Big Bad Baptist - Cinnamon Roll
Epic Brewing Company

Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque in the glass with a one finger khaki head with great retention and solid lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, cinnamon, yeast, lactose and butter and a hint of cocoa and whiskey. Flavor is dark toasted malt, cinnamon, lactose, mild whiskey and a hint of cocoa and coffee. Medium bodied with moderate creaminess. Breakfast in a can. The aroma is eerily spot-on for a fresh cinnamon roll, really remarkable. The flavor does not have the same realistic character, but does have the cinnamon and bready profile. A bit sweet, but not at pastry levels.There is a little cocoa and coffee, as expected from the base malt and some whiskey from the barrels, so a little less like a cinnamon roll. On the other hand, it is a pleasant and well balanced cinnamon stout that is great to drink. I'm still blown away by the aroma, but the buttery component would have indicated diacetyl in the taste, so probably best that it is not as distinct. I'm a fan boy of this series and liked this one as well.

 

 

 

Big Bad Baptist Cinnamon Roll from Epic. Purchased at Franklin Beer (Franklin, PA) 11/03/25. 16 fl oz can, $ 12.00 (Including tax)/ $ 0.75 fl oz. Reviewed 29/03/25 (Review 3486). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom of can stamped “LOT # 21191 9 9.8%ABV.” Stored in reefer at distributor and at 39 degrees F at home: served at 55.0 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature is 63.6 degrees F.
Appearance – 4.25
First pour – Amber Brown (SRM 18), clear.
Body – Deep Brown (SRM 30), almost black, opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, ruby fading to amber at the edges.
Head – Average (Maximum 2.2 cm, aggressive center pour), wheat, high density, short retention. Drops to a 0.15 cm crown and a thin partial cap.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 4.5 – Cinnamon roll! No yeast, no malt, hops, no alcohol, no whiskey barrel. As it warms, however, some whiskey aroma appears.
Flavor – 4 – Begins short of cloyingly sweet. No yeast, no hops. No alcohol (9.8 % ABV, according to the can bottom). A bit of frosted cinnamon roll, but not as much as the nose suggests, in the background. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Slight gastric warming. Ends slightly sweet with whiskey overtones.
Palate – 4 – Medium: watery: soft but lively carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines as condensed by BA.

Final impression and summation: 4.25 Begins as an excellent cinnamon (my favorite spice) roll, not too sweet. As it warms, the cinnamon aspect fades a bit and the whiskey barrels become evident. No cacao presents itself to either my taste or nose. Still, this is the best BBB variant I’ve had in a long time, although the price point is a bit high.

Epic Big Bad Baptist Cinnamon Roll, 9.8% ABV. Pours black with a 1+ finger light-brown head that left no lacing. Aroma is coffee, icing, and strong cinnamon. Taste follows, plus cacao, faintly sweet, slightly bitter. Whiskey is well hidden. Thin mouthfeel, overall excellent.