Back To The Basics
The Bruery

Review: 2063
Beer Name: Back to the Basic
Brewery: The Bruery
Location: Placentia, CA
Style: Pumpkin Beer
ABV: 11.2%
Date: 10/02/2020
I served the Back to the Basic in a Tulip glass at 50 degrees. The pour created a frothy, airy, dark tan, two-fingered head with average retention. The dark brown, nearly black, measuring around 36 on the color chart. The dissipation left no lacing on the glass. The clarity is opaque, with some effervescent bubbles trickling to the top. The beer's appearance is average in terms of style.
When I nose the glass, I smell caramel, coffee, chocolate, and pumpkin. Smelling the beer again, I detect vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, dark roasted malts, bready, and alcohol. The beer has an intense coffee aroma with subtle pumpkin and spices. At one point, when I consumed this beer, I thought the pumpkin was richer.
The intense coffee aromas are mellow, making this beer like a pumpkin mocha latte with spices. The chocolate and caramel make more of an appearance. The dark and delectable chocolate has a creamy caramel flavor akin to butterscotch. The pumpkin is a typical squash that is earthy and a bit sweet. The coffee is roasty with a touch of Maillard and smoke. The dark roasted malts have a touch of char and are ready with biscuits. The spices are nutmeg and cinnamon. Other flavors are molasses, vanilla, and some earthiness— scrumptious pumpkin stout beer.
The mouthfeel is chewy, and the finish is a bit of alcohol warming. The body is heavy with low carbonation.
I bought eight of these when they came out; this is the last one from that batch. It is one of my favorite pumpkin stouts that I have consumed. The four-year age has merged the stout and coffee into this beautiful harmony, making it intense. The beer's flavors generally sync when the beer has aged over time, tempering all the flavors. It is the first time I can remember a few of the flavors that stand out. It's a fantastic beer; Seeing the last can go is sad. I hope they make it again.

16oz can poured into a snifter

A- pours jet black with a one-finger creamy khaki head that eventually reduces to a ring

S- aroma is dominated by fresh espresso and vanilla cream, with undertones of rich chocolate, caramel and an array of spices, maybe cinnamon & nutmeg?

T- rich herbal espresso and dark chocolate up front followed by milk sugar and vanilla that give a sweet vanilla cream note. Mid-palate gives sweet caramel and more dark chocolate. The finish gives more rich espresso and vanilla that continues through to the linger, maybe a hint of cinnamon

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel that continues into a silky, velvety finish

O- bold coffee and vanilla make for a great slow sipper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

coffee.... cinnamon.... pumpkin.... funky adjunctive flavors.... not bad. let's see how bad the lactose is tomorrow (or at 3am).
"Imperial Stout Brewed with Pumpkin, Dulce de Leche, Coffee, Milk Sugar, Spices, and natural vanilla flavor"