Hunahpu's Imperial Stout | Cigar City Brewing
Brewed by:
Cigar City Brewing
Florida, United States
cigarcitybrewing.com
Style: American Double / Imperial Stout
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.00%
Availability: Spring
Notes / Commercial Description:
In Mayan myth, Hunahpu gave cocoa to the Mayans. An Imperial Stout Aged On Cacao Nibs, Madagascar Vanilla Beans, Ancho Chilis, Pasilla Chilis and Cinnamon.
80 IBU
Added by tpd975 on 01-03-2009
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 4,293 | Reviews: 824
Reviews by npala86:
More User Reviews:
5/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
If you don't like this, stop drinking beer.
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
If you don't like this, stop drinking beer.
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4.45/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
750ml brown bottle, sample sent from the brewery.
Dark crude oil color, brown head slowly dissipates to a thin but sticky lacing. Aromas of over-caramelized cinnamon buns, chocolate, mild dark fruit, and a roasty maltiness. Sweet throughout but there is so much going on here it simply is the perfect and complex Imperial Stout base. Cinnamon and chilies really pop, cocoa nibs and a fine layer of chocolate and meld well with the sweetness, vanilla adds some depth, and the alcohol really round this brew out with floral and dark fruit undertones. Clearly a sipper, a fun one at that. Its quite obvious this is one of those bucket list beers. Well worth hunting a bottle of few down.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
750ml brown bottle, sample sent from the brewery.
Dark crude oil color, brown head slowly dissipates to a thin but sticky lacing. Aromas of over-caramelized cinnamon buns, chocolate, mild dark fruit, and a roasty maltiness. Sweet throughout but there is so much going on here it simply is the perfect and complex Imperial Stout base. Cinnamon and chilies really pop, cocoa nibs and a fine layer of chocolate and meld well with the sweetness, vanilla adds some depth, and the alcohol really round this brew out with floral and dark fruit undertones. Clearly a sipper, a fun one at that. Its quite obvious this is one of those bucket list beers. Well worth hunting a bottle of few down.
686 characters
3.85/5 rDev -15.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
BOTTLE: Acquired in a trade. March 14th, 2015 vintage. 750ml (I think). Classy label design. Branded pry-off crown cap.
Expectations are sky-high given how much I loved Marshal Zhukov's. Served lightly chilled into stemware. Reviewed live as an imperial stout per the label.
No bubble show forms as it's poured.
HEAD: About 1-1.5 inches wide. Gorgeous tan colour. Creamy and full, with a gorgeous soft consistency and a good complexion. Retention is excellent for the high ABV - about 5 minutes. Leaves no lacing as it recedes.
BODY: Opaque solid black colour. No yeast particulate or hop sediment is visible.
It's a good looking imperial stout, but it's not unique or special looking.
AROMA: Attractive genuine vanilla beans (with no artificiality at all), faint cacao nibs, very restrained chilis (to the extent that I don't know I'd pick up on them if I had this in a blind tasting), dark malts lending the perfect amount of sweetness, subtle cinnamon, and maybe some chocolate malt.
It's not as expressive or deep an aroma as I hoped, but its subtlety is impressive and I find the chilis emerging more and more as it warms. Cocoa powder also emerges.
Aromatic intensity is below average.
No overt hops, yeast, off-notes, or booze are/is detectable.
TASTE & TEXTURE: The mouthfeel is near perfect, boasting a silky softness and an almost velvety presence on the palate that allows the subtle heat of the chilis (which is maybe a 2/10 in terms of intensity) to mount. Slightly powdery and tingly, bringing out the lightly coarse cinnamon spice. Cream.
The smoothness and wetness of the beer is ideal. Dark malts bring the perfect amount of sweetness. This is neither slick on the palate nor cloying. Carbonation is perfect. Aptly medium to full-bodied. I love that it's not a dessert beer, and that it's not too ashen or charred. Caramelization isn't too high.
The build is intricate, with intriguing notes of cacao nibs, vanilla beans, chilis, and cinnamon. Very balanced. As much as I like it, the depth of flavour isn't as impressive as it could be, and I hoped for a more expressive beer.
