Cottonwood High Cotton Hazelnut Stout
Carolina Beer Company

Cottonwood High Cotton Hazelnut StoutCottonwood High Cotton Hazelnut Stout
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From:
Carolina Beer Company
 
North Carolina, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.87 | pDev: 20.41%
Reviews:
20
Ratings:
20
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 26, 2010
Added:
Jan 26, 2007
Wants:
  6
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by CHADMC3:
Photo of CHADMC3
Reviewed by CHADMC3 from Connecticut

3.68/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a viscous black with a big, foamy dark brown head that quickly dissipates leaving only a faint lacing behind.

Wow, the huge aroma of hazelnut really wafts from the glass with secondary aromas of chocolate malt. As it warms, more roasted notes come through as well.

Big aromas of chocolate, hazelnut, perhaps espresso, and roasted malt are immediate with secondary milk and vanilla notes.

Medium to thin in body, medium carbonation, and a bit milky or lightly creamy.

This is certainly a beer worth trying. It is not too complex, but the characteristics of the beer are very focused and good. This stout is very unique in its flavor offering, and while I won't be drinking more than one, it is quite enjoyable.
Aug 29, 2009
More User Ratings:
Photo of tpd975
Reviewed by tpd975 from Florida

4.59/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A: Pours a nice dark black with a thin tight tan head. No retention or lace.

S: Holy cow if you cracked a bowl full of hazelnuts and took a whiff it would smell less like hazelnuts than this. Light coffee notes, with a bold nut laden chocolate like candy sweetness with hints of vanilla.

T: Damn this is good. Is this real nuts or an artificial sweetner. I really want to know how they pulled this one off. An ass load of real hazelnuts. There is even a bit of bitterness from the nutty pith of the nut. Hints of coffee, and a bold candy sugar like sweetness. To call this beer a pleasant surprise is an understatement. My buddy SeaBass called it liquid Nutella and I have to agree.... Liquid Nutella, but better.

M: On the ligher side of medium, smooth. Dangerously drinkable.

D: Very good. Unique, when I cracked the bottle I had no idea that this was what I had in store. Love It. Make it again and put it in a barrel for off the charts goodness.
Mar 26, 2010
Photo of csmiley
Reviewed by csmiley from Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Batch 1727

A - Pours almost black in color. Only a sliver of light gets through at the edges and reveals a deep garnet. Head is somewhat slow to rise and tops out at around one quarter inch. It recedes to a think ring. Retention is average while a healthy amount of lace is left behind.

S - Smell is a dead ringer for chocolate covered hazelnuts. Mostly a smooth mild chocolate with a bit of toasted nuttiness. Alcohol is barely noticed on the tail end. The aroma is pretty straightforward and lacks complexity. Still pleasant though.

T - Uhhh...Hazelnut. Tons of hazelnut. At the first sip I realized what this beer is going for. The liquid version of Ferraro Rocher. It does a pretty good job of it too. Milk chocolate comes and goes and plays well with the nut flavor. A little dry and smokey at the end with a touch of heat from the alcohol.

M - On the fuller side of medium bodied with light carbonation. Finish is big and sweet at first and lingers to a mild dryness. Oily as well.

D - Drinkability is good. This beer is really hard to put my finger on. One sip has me drooling for more but the next sip might come across as a tad cloying. At the very least it is a very interesting brew. This brew is definitely for anyone who might like hazelnut. There is no shortage in that department. Glad I got to try it but not sure I would seek out this particular brew for a second round.
Apr 13, 2009
Photo of Risser09
Reviewed by Risser09 from Pennsylvania

4.09/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
22oz bottle poured into a mexican tulip - Fridge temp - Not sure what year, as this beer is retired

Appearance: Pours pitch black color with no light going in or out. The head is 2.5" of light brown foam. There is good retention, but no lace stays behind.

Smell: An extremely strong aroma bursts out of the bottle, then glass. Strong, toasted coconut aroma is spot on with a macaroon. Hazelnut is also very strong. An underlying strong stout, chocolate malt aroma lies underneath. Spectacular.

Taste: More toasted coconut, which might actually be the hazelnut. Toasted malts, chewy breadiness, fudge and vanilla. Lingering hazelnut liquor and booze make the finish.

Mouthfeel: Sweet, nutty, boozy and very flavorful. Medium to heavily bodied and easy to drink with not much carbonation.

