Maple Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break
Evil Twin Brewing

MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

4.46/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle. No dating information found on bottle nor on label.
Black colored body. Dark tan fizzy head disappears right away, but there is active surface action from rising bubbles, which leaves a thin ring. Each sip leaves behind thin irregular lines of lacing.
Big bourbon note on the nose, along with cinnamon, chocolate, and vanilla. The aroma is dense and deep. There is a wisp of peppers. Has a very solid core of dark roasted malts.
The taste seems sweet at first, and then towards the end there is a slight burn from the peppers. I get a flavor that reminds me of shredded coconut, but this is likely from the vanilla and almond. The chocolate is quite prominent. The cinnamon I get is mixed with the peppers, for that spice note.
Mouth feel is medium, but the texture is quite smooth, and has a slight mouth coating effect. Allowing the beer to sit on the tongue really brings out the pepper sting. Lower than average carbonation.
The maple really stands out at the beginning, and adds to the sweetness, and adds to the syrup quality. The bourbon is more evident in the aroma, and while it adds to the flavor, the bourbon does not overwhelm. Well balanced and full of flavors. Except for the bourbon nose, the alcohol is well hidden in the drinking experience. The coffee blends well with the other flavors and does not bring out any bitterness.

Jun 27, 2019

superspak from North Carolina

4.35/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bottle into snifter, no bottle dating. Pours dense pitch black color with a 1 finger fairly dense and fluffy dark brown brad with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, medium roasted coffee, roasted almonds, cinnamon, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, maple syrup, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, biscuit, and dark/brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, habanero peppers, smoke, raisin, prune, fig, date, leather, tobacco, herbal, and yeast/roast/toast/oaky earthiness. A bit too fruity/yeasty, increasing barrel booze as it warms, but not overwhelming. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malts, coffee, cinnamon, almond, cocoa nibs, vanilla, maple bourbon barrels, and light-moderate habanero pepper notes; with great strength. Taste of huge milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, medium roasted coffee, roasted almonds, cinnamon, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, maple syrup, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, biscuit, and dark/brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, habanero peppers, smoke, raisin, prune, fig, date, leather, tobacco, herbal, and yeast/roast/toast/oaky earthiness. Very mild herbal, grassy, roasted bitterness; and bourbon/oak, cinnamon, habanero spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, medium roasted coffee, roasted almonds, cinnamon, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, maple syrup, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, biscuit, dark/brown bread/crust, light molasses/licorice/pepper, smoke, dark fruit, leather, tobacco, herbal, and yeast/roast/toast/oaky earthiness on the finish for a while. Amazing complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, coffee, cinnamon, almond, cocoa nibs, vanilla, maple bourbon barrels, and light-moderate habanero pepper flavors; with a great roasted bitter/sweet and bourbon/oak/spicy balance; with no cloying, acrid, astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness, cinnamon/pepper spiciness, and bourbon/oak tannins after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/velvety/bready, and lightly slick/sticky/chalky/tannic mouthfeel that is fantastic. Mild increasing warmth of 10.5%, with minimal lingering barrel booze or pepper heat after the finish. Overall this is an amazing spiced/flavored imperial stout! All around incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, coffee, cinnamon, almond, cocoa nibs, vanilla, maple bourbon barrels, and light-moderate habanero pepper flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the big ABV, with the mildly bitter/spicy/tannic/drying finish. Perfectly balanced between rich malts, flavorings, and maple bourbon barrel presence/integration. Not overwhelming on any aspect. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing style example. Not as spicy as I expected(likely mellowed out from aging); but still top tier for a flavored stout as expected of both breweries. Probably the original 1.5 year old release.

Apr 10, 2019

The_Mancannon_of_Slothrop from Wyoming

4.14/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Don't get me wrong it's a very nice-tasting beer. But I was a little surprised at the lack of a burn, especially since the aroma promised more spice than what I got. Personally would not have known there were habaneros added had it not been advertised on the bottle. Most of the spice comes from the cinnamon, I think. Anyway, along with cinnamon--dark chocolate, anise, vanilla. Not really getting so much coffee, but I think the smoky/charcoalish note might be a product of that. So, all in all, still very tasty. Well-balanced too, with a good smooth full-bodied mouthfeel.

Apr 07, 2019

colts9016 from Idaho

4.42/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I got this beer with maple barrel and biscotti, plus a load of other ingredients. The ingredient list somewhat long. I think they will work together, I will see. I served the beer in a tulip glass at 45 degrees. The pour on the beer produced a one finger dark brown head that is creamy and frothy. The retention on the head is dismal. It came and went particularly fast. The color of the beer is SRM 37 dark brown nearly black. No other visible signs. I did notice the beer was gurgling out of the bottle like syrup.

