stout. Plenty of red on the edges with a deep blackened core. A nice, mocha head rises up and leaves crawling lace scrawled on the sides.

Aroma
This being my second Evil Twin beer to date (Yang being the first), I'm already starting to see a pattern. They are extremely aggressive, sharp and rough around the edges. This one has lots of intense roast. Hardcore ash and charcoal emanate smoke and spice. There is a vibrant dark fruit element that lives deep within, coaxed out of hiding by warmth and a hearty swirl. A creamy milk chocolate aroma is caught in a tug-of-war with a shot of alcohol. They heave and ho, trying to sway the aroma towards smoothness or booze.

Taste
Indeed very roasty. Lots of burnt, charred flavors that stab the tongue with bitterness. The dark fruits are quite strong and under-ripe. They cut through the bitter burnt malts with a piercing tartness. This is clearly not infected (at least at this young age), it's just a characteristic I find many imperial stouts that are intensely fruity to have. Its very complex, and quite good. There is just a lot of things going on, and the fierce flavors challenge even the most die-hard stout drinker.

Mouthfeel
Carbonation is leaning towards appropriate lowness, but it is not quite there without some due swirling. Otherwise, the beer has great potential for smoothness. It remains silky until the finish, which is very dried up by the extreme roasted character.

Overall
A big, in your face stout. The thing about Yin is that there is little focus. Everything is shouting at you, you can't hear above the roar of malt and alcohol. I'll be trying the blend, Yin and Yang, but I think it will be a boozy, bitter mess. The individual parts are certainly almost that.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 21:50:44 | More by MbpBugeye

ferrari29

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer poured from bottle into Snifter-shaped glass

A - Beer pured with a dark brown colored body; barely any head formed during the pour; some lacing formed on the side of the glass; the head of the beer dissipated rather quickly

S - Great chocolate and coffee/espresso scents; notes of roasted malts; subtle hints of licorice; complex blend of roasted malt notes

T - Fantastic punch of flavors; good amount of chocolate and espresso; roasted malts; some bitterness; some bitter

M - Hop bitterness; hits the back-end of the throat rather quickly and with a solid boats of bitterness; could use more body; more of a burning sensation

D - Half of ying and yang; I like at the stout level but should taste very well combined; good flavoring

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 00:11:05 | More by ferrari29

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Strong, oily aroma is smoky with nutty and roast coffee tones, very tempting. It pours black as midnight with a thick, fine-bubbled, dark tan head - most appetizing. Smoky flavor fills the mouth with roast coffee, licorice, unsweet chocolate, nuts and a hint of oak. Texture is silky smooth, on the thick side, and subtly fizzy, but the tingle that it leaves behind on the lips and tongue persists for a while. Recommended!

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 15:39:32 | More by Cyberkedi

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

appearance: Black with a full creamy head. Nice tan lacing that coats and recedes.
smell: Nice coffee and semi-sweet chocolate. Like an Imperial but smaller.
taste: Very smooth and milk stoutish. Pleasant if not exceptional.
overall: Enjoyable and highly drinkable but not great.
I'll dry the black and tan combo with the next one.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 21:33:45 | More by cindyjeffsmith

ccrida

Oregon

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

A bit less then 1/2 the bottle poured into a shaker (I understand the brewer's intent the yin & yang black & tan, which I will do with the rest after having it solo), Yin is black with a garnet tinged dark tan head leaving clingy lace.

Smell is sweet, malted milk, lots of lactose maybe, but not to strong, served at cellar temp. Not a fan of milk stouts, which this reminds me of, although there's an obvious hop presence as well as sweet, clean alcohol.

Taste is pretty good, not to hot, some herbal hop snap tempers the sweet malt. Not a lot of depth, but it's pretty clean and approachable.

Mouthfeel is viscous, off-dry.

Drinkability is okay, it's not a bargin as an import, we'll see how it works in the B&T.

As part of the Yin & Yang B&T: Pretty good, more balanced, but really, just a hoppier, watered down version of the RIS. Note: I don't pour B&Ts ever, and my sloppy back-of-spoon technique was a fail, so it was a true blend, rather then layered, if that wasn't the intent...

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 05:24:57 | More by ccrida

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a tulip.

Appearance - Motor Oil black with a dark tan head.

Smell - Coffe only.

Taste - Strong coffee.

Drinkability - Oily in the mouth, decent carbontation.

Overall - saved some for a Yin/Yang Black and Tan whic was nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 04:33:24 | More by HuskyinPDX

brewski09

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

a well balanced and aggressive IPA

A - clear, pale, good head that does not fade quickly, and a small amount of lacing down the glass.

S - hop forward, but not sharp or biting. subtle malty background.

T - Wow, what an IPA. This has so much hop flavor, but it isn't overly bitter at all. I was loving the hops so much that I had a hard time concentrating on the malts. However, the malts where there in undertones for sure and balanced the beer nicely. wish i had more than a tasting poor of this one.

M - smooth and refreshing. This was an IPA that could be swished around a few times and it would continue to develop. The carbonation was perfect. it was definitely present, but not overpowering.

D - I would drink several of these at once if they weren't so darned expensive. $6.99 for a single 12oz. bottle. If they come down in price, I will buy some. a fantastic IPA that i am happy i had the chance to try!

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 01:00:09 | More by brewski09

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Massive thanks goes out to beeruser for sharing this one with funkydelic and I at an impromptu tasting! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller sampler wine glass. Poured basically black with a minimal light brown head head. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of roasted malt, smoke, and ham. The flavor was of sweet malt, roasted malt, smoke, and ham. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a really good beer. The smokiness on this one was the key to this ones success in my opinion. I went into this one not really expecting too much, but came out wowed after finishing my glass. The aroma on this one was quite good, but the flavor was what did it for me. Just an excellent example for a beer. Really glad I got the chance to try this one!

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 11:21:15 | More by thagr81us

youradhere

Arkansas

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

Pours pitch black, thick brown head, thick cap of lacing left behind, nice legs. Smell is smokey soy, licorice, and oats. Taste is smokey soy, coffee, saltiness, slight chocolate, burnt roast character. Mouthfeel oscillates between thick and silky, and dry and prickly. Very interesting indeed. Alcohol is there but well hidden, smokiness has almost a bit of chilli character to it. Overall a decent imperial, would like to see how this one changes over time.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 03:54:36 | More by youradhere

sk8man121

Maine

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

2 oz sample poured into tasting glass. The rest made it into the "black and tan" blend. Best by 2015

A: Pours a completely opaque dark-brown. 1-finger mocha head with nice retention.

S: Chocolate, dark fruit, coffee. Very sweet smelling, with a bit of alcohol.

T: There's a lot of chocolate up front, along with a roasted coffee character. Very fruity in the middle, with a bitter finish not unlike espresso. Alcohol is strong at the end.

M: Medium-light carbonation. Thick and sticky.

O: A nice stout on its own, although it does indeed feel almost like half of a beer. Lends itself beautifully to the black and tan mix, however.

Blend em!

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 23:33:26 | More by sk8man121