Drinkability: I didn't have high expectations for this one, but it delivered. The aroma and taste are powerful. I'm glad I got the opportunity to try this beer. I recommend it for everyone.
Mar 03, 2009
Photo of Monkeyknife
Reviewed by Monkeyknife from Missouri

3.65/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from the bottle a black that goes up to eleven with a thin reddish-mocha head.

Aroma of toffee, hazelnuts, graham cracker, malts, vanilla, and coconut.

The taste is thinner than expected but matches the aroma completely. The finish is like a hazelnut espresso.

Light to medium bodied, smooth, and moderately carbonated.

A thicker body would have done wonders for this beer. Still, an enjoyable beer to experience.
Mar 03, 2009
Photo of DrJay
Reviewed by DrJay from Texas

2.63/5  rDev -32%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Bottle courtesy of SaCkErZ9 via Black Booty BIF. Thanks!
Really dark, not much in the way of colour other than black. A thin brown collar formed after the pour and stuck around for a long time, leaving a little lace on the glass. Smells really sweet and sugary, tons of hazelnut and vanilla, more extract character than anything. Some chocolate and roast notes, but these are nearly lost behind the nuts. The flavour started out like the aroma with lots of hazelnut, but this gave way quickly to more of a chocolate and roast character, some vanilla. Very sweet, cloying towards the end. Bitterness made a meager appearance in the finish. Medium bodied up front, then thin in the finish. Medium to low carbonation, a bit of astringency, some warmth. Interesting, but not a beer that works for me.
Feb 08, 2009
Photo of Mauerhan
Reviewed by Mauerhan from California

2.3/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
pours near black into my glass. immediately i am hit by a strong smell of hazelnut. i can smell this beer from across the room. little to no head is produced.

all i get is hazelnut. the smell is so potent that im pretty sure any other scents dont even get a chance to show up to the party.

i am not a big fan of the taste. straight hazelnut. seriously. it tastes like i got a half cup of water and dumped a bottle of hazelnut syrup from starbucks in. swirled and drank.

its hard to say what the mouthfeel is like. its really hard to get past the hazelnut. for what its worth its smooth. medium carbonation.

i cant drink this beer. and that makes me really sad. ive been saving it for a while. if it was a little subtler on some of the flavors...i mean flavor i would probably like it alot. meh. drainpour
Jan 17, 2009
Photo of brewcrew76
Reviewed by brewcrew76 from Wisconsin

2.21/5  rDev -42.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Thanks to wcudwight for this one from fatansy baseball.

Batch 1471

A - Solid black with the smallest mocha head that disappears to a slight ring.

S - Huge hazelnut aroma and not much else.

T - Just like a bottle of hazelnut extract. I am trying to find other flavors but just can't.

M - On the thin side with minimal carbonation.

D - I really tried my hardest to give this a real try but it tasted like I was drinking pure hazelnut extract. My first homebrew was a hazelnut cocoa porter that I added too much hazelnut to and this reminds me of a much worse version of that.
Nov 02, 2008
Photo of NJpadreFan
Reviewed by NJpadreFan from New Jersey

4.79/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Cottonwood Hazelnut Stout

Thanks to SaCkErZ9(Xak) for this 1!

A-Deep mahogany brownish black with a thick frothy head. Quick dissipation and no lacing.
S- HUGE Frangelico hazelnut, sweet milk chocolate, toffee, almonds, marshmallow!
T- Big thick creamy hazelnut blended with a soft sweet milk chocolate. Huge hints of vanilla marshmallow, toffee, brown sugar. tasted like a chocolate chip cookie, starbucks almond toffee bar, and hazelnut coffee all blended together!
M- Sweet, nutty, and creamy! Smooth throughout. Big flavors don't quit.

Overall- Holy Sh!t, is this good! A dessert blended into liquid form! Loved this 1!
(Big thanks Xak!)
Aug 16, 2008
Photo of Lothore
Reviewed by Lothore from California

3.2/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
A- Pours very dark black with a brown 1.5 finger head.

S- Very strong hazlenut, almost like coffee creamer.

T- Starts out with hazlenut but fades quickly to roasted malt, hints of coffee. A little light and cloying in the finish.

M- A little thin with quite a bit of carbonation.

