10W-40 - Horchata
Hi-Wire Brewing

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: American Double / Imperial Stout
Glass: Tioga-Sequoia 13-oz. tulip
Price: $4.49
From: Windmill Farms in Del Cerro (San Diego), Calif.
Purchased: Dec. 16, 2020
Consumed: Dec. 29, 2020
Misc.: Canned on Oct. 15, 2020

Grabbed this and way too much other stuff on a recent trip to Windmill Farms. Had seen this one I think and a few others like this the previous month or so but didn’t snag any. Decided this time to grab it. Had to look on the back of the can to see Hi-Wire Brewing was from. Their website called it “Inspired by super sweet and creamy Mexican-style horchata, this extra special batch of our 10W-40 Imperial Stout boasts huge notes of fresh vanilla, amaretto, and cinnamon with an incredibly smooth and chocolatey finish.”

Poured a pitch black color with two fingers of frothy tan head. Just a few bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass. Excellent foamy lacing. Outstanding retention. (Sight - 4.25)

Smelled vanilla, amaretto liquor, Dr. Pepper, dark roast coffee, cacao, almond, milk chocolate, dark fruit, plum, purple grape, cinnamon, molasses and black licorice. Much of the same from the can. (Smell - 4.00)

Tasted almost as good as the nose, a little roastier. Got vanilla, amaretto liquor, Dr. Pepper, bitter dark chocolate, roasty malts, cacao, dark roast coffee, plum, purple grape, cinnamon, molasses, semi-char wood and cocoa. (Taste - 4.00)

Full body. Sticky texture. Average carbonation. Long, smooth finish. (Feel - 4.50)

Was hoping for a little more, but this was outstanding overall. (Overall - 4.00)

4.07 | 91 | A-

Really lovin’ these Hi-Wire brews...

This horchata 10W-40 is simply delicious. The mouthfeel is exactly what I like, the taste is boozy, lightly sweet, and truly a a great all-around dessert beer (without being overly sweet).

 

 

 

 

A very sweet yet balanced imperial Stout full of vanilla chocolate caramel and a slight nutty taste. The only reason I don't think I would get it again is it was quite expensive at around $6 a pounder. Pretty good treat of a beer though!

 

 

16oz can. Poured out an opaque, jet-black color with a small, light brown head of bubbly foam. It left sticky sheets of lace. on the glass. It smelled of vanilla, cinnamon, creamy milk, chocolate and caramel. Nice chocolate and cream taste with spicy cinnamon and vanilla.

10W-40 Horchata from Hi-Wire Brewing Company (Actually brewed and canned by The Three Ring Brewing Co.) Purchased 11/10/20 for $4.62 (Including tax and discount) for 16 oz can ($ 0.289/oz) from State Line Liquors in Elkton, MD. Reviewed 12/31/20.
Stamped on bottom of can “PACKAGED 10/21/20”. On room temperature shelf at store and stored at home at 42 degrees. Served at 54 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. Final temperature 56.4 degrees.
Appearance – 4.5.
First pour – Amber brown (SRM 18), clear.
Body – Black (SRM 40), opaque. When held to direct light, same.
Head – Large (Maximum four cm, aggressive center pour), fawn, high density, average retention, diminishing to a five mm crown fed by massive effervescence, and a rocky partial cap. Head retraction leaves Sanskrit-like torn curtain lacing. Second pour produces a 0.8 cm head.
Lacing – Excellent! Multiple bands of tiny to small bubbles having minuscule stalactites and connected by short thin columns. See also above.
Aroma – 4 – The vanilla and almonds are strong with this one, followed by roasted malt and chocolate, no hops, no yeast, no cinnamon. Lasts although it weakens.
Flavor – 4 – Begins slightly sweet with a light chocolate flavor, a little malt, no hops, no yeast, no vanilla, no cinnamon. No alcohol (8 % ABV, as marked on container) found in either nose or taste but a slight gastric warming does occur. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Ends with a light malt bitterness. Eventually a bit of almond shows up in the after aftertaste.
Palate – 4.25 – Medium, silky, soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4 An extremely good-looking Stout with particularly good mouthfeel. Unfortunately, a bit lacking in nose and flavor. Still no cinnamon.

Color is very dark brown. Head was thick and nut brown in color. Aroma was full of roasted malt. Taste was strong in nuts and cinnamon. I did not get much vanilla or lactose in taste. The feel is medium that has good carbonation and finishes quick and clean

Without much vanilla or lactose taste, I did not get the sense of horchata. The cinnamon taste was good, and the finish is nice and quick.

 

 

 

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque black in the glass with a thin brown head that dissipates to a solid film with light lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, almond, mixed nuts, vanilla; hints of chocolate and cinnamon. Flavor is dark toasted malt with moderate char, almond, cinnamon, baking chocolate, mild vanilla. Finishes with lightly charred malt and cinnamon. Medium bodied with light creaminess. An interesting flavored stout. The flavor is quite busy and the initial taste leaves the malt tasting subdued for its size. However, the adjunct flavors are handled very well and nicely integrated. The aroma was interesting because although almond was present, there was a more nutty, almost peanut component too. In the flavor, the almond is more dominant. Horchata is kind of an odd choice for a stout, since it’s a light colored, vanilla based drink and this has a distinct chocolate note that is more common in stouts. Not quite what I expected, but a great tasting Mexican inspired take on a stout. I liked it quite a bit. I'm always intrigued when a brewery pulls off something that pushes the envelope, but is till flavorful, so I'll check them out again.

Thanks to Ozzylizard for this one, from a LIF box during NBS BIF #12. 16oz can (dated10/21/20) poured into shaker pint. Poured a solid black color that had 1/2 inch of tan head that had decent retention and low lacing.

The aroma had a nice base beer scent, with soft almond and vanilla notes in the background.

The flavors were the same, just better defined.

The body was full and smooth, with a semi-sweet finish.

Drinkability was fine, although the flavors didn't really push my buttons.

Overall, a solid and enjoyable brew. Worth a shot if you see it.

Well a horchata is a milky drink made from ground almonds, tiger nuts, or rice. Looks like this brew was inspired by horchata. Never had horchata so it's going to be difficult to see how this obtained its inspiration, thereby dulling my ability to see how well they pulled it off. I do like beers inspired by other drinks though. Last night i had a beer that was brewed to taste like a manhattan.
Anyway, poured out into a pint glass from the can. Poured dark brown with a quarter inch khaki colored head. On the scent i'm getting a lot of cinnamon and vanilla. The taste is indeed milky so i see where the lactose is coming in. Also tasting that same cinnamon and vanilla from the nose. It does taste bitter, but not in an overwhelming or bad way. Bitter more like a nonsweet chocolate / cocoa. Mouthfeel is clean and smooth, very little carbonation. Overall not a bad brew. I have had similar beers to this, so nothing unique stands out. As i mentioned before I would be curious to try an actual horchata to see the similarities and differences.
On a side note, i looked at the Hi-Wire brewing website. And according to their picture, I calculated that 85% of their male staff have facial hair. So not sure what that tells you.