Cranium
Triple Digit Brewing Company

CraniumCranium
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From:
Triple Digit Brewing Company
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #383
ABV:
11.5%
Score:
96
Ranked #1,098
Avg:
4.36 | pDev: 6.42%
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
86
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 05, 2023
Added:
Nov 11, 2013
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  14
Barrel-aged imperial stout with coffee and vanilla added.
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Ratings by pants678:
Photo of pants678
Reviewed by pants678 from California

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Black with a brown head.

Bourbon.

The knock's that I didn't taste the coffee. And whether or not I got the vanilla's hard as it's hard to pick apart from bourbon. As a bourbon barrel stout, there's nothing wrong here. Rich and fairly warm but not harsh.

Viscosity's just right.
Apr 09, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.24 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Nov 05, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by 4DAloveofSTOUT from Illinois

Jan 10, 2020
Photo of 5toutman75
Reviewed by 5toutman75 from Illinois

4.46/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
My first from this brewery and I’m very impressed. The smell is great with lots of vanilla and bourbon sweetness. On the pallet it’s not too sweet with great balance. I wouldn’t know this has coffee in it as all I get is the vanilla and bourbon. There’s no bottling date stamp which is annoying, but I assume this is relatively fresh given the number of reviews. I’m really liking the higher amount of vanilla flavor in this BA stout. It’s not on the high end of say an ‘18 BCS vanilla, but more than a Rev Vanilla Deth or Vanilla Black Note. This doesn’t need to age as the alcohol is very well hidden (and lower than a BCS or some others) but still high enough that I get the bourbon notes I crave. Overall this is a great beer and I’ll look for it again. Stands up to the big boys!
Dec 21, 2019
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

4.33/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From the 12 oz bottle in a snifter. This beast pours a deep coal black with
a modest head of brown foam that settles to a thick ring, thin dusty layer,
and shows subtle lacing. Nose of coffee, char, vanilla, bourbon, and dark
fruits. Flavors excel at presenting a rich dark moderately bitter bakers cocoa
center dusted with vanilla and drenched in deep dark coffee with a sidecar
of bourbon and oak amongst dark brown sugar and black strap molasses.
Touches of dark fruit appear with warmth showing blackberry and raspberry.
Nice mouth feel; full body, low carbonation, rich, boozy, warming, and
finishing with a bitter malt and moderate char finish.

An excellent brew from an excellent brewery!

Cheers
Nov 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4.23 by jt_thomas18 from Tennessee

Aug 04, 2019
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

4.39/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Unknown vintage; drank on tap 4/24/19 @ Fischman's.

Flavorful, but balanced for a "pastry stout". Vanilla & coffee were present, but it still tasted like a stout & had a nice heft.

I had two glasses & can't wait to have another!
Apr 25, 2019
 
Rated: 4.23 by bl00 from Pennsylvania

Jan 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.51 by Phineasco from Massachusetts

Nov 02, 2018
Photo of spacecake9
Reviewed by spacecake9 from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
My first beer from Triple Digit!
A - Pours black with a tan head that fades to a ring.
S - A lot of vanilla on the nose.
T - Flavor is vanilla and a lot of maple. Very sweet.
M - Beer is very creamy.
O - If you like maple, and I do, then you will like this one. Very nice desert beer.
Jan 15, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by Philcassella from North Carolina

Nov 13, 2017
 
Rated: 4.38 by chrismattlin from Ohio

Nov 01, 2017
Photo of bluejacket74
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12 ounce bottle, no dating on it that I noticed. Served in a DFH snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. Aroma is nice and sweet, the brew smells like chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, roasted malt and coffee. For the most part I think the taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some caramel and dark fruity flavors noticeable too. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's creamy and coating with a good amout of carbonation. I think it's a good sweeter tasting imperial stout, certainly worth picking up a bottle or 2 if you come across some! $6.99 a bottle.
Oct 07, 2017
 
Rated: 4.24 by Pearlstreetbrewingco from Florida

Jun 30, 2017
Photo of drdiesel9483
Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio

4.52/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Look - dark with a medium looking body and good skimming
Smell - caramel coffee toasty sweet vanilla
Taste - chocolate caramel slight coffee toasty with a little vanilla drizzle
Feel - medium light body and light carbonation
Overall - wonderful!
Jun 29, 2017
 
Rated: 4.42 by Kuges from Texas

May 01, 2017
 
Rated: 4.44 by VaTechPhilly from New York

Apr 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.18 by osuskin from Indiana

Mar 25, 2017
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

4.06/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Muddy dark brown with a large brown head. This actually has some clear legs that contribute a rinsing effect--I think this may be harder than listed.

At first whiff this is really delicious smelling with chocolate and vanilla both coming in big. Sweet vanilla syrup, marzipan and amaretto follow, then caramel and mini-marsamallows. As it warms, a little wet wood and maple emerges.

Wow. Tastes like brownies up front. Then brownies with marshmallow fluff on top. Then the charred edge of a just baked brownie. Throughout, it is chocolate and vanilla, with an acceptable amount of bourbon cutting through. A little Raisinette and woody walnut come in as it warms. One downside is that the aftertaste is a bit waxy, and unusually nutty and woody.

Cranium has a nice froth, while not too heavy. Tangy, not nearly as sweet as it may sound, finishing semi-dry .
Dec 21, 2016
Photo of neurobot01
Reviewed by neurobot01 from California

4.37/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottle into a globe wine glass at cellar temp.

Look: dark brown, little carb evident, no head.

Smell: dark fruits, cocoa, vanilla.

Taste: strong raisin; toffee, chocolate. Not any oak or char. Red grape, dark cherry.

Feel: medium body, low to moderate carb, barely dry.

Overall: really good. Not quite top tier, but very good.
Jul 20, 2016
Cranium from Triple Digit Brewing Company
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 86 ratings