Blakelive784 suggests an oily mouthfeel, and I concur. He also notes that the roasted barley covers the acrid bitterness a bit, which dries out the mouthfeel, but I don't notice much roasted barley myself, and I find the hints of dryness in the mouthfeel well-tailored to the style and flavour profile. The thickness and heft on the palate is right on the money, though. The texture doesn't elevate the beer as a whole, but it complements it well.
There's not quite a marriage of texture and taste, but the mouthfeel is clearly designed well - and tailored to the flavour profile. Lighty chewy and somewhat viscous without being syrupy.
Constructively, the vanilla bean - nice as it is - is a bit too reticent.
OVERALL: A great sipper, but not a beer I'd want to drink a whole bottle of (even though it isn't too dessert-like or filling). The subtlety of the chili heat is a highlight, and it's incredibly well built for an imperial stout, but in terms of this niche I might prefer a beer like Copper Kettle's Mexican Chocolate Stout. Absolutely well worth trying, and another treat from Cigar City, but in terms of their straight imperial stout offerings, I prefer Marshal Zhukov's.
B+
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
BOTTLE: Acquired in a trade. March 14th, 2015 vintage. 750ml (I think). Classy label design. Branded pry-off crown cap.
Expectations are sky-high given how much I loved Marshal Zhukov's. Served lightly chilled into stemware. Reviewed live as an imperial stout per the label.
No bubble show forms as it's poured.
HEAD: About 1-1.5 inches wide. Gorgeous tan colour. Creamy and full, with a gorgeous soft consistency and a good complexion. Retention is excellent for the high ABV - about 5 minutes. Leaves no lacing as it recedes.
BODY: Opaque solid black colour. No yeast particulate or hop sediment is visible.
It's a good looking imperial stout, but it's not unique or special looking.
AROMA: Attractive genuine vanilla beans (with no artificiality at all), faint cacao nibs, very restrained chilis (to the extent that I don't know I'd pick up on them if I had this in a blind tasting), dark malts lending the perfect amount of sweetness, subtle cinnamon, and maybe some chocolate malt.
It's not as expressive or deep an aroma as I hoped, but its subtlety is impressive and I find the chilis emerging more and more as it warms. Cocoa powder also emerges.
Aromatic intensity is below average.
No overt hops, yeast, off-notes, or booze are/is detectable.
TASTE & TEXTURE: The mouthfeel is near perfect, boasting a silky softness and an almost velvety presence on the palate that allows the subtle heat of the chilis (which is maybe a 2/10 in terms of intensity) to mount. Slightly powdery and tingly, bringing out the lightly coarse cinnamon spice. Cream.
The smoothness and wetness of the beer is ideal. Dark malts bring the perfect amount of sweetness. This is neither slick on the palate nor cloying. Carbonation is perfect. Aptly medium to full-bodied. I love that it's not a dessert beer, and that it's not too ashen or charred. Caramelization isn't too high.
The build is intricate, with intriguing notes of cacao nibs, vanilla beans, chilis, and cinnamon. Very balanced. As much as I like it, the depth of flavour isn't as impressive as it could be, and I hoped for a more expressive beer.
Blakelive784 suggests an oily mouthfeel, and I concur. He also notes that the roasted barley covers the acrid bitterness a bit, which dries out the mouthfeel, but I don't notice much roasted barley myself, and I find the hints of dryness in the mouthfeel well-tailored to the style and flavour profile. The thickness and heft on the palate is right on the money, though. The texture doesn't elevate the beer as a whole, but it complements it well.
There's not quite a marriage of texture and taste, but the mouthfeel is clearly designed well - and tailored to the flavour profile. Lighty chewy and somewhat viscous without being syrupy.
Constructively, the vanilla bean - nice as it is - is a bit too reticent.
OVERALL: A great sipper, but not a beer I'd want to drink a whole bottle of (even though it isn't too dessert-like or filling). The subtlety of the chili heat is a highlight, and it's incredibly well built for an imperial stout, but in terms of this niche I might prefer a beer like Copper Kettle's Mexican Chocolate Stout. Absolutely well worth trying, and another treat from Cigar City, but in terms of their straight imperial stout offerings, I prefer Marshal Zhukov's.
