Pastel Con Amigos - Barrel Aged
Listermann Brewing Company

 

Another great pastry from Listermann. The beer is pitch black and as dark as I have seen. The unique part of this beer is the deep, spicy kick that you feel in your chest. from the spice. The beer is dark cocoa, like chocolate icing or chocolate syrup. It is truly a rich experience.

@firesidewithphil

12 ounce bottle, no dating that I noticed on it. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with not quite an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, cinnamon, chile peppers and roasted malt. For the most part I think the taste is similar to the aroma, but with the addition of some burnt/charred malt, dark bread and earthy flavors. Pepper heat is noticeable but not strong by any means. All the flavors seem to mesh well together with no one flavor overpowering the others. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's slick and smooth with a good amount of carbonation. I thought this was a good Imperial Mexican Cake stout, definitely worth picking up if you come across some!

 

Imperial Mexican cake stout with chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, peppers, and spice added and aged in Bourbon barrels. Brewed in collaboration with Lupulin Brewing. Poured from a bottle into a small Fibonacci tulip. A few sniffs from the bottle prior to pouring reveal cinnamon, toasted oak, Bourbon, cocoa, and something that can best be described as a chocolate chip muffin (?). The pour is very, very dark (black) with a nearly nonexistent layer of fine brown head. It is also fairly viscous. From the glass, the nose is a little different. There isn't as much cinnamon, but quite a bit more Bourbon and vanilla. There are also some faint cola and sarsaparilla notes. Complex.​
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Full body with a creamy feel and a complex flavor. Up front this beer tastes like a cinnamon roll dipped in baker's chocolate (Listermann is unbelievably skilled at brewing beers with offbeat flavors like cinnamon and peanut butter - not too much, but enough to taste it and contribute to the profile). At mid-palate, the cinnamon gives way to some vanilla and Bourbon. There is definitely some alcohol burn near the finish, but it doesn't detract from the flavor or the drinkability. It adds richness and warmth. The peppers are perfectly tempered. You get a faint heat to go with that alcohol so that it lingers a little on the finish (along with some sarsaparilla), but it's not enough to scald your tongue. Easily one of the better Mexican-style stouts I have had. Plenty of complexity and a nice balance of flavors without tipping too far in one direction.​