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Barbary Coast
Almanac Beer Co.
- From:
- Almanac Beer Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 89
- Avg:
- 3.96 | pDev: 7.07%
- Reviews:
- 43
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 27, 2021
- Added:
- Dec 05, 2015
- Wants:
- 7
- Gots:
- 27
Imperial Stout with cocoa nibs, vanilla, chili flakes and oak staves
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BeerBobber:
Reviewed by BeerBobber from Nevada
4.1/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.1/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours out as black as night with a small brown head that quickly goes away.
Smells like stone fruit with some vanilla and dark roasted malts.
Taste is of vanilla and chocolate, the sweet variety of chocolate and not the bittersweet variety. Has a bit of a peppery taste with some alcohol taste on the flavor. Also picking up on some wood flavoring like in a bourbon. Getting some stone fruits, raisins and figs, as well.
Mouth is sticky and medium. Has a kind of fizzy appearance on the tongue.
At 10% ABV you can feel the warming as this one goes down. Surprisingly easy drinking and damn tasty. While this is a big stout it is still an easy drinking beer. For big stout fans this one is a must try.
Apr 03, 2017Smells like stone fruit with some vanilla and dark roasted malts.
Taste is of vanilla and chocolate, the sweet variety of chocolate and not the bittersweet variety. Has a bit of a peppery taste with some alcohol taste on the flavor. Also picking up on some wood flavoring like in a bourbon. Getting some stone fruits, raisins and figs, as well.
Mouth is sticky and medium. Has a kind of fizzy appearance on the tongue.
At 10% ABV you can feel the warming as this one goes down. Surprisingly easy drinking and damn tasty. While this is a big stout it is still an easy drinking beer. For big stout fans this one is a must try.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by DefenCorps from Oregon
3.78/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Crowler from Uptown Market. 2016 vintage.
A very dark brown with a brown head that recedes rapidly leaving no lacing, this looks solid. The nose is great. Despite the age, the chili pepper character is still noticeable, lending a toasted heat to the nose. Vanilla, oak and dark chocolate are present, the oak being a particularly raw and potent yet still well-integrated, a blend of fresh wood and vanilla. Mildly ashy on the nose with some roast and brown sugar. The palate opens with a blend of brown sugar, caramel and toffee, along with a nice, tempering chili heat, earthy and woodsy. Vanilla and oak dominate the mid palate with the high level of tannins shockingly well-integrated into the mouthfeel. A touch ashy on the finish with cocoa, vanilla and lots of oak woodiness present. A hair disjointed on the finish. Tannins dry out the palate nicely. Medium full in body and softly carbonated, this feels solid on the palate.
Dec 12, 2020A very dark brown with a brown head that recedes rapidly leaving no lacing, this looks solid. The nose is great. Despite the age, the chili pepper character is still noticeable, lending a toasted heat to the nose. Vanilla, oak and dark chocolate are present, the oak being a particularly raw and potent yet still well-integrated, a blend of fresh wood and vanilla. Mildly ashy on the nose with some roast and brown sugar. The palate opens with a blend of brown sugar, caramel and toffee, along with a nice, tempering chili heat, earthy and woodsy. Vanilla and oak dominate the mid palate with the high level of tannins shockingly well-integrated into the mouthfeel. A touch ashy on the finish with cocoa, vanilla and lots of oak woodiness present. A hair disjointed on the finish. Tannins dry out the palate nicely. Medium full in body and softly carbonated, this feels solid on the palate.
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
3.66/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.66/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Draft at BitterCreek. Dark brown with small beige head. Aroma is mix of chocolate and roast malts. Taste follows with more of the same, nice texture, but finishes fast.
Aug 12, 2020Reviewed by Skywave from Oklahoma
3.89/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.89/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours up an inky dark brown and not much head retention. Aroma is hot fudge, Hershey syrup, Mole sauce, brown sugar. Flavor is chocolatey and a bit spicy. Much like a mole sauce. MF is big and sticky. Good stuff. If Prairie Bomb is too much, try this.
Feb 07, 2018Reviewed by archer1006 from Pennsylvania
4.18/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A rich, complex, sweet and smooth imperial stout, of the "mole" vein. A hint of chocolate and spice at the same time. Almost an oily smoothness. This beer has a tasty finish and a potent punch. I personally prefer the traditional imperials to the spicy variety. But this one is only a hint of spice with a smooth overall feel. I recommend giving it a try.
Oct 21, 2017Reviewed by mac31 from California
4.25/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.25/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Soft, sweet chocolate, vanilla, and coffee all at play here. It's great. A really nice base beer. It sets up over an inconspicuous chili backbone. The spice is rather interesting. As the aforementioned entry flavors entertain the palate, the chili creeps in along side the carbonation with a simmering spiciness that expands to a more prominent contribution in the finish. You can really feel the peppery spice warm the chest with each sip. However, the feel comes in light. I was expecting more heft behinid it. Feel is also silky, textured, almost milkshake like and lightly oily/slick; very much welcomed. The alcohol is perfectly masked. Wow! What a beer. This is a great beer. The best mole stout I've had (not saying much, since I haven't had many.) I didn't get much in the way of oak, but no complaints here. I will seek out this beer immediately. Almanac really hits it out of the park with this beer. A must have for a stout fan, especially a mole fan.
Jul 04, 2017Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
3.9/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.9/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at Blackback Pub, Waterbury, VT. This was poured into a tulip. The appearance was a black color with a slim less than finger-ed white head that dissipated nicely. Lacing was slim to none. The smell took in the dark and roasty notes initially, but then as it warms, there’s the light chili pepper coming in subtle and clean. It took even a bit longer before the saltiness showed up. The taste replicated the smell for the most part and in the same pace; ie roasty and then chili pepper and then saltiness. But the saltiness was so light, it was mostly barely there. Quick dry finish. On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body with a nice dry sessionable to sipping quality about it. Carbonation rides fairly low. Overall, as a Double/Imperial Stout, it works. Almanac taking their creativity to the next level and "spicing" things up a bit, hmmm...yeah, I say sip this one, and you’ll get everything Almanac is putting in this. I’m pretty sure that’s what they were aiming for anyways.
Jun 09, 2017Reviewed by GoBearsWalter34 from Illinois
4.41/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.41/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L- pours a jet black with a one finger off white head that dissipates quickly. A decent amount of carbonation for an imperial stout. Impenetrable to light.
S- cocoa nibs chocolate and vanilla bean. Just a little hint of some pepper.
T- Th coco nibs and pepper show up first in which th pepper stays on the back of the hop to linger. Vanilla bean is subtle. As it warms, the pepper and banilla becomes moe pronounced in back of tounge.
F- Mouthfeel is medium, but the complexity makes warming.
O- I very much enjoyed this. Good complexitt.
May 06, 2017S- cocoa nibs chocolate and vanilla bean. Just a little hint of some pepper.
T- Th coco nibs and pepper show up first in which th pepper stays on the back of the hop to linger. Vanilla bean is subtle. As it warms, the pepper and banilla becomes moe pronounced in back of tounge.
F- Mouthfeel is medium, but the complexity makes warming.
O- I very much enjoyed this. Good complexitt.
Barbary Coast from Almanac Beer Co.
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
168 ratings
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