10W-40 - Blueberry Crumble
Hi-Wire Brewing

 

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: American Pastry Stout
Glass: Tioga-Sequoia 13-oz. tulip
Price: $4.49
From: Windmill Farms in Del Cerro (San Diego), Calif.
Purchased: March 25, 2022
Consumed: April 15, 2022
Misc.: No canned on date

Grabbed a bunch of There Does Not Exist and Burgeon beers, and a few others on a recent trip to Windmill Farms. Untappd description for this was “This very special version of our sought-after 10W-40 Imperial Stout is inspired by the decadent
blueberry crumble dessert. Brewed with Blueberry, Molasses, Cinnamon, Cacao, Vanilla,and Lactose, this stout (not motor oil) is seriously sticky-icky, sweet, and silky smooth.” Nice. Sounds right up my alley.

Poured a very dark color with four fingers of khaki-white rocky head. Could see just a few bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass. Average spotty lacing. Decent retention. (Sight - 3.50)

Smelled blueberry, vanilla, molasses, bark, black licorice, purple grape, plum, cinnamon, allspice, cacao and semi-char wood. A little better out of the can. (Smell - 3.50)

Taste was not even as good as the nose. In order got blueberry puree, blueberry jelly, cacao, roasted coffee malt, charwood, ashtray, black licorice, bark, molasses, cinnamon, black pepper, allspice, purple grape, vanilla and fruit on the bottom blueberry yogurt. (Taste - 3.25)

Full body. Sticky texture. Soft carbonation. Long, sweet finish. (Feel - 3.75)

Didn’t care for this one that much. Nothing I’d want to have again. May have overrated this slightly. (Overall - 3.50)

3.43 | 78 | B-

 

 

 

At Bier Garden, Asheville...Looks thick black and has huge tan head.
Smell amazing, my kid across the table went "wow" -the blueberry pancake aromas are great
Taste was rich and complex as I took my time with this as it was a dessert after a burger with a few other pints of local lagers. Very rich and interesting, - several nuances keep it from being one note, like happens sometimes
Full bodied to say the least. but still very enjoyable, and the consistent quality of HiWire brewing is exceptional.

 

16oz can. Poured out an opaque, jet-black color with a small, light brown head of foam. It left sudsy rings of lace on the glass. It smelled of fresh blueberry, chocolate, toffee and roasted malt. The blueberry taste was very, very light. Nice chocolate and vanilla with a bit of toffee.

16 oz can with a 6 January 2021 canning date stamped on the bottom.
Appearance. Essentially black body with a beige head of moderate size and durability.
Aroma. Blueberry puree with roasted grains, vanilla, chocolate and coffee.
Flavor. Same components as the aroma but more subtle blueberry while the chocolate and coffee notes cook me out more clearly.
Mouthfeel. Smooth and full body.

 

1 PINT can
Served in an imperial nonic pint glass
Packaged 01/05/21

This beer pours black and is topped with an inch of mocha head that leaves little lacing.

On alternating whiffs I get blueberry, chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon. It has a sweet aroma. Becomes a bit more cohesive as it warms.

I get blueberry flavor. Kind of a chaotic mess after that. I get hints of cinnamon, chocolate. Not a big cinnamon guy.

Medium bodied with a smooth mouthfeel

My least favorite 10W-40 variant.

 

As you pour this from the can, it looks like a cola going into the glass, but appears black in the glass with a creamy tan head. The nose has a nice roasty aroma, a bit of blueberry, and some cacao, but nothing that resembles cinnamon.

The taste has a delicious roasty flavor up front and throughout, along with cacao, and the blueberry is more prominent, which is great. There’s also a bit of cinnamon flavor as a spicy note, and a smidge of molasses.

The mouthfeel is medium and a little creamy, which fits this beer as it’s brewed, but it’s not to style for an imperial stout because, to me, this isn’t really an imperial stout. It fits in that space between an imperial stout and a “regular” stout where so many of these pasty-ish stouts reside.

But I enjoyed the pint and I’m glad I have a few more to enjoy.

Excited to try a 10W-40 variant. It is a roasty Russian imperial style but not too bitter. A very small amount of blueberry but should definitely be rated higher than it is out there.

IG: @firesidewithphil

 

Look: It pours dark brown with a brown head. Head retention is medium.

Smell: It has aromas of blueberry and cinnamon up front. There is a bit of roast and spice in support with cocoa and mint. The aromas are quite aromatic.

Taste: The flavors have roast and blueberry up front with cinnamon and mint. The spices are very lively in the flavor. The molasses is well in the background.

Feel: It has a medium full body with some strong roasted bitterness.

Overall, this is more of a cross from an imperial stout and a pastry stout in that it's an imperial stout first with the pastry elements mixing and providing support for the stout presentation.

Worst "beer" I have ever had. Bought in a 4 pack and sadly no way I will ever drink the other 3. Stuff tastes worse than cat pee mixed with coffee. No hint of blueberry or any berry. Someone just phoned this one in.

Picked up at Busters liquor store in Memphis TN. Canned on 1/25/21 and enjoyed in a snifter on 2/20/21.
A: Pours a dark black with about with an inch or so of khaki foam and has a good head and retention time
S: The nose is complex with oak, bourbon, and vanilla. Undertones of chocolate, maple, and a hint of blueberry. Bitter coffee aromas, but I don’t get any cinnamon as advertised on the can.
T: Consistent with the nose with the bourbon notes that consist of oak and vanilla. It is strong but not overwhelming and well supported by the bitterness from the coffee and the maple and blueberry. Reading the label I would think it would be sweet, but I am glad it is not too sweet.
F: Soft velvety feel, carbonation is light and very creamy. It is satisfying and leaves me wanting more which is a good sign.
O: This beer is fantastic, great bourbon flavors without the harsh abv and supported by the maple, chocolate, coffee, and blueberry. The flavors all compliment each other well and I think this is my second favorite of the 10W-40 series (behind the Chocolate Macaroon because I am a sucker for coconut)

 

From the bottom of the can: "PACKAGED 01/05/21"

Appearance: It has a black body with a medium-large head packed with dense bubbles across a sandy textured surface that is khaki. It slowly fades to a short cap and leaves a nice thin sheet of lacing.

Aroma: Roasted grains with light notes of baker's chocolate. Very mild aroma.

Taste: Up front there is roasted grains, charcoal, a bit of burnt wood character. Towards the middle there is more of what was up front. It finishes the same as well; some carbon character. A light alcohol presence comes up from time to time.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body with a nice velvety texture. Present bitterness but mild.

Overall: The can states that this is an "IMPERIAL STOUT BREWED WITH BLUEBERRY, MOLASSES, CINNAMON, CACAO, VANILLA, & LACTOSE." None of these flavors made it into the beer. There is a light hint of chocolate in the aroma but none of the advertised flavors were present. The name of the beer is "blueberry crumble" and it tastes nothing like blueberries either. The base beer is decent but it is very disappointing when you get no flavors or aromas that are advertised. I would recommend avoiding it unless you're just looking for an average stout. I wouldn't buy it again.