Trickery
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Beer Geek Stats:
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- Style:
- Stout - Sweet / Milk
Ranked #9 - ABV:
- 13.5%
- Score:
- 98
Ranked #289 - Avg:
- 4.46 | pDev: 7.17%
- Reviews:
- 69
- Ratings:
- From:
- Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
- Virginia, United States
- Avail:
- Rotating/Seasonal
- Wants
- 231
- Gots
- 105
SCORE
98
World-Class
98
World-Class
Notes:
Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Imperial Milk Stout.
Reviews: 69
| Ratings: 516
| Log in to view all ratings and sort
Reviews by Rothobinide:
Rothobinide from California
4.29/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Aug 05, 2018
4.29/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Aug 05, 2018
More User Reviews:
BC4MFRED1 from Virginia
4.5/5 rDev +0.9%
On draft at the Rye Barrel Pumpkin release....Nice blend of sweet and boozy...This is one of the best beers these guys have put out in a while....Hopefully they make this a yearly release. Not overly syrupy sweet...but its rich and decadent..apple brandy does this stout wonders...well made
Oct 19, 2014
4.5/5 rDev +0.9%
On draft at the Rye Barrel Pumpkin release....Nice blend of sweet and boozy...This is one of the best beers these guys have put out in a while....Hopefully they make this a yearly release. Not overly syrupy sweet...but its rich and decadent..apple brandy does this stout wonders...well made
Oct 19, 2014
brian4beer from Indiana
3.35/5 rDev -24.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
Didnt like the integration of boozyness w the beer
Jan 28, 2015
3.35/5 rDev -24.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
Didnt like the integration of boozyness w the beer
Jan 28, 2015
mozif from Virginia
5/5 rDev +12.1%
All stouts should taste like this. When you thought GBS was as good as it gets, then you were wrong...
Phenomenal balance between sweet and strong. The apple brandy barreles make this a kick in the ass. Must try.
Oct 12, 2014
5/5 rDev +12.1%
All stouts should taste like this. When you thought GBS was as good as it gets, then you were wrong...
Phenomenal balance between sweet and strong. The apple brandy barreles make this a kick in the ass. Must try.
Oct 12, 2014
PHBoiler from Illinois
4.25/5 rDev -4.7%
Deep sweetness and chocolate flavor. A hair on the thin side, but certainly a nice rich stout. I got more oak barrel character than anything specific from apple brandy. Very good.
Dec 11, 2014
4.25/5 rDev -4.7%
Deep sweetness and chocolate flavor. A hair on the thin side, but certainly a nice rich stout. I got more oak barrel character than anything specific from apple brandy. Very good.
Dec 11, 2014
11-52_4hops from Virginia
4.42/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours like 30W oil --- maybe should be described in terms of viscosity. Bigger tan head then I expected. Brandy and molasses dominate the nose with maybe a bit of coffee. Taste leads with a bit of carbonation and like the nose suggests, dominant molasses and brandy -- also some caramel and milk chocolate at the back of the tongue. Nice bitterness lingers with the booze at the end. No hiding the ABV, but there is a nice balance here between booze and stout. Once again the folks at Hardywood proving they do great things with dark beers -- fun for the whole family! After this, really looking forward to picking up some Apple Brandy Barrel Gingerbread Stout tomorrow.
Update - 28 November 2016 - since HW is getting ready to release 2016 batch tomorrow, thought I would open my one year aged bottle and make a few comments. This one has aged VERY nicely -- the booziness has mellowed. Carbonation has held up perfectly. Only complaint is that the molasses flavor has taken over a bit and no longer as balanced with the apple brandy. Still, I a very pleased with the results. For those of you grabbing multiple bottles, I recommend stowing one away for next Halloween. You won't be sorry.
Dec 18, 2015
4.42/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours like 30W oil --- maybe should be described in terms of viscosity. Bigger tan head then I expected. Brandy and molasses dominate the nose with maybe a bit of coffee. Taste leads with a bit of carbonation and like the nose suggests, dominant molasses and brandy -- also some caramel and milk chocolate at the back of the tongue. Nice bitterness lingers with the booze at the end. No hiding the ABV, but there is a nice balance here between booze and stout. Once again the folks at Hardywood proving they do great things with dark beers -- fun for the whole family! After this, really looking forward to picking up some Apple Brandy Barrel Gingerbread Stout tomorrow.
