Mando Blaster
Bare Hands Brewery

thebeers from Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Mando Blaster pours a dark mahogany with two fingers of dark mocha head. It settles into a thin cap that leaves just a little clinging to the sides above the cap line.

Dark malts with hints of coffee and umami show first in the nose, with fairly strong underlying chocolate.

The malt-forward taste is borderline fruity: the umami quality is joined by a touch of cherry and grape jelly. There’s also some dark roastiness that’s just shy of ashy or char-like, and again some strong chocolate milk.

Thick bodied and creamy feel with tight carbonation playing only a supporting role. Very nice.

This one surprised me. For some reason I was expecting a milk stout, but this has many of the qualities of the best imperial stouts — especially the depth and complexity of the malt flavors. Delish!

Jul 26, 2020

Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut

4.15/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown / almost black, with two fingers of coffee ice cream colored head that slowly dissipates. Smells magnificently of chocolate, coffee, and yum). Just a super inviting nose to this one. Taste starts out smooth and roasty with some coffee coming through. Aftertaste for the first few sips felt a little hot, but not in a bad way. I noticed that less and less with each sip, but not sure if that was due to my tastes adjusting or it warming up. Overall, this is a well done imperial stout.

Apr 22, 2020

darktronica from Indiana

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Enjoyed on draft over the weekend, now reviewing it from a pint can. Pours inky black with a finger of fluffy cocoa-colored head that sticks around for a long time. Silky smooth, great interplay of sweetness and grain roast. If I had been told that it had cacao nibs in it, I would believe it. The draft version came across with much more earthy, coffee-like character than the can does. An excellent milk stout that I hope Bare Hands will keep making.

Feb 23, 2020

ovaltine from Indiana

4.34/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This looks like an imperial porter, with a blackish body that leaks to mahogany on the edges in a significant way and has a soapy tan head.

The nose has a boatload of stone fruit and chocolate notes, and that is also true of the taste, which also features a subtle roasty char flavor. Truly a pleasure to drink, IMHO.

Mar 16, 2020