Hypersleep
Other Half Brewing - Center Street

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bought this at Other Half along with the other two bottled Stouts that were released with this simultaneously. Sure, this was strong but as was stated in the description, this was indeed "unadulterated" as it tasted pure, without any evidence of barrel aging or excessive hopping. In the end, this was an American Double / Imperial Stout that pulled not punches and was as basic as a beer of this style could be.

Good pour to this as the liquid was dark chocolate topped off by a voluminous mocha head. Very little lacing was left behind on my Teku glass as I sipped this as a few soapy splotches remained behind once I worked my way through this. Lots of milk chocolate, cocoa nibs, and booze in the nose. Some peanuts, cherry, and raspberry in the nose with a good amount of the latter prevalent in the taste. Tart, rich, and powdery, this was a Stout that had a good body to it without being overtly potent. Quite slick and sticky, this felt more like Brandy than a Stout though it had characteristics of both. An underlying sweetness held everything together though the strength of this beer could have been toned down a notch.

That wasn't a deterrent but this was too strong for the limited range of flavors that it brought to the table. This was a basic interpretation of the style that didn't push the envelope but had enough going for it that anyone could partake in this without feeling overwhelmed or offended. This was solidly crafted but oddly familiar at the same time - which wasn't a bad thing given how many outliers were vying for attention at the same time. Easily the beer worth starting out with out of the trio released at the same time!