Lion's Brew
The Bruery
- From:
- The Bruery
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 13.1%
- Score:
- +6 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4.13 | pDev: 3.63%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 25, 2025
- Added:
- Dec 18, 2023
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
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Mead Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with Honey and Bay Leaves
We get our inspiration from everywhere – even the other side of the globe. Inspired by t’ej, a honey wine popular in Ethiopia, we aged our bayonet imperial stout in mead barrels from our friends at B.Nektar. Now, if we were in Ethiopia, we would have used traditional gesho leaves; since we are in SoCal, we opted for bay leaves to imbue the same tannic, earthy profile.
We get our inspiration from everywhere – even the other side of the globe. Inspired by t’ej, a honey wine popular in Ethiopia, we aged our bayonet imperial stout in mead barrels from our friends at B.Nektar. Now, if we were in Ethiopia, we would have used traditional gesho leaves; since we are in SoCal, we opted for bay leaves to imbue the same tannic, earthy profile.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by rand from California
4.29/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
750 mL bottle into a tulip snifter
Dark brown brew, viscous, no head to speak of. Herbaceous nose, tons of bay leaves, oak, honey sweetness.
First sip made me think of an export stout; as it warmed, really tasted like a mead stout. Pretty hot too, which kinda works to offset the honey sweetness. Long, sweet finish.
Dec 25, 2025Dark brown brew, viscous, no head to speak of. Herbaceous nose, tons of bay leaves, oak, honey sweetness.
First sip made me think of an export stout; as it warmed, really tasted like a mead stout. Pretty hot too, which kinda works to offset the honey sweetness. Long, sweet finish.
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio
4.25/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
750 ml bottle, 2023 edition, bottled 10/20/23. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with maybe a half inch tan head that stuck around a little while. Small amount of lacing. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like honey, mint/menthol, earthiness, dark fruit and some molasses. Taste is similar to the aroma, but with the addition of some roasted malt and caramel. There's a lot going on here with the mead barrel aging and the bay leaves. It's a mostly sweeter tasting brew, almost to the point of too much sweetness. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's coating somewhat syrupy with a moderate amount of carbonation. Overall I liked this one, definitely a unique brew that's worth a try!
Apr 20, 2024
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