The initial aroma of the beer is maple and vanilla, and bourbon. Next, I get green vegetables, dark chocolate, molasses, anise, dark roasted malt, char, soy sauce, smokiness, oranges, wood, herbal, floral, peppery, cereal, malty sweetness, burnt sugar, baking spices, alcohol, and nutty.

The flavors of the beer explode on the palate. I get nuts, bourbon, vanilla, char, smokiness, cereal grains, cake, wood, oranges, dark chocolate, deep earthiness, herbal, floral, burnt sugar baking spices, malty sweetness, molasses, toffee, oats, caramel, roasted malts, anise, and alcohol warming. The peppery notes come on the back end of the beer after the alcohol warms your throat the pepper linger to let you know hey I am here.

The mouthfeel of the beer is chewy and dry.

The body of the beer is full, low carbonation, and a full finish.

This beer is incredible. The flavors abound and are endless. I only pulled the flavors that are familiar to me. I was worried that this beer was overloaded with ingredients, somehow it works harmoniously. The beer has balance and loads of flavor.

Jan 28, 2019

Roguer from Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Fizzy head, quickly disappearing.

Strong, boozy nose. Some maple and coconut, and some bourbon.

Sweet, strong, dark, spicy. Maple shines through, and there’s plenty of habanero heat.

Sep 19, 2018

WOLFGANG from South Carolina

4.38/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

8/23/18 2017 Vintage bottle 4.38/5 This variant is lesser on the heat with all the maple-sweetened, bourbon goodness. Not as subtle on the vanilla and coconut.

Aug 25, 2018

strohme2 from Michigan

4.04/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle, don’t see a date but picked up early 2018. Poured into a tulip.
Dark as night with a luscious chocolate color head. Little to no stickiness and it recedes quickly. The nose is prunes, molasses, vanilla and ethanol.
Holy sweetness! I’m not comparing this to CBS or any other maple beer out there but this is not CBS. Chocolate fudge, hot fudge, all the fudge. There’s vanilla, just a hint of spice, cinnamon and maple candy. It finishes with some woodiness or bourbon, but mostly maple syrup. There’s no heat. It’s very sweet.
One thing it has is that velvety, chewy body. I long for stouts with that mouthfeel.
While this beer sounds interesting, the maple barrel just overpowers the beer. I much prefer the non BA version to this.

Aug 21, 2018

ThickNStout from Georgia

4.51/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle from a friend. Served in a Barrel and Barley teku. Enjoyed 7/26/18.

Pours midnight black with a fingers worth of deep tan head. Almost no retention- a spotty rail and little else.

Smells of maple glazed brownies, bourbon, cinnamon, wet wood and some distant chili peppers.

Deliciously sweet booze is my first impression on the flavor. Chocolate, bourbon, maple syrup, coffee, almond cookies, wet woodsy vanilla, cinnamon, coconut, vague peppers and a noticeable element of alcohol. Layer upon layers of complementary tastes make for an enjoyable sipper.

Full, robust body with gentle carbonation. The finish is like bourbon soaked maple glazed chocolate spice cake.

Westbrook and Evil Twin work well together and this os no exception. A decadently delicious barrel treatment for an already successful collaboration. I highly recommend giving this a try if you have the opportunity.

Aug 02, 2018

Jwale73 from Rhode Island

4.09/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an inky black with a mocha-colored head that quickly dissipates towards the edges. Nose is rich and decadent - rich chocolate, maple syrup and a hint of cinnamon. Taste reveals cinnamon upfront, followed by maple and rolling into a long, lingering chocolatey quality. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body with an even carbonation. Overall, a nice balance of flavors without being cloying. The barrel adds a nice element to the base beer.

May 11, 2018

Stevedore from Oregon

4.09/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

650ml bottle, served in a snifter glass. Pours a dark black body, oily with a fair bit of leg, one finger mocha head, not much in way of retention or lacing. Smell is chili pepper, a bit of vanillin, whiskey, dark chocolate and cocoa, light earth and a touch of ashy smoke. The maple seems to contribute a slight sweetness as well, but otherwise this seems more or less like a bourbon Mexican Cake variant. Flavour is similar; slightly ashy, hot bourbon that complements the spicy peppers, light vanillin, cocoa, milk and dark chocolate, more cocoa and sweet brown sugar. Again, not a ton of maple here. This is tasting like a poor man's bourbon Mexican Cake. Mouthfeel is thin, fairly appropriately carbonated nevertheless, but I guess all the adjuncts have thinned this one out. Spicy chilis and whiskey heat on the finish.