B+
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4.46/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Don't fear this one - it's huge, but relatively gentle. Panda like. Wasn't as spicy as expecting. Didn't get an explosion of adjunct aromas either. They're well integrated into the fudgey body. Some spice, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa. It's pretty sweet, but I didn't find it overly so (at least not in sample pours). A beautiful stout, and worth the hype, I suppose.
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look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Don't fear this one - it's huge, but relatively gentle. Panda like. Wasn't as spicy as expecting. Didn't get an explosion of adjunct aromas either. They're well integrated into the fudgey body. Some spice, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa. It's pretty sweet, but I didn't find it overly so (at least not in sample pours). A beautiful stout, and worth the hype, I suppose.
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4.87/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
This was worth the wait. I had a very worthwhile review my wife made me take down. This is my scrubbed review. I like it. I like my wife. I like my dog. I think Jinx is a great show. Good beer. I hate snow. Go Britta Truskey
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look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
This was worth the wait. I had a very worthwhile review my wife made me take down. This is my scrubbed review. I like it. I like my wife. I like my dog. I think Jinx is a great show. Good beer. I hate snow. Go Britta Truskey
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4.99/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Really enjoyed this.
Poured thick, black, oily, very little head. Great aroma, subtle chile spice. First sips while still cold were all chocolate. As it warmed up a lot more complexity came through, no heat but some chile flavor, not much cinnamon, just good balance.
Easy to see why this was so highly rated. More please...
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look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Really enjoyed this.
Poured thick, black, oily, very little head. Great aroma, subtle chile spice. First sips while still cold were all chocolate. As it warmed up a lot more complexity came through, no heat but some chile flavor, not much cinnamon, just good balance.
Easy to see why this was so highly rated. More please...
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3.5/5 rDev -23.4%
This tastes like charcoal. High quality charcoal, but still charcoal.
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This tastes like charcoal. High quality charcoal, but still charcoal.
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4.25/5 rDev -7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Enjoyed the vertical of all Huna through 2016 bottling at a share in Denver.
2014 was the hands down favorite... years before that were beginning to fade, while years after were hot and needed some time.
I have had different bottles at different times and Huna is a treat beer. While I could down a bottle of, say, a Barrel-Aged Abraxas in one setting, Huna tends to be overwhelming sweet to me. It's a great beer, find a recent bottle... give it about two years in a cellar... and share with friends.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Enjoyed the vertical of all Huna through 2016 bottling at a share in Denver.
2014 was the hands down favorite... years before that were beginning to fade, while years after were hot and needed some time.
I have had different bottles at different times and Huna is a treat beer. While I could down a bottle of, say, a Barrel-Aged Abraxas in one setting, Huna tends to be overwhelming sweet to me. It's a great beer, find a recent bottle... give it about two years in a cellar... and share with friends.
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4.92/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Stuff is fucking magic
Pours like motor oil from a 750 ml bottle. Thick viscous and syrup scent of fudge brownies and cinnamon wafts from the snifter could this actually be above the hype...
Taste is decadent brownies with cinnamon and spice just the right amount on everything and mixed together the way you wish you had a Mexican grandma to make brownies for you
Feel is nice and mouth covering don't want to stop drinking this
Overall near perfect stout and the spice just makes everything so sinfully delicious and decadent. Like I just had my way with a brownie that fell into a can of Mexican spiced chocolates.
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look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Stuff is fucking magic
Pours like motor oil from a 750 ml bottle. Thick viscous and syrup scent of fudge brownies and cinnamon wafts from the snifter could this actually be above the hype...
Taste is decadent brownies with cinnamon and spice just the right amount on everything and mixed together the way you wish you had a Mexican grandma to make brownies for you
Feel is nice and mouth covering don't want to stop drinking this
Overall near perfect stout and the spice just makes everything so sinfully delicious and decadent. Like I just had my way with a brownie that fell into a can of Mexican spiced chocolates.
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4.47/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Pour is nearly jet black, viscosity off the charts. Very thick and oily. Hits my snifter with a small ring of khaki head, very little lacing. Smell is initially a very rich chocolate. As it warms, getting a burst of cinnamon and an interesting green apple aroma. Hints of raw pepper heat, raisins and other various dark fruit. Following the nose well, a creamy lacto decadent chocolate comes through with subtle hints of pepper and a touch a vanilla. Mouthfeel is super palate coating and thick. Sticks around for a good while.
