Big Bad Baptist Reserve
Epic Brewing Company
- From:
- Epic Brewing Company
- Utah, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
Ranked #565 - ABV:
- 11.6%
- Score:
- 94
Ranked #2,526 - Avg:
- 4.26 | pDev: 7.75%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 42
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 31, 2026
- Added:
- Apr 10, 2018
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 8
SCORE
94
Outstanding
94
Outstanding
The best of the best of the best... of Big Bad Baptist. That’s what Epic Brewing co-founder Dave Cole had in mind when he and his team came up with the idea for Big Bad Baptist Reserve.
Cole and his team took the brewery’s most legendary beer and carefully hand selected a limited number of the most perfect barrels, some rum and some whiskey, from the different batches and projects of the 2017/2018 “Baptist Season” and carefully blended what they thought was something special, a Big Bad Baptist of epic proportions.https://www.epicbrewing.com/news-and-events/item/9117-back-in-black-big-bad-baptist-reserve
The Reserve has only the choicest barrels of this year’s original version of Big Bad Baptist, plus beer from the best barrels from both the Baptista and Triple Barrel Baptist projects. That means it has the faintest touch of barrel-aged coconut, rum, and of course, copious amounts of artisanal coffee and cacao nibs. It does not, however, have any of the spices found in Baptista. It weighs in at 11.7% ABV and “hides every bit of it” according to Epic national sales manager Darin McGregor.
ABV varies by batch.
Cole and his team took the brewery’s most legendary beer and carefully hand selected a limited number of the most perfect barrels, some rum and some whiskey, from the different batches and projects of the 2017/2018 “Baptist Season” and carefully blended what they thought was something special, a Big Bad Baptist of epic proportions.https://www.epicbrewing.com/news-and-events/item/9117-back-in-black-big-bad-baptist-reserve
The Reserve has only the choicest barrels of this year’s original version of Big Bad Baptist, plus beer from the best barrels from both the Baptista and Triple Barrel Baptist projects. That means it has the faintest touch of barrel-aged coconut, rum, and of course, copious amounts of artisanal coffee and cacao nibs. It does not, however, have any of the spices found in Baptista. It weighs in at 11.7% ABV and “hides every bit of it” according to Epic national sales manager Darin McGregor.
ABV varies by batch.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by trevormajor:
Reviewed by trevormajor from Ohio
4.68/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.68/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
22 oz bottle, 2019 vintage, poured into a snifter at 50 degrees F:
L - dark and oily with no head
S - molasses, coffee, rum, bourbon
T - coffee and rum/bourbon, chocolate, molasses
F - thick mouthfeel with no carbonation
O - very nice, served colder than I like, so may get better as it warms
Oct 18, 2021L - dark and oily with no head
S - molasses, coffee, rum, bourbon
T - coffee and rum/bourbon, chocolate, molasses
F - thick mouthfeel with no carbonation
O - very nice, served colder than I like, so may get better as it warms
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania
4.59/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.59/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
At the brewery in Salt Lake City, 5/31/26
Gorgeous opaque black. Not much. Head. Ever so slight ring of tiny dark-tan bubbles around the edge.
Aroma -deep thick rich sweet molasses, bourbon, chocolate.
Taste, sweet sticky bourbon and brown sugar, finished molasses on the end.
Feel - Velvety Smith and quite warming
May 31, 2026Gorgeous opaque black. Not much. Head. Ever so slight ring of tiny dark-tan bubbles around the edge.
Aroma -deep thick rich sweet molasses, bourbon, chocolate.
Taste, sweet sticky bourbon and brown sugar, finished molasses on the end.
Feel - Velvety Smith and quite warming
Reviewed by colts9016 from Idaho
3.84/5 rDev -9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.84/5 rDev -9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Review: 2430
Name: Big Bad Baptist
Brewery: Epic Brewing
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Style: Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
ABV: 11.6%
Canned: Unknown Batch 5
Date: 19 June 2025
The Baptist Series has had its highs and lows. I truly wanted the series to have excellent beer; that has not been the case. I know this beer is at least five or six years old. The cap is waxed, and it comes off in three pieces. Prying off the cap, I got no hiss. I am using a tulip glass and serving the beer at 50 degrees. The pour created a creamy, one-fingered, light tan head with average retention. The dissipation left no lacing on the glass. The beer is inky black with dark rusty brown hues, charting at SRM 36, and opaque. The appearance of the beer is average for this style.
