Wake Up Dead
Left Hand Brewing Company

Wake Up DeadWake Up Dead
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From:
Left Hand Brewing Company
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #431
ABV:
10.2%
Score:
87
Ranked #16,509
Avg:
3.88 | pDev: 12.37%
Reviews:
237
Ratings:
1,096
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 14, 2024
Added:
May 04, 2011
Wants:
  87
Gots:
  233
Good Morning. You've woken up dead. You're in ruins. But don't be discouraged. Here's a black stout to brighten your day. It’s deadly delicious with dark chocolate cake aromas and hints of dried fruit, licorice, and coffee. It’s a beast of a beer you’ll crave from beyond the grave.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Mora2000:
Photo of Mora2000
Reviewed by Mora2000 from Texas

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I am pretty sure this is the same beer as the regular Imperial Stout, only rebranded. But I will review it under this listing.

The beer pours a dark brown to black color with a tan head. The aroma is heavy on the roasted malt and dark fruit with quite a bit of anise mixed in. The flavor is mainly made up of roasted malt and chocolate, although there is some anise in there as well. The alcohol is well hidden but becomes more apparent as the beer warms up. Medium to thick mouthfeel and low to medium carbonation. A nice imperial stout.
Jun 20, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of hman43
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina

3.97/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Look: It pours very dark brown with a tan head. Head retention is low.

Smell: It has roasted aromas up front with some coffee. There is a faint burnt quality in the background and a hint of smoke.

Taste: It has roasted and coffee flavors with some licorice mixed in. There are some earthen elements in support with herbs and slight citrus.

Feel: It has a full body with pleasant alcohol warming.

Overall, a good combination of malts and hops makes this a very pleasant beer.
Jan 14, 2024
Photo of jmdrpi
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

3.74/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 oz bottle, 2022 vintage

Pours almost black, some light gets through the edges of the glass. Khaki colored head that fades. Aroma of dark chocolate and a little dark fruits. Similar taste, not overly complex but i like the drier finish. Medium to fuller bodied.
Jan 04, 2024
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.67/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Nitro pour at Old Chicago-Lakewood (Union).Velvety pour, jet black with the appropriate silky head, Roast grains follow through from aroma to taste, some chocolate as well. So smooth, its easy to forget this is a 10% beer,
Nov 14, 2023
 
Rated: 4.2 by sentrytec from Pennsylvania

Oct 20, 2023
 
Rated: 4.04 by Argail from Louisiana

Apr 07, 2023
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

4.09/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle. Stamped on bottle neck is 'Vintage: 2022 Best By: 09/12/2027'.
Black colored body, with wider mahogany back lit edge. One finger of tan head, which retreats to an island and a ring. Leaves behind very small spots and one short string of lacing.
Aroma of dark roasted malts, dried dark fruits, and black licorice.
Taste is sweeter than expected from the nose. Flavors of dark roasted malts, milk chocolate, dried dark fruits, and lots of black licorice. There is a slight, and late, bitter coffee expression. Mellow chocolate malts and black licorice in the aftertaste.
Medium mouth feel. Very drying on the roof of the mouth. Some alcohol burn on the tongue. Quiet carbonation.
The higher alcohol content is not really tasted but rather "felt" by a dramatic drying effect in the mouth, especially the roof of the mouth. Good mix of sweet and bitter. One must like black licorice to have any affinity for this beer. Old time RIS.
Mar 11, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Dovers from Wisconsin

Feb 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.65 by RockyM72 from Florida

Feb 11, 2023
Photo of teromous
Reviewed by teromous from Virginia

2.76/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
From the shoulder of the bottle: "Vintage: 2022 25609:01 Best By 09/13/2027"

Appearance: It is a black bodied beer with a short, creamy textured, light tan head. It slowly recedes out to a ring that has a bit of thickness to it. Spotty lacing on the glass.

Aroma: There is a bit of a woody note to the beer. It smells a bit like old twigs. There is a bit of soy sauce and a touch of cola on the nose as well. It is very mellow and just barely comes through.