Update - 28 November 2016 - since HW is getting ready to release 2016 batch tomorrow, thought I would open my one year aged bottle and make a few comments. This one has aged VERY nicely -- the booziness has mellowed. Carbonation has held up perfectly. Only complaint is that the molasses flavor has taken over a bit and no longer as balanced with the apple brandy. Still, I a very pleased with the results. For those of you grabbing multiple bottles, I recommend stowing one away for next Halloween. You won't be sorry.
Dec 18, 2015
Vidblain from Minnesota
4.69/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Tremendously good - I'm a huge fan of apple brandy barrels, and this is an exemplary representative of how much depth, complexity, and dimension those barrels grant a beer. The nose is all rich, boozy brandy. The taste and mouth feel have a nice light barrel presence, slightly thinner, but bursting with brandy flavor.
It's a killer beer. I am embarrassed to say that I chugged a good half of the bottle on video while at a share.
Oops? At least it's not golden showers in a Russian brothel.
Apr 14, 2018
4.69/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Tremendously good - I'm a huge fan of apple brandy barrels, and this is an exemplary representative of how much depth, complexity, and dimension those barrels grant a beer. The nose is all rich, boozy brandy. The taste and mouth feel have a nice light barrel presence, slightly thinner, but bursting with brandy flavor.
It's a killer beer. I am embarrassed to say that I chugged a good half of the bottle on video while at a share.
Oops? At least it's not golden showers in a Russian brothel.
Apr 14, 2018
oldn00b from Virginia
4.88/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Poured 2015 version from bomber into spiegleau stout glass .
Color is black. Great dark tan foamy head forms. Solid retention but wish it stuck around a bit longer. Very pronounced lacing.
Nose big on brandy. Hard to pull out much else but a bit of caramel and chocolate is there for me and knowing it's apple brandy makes the apples standout - not sure I would have gotten that otherwise. As it warmed the caramel comes through more but not much else seems to change for me.
Flavor is basically perfect. Far more balanced than the nose would indicate. Warmth from the brandy is there and apple is clear, but chocolate, caramel, raisin/prune are all huge and in incredible balance. Finish is long on the brandy and dried fruit with a nice dry chocolate too. In no way does it come off as boozy, but there is a definite warmth. Comparing to BCBS I had yesterday (13.7 vs this 13.5) this feels like it could be 1/2 the stated ABV where BCBS is every bit of that 13.7 imho.
Feel is about as perfect as can be. Carbonation level is perfect, nice slight bitter but tight enough to really lift the sweeter aspects off the palate. The things I live in fear of with these types of brews (syrupy feel, abrasive booze etc.) are nowhere to be found here. There is a great body and depth to this and the warmth really does stick around but that's all the "booziness" to speak of.
I try not to give into hype, and really didn't go crazy to seek this out or anything, but it might very well be the best Virginia beer I've had. Simply fantastic.
Nov 29, 2015
4.88/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Poured 2015 version from bomber into spiegleau stout glass .
Color is black. Great dark tan foamy head forms. Solid retention but wish it stuck around a bit longer. Very pronounced lacing.
Nose big on brandy. Hard to pull out much else but a bit of caramel and chocolate is there for me and knowing it's apple brandy makes the apples standout - not sure I would have gotten that otherwise. As it warmed the caramel comes through more but not much else seems to change for me.
Flavor is basically perfect. Far more balanced than the nose would indicate. Warmth from the brandy is there and apple is clear, but chocolate, caramel, raisin/prune are all huge and in incredible balance. Finish is long on the brandy and dried fruit with a nice dry chocolate too. In no way does it come off as boozy, but there is a definite warmth. Comparing to BCBS I had yesterday (13.7 vs this 13.5) this feels like it could be 1/2 the stated ABV where BCBS is every bit of that 13.7 imho.
Feel is about as perfect as can be. Carbonation level is perfect, nice slight bitter but tight enough to really lift the sweeter aspects off the palate. The things I live in fear of with these types of brews (syrupy feel, abrasive booze etc.) are nowhere to be found here. There is a great body and depth to this and the warmth really does stick around but that's all the "booziness" to speak of.
