Evil Twin Ashtray Heart - Evil Twin Brewing

CloudStrife

New York

4.01/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle split and poured into mini pilsner glasses. Best before 2015.

A: Pours a deep brownish black with a large puffy khaki-tan head. LIght gets through about a 1/4 inch. A spot or two of lacing. Head remains as a covering on the top throughout the experience.

S: Smokey rauchbier campfire aroma. Reminds me a bit of a bandaid. Almost like a smoked meat too.

T: Almost like a blend of a dopplebock, stout and rauchbier. A dark fruitiness comes through, roasted malt and of course a heavy smoked flavor. Lingering smokey aftertaste. Bit of a milkstout aspect as well. Just a touch of metallic flavor.

M: Medium body with average carbonation. Has a bit of velvety mouthfeel to it. A touch on the sticky side. Isn't too hot considering the abv.

Overall an interesting variant to the RIS style. The smokiness is well done and adds some complexity. Would be great with some smoked meats.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 02:42:16 | More by CloudStrife

mynie

Indiana

4.06/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Had this on tap at the Lava Lounge in Waterloo, Iowa. Thought it was like a combination between a medium-strength stout and a dark IPA. It was enjoyable but hard to place. Here's my notes:

Very smooth. Nice brown head atop near opaque black. Smells not at all ashen: nodes of molasses and dark roasted barley with a firm back end of dry hops. Tastes the same as it smells, nice balance.

Okay, that's the end of the notes. I didn't pick up any of the smokey or vinous nodes that people pick up once they've been informed this is supposed to be a Russian Imperial. Power of suggestion, maybe? As it stood, it wasn't really a stellar example of its purported style, but it's still a damn fine beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2013 03:54:46 | More by mynie

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.94/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle at Torst. Big smoke, ash smell. But its great as I like the style. Ashtray, in the best way. Peaty, however that's in the secondary perhaps muted over time aged in a bottle. In that way, stands out from classic smoked beers.Lacy with a bit of head. Middling mouthfeel. Good drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 12:33:41 | More by northyorksammy

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.

A: Very deep brown on the pour with auburn and ruby hues. A massive four fingers of pillowy brown head swiftly rises atop the beer and does not budge and inch. A thick collar of lacing is left in the wake of the head as the beer is consumed.

S: Milk chocolate, brown molasses, charcoal. Juicy berry esters are hidden tightly. A blanket of bacon and campfire loosely covers it all.

T: Milk chocolate, bittersweet dark chocolate, woody and nutty tastes and a tight juicy berry ester are perceptible for only a moment. Then the smoked malts absolutely bulldoze everything. Extreme char, highly ashy, intense smoke. Soot, campfire, jerky and bacon. The smoked malt onslaught subsides just enough to let bitter black coffee and bitter dark chocolate poke through on the finish and ride it out with a lingering ashy sensation.

M: The body sits on the heftier side of the spectrum, though it isn't too weighty. Full, creamy, and well-rounded. Modest level of prickling carbonation. Good.

O: It grew on me a little toward the end, but this is one hardcore smoked beer. Absolutely not for the faint of heart. It is aptly named; it gets so smoky that it really does call to mind a full ash tray. Evil Twin went a little overboard with this one. You'll really need to love smoked beers to justify the $10 single bottle price tag and the ensuing, borderline masochistic palate stomp.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 04:47:48 | More by ryan1788a5

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into an Elysian snifter. Pours pitch black with a healthy three finger medium brown head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, chocolate and peat. Flavor starts with a healthy dose of campfire smoke, developing dark toasted malt, coffee, nuts and peat. Finishes with great lingering smoke, dark toasted malt and light vanilla. Medium, creamy body. This is definitely the most complex smoke flavor I've experienced in smoked beer and although I am not a cigar smoker, the flavor does suggest the rich leathery smoke from cigars. The ashtray moniker is appropriate, but the stout gives more of a suggestion of the smoke before the stogie gets to the ashtray. Well done and very enjoyable. Evil Twin pulls off another beer that pushes the envelope and triumphs.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 04:38:10 | More by LiquidAmber

kylehay2004

Florida

4.05/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: single finger tan head with nice lacing on a jet black body.