D- This one definitely seems like a novelty to me. Too sweet for my tastes but it was interesting to try.
Jul 07, 2008
Photo of ampzilla
Reviewed by ampzilla from Massachusetts

4.04/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Thanks to SPLITGRIN for this bottle.
I'm not sure what I expected in a hazelnut stout, but this brew delivered. The hazelnut scent was so strong and so nice, it easily could have been mistaken for Frangelico. This about as desert-like as I can take in beers. Though it starts sweet with hazelnut and buttery chocolate , it finishes nicely with a slightly bitter bite. As much as I enjoyed this, I would definitely not attempt to finish a bomber by myself again.
May 11, 2008
Photo of seaoflament
Reviewed by seaoflament from California

4.02/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Big thanks go to BRoss242 for trading me this bottle.

Limited Batch 2226 on the bottle.

Wow, pours incredibly dark, heavily roasted. A good two inches of mocha colored foam quickly builds up and settled to a thin layer.

Wow, the aroma is incredible. Milk chocolate, hazelnut, marshmallows, caramel, toffee, coffee, it reminds me of rocky road ice-cream! It continues with some milk, vanilla, almonds, smores! Hell yeah! Aromas of dry, sweetened, coconut. Lightly roasted malts surrounds the nutty chocolate aromas.

Chocolate, hazelnut, nutella, coconut, milk, it tastes like an almond joy. Taste is also really sweet, it could use a little more roasted bitterness, but I can see this beer as a once in a while dessert beer. A little dry and ashy on the finish.

Mouth-feel is a bit thin but I think if it was any thicker it would be too rich as it is already a very sweet beer.

While this is a tasty beer I think I'll have a little trouble drinking a whole bomber of it by myself. It would be a great beer to share with other beer enthusiasts.
Apr 05, 2008
Photo of SPLITGRIN
Reviewed by SPLITGRIN from Kentucky

4.89/5  rDev +26.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Pours to a 3000 mile oil black body hosting a crackling rocky 2 inch head that is dark spicey brown in color. It fades to just a skim in a couple of minutes leaving no lace at all. Sweet Jesus, the nose is incredibly strong, you get a face full from 10 inches away. Easily the most dead on fragrent nose I have ever experienced, almost like someone had just set a fresh piece of german chocolate cake with a hot cup of hazelnut coffee. Wow! How can the flavor not follow through with this nose, and it does nicely. Distinct up front hazelnut wraped up in rich carmalized malt goodness. Brings notes of baked coconut, toffee, and milky chocolate without being heavy and to thick. Mouthfeel has a sweet/dry balance much like dark chocolate icing. Incredibly drinkable for a big unique stout. Lovely.
Feb 20, 2008
Photo of hoppymeal
Reviewed by hoppymeal from Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours black with a small orangeish brown head that quickly recedes. Aroma is a very powerful vanilla hazelnut, almost like a coffee creamer, hints of chocolate and maple sugar as well. The vanilla and hazelnut flavor is more subdued then the aroma but is still very evident and almost perfumy. Hints of roastiness mingle with it which are a nice balance before a tangy applesauce flavor creeps in and lasts into the finish. Mouthfeel is medium in body, just a hint of drying in the finish. A very drinkable stout for me. I wasn't crazy about the strong vanila and hazelnut but I did enjoy the tany apple flavor that helped to balance.Thanks Xak for the opportunity.
Feb 10, 2008
Photo of Wasatch
Reviewed by Wasatch from Colorado

4.69/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Thanks to slcbrewer for this beer.

22 oz. Bomber #307

Pours a thick deep black color, nice carbonation, little fizzy tannish head, no sticky lacing at all. The nose is malty, buttery, nutty, some vanilla, chocolate, coffee, and caramel. The taste is fabulous, never to date had a ADS taste this good, freakn' awesome stuff. Mostly malts, heavy hazelnut flavor, vanilla, chocolate/caramel. Nice and chewy. Medium body. Very drinkable, thumbs up to this brewery for this one. Highly recommended.
Jun 23, 2007
Photo of Enola
Reviewed by Enola from North Carolina

4.57/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This is the best smelling beer I have ever had. The smell was coffee, oatmeal, and the nuttiness shows prominatly. The beer is a very deep black with a thick tan head and pours out like used motor oil. The taste is rich and filling, buttery, nutty and a slight hint of smoke. The abv is well hidden and that combined with the taste of the beer makes this brew dangerous. Possibly one of the best beers to ever come from NC. Hand numbered bottle #217 purchased from Peabody's in Boone,NC.
Jun 20, 2007
Photo of wcudwight
Reviewed by wcudwight from North Carolina