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look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Pour is nearly jet black, viscosity off the charts. Very thick and oily. Hits my snifter with a small ring of khaki head, very little lacing. Smell is initially a very rich chocolate. As it warms, getting a burst of cinnamon and an interesting green apple aroma. Hints of raw pepper heat, raisins and other various dark fruit. Following the nose well, a creamy lacto decadent chocolate comes through with subtle hints of pepper and a touch a vanilla. Mouthfeel is super palate coating and thick. Sticks around for a good while.
527 characters
4.69/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
March 8, 2014 bottle. Dark as oil almost no head. Has chili nose and cinnamon taste but not the chocolate nibs. Like to compare with bomb!
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look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
March 8, 2014 bottle. Dark as oil almost no head. Has chili nose and cinnamon taste but not the chocolate nibs. Like to compare with bomb!
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4.68/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Wow. I'll start it off by saying get your hands on this now.
Most stouts are described as pouring like motor oil, but this thing is legit. It's so thick and creamy with just a touch of carbonation and head lacing. The spices are strong in the smell and leads you to think it'll be a spice bomb with overt sweetness. However, the taste is phenomenal and extremely well balanced. There's cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate, and coffee; none are overpowering. There's just a touch of sweetness balanced by a great bittering finish.
For once, a beer lives up to the hype. I will be getting my hands on as many of these as I can.
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look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Wow. I'll start it off by saying get your hands on this now.
Most stouts are described as pouring like motor oil, but this thing is legit. It's so thick and creamy with just a touch of carbonation and head lacing. The spices are strong in the smell and leads you to think it'll be a spice bomb with overt sweetness. However, the taste is phenomenal and extremely well balanced. There's cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate, and coffee; none are overpowering. There's just a touch of sweetness balanced by a great bittering finish.
For once, a beer lives up to the hype. I will be getting my hands on as many of these as I can.
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4.75/5 rDev +3.9%
Chilies have faded and I get no heat. I also get no heat from the alcohol.
Had a significant dark fruit characteristic which faded as it warmed. It tastes like french toast sticks dipped in chocolate and coffee. The aftertaste is a pleasant roasty note.
Mounthfeel is incredibly huge rivaled only by room temp dark lord
This beer is incredible
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Chilies have faded and I get no heat. I also get no heat from the alcohol.
Had a significant dark fruit characteristic which faded as it warmed. It tastes like french toast sticks dipped in chocolate and coffee. The aftertaste is a pleasant roasty note.
Mounthfeel is incredibly huge rivaled only by room temp dark lord
This beer is incredible
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4.49/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
this mythical beast finally found its way into my life. one of those whales you only read about, at least in my world, so to actually get to drink one was highly anticipated and a real special treat for me. im immediately surprised by how heady this is. lots of tiny bubbles accumulating on the surface of the dense but bright brown liquid. coffee stained head color, nice retention. the nose is incredibly layered, with the bitter roast of the grains coming first and foremost, followed next by a wave of smoky earthy moderately spicy chili pepper and cinnamon. i dont smell much chocolate in this, but it can certainly be tasted. the vanilla is subtle, but present throughout the aroma. booze, while high in content, is absent aromatically. the flavor is real well integrated with all of these additives. chili and cinnamon are both mild, but unmistakable. i like that they dont just flash in at the finish, but are constants throughout. the cocoa is both bitter and earthy, not sweet at all, and adds a richness to the beer. the grain itself seems bigger and darker than most other huge stouts, the base beer is undeniably awesome. vanilla gives moderate sweetness and a mature richness to the whole thing, while high carbonation keeps the prickle of the peppers coming back around and around. long flavorful finish, no heat at all on the swallow. im left feeling like i had something enormous and unexplained. seismic beer here, unlike any other. i though this was the pinnacle of the style, then i had the double barrel edition...
edit: had the wonderful experience of tasting a 2012, 2013, and 2014 side by side. it was amazing to me how quickly the cinnamon fades away over time, its almost absent from the 2013, and gone totally in the 2012. as a result, i thought the freshest year was the most dynamic. maybe one of those beers not meant to be cellared...
edit: had a 2014 yesterday, about 4 years old now, and the balance between the added ingredients seems better here than any other time i have had this, cinnamon warming but not dominant, peppers adding complexity without heat, and chocolate for days. i have liked this vintage best both fresh and aged, killer beer and absolutely enormous!