S: espresso, roasted malt, smoke, some peat, campfire

T: very smokey but so good. Mesquite and campfire notes, capturing all of the smokiness you can handle which I can see how it may be overpowering but a vanilla and chocolate sweetness to the finish provides some balance.

M: medium to full body and moderate to high carbonation.

Overall:really smokey but doesn't linger. Well balanced for me. A must try if you like this style.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 04:57:55 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

4.05/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours with one finger of tan foam on top of an opaque, black body. The head settles rapidly but leaves thick lace on the glass.

S - Coffee and lots of peat with notes of cigar smoke and caramel.

T - Smoky chocolate up front with hazelnuts and peat. Smoky caramel in the middle with a finish of peanuts, spicy chocolate, and lingering peat smoke.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, and a dry finish.

D - Really smoky, but oddly drinkable. The peat is intense, but not unpleasant or bandaid like as it is in so many other beers.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 04:57:47 | More by nickfl

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.74/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

330ml bottle. I highly doubt that the 'placebo effect' alluded to on the label has anything to do with the legally mandated ABV value detailed in close proximity.

This beer pours a solid, colour sucking black void, with sliver-thin, glowing basal mahogany highlights, and a spillage-tempting rising tower of billowing, loosely foamy tan head, which leaves a few wayward specks and one rising blurry sea monster of painted lace around the glass as it eventually recedes.

It smells of roasted, mildly meaty caramel malt, soft bittersweet cocoa notes, somewhat zingy black fruit, ashy tobacco leaf, and some growing whiffs of medicinal alcohol. The taste is more charred caramel/toffee malt, fleshy smoke that has passed at least somewhere near a seaside fishery, chalky dry chocolate, stale black licorice, singed citrus rind and forest floor leaves, and a warming, subtly prickly booziness.

The bubbles are relatively spent after their initial petulant outburst, the body a robust medium weight, and a bit too tacky and edgy to wave the smoothness attribute banner all that fervently. It finishes off-dry, the cocoa malt sweetness still having its hands quite full with the lingering smoke and soused fruitiness.

A generally well-rendered RIS, not too sweet or boozy, but instead, of course, smoky. The effect isn't overpowering, but it does cast a spell over the proceedings - all constituent components seem to be touched by it. If you like that idea, then have at 'er. And to re-address the marketing schtick from the bottle label - placebo is just a so-so 90's indie band, man.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 02:25:48 | More by biboergosum

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark black, touch of brown, finger of frothy chocolate colored head. Fades fairly slowly.

S - Roasted chocolate malts, smoke, vanilla, molasses, some dark fruits, tobacco, earthy hops, booze.

T - Roasted dark chocolate malts, smoke, vanilla, molasses, dark fruit, tobacco, some earthy hops, black licorice, and booze.

M - Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth and a touch syrupy with a warming, sweet, and smokey finish.

D - Nice smoked stout. Good overall balance with good body and mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 04:43:06 | More by ngeunit1

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was a little surprised by the lukewarm reviews on this one. It is a little pricey for a 12oz bottle, but it is a very pleasing take on a Russian Imperial Stout.

