Black Xantus
Humboldt Brewing Co.

Black XantusBlack Xantus
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From:
Humboldt Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
11%
Score:
93
Avg:
4.19 | pDev: 10.02%
Reviews:
446
Ratings:
1,390
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 21, 2020
Added:
Oct 09, 2009
Wants:
  128
Gots:
  372
Barrel aged for 6 months in combination of Bourbon, retired Firestone Union and wine barrels and Infused with fair-trade, organic coffee from local roaster Jobella.

Style: Imperial Java Stout IBUs: 50 Color: Black ABV: 11%
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Photo of jakecattleco
Reviewed by jakecattleco from California

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Bottle dated 11/06/14 into a tulip glass. Nose is nice, bourbon and roasted malts. Taste has a bit more dimension, plenty of barrel aspects. Thinner mouthfeel for 11%. This held up really well, little/no oxidation perceived, would happily have again.
Oct 21, 2020
 
Rated: 3.98 by ChrisMon02 from Ohio

Apr 12, 2020
Photo of jws7968
Reviewed by jws7968 from Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured very thin and gave me reason to doubt. It did not. Not much in the line of lacing. Smells nothing of coffee, but does of bourbon and is very fruity. The bourbon is very prominent in the taste as well. This beer was a surprise and well worth looking in to purchasing again.
Apr 11, 2020
 
Rated: 3.79 by nataku00 from California

Mar 29, 2020
 
Rated: 4.17 by Sound_Explorer from Washington

Mar 28, 2020
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
650ml bottle into a goblet. Bottled 4/3/15, so getting on for 5 years old.

Jet black body, small tan head which, despite the abv, maintains in some form throughout leaving a little lacing

Aroma of dried fruit, and a touch boozy.

On tasting after it had warmed up a bit, the coffee additive has pretty much disappeared. But there is a ton of dried fruit, raisin, plum, etc. You get the feeling that it's about to descend into soy sauce, but it never does. Barrel aging is smooth after 4 plus years in the bottle. Enjoying this one.

Mouth closing in on full, finish boozy dried fruit

Overall, nice sipper on a cold night, a lot going on.
Jan 27, 2020
Photo of ScruffySouthpaw
Reviewed by ScruffySouthpaw from New York

4.31/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Served in a red wine glass from the bottle.

Appearance: Dark thick black body with medium bubbles to the body with a dark tan head rising well over one fingers length off the body.

Smell: Espresso aroma accompanied with light dose of vanilla extract and hints of light whiskey.

Taste: Complex brew and incredibly tasty. It is a dry butter coffee with rich whiskey. It is subtle with doses of dark chocolate with molasses and beyond malty. Caramel notes are there and offset the brew perfectly.

Mouth: Super sticky beer. Comes off a touch dry with espresso stickiness. Full body with medium carbonation.

Overall: Great brew. I got this from a beer of the month club and Will inquiere if I can make further purchases. It's a must grab and better than some of the hyper crap you see see on the internet. Sleeper hit of the year. Yes I said it. Salud!
Apr 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.46 by StoutAtTheDevil from Alabama

Mar 26, 2019
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
22oz bottle. Stamped on bottle neck is bottling date of '11/06/14'. The label says the beer was brewed and bottled in Paso Robles CA, which is where Firestone Walker is located. The date of bottling, according to Humboldt's website timeline, is post-Firestone Walker ownership, but perhaps the beer was contact brewed by Firestone Walker.
Ruby brown colored body. Partial finger width of tan head, which sticks around as a partial head fed by rising tiny bubbles. Spots of lacing with each sip slide back down into the body.
Aroma is heavy with dark malts, with dark chocolate. There is a hint of vanilla and black licorice.
Taste is dominated with the heavy, dark chocolate malt. Also has caramel and molasses. There is a background bitterness from how coffee would express. There is a hint that this beer has been barrel aged, as evidenced from the higher ABV% and an aftertaste akin to bourbon and vanilla.
Nearly medium in mouth feel. Quite good carbonation.
The beer has a touch of sweetness, but also has a definitely darker and more bitter touch. The rising bubbles provide a visual show at the beer's surface.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4/4/2019

I have another bottle of Black Xantus which the label identifies 'Nectar Ales' as the brewer. The stamped bottling date is '11/22/13', which is an earlier bottling date for the first reviewed bottle. Label says "Brewed & Bottled by NECTAR ALES Paso Robles, CA 93446".
Dark brown colored body, with a partial finger width of light tan head. This head stays around as a partial cap and ring. Leaves behind some strings of lacing.
Aroma is dark malts, with chocolate, dark fruits, and vanilla.
Taste follows the smell with dark malts, heavily expressing chocolate. There is a tang akin to dark fruits, along with vanilla and bourbon barrel notes. Some toffee and anise flavors mix in.
Medium plus mouth feel. Very good carbonation.
From memory this beer is very similar to the other bottle of Black Xantus, and the rating score remains the same.
Mar 20, 2019
 
Rated: 4.04 by cd34 from Illinois

Feb 26, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by jewellrunner from Missouri

Feb 25, 2019
Photo of Mshoener
Reviewed by Mshoener from Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
The pour is lucious with an outstanding head of bubbly foam which recedes nicely and in itself tastes outstanding. The nose is pure smokey sweetness with a taste that’s thick and smooth with burnt roasted booze warming to the depths of your soul. Enjoy decadence. First time I’ve had this and def will look for more.
Feb 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.41 by Abstractspirit from Rhode Island

Nov 23, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by wisegreensoul from Idaho

Oct 14, 2018
 
Rated: 4.49 by JamesBondGA from Georgia

Oct 07, 2018
 
Rated: 3.97 by KAP1356 from Pennsylvania

Aug 24, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by teamwiggum from Wisconsin

Aug 05, 2018
Photo of Harrison8
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri

4.35/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours black with a finger of khaki foam that retains fairly well and then leaves a dense ring of foam. Aroma is heavy roasted and toasted malts with a strong smack of bitterness. There is a twinge of caramel and toffee that soften the harshness a touch. It's a hearty imperial stout that retains focus. Flavor profile is caramel, toasted, and roasted malts with a hint of caramel, toffee, and molasses. The flavor profile is a little sweeter than the aroma, but it still retains a strong bitterness. Mouth feel is medium-thick with a velvety, otherwise standard, texture. Overall, this is the embodiment of a standard imperial stout. While other imperial stouts pack in more flavor, this one retains a splendid simplicity.

Served in a Teku 3.0 from a 22oz bottle.
Aug 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.05 by sohearn from Alabama

Apr 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.28 by acashk from Texas

Dec 24, 2017
Black Xantus from Humboldt Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 1390 ratings