Apr 17, 2018

stevoj from Idaho

4.35/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottle from Doug. Inky black pour, small ring of head. Aroma is a melange of sweet goodies, ; maple, chocolate, almonds. Taste too blends these great flavors together, adds some booziness, slick and smooth. Sweetness and heat linger on the palate.

Mar 29, 2018

Alieniloquium from Florida

3.18/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

650 mL bottle. Black body. Smells of peppers, strong oak, bourbon. Maybe some maple? Tastes of bourbon, some maple sweetness, chocolate. Back end has some pepper, but not enough balance the sugars. Heavy body. Quite sweet. Strong barrel and even stronger sweetness.

Mar 23, 2018

Treyliff from West Virginia

4.6/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- pours deep black and viscous with a one-finger creamy khaki colored head that reduces to a thick ring around the edge

S- adjuncts all around! Pepper skin aroma definitely leads the way, as well as a big maple/bourbon aroma. Undertones of coffee, vanilla, cinnamon, almond, figs, raisins. There's also a distinctive tequila note that I'm guessing is primarily from the pepper.

T- dark chocolate mocha nutty fudge up front, enhances by a maple sweetness. Mid-palate brings out more adjuncts, with pepper skin leading the way, more so in flavor than heat, followed by vanilla cream, cinnamon & cocoa. The finish brings out some oaky and nutty notes, and lingers of pepper, chocolate & maple

M- heavy body with moderate carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel that continues into a slightly warming finish

O- all the adjuncts are there and nearly perfectly balanced, outstanding

Mar 16, 2018

IvoryFoxhole from Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Expensive bottle obtained in November, 2017. Refrigerated until today. Poured into Aslin anniversary glass and allowed to warm for an hour.

L: Dark brown or black. Small brown head with almost no retention, no cap and ring or lacing.

S: Lots going on here. Barrel and roasted malts and almond come through the most in front. Chocolate and unsweetened cocoa.

T: Wow. Very big with chocolate, cocoa, roasted malts, and bourbon barrel. Some vanilla and cinnamon come through with a little almond. Only a small hint of chili and alcohol heat on finish.

F: Medium to full bodied, practically no carbonation. Exemplary construction and balance. Can only imagine what some aging would do. Full of flavor.

O: Right up there with and maybe slightly ahead of BOMB! and just a little behind Mexican Brunch. Expensive, though.

Feb 18, 2018

Vidblain from Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Absolutely outstanding. To think... I'd contemplated trading my bottle away before trying it. So glad that I did not!

Cake Break (I'm not spelling out the full name, sorry!) is what a beer experience should be - it has a fantastic nose, full of chocolate, vanilla, coconut, coffee, and maple. It delivers in spades in the taste and mouth feel - there is a bit of dry barrel presence in the mix there, and the chocolate and coconut are tremendous. I think it may have lost a bit of the Westbrook Mexican Cake to it - there's no appreciable spice to it - but what came of the collab is still a fantastic beer. I'm quite impressed.

The price tag on this beer was daunting, but I feel like it truly delivers. Excellent, and highly recommended.

Feb 04, 2018

mothman from Minnesota

4.42/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Tan head. Black color. Thick and oil like.

So many flavors going on here and it isn’t a mess. Cocoa and coffee show a lot. Has a cola or Dr Pepper flavor. The almonds are there with some vanilla sweetness. As it warms more maple shows. When colder more peppers showed. Bourbon is there, but the other flavors show more.

Thick and full bodied. A little dry, but mainly clean.

This beer has so much going on with it. Not as good as Bourbon Cake, but up there with a few of the other BA cakes.

Jan 12, 2018

Damian from Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Drank from a 1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle purchased at Craft Beer Cellar, Belmont, MA
Served in a snifter

Review #1475

Spectacular appearance. The ridiculously thick and viscous, absolute pitch black body foreshadowed what was yet to come. Super oily looking in the glass. There was no real head or any lacing but just a few saddle brown wisps atop the liquid and along the sides of the glass.

The aroma was amazing. Maple notes dominated but were not too overwhelming. Loads of fresh vanilla bean. Huge bourbon presence. Chocolate fudge also came strong through. Big roasted malt and brown sugar notes. Quite sweet overall but not exceedingly so. As the beer warmed, subtle spice notes appeared. Cinnamon was most noticeable. Unfortunately, however, I could not detect any coffee or habanero.

