Cocoa Psycho
BrewDog

Cocoa PsychoCocoa Psycho
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From:
BrewDog
 
Scotland, United Kingdom
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #394
ABV:
10%
Score:
89
Ranked #11,057
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 11.78%
Reviews:
98
Ratings:
486
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 30, 2022
Added:
Mar 14, 2013
Wants:
  33
Gots:
  128
Welcome to the world of Cocoa Psycho, a liquid dimension where pure indulgence reigns.

Originally brewed some 250 years ago to celebrate the Russian Royal Family, this 10% Imperial Russian stout borrows from the decadence of the time with its extravagantly smooth blend of crushed coffee beans, cocoa nibs and dark malts.

But continue to dig a little deeper, past the infusions of vanilla pods and toasted oak chips, and eventually you'll come face-to-face with the madness required to make this beer; a kind of insanity that would have made Rasputin himself proud.

To fully unleash the aromas and bittersweet luxury of this stout, we recommend drinking it from a stemmed beer glass before taking a sledgehammer to a Faberge Egg.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Jason1337:

  None found.

Photo of FLima
Reviewed by FLima from Brazil

3.83/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
This being sitting around for over 4 years. Color as black as you can get with the darkest head (by the way, quite thin) I have likely seen.
Aroma with predominant notes of cocoa, coffee, a bit of smoke and licorice.
Flavor with notes of roasted coffee beans, smoke, burnt sugar, cocoa, figs, lots of licorice and dark fruits. Dry aftertaste with a good bitterness.
Medium bordering full body with low carbonation. Alcohol of 10% is well-disguised.
I felt more the coffee, licorice and smoke over the cocoa. I was hoping for something more luscious. This was quite attenuated with no residual sugar.
Jul 30, 2022
More User Ratings:
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sample at BrewDog tasting, Stavanger. Impressive appearance: pitch black colour, large brown head. Lovely roasty aroma with notes of coffee, cocoa and vanilla. The flavour is a tad less impressive but still good - with the same elements as the aroma, and decent hops in the finish.
Jan 23, 2022
 
Rated: 4.08 by DvdP from Netherlands

Nov 17, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by Beer-A-Lot from Virginia

Jun 15, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by Stengelfoot from California

Mar 06, 2020
 
Rated: 4.12 by Dougwillhike from New Jersey

Jan 05, 2020
 
Rated: 3.93 by sdm9465 from Canada (NS)

Dec 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.43 by Houborg1 from Denmark

Dec 19, 2019
 
Rated: 3.81 by Lanas from Greece

Nov 04, 2019
Photo of janubio
Reviewed by janubio from Spain

3.69/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Bottle at Las Buenas Pulgas, served in a balloon glass.
Black colour, dark brown medium head with short retention, creamy lacing.
Aroma of chocolate, pharmacy alcohol, coffee, some varnish, a bit of smoke, dried fruits.
Medium body, creamy texture, normal carbonation. Cognac like finish.
In the mouth is more smokey, chocolate, coffee, varnish and booze.
Warming beer.
Oct 07, 2019
 
Rated: 3.99 by arzt from Germany

Sep 20, 2019
 
Rated: 4.15 by Lelampp from Ohio

Aug 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.8 by travelguy from Ohio

Jul 11, 2019
Photo of Jeffrey1701
Reviewed by Jeffrey1701 from Netherlands

3.73/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Bought a bottle at Brewdog seven dials in London and took it home with me. When pouring this imperial stout it looks very thick and velvety, the body is black and it has a pretty dark brown head. When smelling it i think i smell something faintly woody, maybe leathery, dried fruit, hard to place for me. When tasting there is no sweetness and a bitter that's not too intense but lingers for a (short) while. When tasting i get a retronasal aroma of coffee. Also has a high ABV but doesn't feel boozy to me.
Jul 07, 2019
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

3.99/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12oz can poured into a snifter

A- pours jet black in color with a one-finger creamy khaki colored head that has good retention

S- rich dark roasted malt mixes with notes of cocoa, dark chocolate, dark fruits, fruit cake, caramel, licorice, vanilla & a hit of coffee to close it out

T- dark and roasty, with notes of charred malt, chocolate syrup, cocoa nibs, fig, raisin, caramel & anise. The finish brings out a hint of coffee, as well as more dark fruits and chocolate

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a slightly creamy mouthfeel that continues into a slightly warming finish

O- big and bold, my only complaint is that I would have preferred a thicker mouthfeel
Jul 04, 2019
 
Rated: 3.68 by Unclevince from West Virginia

May 25, 2019
Photo of macrosmatic
Reviewed by macrosmatic from Florida

3.72/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Reviewed from (very) long-standing notes. Poured from the 11.2 oz. bottle into an El Catador Barrel-Aged glass. 2015 vintage bottle, consumed on 9/21/17.

A: Very dark brown, nearly black. Opaque. Forms a half-finger of dense tan head that fades to a ring of foam. Minimal visible carbonation, though that's not unexpected.

S: A punch of dark chocolate and cacao nibs up front. A good bit of vanilla as well, with dark roasted malts, caramel, and pipe tobacco. Necco wafers and a modest coffee roasted malts. Hints of toffee, anise (though not obnoxious), and more European dry dark roasted malts.

T: Chocolate – big dark chocolate, cacao nibs, baker’s dry bitter chocolate. Vanilla, caramel, and more chewing tobacco. Some coffee, and a sweet-ish fruity cherry flavor with more dry cacao nibs and 99% cacao. Dark roasted malts. Sweet and boozy vanilla (like vanilla extract) mixes with the chocolate in the hang.

M: Heavy-bodied, but probably about average for a Russian Imperial Stout. Low but again as-expected carbonation sensation. It does seem a touch boozy but pretty restrained for the listed 10%.

O: I can’t quite place, nor reconcile, the sweet to almost tart “cherry” flavor near the swallow here. It doesn’t seem like yeast esters, but this otherwise doesn’t seem infected at all. But if intentional, it’s not on the label nor does it seem to fit the beer particularly. And I think it clashes with the dry chocolate flavors. Perhaps it could be some overly sweet vanilla mixed with the chocolate. Either way, I’m not digging that flavor. Otherwise decent.
Mar 24, 2019
 
Rated: 3.79 by NightINgale from Russian Federation

Mar 17, 2019
Photo of VoodooBear
Reviewed by VoodooBear from Puerto Rico

4.06/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Presentation: 11.2 oz brown bottle with a "Best by" date on label. Served in a snifter.

Appearance: The one finger, dark tan head goes away pretty quickly and leaves some lacing in patches all over the glass. It's a pure black color.

Smell: There's mostly vanilla, roasted malt, milk chocolate, molasses and cloves. In the background there's some alcohol and a hint of raisins.

Taste: It's bitter at first with coffee, dark chocolate and roasted malt. It finishes quite sweet with vanilla, milk chocolate and brown sugar.

Mouthfeel: It's smooth, oily, medium to heavy bodied and a little bit cloying with medium-low carbonation.

Overall: It has a very complex aroma but not everything comes through on the palate. It's a little bit cloying despite not being that sweet but it's still an excellent beer.
Mar 11, 2019
 
Rated: 3.73 by leprechaunandfatman from Ohio

Mar 02, 2019
Cocoa Psycho from BrewDog
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 486 ratings