Handlebar Double Stout
Christian Moerlein Brewing Company

Handlebar Double StoutHandlebar Double Stout
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From:
Christian Moerlein Brewing Company
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
8.2%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.71 | pDev: 12.13%
Reviews:
18
Ratings:
61
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 17, 2016
Added:
Jan 08, 2015
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  10
Strength. Distinction. Ingenuity. Pride. These are words that describe the innovative Machine Age of our nation's history. They describe the men and women who made today possible; but perhaps most importantly, they describe Christian Moerlein Handlebar Double Stout, a strong and distinct stout that boasts an ingenious blend of dark roasted malts and a balancing blend of hops. Handlebar is a celebration of these four things. You are about to become part of what made today possible: Be Strong. Be Distinct. Be Ingenious. Be Proud.
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Ratings by BEERchitect:
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
"Cheers to the folks who have made today what it is!" -this is how Christian Moerlein brewers signal a toast to those proud and strong folks, and by doing so with a beer to match their efforts.

Handlebar's masculine austere is dark, opaque and seemingly of black ink. Drawing the nose closer, its roasty influence takes center stage. Strong brewed coffee, cocoa, roasted walnut and campfire float just above the seared sweetness of toffee and molasses.

High roastiness gains steam as the palate is dry of burnt toast, fresh ground coffee, bitter baker's chocolate, charred wood and an overall smoky chocolate taste. Firmly bittered, its hops carry the pep of burnt pinecone as even its early balance to malt seems of coffee as well.

Despite its hearty strength, the bold stout doesn't carry the unnecessary weight of imperial beer as its dry roasted character is drinkable but offers some abrasion with its char.
Jan 26, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.28 by dag1991 from Ohio

Jul 17, 2016
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

3.72/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a finger and a half high tan head that settled down, leaving a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface, a narrow collar around the edge, and lots of lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of dark malts are present in the nose.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste is packed with lots of flavors of dark malts and has some notes of chocolate and hints of roasted malts. Although only a faint amount of bitterness is perceptible, there seems to be a strong dose of underlying hops to mask any sweetness.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied, a little airy, and smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: For an Imperial Stout, this beer is quite drinkable, but the light and airy body seems to be a little out of place with the character of the rest of the beer.

Serving type: can
Jun 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.47 by sdeese21 from Louisiana

Jul 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4.21 by pnelting from Texas

Jul 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3.56 by screamking from Ohio

Jun 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.26 by Marcus_Erroneous from Kentucky

Jun 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.68 by BBelch from West Virginia

Jun 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by jeremy3311 from Ohio

Jun 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.87 by Shafaegalo from Texas

Jun 07, 2015
Photo of WiscoTerr
Reviewed by WiscoTerr from Colorado

3.4/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Woof. Lots of hops in this, very thin and it tastes like burnt coffee and vodka. I wasn't able to get through much of this. Glad it was an extra in a trade, made dumping after two sips less painful.
Jun 01, 2015
Photo of buschbeer
Reviewed by buschbeer from Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
12 FL. OZ can
Serrved in a snifter

It is very dark brown in color. When held to the light I can see some ruby highlights. It is topped with several inches of tan head.

The aroma has cocoa and some floral hops. I also get some hints of chocolate and coffee.

It starts out with chocolate and cocoa flavors. Then the hops come into play and bring a healthy dose of bitterness. The bitterness increases as I drink, but the chocolate and cocoa do not get lost in the bitterness.

Full mouthfeel

This is a decent stout. The flavors build the more I consume. I generally am not a fan of hoppier stouts, so one of these is plenty for me.
May 31, 2015
Photo of ONUMello
Reviewed by ONUMello from Ohio

3.55/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz can poured into a pint glass
A: Dark brown with a 1+ finger head
S: Cocoa, coffee, chocolate malt and a hint of hop bitterness
T: The bitter comes through way too strongly here. There's still coffee/cocoa but the most bitter portions of each
M: Medium-bodied, bitter
O: A rather enjoyable nose but unfortunately the palate gets hidden by how bitter it is. Promising but needs better balance
May 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.97 by beerishappy from Ohio

May 17, 2015
Photo of jp32
Reviewed by jp32 from Michigan

2.2/5  rDev -40.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Pours nice and black. Fluffy head. Looks nice in the glass. Decent lacings.

The smell is mild. Malty, but somewhat dull.

The flavor is bitter, offbeat and... cheap. It has a bitter, awful tangy-ness that is unexpected from a beer of this style, and it lingers after the sip. An alcohol warmth is noticed.

Terrible aftertaste. A thrown-together, burnt-everything, hard-water, ferrous sulfate tasting, mess of a stout.

Mouthfeel is fairly decent, but it is very hard to get over that bad taste. This is an imperial stout that I was excited to try, but also one I will never care to try again. It was difficult to finish even one of these.
May 12, 2015
 
Rated: 4.32 by jonaspb from Ohio

May 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.65 by kybeerdrinker from Kentucky

May 09, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by tykechandler from Kentucky

Apr 30, 2015
 
Rated: 3.77 by Eziel from Ohio

Apr 29, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by Zaphog from Michigan

Apr 27, 2015
Handlebar Double Stout from Christian Moerlein Brewing Company
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 61 ratings