Poured into a pint glass from the bottle, the stout was a murky blackish-brown with a slight layer of mocha foam. The smoke is very apparent in the aroma as it radiates the essence of smoked bacon. In the initial taste, one gets sweet bacon, smoke, glazed ham, and sweet black malt. If you are bored with the average stout, this stout sure packs a great deal of excitement. Toward the finish, one detects elements of vanilla toward the back of the tongue. If the sweetness on this stout went a little higher, this would be near perfect. In the aftertaste, a woody vanilla finish yields to a warming sensation. A nice smooth stout that leaves some of the sting of tobacco in your mouth, Ashtray Heart would make a great cold weather beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 23:51:07 | More by JohnnyHopps

drpimento

Wisconsin

2.88/5  rDev -23%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Wah. Poured this at a good temperature with a massive, tan, foamy, frothy, fluffy, creamy head that settles after a bit and some lace. Color is an opaque black brown. Aroma is smoke, malt, molasses, a little red wine. Flavor is the disappointment - a little sour, I believe it's turned, and hard to get around it. Otherwise it's like nose, plenty of bitter and the sweet is offset by the sour. Body is good, I think, but again the sour leave high points that I don't think would normally be there. Finish is like flavor and I cant drink anymore.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 03:52:14 | More by drpimento

Rickythejeweler

Maryland

3.18/5  rDev -15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pitch black, half finger mocha head, decent lacing, carbonation bbbles along the bottom of the snifter.

S - Dark candi syrup, smoked malts, meat, light hop undertone.

T - Dark candi syrup, smoked malts, meat, semi sweet chocolate syrup.

M - Syrupy, light-medium body, low carbonation.

O - Eh...This was boring at best, totally opposite of the delicious and complex Biscotti Break from Evil Twin.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 21:17:38 | More by Rickythejeweler

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a teku)
best before 2015
A- jet-black body with a dark tan-brown body with a fizzy head that pushes above the glass and last as a thick sheet. There is a wall of micro-bubbles.

S- The aroma of graphite pencils and black malt has a smoked sausage quality and slightly earthy and sweaty quality. The finish has a slight endive bitterness in the finish with more hop character coming out as the beer opens.

T- The dark fruit and raisins flavor fades to a sweaty black malt flavor with a dandelion green bitterness and a slight tang to it and an inky black note that lingers.

M- The medium-light mouthfeel has a tight fizz in the finish but no real alcohol heat.

O- The head is amazing with an interesting blend of smoke and malt with a bit of an odd bitterness. The black malt and roasted barley has a strong brassy flavor this gets a bit to strong as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 21:15:21 | More by rhoadsrage

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

4.38/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle served into an Oversized glass.Enjoyed on nov´11.
Dark mahogany in color.Beige thick layer froth.Good retention. Nice rings & spots. Roasted malt & slightly smoky aromas to the nose.Gentle bitterness,hints of coffee & resins.Dark fruits & molasses in the middle.Full body,soft carbonation.Kind warming ABV.Easy drinkability & complex mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 12:44:20 | More by GONZALOYANNA

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 5 | overall: 3

11.2oz bottle to snifter. $9.00 for the single. Sampled 10/14/11 with a best before date of 2015.

A: Pours with a small 1/2 finger head made of compact foam, medium dark brown in color and quick to disappear. The body is as dark as brown gets before reaching black. Spotty lacing.

S: As the name would suggest, the nose is completely owned by smoke, roast and otherwise burnt aromas. Very honest and unabashed....but definitely over the top. Chocolate manages to make a brief appearance, as does light pine, a little leather, earth and finally some ambient dark fruit aromas.

T: Flavors include smoke, charcoal, tar and, well, ashtray. Subtle notes of briny meat and soy. Mildly port-like on the finish.

M: Like a malted milkshake, this beer is super thick and very creamy. The body is as full as full can be. The silky smooth texture is enhanced by the gentle carbonation which keeps the beer rolling nonchalantly over the tongue. Wow. What a mouthfeel.

