Hunahpu's Imperial Stout - Camazotz's
Cigar City Brewing

Opened on the 2nd anniversary of canning. Slightly cola-esque is my first thought in sight, smell, and taste. Smell and taste both present strong berry presence, a bit of peppery heat, then a cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa, and dark malt on the base. Well blended. Medium bodied, clean drinking and mildly mouth watering finish with a strong booze presence.

16oz can into a Mexican Cake wine glass


A: Pour appears viscus, opaque jet black, just under two fingers of dense mocha colored head dissipates quickly leaving no appreciable lacing. 4.25

S: Aroma is berry, toasted marshmallow, cinnamon. A bit of peppery heat, moderate port wine notes. Pleasant but very mild aroma overall. 4

T: Taste is chocolate, cinnamon, moderate berry notes, roasty char on the finish. Bit of semi sweet chocolate. 4.25

M/D: Mouthfeel is somewhat thick but not terribly so, carbonation low but appropriate, drinkability pretty good. 4.25

O: Overall, a good beer, not great. For me the berries don’t really improve, and i’m actuality probably detract from, the regular Huna. 4.25

 

Good head production and excellent retention. Body is dark enough to appear murky, but I suspect it is actually quite clear; no noticeable sediment if you slowly roll the liquid around the glass.

The blackberries have a shockingly massive influence on the nose, standing out front and center above everything else. It doesn't smell much like a stout, or even a beer; it smells like berry juice. Pleasant berry juice, mind you, but not at all what I was expecting. Perhaps a touch of peppers tingling my nose.

Smooth and creamy on the palate. While the berries still stand out - fiercely, I might add - everything else comes to play. The vanilla is noticeable up front, adding that creamy aspect to the berries. Cinnamon is prominent on the back half, with the chili peppers adding a mild, vegetal heat. Chocolate is complementary, and most noticeable in the front third. Berries are present throughout the entire sip, but this is a very pleasant aspect to the beer; they're clearly the focus and highlight (the "star" of the beer in pretentious cooking terms), but not so strong as to overwhelm (as they do the aroma). Much smoother and less roasty than base Huna.

Overall, a very nice twist on a legendary beer.

 

Canned 03/01/2022.

Chocolate-covered blackberries, vanilla, & cinnamon on the nose. Blackberry in the forefront, balanced well by notes of baker’s chocolate & a slowly building chili heat with time & temp. Needed more weight, but was pleasantly impressed with this overall.

Appearance - The beer was black in color with a slight tan head crowning the pour.

Smell - Having had regular Hunahpu moments before, this just smelled like Hunahpu with blackberries.

Taste - The spice and the chocolate of Hunahpu were balanced with the sweet no it’s of blackberry. Added an odd dimension, but it was enjoyable.

Mouthfeel - The body seemed stickier than the original. Perhaps it was just the sweetness of the berries.

Overall - I enjoyed this new wrinkle on a classic.