I try not to give into hype, and really didn't go crazy to seek this out or anything, but it might very well be the best Virginia beer I've had. Simply fantastic.
Nov 29, 2015
Deltoro from Florida
4.5/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Aug 18, 2016
4.5/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Aug 18, 2016
Stevem68 from Ohio
4.41/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a dark chocolate color. Aroma is boozy chocolate. Flavor is chocolate and roasted malts with some booze. Has a nice mouth feel and overall this tastes really nice, delicious beer.
May 06, 2016
4.41/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a dark chocolate color. Aroma is boozy chocolate. Flavor is chocolate and roasted malts with some booze. Has a nice mouth feel and overall this tastes really nice, delicious beer.
May 06, 2016
KYGunner from Kentucky
4.49/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Wow, creamy flavors and texture in this one. This delivers milk chocolate, molasses, toffee, hazelnut, whipped cream, lactose-sweetness and an Apple brandy that's delicious. Tremendous beer and a triumph for Hardywood.
Nov 30, 2015
4.49/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Wow, creamy flavors and texture in this one. This delivers milk chocolate, molasses, toffee, hazelnut, whipped cream, lactose-sweetness and an Apple brandy that's delicious. Tremendous beer and a triumph for Hardywood.
Nov 30, 2015
bpa112 from Pennsylvania
4.48/5 rDev +0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
May 04, 2017
4.48/5 rDev +0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
May 04, 2017
thatoneguymike from Georgia
4.26/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Feb 08, 2016
4.26/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Feb 08, 2016
yesterdayfaraway from Missouri
4.63/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
L: pours thick and black with a very small dark brown head
S: wow, big sweetness and Brandy barrel!
T: like the nose, sweetness for days, nice Apple Brandy barrel flavors. A great beer
F: thick and smooth, coats well.
Oct 02, 2016
4.63/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
L: pours thick and black with a very small dark brown head
S: wow, big sweetness and Brandy barrel!
T: like the nose, sweetness for days, nice Apple Brandy barrel flavors. A great beer
F: thick and smooth, coats well.
Oct 02, 2016
Zonian1 from Ohio
4.31/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Jan 28, 2017
4.31/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Jan 28, 2017
johnny_chimpo from Washington
4.53/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Feb 03, 2017
4.53/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Feb 03, 2017
aaronyoung01 from New Mexico
4.54/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Feb 03, 2016
4.54/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Feb 03, 2016
Biggiekrock627 from Maryland
4.29/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Feb 11, 2018
4.29/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Feb 11, 2018
Beer-A-Lot from Virginia
4.25/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Apr 12, 2016
4.25/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Apr 12, 2016
monty79_1997 from Missouri
4.44/5 rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Jan 15, 2018
4.44/5 rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Jan 15, 2018
Stolenface1 from Virginia
4.66/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
B2 - Oct. 2015
Pours jet black w/ no head. Aroma of roasted malt (chocolate/coffee/acrid), vanilla, brandy, booze. Flavor dark bitter chocolate, coffee, slight vanilla, brandy, slight apple, dark fruit, sweet caramel, toffee, lactose(milk sugar/sweet) and lingering boozy-ness that is way lighter than expected but very warming on a fall/winter day. Mouthfeel is that of slightly creamy crude oil with low+ carbonation. Clings to the palate and does not let go. Overall a great milk stout.
Dec 02, 2015
4.66/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
B2 - Oct. 2015
Pours jet black w/ no head. Aroma of roasted malt (chocolate/coffee/acrid), vanilla, brandy, booze. Flavor dark bitter chocolate, coffee, slight vanilla, brandy, slight apple, dark fruit, sweet caramel, toffee, lactose(milk sugar/sweet) and lingering boozy-ness that is way lighter than expected but very warming on a fall/winter day. Mouthfeel is that of slightly creamy crude oil with low+ carbonation. Clings to the palate and does not let go. Overall a great milk stout.
Dec 02, 2015
BeerBeast from Florida
4.36/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Jun 22, 2016
4.36/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Jun 22, 2016
MTKATL from Georgia
4.6/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
May 20, 2017
4.6/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
May 20, 2017
JJuva13 from Virginia
4.23/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Jun 15, 2017
4.23/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Jun 15, 2017
Trickery from Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Beer rating:
98 out of
100 with
516 ratings
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