O: Several Evil Twin beers deep now, I'm starting to feel that these guys are talented brewers but are extreme for the sake of being extreme. After a couple of expensive purchases - and not being too thrilled with any of them - it's going to take a GREAT experience with an inexpensive draft pour to get me back as a consumer.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 12:36:05 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

rootbeerman

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: first thing I'm noticing is great head retention and thick lacing. The head is dark brown, cream-n-coffee colored, and is about two fingers thick.
S: the roast malts have the certain aroma like they were roasted over a fire, the smoke is apparent. Very light coffee and chocolate hidden behind the smoke and sweet malt.
T: the smoke is first noticed, followed by roast malt sweetness and a bit of burnt toast like carbon in the smoky flavor.
M: coating, and lingers around for awhile.
O: I like this, its different for sure but don't think I will seek this out again, that's not saying I don't like evil twin.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 10:02:29 | More by rootbeerman

shanblur

Indiana

3.93/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Purchased on a recent trip to St. Louis. Best by 2015 printed on the label. Poured from 330ml bottle into a snifter. A - Dark, with a faint tan head which quickly recedes leaving only some bubbles. S - Roasted malts with the usual chocolate and coffee notes. The smokiness comes through on the aroma. T - Roasted malts and dark chocolate with the smokiness also coming through on the taste. M - Light to medium body with little carbonation. A nice beer. I can imagine the smokiness being nice for a beer pairing with food. Not your average stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 01:33:05 | More by shanblur

antique

Virginia

3.3/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a very dark brown with a thick, beautiful half-inch cocoa brown head that dissolves slowly. Leaves behind many lines of lacing.

Smell is powerful: cocoa, some malts, dark fruits, and a good hit of smoke that pokes through too (not as much as one might expect given the name however).

The taste is kind of powerful at first--heavy chocolates, lots of malts, and a strange, near-immediate fruity tartness that almost threatens to overpower these other flavors. A hint of bitters hits afterward before all of this slowly disappears, making way for that smokey flavor the beer promises. Like with the smell, the smokiness isn't a huge factor, but it's definitely there. Given the title of the beer (ashtray heart), the smoke flavor is surprisingly mild, and I'm not sure how well it works for the beer overall.

It's a very sweet imperial stout, and isn't big on bitter flavors, instead vying for the smokiness and dark fruit backdrop, which is fine, but for me kind of wears thin about halfway through. It's lightly carbonated and feels a bit syrupy in the mouth, but it finishes with a nice warmth that lasts for a while, and lingers with a distinctive licorice aftertaste.

Overall it's a slightly adventurous brew that I'm ultimately glad I tried, but I don't think I'd be anxious to pick it up again any time soon. Just a bit too sweet and unbalanced for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 01:54:06 | More by antique

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Ashtray heart has a jet black body and a solid slab of brown head. The lacing is great. After drinking most of this, I would have to say that the body is actually a very dark brown color, because I spilled a good bit of the glass on my white shirt.

The aroma has lots of chocolate to it, some fruit, some roasted malt, but not really much smoke.

Once again, chocolate seems to be the most prominent part of this beer, followed by some roasted malt. Dark fruits and a hint of anise surface next. The finish does has a puff of smoke in it, but not nearly what I expected from it. The finish has a good amount of warmth, but nothing that is overpowering or unpleasant.

Very thick body, with a nice, full mouthfeel.

Based on the price, it's pretty tough for me to recommend this one. It is a solid big stout with a light to moderate amount of smoke. I do love the name though.

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2011 13:44:38 | More by Hojaminbag

thagr81us

South Carolina

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

Served from bottle into a Unibroue La Fin du Monde tulip. Poured pitch black with a minimal light tan head. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of roasted malt, charred malt, smoke, and subtle dark fruit. The flavor was of sweet malt, dark fruit, smoke, dark chocolate, and charred malt. It had a heavy feel on the palate with very low carbonation. Overall this was a pretty decent brew. If I am completely honest, I never would have guessed that this one was a RIS by smelling it or tasting it alone. Now that I know it is, some of the flavors I got make a little sense (dark fruit). While this was pretty good it was just a little too bitter for my liking with the charred malt flavor I got. Worth trying if you get the chance for sure despite this fact.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 14:53:28 | More by thagr81us

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Rich aroma is strongly smoky with undertones of coffee and molasses and a hint of caramel. It pours a deep, opaque sable with a very thick, fine-bubbled and rather persistent tan head. Smoky flavor has notes of molasses, burnt wood, fine roast coffee and licorice. Full-bodied texture is smooth and just a little fizzy. Not the best Imperial Stout I have ever had, but definitely a worthy one.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 13:46:23 | More by Cyberkedi

oline73

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had this on-tap at Max's during Baltimore Beer Week. Poured in to a sample glass.