Taste: Up front there is a bit of chocolate with some cola character and a touch of soy sauce. As it approaches the middle of the tongue, soy sauce develops more on the palate near the sides. Alcohol pops into the forefront and there is a bit of charred bitterness. Some charred bitterness towards the back-end of the palate. A bit of an earthy old coffee ground flavor in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: It feels noticeably thin, but it still manages to sit firmly in the medium body range. Carbonation is low which is fine. A touch of alcohol burn. It has a medium bitterness from the grains which only really shows up towards the back of the palate.

Overall: The beer as a whole just felt old. The aroma came across as a much older beer and was very muted. The flavors felt dull and the mouthfeel was not ideal. The label states that this is "BOLD YET SMOOTH WITH NOTES OF DARK CHOCOLATE, DRIED FRUIT & COFFEE." It states that the ingredients are "Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, rolled oats, hops, yeast." The beer does have dark chocolate character which is a nice showcase of the malts, but it also has a lot of soy sauce character. There is a bit of a coffee note in the aftertaste as well but it isn't very pronounced. Although the label recommends that you "CELLAR FOR UP TO 5 YEARS" I probably wouldn't given how old it already feels. It's not a beer I am likely to buy again and there are much better Imperial Stouts that I would recommend.
Feb 08, 2023
Photo of MadMadMike
Reviewed by MadMadMike from France

3.67/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
2021 version - a 12 ounce bottle poured into a snifter.
Tanny foam receded quickly, but left a ring of lacing b4 disappearing altogether.
Smell is nondescript, and only a faint aroma of coffee lingers.
Taste. Hmm., I’m not sure this is a RIS. Doesn’t have the hallmarks at all. In fact, it’s barely a coffee stout either. Good ABV leaning on all mild flavors of dark fruit, cacao, burnt toffee and a light hop finish which counters any sweetness.
Feel is thin for the style. Just under medium carbonation.
Overall, there are better Russian Imperial Stouts out there for sure.
Jan 07, 2023
Photo of milkshakebeersucks
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Solid black appearance with an average size tan head that left very good lacing. Roasted malt aroma that brings along layers of chocolate, ripe fruit and toffee. Taste is sweet without being cloying. Dark chocolate is prominent. Toward the finish there is a smattering of floral hops that contribute a bit of contrast. Smooth, full bodied, modestly carbonated mouthfeel. Overall: ready for a 2nd without hesitation.
Jan 02, 2023
Photo of tradershmulie
Reviewed by tradershmulie from Connecticut

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours black, very little head.
No noticeable smell.
Very nice taste. Rich, not thin at all.
Smooth drinking, however I do "taste" the ABV.
Overall, a very good well priced RIS.
Dec 13, 2022
Photo of JKENNEKE
Rated by JKENNEKE

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
December 2022. Athens. Overall solid imperial Stout smooth not too strong not too boozy even though it’s a 10.4% .
Dec 13, 2022
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

3.93/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle vintage 2022 best before 08/12/2027 poured into a teku glass at just above fridge temp 10.2% ABV. The beer pours midnight black with sparce light brown head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island. Minimal lacing. The aroma is mild with dark chocolate and licorice, plus a hint of berry. The taste is bittersweet roasted, charred malt with more dark chocolate, dark fruit and coffee notes. Medium bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium plus bodied with just less that average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. ABV is well hidden. Overall, very good RIS.
Nov 19, 2022
Photo of dbl_delta
Reviewed by dbl_delta from Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Undated bottle into pint glass. Pours a deep dark mahogany with a brief tan head. Initial impression is dark chocolate, bitter espresso, and a hint of raisins. Mouthfeel is clean and medium thick. Alcohol is quite well hidden. Finish fades to a chocolate-y bitterness. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable Imperial Stout. I will revisit.
Nov 18, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by mpenske from California

Nov 06, 2022
 
Rated: 4.47 by cmsfish from Minnesota

Oct 30, 2022
 
Rated: 3.72 by joran from Kansas

Oct 14, 2022
 
Rated: 3.88 by cold_beer

May 07, 2022
Wake Up Dead from Left Hand Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 1096 ratings