The flavor profile was also outstanding and closely mimicked the nose. Boatloads of maple. Big roasted and caramel malt notes. Vanilla came through strong in the center. Some rich, fudgey, dark chocolate too. Sweet but not to the point of being cloying. Huge bourbon presence on the back end. The beer was a quite boozy but not overly so. Some of the heat might have also been from the habaneros. The beer finished with a big bourbony kick and some lingering maple sweetness.

Outstanding mouthfeel. Incredibly rich, thick and decadent. Super smooth and supple on the palate. The liquid contained a fine, frothy, tongue blanketing effervescence.

At a staggering $42 a bottle, I had serious reservations with pulling the trigger on this beer. Thankfully, however, I did. Maple Bourbon Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break is an amazingly rich, complex, intense and all-around enjoyable pastry stout that drank far bigger than its 10.5% ABV might suggest. Despite the fact that the coffee, Mexican spice and habanero notes were almost entirely absent in both the aroma and the flavor, the beer was still incredible. I am really looking forward to trying the Double Barrel version of this as well.

Jan 04, 2018

avalon07 from South Carolina

4.49/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

L: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a dark brown / black color and an opaque consistency. There was a thin, creamy, tan-colored head that quickly dissipated. Not much lacing here.

S: A big, alluring aroma of maple, roasted malt, bourbon, coffee, chocolate, spices, peppers, and vanilla.

T: Tasted of a fair shot of bourbon (and the accompanying barrel), a big heap of maple syrup, some habanero peppers (in the finish), a hint of vanilla, coffee, chocolate, and spices (cinnamon), There's a whole lot of character in the flavor here. Quite complex, focused and lively as well.

F: A fair amount of carbonation with a super smooth finish. Full-bodied.

O: Some might think the maple content in this beer is too much, but others will love it. Well made and very, very tasty.

Dec 22, 2017

StonedTrippin from Colorado

4.35/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

the price of this was just absurd, north of 30 bucks a pop, and im not sure how many beers out there of any persuasion could justify a price like this, but i bit the bullet anyway being a maple freak and having enjoyed other collaborations between these two. it pours a slick shiny black, with long legs and a short but thick and frothy head, the additives in here re unique, and they can be appreciated right way in the nose, i get the barrels right away, heavy maple for sure, almost like it was back sweetened with actual maple syrup post fermentation, it even has the texture like it was too when i start drinking it. the maple is not at the expense of the whiskey though, that aspect is strong as well, vanilla and booze mostly, some brown sugar and some burnt oak. the pepper is cool, its most definitely habanero, with a citrus quality with the heat, i get them more here in both aroma and flavor than i ever did in original mexican cake, oddly enough. maybe they are just needed more here so i pick up on them more, tough saying why this is the case, but it is. there is heaps of cocoa to this too, a needed roasty bitterness to balance the absurd sugar content in here, and a fudge aspect in the nose as well cake batter or something. i smell more cinnamon than i ened up tasting, and the almonds are inconsequential as far as i can tell, maybe a slight amaretto note in the finish of the flavor or perhaps adding to this ginormous body, but thats about it and their specific contribtion remains a bit of a mystery to me. so much maple in the flavor, the good stuff too, nice with the whiskey underneath and all the rich dar malts in here. this is nicely complex and fully wintery, the pepper heat warming it up around the same instant that the alcohol does. chocolate for miles its great throughout, it picks up the barrel char and the wood, forming a huge low end bass note to this, and the sweetness needs this sort of grounding. overall a really cool beer, notes of cola, vanilla, and brownie all mix together well with the maple, but i cant get behind this pricing, no matter what they pay for one of these unique maple barrels, its just mental, and frankly, good as it is, its not that good when i factor in price. i love maple more than anyone, but i felt a little let down by this. when you pay a price like that, you want it to change your life, and this wasnt even close to that. exceptional beer, but ill never revisit it again, and feel slightly ripped off, not because it isnt awesome, but because it doesnt need to cost anywhere near this much...

Dec 17, 2017

Greywulfken from New York

4.06/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

You know the drill: features coffee, cinnamon, almonds, cocoa nibs, vanilla, and habanero peppers, but this time aged in maple bourbon barrels... Inky black beer produced little by way of head and left a fairly clean glass behind... I am not a huge fan of the Mexican Cake/Biscotti Break collab, but I do like the individual beers. My particular take is that the combination of flavors dilutes the character of each, while presenting an overall somewhat muddled mess of a stout. Bourbon barrel aging it, particularly in maple barrels, didn't necessarily improve on that. The high sticker price in my area ($25-30?) is also frustrating since I don't feel like its worth it, but that's on me, as I could have held off on the buy.