Appearance: Pours black with a finger of thick tan head. There is a good amount of retention and nice lacing. Very good looking beer.

Smell: Very roasty with some mild herbal notes. Hints of port and a malty sweetness.

Taste: Exactly what I would expect from the name. Roast and smoke bitterness crushed the tongue. Mildly sweet dark fruit notes with a bitter, burnt finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium to thick body with smooth, tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This is what I expected and not bad at all. I don't think I could have done much more than a small pour due to the intensity.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2011 21:40:45 | More by oline73

deapokid

Pennsylvania

2.93/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Enjoyed on 9/9/2011. Reviewed from notes.

Visually, this smokey stout has a latte brown foam, jet black body and moderate carbonation. The head is initially huge, but calms over time, leaving a light, off-white lacing. Look is rich and sweet, but not as commanding or impenetrable as you'd expect.

Scent profile features sweet cream, nuts, smoke, vanilla, chocolate, licorice, coffee and a hint of alcohol. It's surprisingly light, despite the bevy of aromas on display.

Flavor wise, this is a big head scratcher. The smoke is right there up front, which is nicely pronounced and reminiscent of backyard, charcoal-grilled flavors. Unfortunately, the delicious opening is stopped dead in its tracks by a strange, powdery, condensed milk flavor. Imagine not stirring a hot chocolate well enough when mixing in the powder and you're getting the picture. There's also a mild, cigar-smoke dryness on the back end and fleeting hints of vanilla, but I simply can't get beyond that odd, artificial tasting sweetness.

The mouth is quite dry front to back with a tingle in conclusion. The concluding flavors are a bit too big to allow anything else to make an impact.

This was a bit of a disappointment. I think the idea was exciting; combining heavy, woody smoke with the sweet moments of a milk stout. Sadly, the execution doesn't match the brilliance of the idea.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 00:23:26 | More by deapokid

illidurit

California

3.9/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared at the September iteration of the Santa Cruz tasting series. Pours black with clear red corners and a cocoa head. Peaty chocolatey aroma, sweet and moussey. Flavor is well-balanced with equal parts dark chocolate, sugary coffee and smokey meat, with a boozy bitter finish. Not a very aggressive stout, subdued overall but a good blend of flavors.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 07:22:23 | More by illidurit

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4.08/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A nice smoked RIS, pretty hefty and with a long lingering range.

Presentation: 12 oz brown capped bottle. Simple design with a brown background , cream typography with a large V presiding it. Side paragraph notes main characteristic, intent, and best before date 2015. Shows Alc. by Vol (8.9%) Served in a snifter.

A - Black pour with dark brown edges, rich creamy head, moderate retention and surface memory with spotty lacing.

S - Nose is a a bit soft it pleasing with a good roasted sense, dash of coffee, and a hint of smokiness.

T - Flavor opens up the brew for the brew with a good roasted malt sense early on, coffee, touch of chocolate, a hint of fruit, and an emerging smoky sense that grown wrapping nicely the ale as it closes.

M - Medium-full body and medium-low carbonation, bitter range that holds the brew with a smooth finish.

O - Very nice flow as an overall experience. Not the smoked bomb it presents itself to be but rather rich, pleasing and complex.

Notes: All hype aside this is quite a good brew. We´ll see about the other offerings… Given that it rides somewhat on Mikkeller´s rep it has a tough road ahead to make a significant dent once the new distribution launch settles. The overblown pricing, despite the solid quality, will hinder the choice. It is good but not that price bracket good.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2011 02:55:06 | More by Daniellobo