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
this mythical beast finally found its way into my life. one of those whales you only read about, at least in my world, so to actually get to drink one was highly anticipated and a real special treat for me. im immediately surprised by how heady this is. lots of tiny bubbles accumulating on the surface of the dense but bright brown liquid. coffee stained head color, nice retention. the nose is incredibly layered, with the bitter roast of the grains coming first and foremost, followed next by a wave of smoky earthy moderately spicy chili pepper and cinnamon. i dont smell much chocolate in this, but it can certainly be tasted. the vanilla is subtle, but present throughout the aroma. booze, while high in content, is absent aromatically. the flavor is real well integrated with all of these additives. chili and cinnamon are both mild, but unmistakable. i like that they dont just flash in at the finish, but are constants throughout. the cocoa is both bitter and earthy, not sweet at all, and adds a richness to the beer. the grain itself seems bigger and darker than most other huge stouts, the base beer is undeniably awesome. vanilla gives moderate sweetness and a mature richness to the whole thing, while high carbonation keeps the prickle of the peppers coming back around and around. long flavorful finish, no heat at all on the swallow. im left feeling like i had something enormous and unexplained. seismic beer here, unlike any other. i though this was the pinnacle of the style, then i had the double barrel edition...
edit: had the wonderful experience of tasting a 2012, 2013, and 2014 side by side. it was amazing to me how quickly the cinnamon fades away over time, its almost absent from the 2013, and gone totally in the 2012. as a result, i thought the freshest year was the most dynamic. maybe one of those beers not meant to be cellared...
edit: had a 2014 yesterday, about 4 years old now, and the balance between the added ingredients seems better here than any other time i have had this, cinnamon warming but not dominant, peppers adding complexity without heat, and chocolate for days. i have liked this vintage best both fresh and aged, killer beer and absolutely enormous!
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4.27/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.92/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Just attended the festival this past weekend and it was worth the hype. I had the opportunity to try a 2011 at the event and most everyone I spoke with said that this years batch is just phenomenal. The beer is darker than anything I have ever had before and the subtle notes of chili are apparent along with the dark coffee taste. I am extremely thankful that I brought enough home with me to enjoy one every couple of months.
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look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Just attended the festival this past weekend and it was worth the hype. I had the opportunity to try a 2011 at the event and most everyone I spoke with said that this years batch is just phenomenal. The beer is darker than anything I have ever had before and the subtle notes of chili are apparent along with the dark coffee taste. I am extremely thankful that I brought enough home with me to enjoy one every couple of months.
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4.75/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.5/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours thick, like used motor oil, with a temporary dark brown head.
The aroma is layered and complex without any one component overriding another. Rich roasty chocolate, ash, soft vanilla, charcoal, and spice all blend together nicely. It's actually a little hard to describe.
The taste is smoky with dark cherry, plum, chocolate and coffee, with a little sweetness mid-palate and the spice from the chiles comes in late and hits the sides of the mouth.
Slight viscosity and low carbonation work well in this stouts case. I think it would be weird if it were creamier or heavily carbonated.
Very nice, possibly a tad overrated, but worth a try for any beer nerd.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours thick, like used motor oil, with a temporary dark brown head.
The aroma is layered and complex without any one component overriding another. Rich roasty chocolate, ash, soft vanilla, charcoal, and spice all blend together nicely. It's actually a little hard to describe.
The taste is smoky with dark cherry, plum, chocolate and coffee, with a little sweetness mid-palate and the spice from the chiles comes in late and hits the sides of the mouth.
Slight viscosity and low carbonation work well in this stouts case. I think it would be weird if it were creamier or heavily carbonated.
Very nice, possibly a tad overrated, but worth a try for any beer nerd.
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Hunahpu's Imperial Stout from Cigar City Brewing
Beer rating:
4.57 out of
5 with
4,293 ratings
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