Alright, after that somewhat gloomy preamble, here's what I got: My particular palate really picked up on the almonds and chocolate, with that tingle of spice, cinnamon/habanero, tickling my tongue and a slight air or bourbon vapor hitting the roof of my mouth. Not getting much I'd attribute to coffee, but I do detect a maple sweetness, although I'm finding it a bit too sweet - not cloying, but I'm not really digging it. The feel is full-bodied and smooth, all sweet, with little to no roast, and no drying on the finish. Has a sticky feeling, and again, a bit of a tingle of heat.

It's not bad, and I'm sure it's received differently by many, but to my tastes, a bit overdone without delivering anything really memorable.

Dec 10, 2017

edisacoolcat from Virginia

4.44/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A opaque black with no head. Low to no visible carbonation

A maple bourbon coffee vanilla a little plum an fig. Mild roasted notes fill out an excellent nose.

F hot chocolate on a fall Vermont morning. Lots of chocolate maple and vanilla. A lite spicy pepper component and caramel and fig notes to compliment

M medium full body with nice lite carbonation. Velvety chocolate finish with lingering spicy pepper and maple

O: excellent beer with enormous amount off flavors. If you like hot chocolate and maple. This is for you.

Nov 25, 2017

Dragginballs76 from South Carolina

4.34/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - Pours jet black with thin mocha color head that dissipates quickly no lacing.

Aroma- Lots of vanilla, oak, bourbon, roasted malts, rich chocolate and sweet maple syrup. The aromas are really well balanced.

Taste - taste is similar to the aroma, maple, vanilla, bitter chocolate, oak the bourbon is a little more pronounced in the taste than the nose but still very tasty.

Feel - Full bodied creamy feel nice and warming with a little heat from the bourbon.

Overall - Really well done, I was not a huge fan of the base beer but the maple and bourbon work well in this one.

Nov 21, 2017

deadonhisfeet from Kentucky

4.54/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed at a bottle share with some great folks. Poured from a bottle into a small tasting glass. The pour is black with a sliver of very dark brown head. The nose has tons of cocoa, vanilla, baker's chocolate, and toasted oak.

The beer is full-bodied with a creamy feel and an intense, complex flavor. Very fudgy up front with a lace of sweet cream, vanilla, and oak. At mid-palate the peppers and spices start to creep in, adding new dimensions to the flavor. The beer finishes warm and spicy, leaving behind a bit of burn from both alcohol and pepper. Thoroughly delicious and satisfying.

A stupendous beer and one to seek out, but brace yourself before you get to the checkout counter. This one is not cheap.

Nov 20, 2017

BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.52/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Look out decadence, you may have met your match! The work on this illustrious collaboration lands both the Westbrook and Evil Twin masterminds at the precipice of all thing spice, booze, savory and sweet and they call it an impossibly long name.

But Maple Bourbon Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break (whew!) delivers with an impressive aroma of the best pancakes you've ever had, along with dark coffee, spice cake, burnt sugars, molasses, bourbon and vanilla. Deep within its ominous black austere, the simmering sepia stained cap holds a plethora of sweetness underneath. That's when those flavors of maple syrup, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, chocolate and sorghum explode on the very first sip.

After that the entire palate is awash with decadence, sweetness and savory effects. Swooning the middle palate, the beer quickly reaches dessert-like proportions with each and every tastebud bathing in the reckless sugars that are tied together with cinnamon, vanilla and chili peppers. Spicy, savory and sweet, the finish is everlasting. Its late palate is teeth churningly sugary but dampened with the boozy effects of straight Kentucky whisky.

Unappologetically full, lavish and lush, the beer's textures never attempt dryness or drinkability, rather basking in the realm of sipping, savoring and long contemplation, this beer easily replaces the fine elixirs of port, madeira or sherry as an after dinner digestive. Save for strong cheeses, dark nuts and berries, this beer will easily overwhelm most other pairings. Any cellar potential will likely yield only moderate improvement as most of the umami flavors are at it peak already.

Oct 31, 2017

metter98 from New York

4.15/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a short tan head that died down, leaving lacing on the surface and a narrow collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of maple are present in the nose.
T: The taste is mostly dominated by moderate flavors of maple and bourbon from the barrel aging. None of the Mexican spices are initially perceptible, although some hints of habanero peppers are noticeable in the finish as the beer warms up.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The maple syrup in this beer overpowers the underlying flavors in this beer (particularly the habanero peppers) but this is a nice maple bourbon barrel aged stout in itself. It does a very good job at hiding the alcohol from the taste.

Serving type: bottle

Oct 29, 2017