Nosing the glass, oak, bourbon, molasses, anise, vanilla, rum, resin, raisins, dark roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, char, earthiness, tobacco, leather, and a delicate floral bouquet.
Sipping the beer, it is evident that it had an onslaught of barrel treatments, with notes of oak, resin, orange peel, vanilla, rum, bourbon, and earthiness. Other flavors are molasses, anise, dark chocolate, dark roasted malts, leather, tobacco floral bouquets, raisins, dates, and medium-roasted coffee.
The mouthfeel is slightly astringent and finishes warm. The body is heavy and has medium carbonation.
Final Thought: This beer is way too boozy, especially for a five—or six-year-old beer. The barrel aging is overkill, hiding the quality of the base stout. I love barrel beer, but this was too much. Once again, The Baptist failed to bless my palate.
Jun 20, 2025Name: Big Bad Baptist
Brewery: Epic Brewing
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Style: Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
ABV: 11.6%
Canned: Unknown Batch 5
Date: 19 June 2025
The Baptist Series has had its highs and lows. I truly wanted the series to have excellent beer; that has not been the case. I know this beer is at least five or six years old. The cap is waxed, and it comes off in three pieces. Prying off the cap, I got no hiss. I am using a tulip glass and serving the beer at 50 degrees. The pour created a creamy, one-fingered, light tan head with average retention. The dissipation left no lacing on the glass. The beer is inky black with dark rusty brown hues, charting at SRM 36, and opaque. The appearance of the beer is average for this style.
Nosing the glass, oak, bourbon, molasses, anise, vanilla, rum, resin, raisins, dark roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, char, earthiness, tobacco, leather, and a delicate floral bouquet.
Sipping the beer, it is evident that it had an onslaught of barrel treatments, with notes of oak, resin, orange peel, vanilla, rum, bourbon, and earthiness. Other flavors are molasses, anise, dark chocolate, dark roasted malts, leather, tobacco floral bouquets, raisins, dates, and medium-roasted coffee.
The mouthfeel is slightly astringent and finishes warm. The body is heavy and has medium carbonation.
Final Thought: This beer is way too boozy, especially for a five—or six-year-old beer. The barrel aging is overkill, hiding the quality of the base stout. I love barrel beer, but this was too much. Once again, The Baptist failed to bless my palate.
Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania
3.81/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Release #6
A - Pitch black pour with dense caramel lacing.
S - Toasted cocoa, chocolate, and light alcohol.
T - Toasted cocoa, chocolate, Rum, and light molasses.
M - Big medium body with a sticky residue on the lips.
O - Unfortunately, was kinda "meh", but solid.
Oct 25, 2023A - Pitch black pour with dense caramel lacing.
S - Toasted cocoa, chocolate, and light alcohol.
T - Toasted cocoa, chocolate, Rum, and light molasses.
M - Big medium body with a sticky residue on the lips.
O - Unfortunately, was kinda "meh", but solid.
Reviewed by Christianriveraaa
3.79/5 rDev -11%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -11%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a snifter - jet black pour with minimal lacing.
Aromas of dark chocolate, coffee, malts, whiskey barrels.
Taste follows the nose with the a sweet whiskey chocolate flavor. The whiskey is way to heavy on this one and dominates most of the flavors. Way to boozy in my opinion.
Feel is medium heavy to full bodied. ABV sips as it is. Not a easy sipper and kind of struggled to get through this.
Overall the whiskey dominates the flavor and makes it tough to sip on as if I'm sipping on whiskey straight. I only bought this because I thought the other variants were interesting but wouldn't recommend to buy this one.
May 25, 2023Aromas of dark chocolate, coffee, malts, whiskey barrels.
Taste follows the nose with the a sweet whiskey chocolate flavor. The whiskey is way to heavy on this one and dominates most of the flavors. Way to boozy in my opinion.