4.97/5  rDev +28.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Thanks to Enola for the bottle.
Bottle # 217
A nearly opaque pour with just a little caramel coloring around the edges. Rather thin head disapates quickly leaving a nice tan ring of lace around the top. Spotty lacing sticks to the sides of the glass.
Wow what an aroma!! If I could smell this first thing in the morning I don't think I would ever have a bad day. Rich roasted coffee, lot's of hazelnut and a hint of vanilla bean and pipe smoke. I just became a lot more interested in this beer.
Taste follows the nose well. Espresso flavored. Heavy on the roasted malts with lot's of hazlenut, almond and tobacco flavors. This is the most nutty and coffee flavored beer to come through my mouth yet. The flavors last long after the glass is empty. The richness and depth of this beer completely mask the 8% abv.
Medium to full bodied. Slick and oily. Also a bit chewy.
This beer is a sipper, but it takes a lot of self control to sip it.
If you are a coffee lover (I am), then this is THE beer for you. I honestly didn't know Cottonwood was capable of this.
CBB you need to release this one again.
Jun 08, 2007
Photo of mntlover
Reviewed by mntlover from Tennessee

3.55/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Want to thank Enola for this hand numbered bottle #228.

Pours a deep dark black, no light getting thru this baby. A rich dark espresso colored head forms small thumb sized and falls to a ring rather quickly. Not any lace left on my glass or would be a 4.5, still looks nice though.

Aroma is surprise decent amount of hazelnut, good chocolate notes more mocha like with some weak espresso showing up under the hazelnut. Some Light roasted aromas present but hazelnut takes front stage on this one.

Taste is defiantly like the smell hazelnut upfront moving to roasted malts with hints of chocolate malts and weak espresso flavors. You have a little peak of carbonation in the middle and as it falls seems to lighten with more hazelnut in the finish along with some minty grasssy hops that seem to blend in. If you love hazelnut this beer will rock, for me it was a bit much.

Mouthfeel is a big medium but seemed to lighten up when the carbonation kind of peaked in the middle. Seems like a big stout but finished a little lighter.

Drinkability is for me not good say average probably wouldn't have this again, just too much hazelnut for my tastes is all.
Mar 04, 2007
Photo of AlexJ
Reviewed by AlexJ from North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
IMO, this is the best beer Cottonwood has put out so far. Pours a viscous, tarry black with a small but dense mocha head.

Aroma screams hazlenut with soft vanilla, toasty black malts. chocolate and a nudge of coffee. The hazlenut character is very pronounced and really takes over as it warms.

Flavor is chewy malts, weak coffee, bittersweet baking chocolate and HAZLENUT. The nut flavor is strong, but not overbearing. The other flavors come through and mesh well. Light vanilla and oak show as the beer warms. Fairly complex. No trace of the 8.5%.

Body is very big, chewy, and creamy. A silky texture adds to the enjoyment of this big stout. A shout out is in order, this is good stuff.
Feb 03, 2007
Photo of SaCkErZ9
Reviewed by SaCkErZ9 from South Carolina

4.27/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
22oz bottle brewed in limited batch size. Silver label. Bottle number next to the limited batch says 246. 8.5% abv. Purchased at Peabody's in Boone, NC for $5.49.

Dispensed into an imperial pint glass. A dark, thick, almost syrupy beer emerges with a consistency nearing motor oil. A dark brown, chocolate colored head forms on top. Rather small and dissipates abpruptly, leaving a ring around the edges. As the beer settles, a stirring, looking like a small hurricane occurs on the surface, giving it a cappucino look.

Aroma is wonderful and boasts a terrific hazelnut character. Almost like a shot of Frangelico tossed into a double or imperial stout.

This is definitely a hazelnut stout. About the only flavor that comes through is hazelnut. It is quite strong but doesnt seem too fake or imitated; tastes somewhat natural. Lots of bready, ceareal flavors. Closing my eyes and drinking this, it is basically a bowl of wheat bran with toasted hazelnuts and topped with whole milk and a shot of butterscotch shnapps. Interesting to say the least. If you dont like hazelnut, avoid at all costs. I like hazelnut and thought this was a neat beer.

Full bodied. Nice carbonation. A sort of toasty flavor floods the mouth and leaves a nice, nutty aftertaste. Alcohol is completely hidden. In a blind taste test next to a hazelnut flavored soda of some sort, I wouldnt be able to tell a difference. If you like hazelnut and arent afraid to be wowed by the taste a bit, give this one a go. Limited release so get it while you can.
Jan 26, 2007
Cottonwood High Cotton Hazelnut Stout from Carolina Beer Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 20 ratings