Feel is medium heavy to full bodied. ABV sips as it is. Not a easy sipper and kind of struggled to get through this.
Overall the whiskey dominates the flavor and makes it tough to sip on as if I'm sipping on whiskey straight. I only bought this because I thought the other variants were interesting but wouldn't recommend to buy this one.
Reviewed by MadMadMike from France
4.34/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
22 oz wax sealed bottle, Release #6, Bottle #7205, 2021 vint, made in Salt Lake City, UT. Poured into an Angry Chair snifter at 53°
L - Deep black, zero foam
S - Coffee up front, mild bourbon notes, vanilla.
T - Coffee comes right at you. Everything else develops in a long finish; bourbon and rum barrel, oak char, dark cacao, a little vanilla sweetness, alcohol, but no burn.
F - Sleek mouthfeel, medium carbonation. Not too viscous.
O - I had another bottle and drank it when I got it. Put this one away for a year and I’m glad I did. Lots of the characteristics and subtlies of the blend exposed themselves in front of the 12.1% ABV. Good adjunct Stout sipper..
Sep 04, 2022L - Deep black, zero foam
S - Coffee up front, mild bourbon notes, vanilla.
T - Coffee comes right at you. Everything else develops in a long finish; bourbon and rum barrel, oak char, dark cacao, a little vanilla sweetness, alcohol, but no burn.
F - Sleek mouthfeel, medium carbonation. Not too viscous.
O - I had another bottle and drank it when I got it. Put this one away for a year and I’m glad I did. Lots of the characteristics and subtlies of the blend exposed themselves in front of the 12.1% ABV. Good adjunct Stout sipper..
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut
4.14/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.14/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Good head production and retention considering the ABV, barrel treatment, additives, and blending.
Nose is incredibly strong, giving away notes of bourbon, chocolate, and coffee from the pour. Up close, it's a touch sharper, with more oak, light char, and molasses and licorice notes from the malt base.
Very complex on the palate, with a ton going on in different stages. Up front, it's almost light and bitter, featuring char, oak, and coffee. It builds some richness in the middle, likely imparted by the chocolate, bourbon, and the heavy malt base. More char on the finish, with some bitter chocolate notes, as well as a fairly significant liqueur flavor.
A touch boozy on the finish, and just a little thinner than I prefer in a big stout like this.
Nov 27, 2021Nose is incredibly strong, giving away notes of bourbon, chocolate, and coffee from the pour. Up close, it's a touch sharper, with more oak, light char, and molasses and licorice notes from the malt base.
Very complex on the palate, with a ton going on in different stages. Up front, it's almost light and bitter, featuring char, oak, and coffee. It builds some richness in the middle, likely imparted by the chocolate, bourbon, and the heavy malt base. More char on the finish, with some bitter chocolate notes, as well as a fairly significant liqueur flavor.
A touch boozy on the finish, and just a little thinner than I prefer in a big stout like this.
Reviewed by crm871 from Utah
4.34/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Look: Pours pitch black with almost no head. Was a very slight copper colored head but didn’t stay for long.
Smell: Boozy aroma mixed with chocolate, dried fruits, caramel, molasses. Aromas blend together well and make for an enticing nose.
Taste: Chocolate, molasses, malts, cinnamon, all with a boozy twist. The booze tastes like a nice mixture of whiskey and rum. Really nice and complex blend of flavors going on in this.
Feel: Full body, carbonation felt right for this one, hits obviously heavy given the ABV it carries.
Overall: Excellent offering, a formidable beer in the Big Bad Baptist series. Heavy price tag but worth the cost.
Jul 06, 2021Smell: Boozy aroma mixed with chocolate, dried fruits, caramel, molasses. Aromas blend together well and make for an enticing nose.
Taste: Chocolate, molasses, malts, cinnamon, all with a boozy twist. The booze tastes like a nice mixture of whiskey and rum. Really nice and complex blend of flavors going on in this.
Feel: Full body, carbonation felt right for this one, hits obviously heavy given the ABV it carries.
Overall: Excellent offering, a formidable beer in the Big Bad Baptist series. Heavy price tag but worth the cost.
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