Calmécac
Compañia Cervecera Hércules

CalmécacCalmécac
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Compañia Cervecera Hércules
 
Mexico
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #646
ABV:
14%
Score:
93
Ranked #3,381
Avg:
4.31 | pDev: 7.66%
Reviews:
8
Ratings:
22
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 01, 2022
Added:
Oct 04, 2019
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  1
Mezcal barrel aged Imperial Stout.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BirdsandHops:
Photo of BirdsandHops
Rated by BirdsandHops from Oregon

4.54/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Oct 04, 2019
More User Ratings:
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

4.19/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From the 16 oz can in a snifter via Bluejacket74! Cheers Dude!
This interesting brew pours a dark coal black with a fantastic head of light
brown foam that settles to a thick ring, thin film, and shows off some nice lacing.
Nose of mezcal, earthy malts, hints of soy, dark chocolate, and dark coffee. Flavors
surpass the nose with a nice presentation of dark bakers chocolate, lighter soy than
in the nose, dark coffee hints, earthy malts, layered char and roast, leather, tobacco,
dark fruits amongst mezcal notes. Nice mouth feel; full body, smooth, slick, coating,
rich, light carbonation, and a medium dry verging on dry finish.

Overall----unique and inviting.

Cheers
Oct 01, 2022
 
Rated: 4.29 by tobelerone from New Jersey

Dec 30, 2021
Photo of Immortale25
Rated by Immortale25 from North Carolina

4.46/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Complex nose, not very smoky, hides the ABV insanely well
Oct 26, 2021
Photo of FranciscoYbarra
Rated by FranciscoYbarra from Mexico

5/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
A great strong dark beer
Mar 30, 2021
Photo of bluejacket74
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
16 ounce can, 2019 vintage, looks like the stamp on the bottom says 11/11/21 so I'm assuming that's the best by date. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch tan head that stayed around for a little while. There's a decent amount of lacing. I like the aroma, the brew smells like roasted malt, mezcal, dark fruit, chocolate and molasses. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some smokiness, burnt/charred malt, dark bread and earthy flavors. There's a lot going on here! Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's coating and has a low/moderate amount of carbonation. I liked this one a lot, I'll have to buy another can or 2 the next time I come across it!
Mar 27, 2021
Photo of backblast
Reviewed by backblast from Alaska

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Pours jet black with a brown head.

Tastes of booze first with no burn and heavy mezcal barrel influence. Plenty of sweet dark fruit, malt and dark chocolate, light smoke/char - maybe a hint of peat. Has a nice viscous mouthfeel. Have to let it warm a bit for all the goodness.
Wonderful.
Mar 26, 2021
Photo of CaptainHate
Reviewed by CaptainHate from Ohio

4.54/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A bottle store less than a mile away has a website that lists what they have available as well as a thumbnail sketch of what it is. When I saw a Mexican stout aged in mexcal barrels I thought "yeah right" but then saw the 14% and went "hmmmm" and checked the BA reviews and was sold. So here I am.

Poured a 2019 pint can into a DFH tulip it has a rich dark brown body topped with a creamy mocha head that produces much lacing. When I popped the can I got whiff of tequila immediately but not until it warms up can you detect it again. It's mixed in with malty chocolate, cinnamon and peaty char. But in the taste the mexcal just surrounds everything in a manner that enhances everything else. It has a peaty taste that would ordinarily be a personal turn-off except this works perfectly. There's chocolate nutty flavors and creamy malts. No booze burn whatsoever. Mouthfeel is very light for such a heavy hitter.

I'm glad that even though I'm pretty damn old I can still be pleasantly surprised by something like this. I'm definitely snagging more shortly.
Jan 24, 2021
 
Rated: 4.11 by Pearlstreetbrewingco from Florida

Sep 17, 2020
Photo of WickedBeer
Reviewed by WickedBeer from Alabama

3.59/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
2019 Release.

Dark, smoked fruit on the nose, but no real mézcal vibes. The palate is more of the same.. some pronounced smoke with heavy fruit and some tinny undertones. Body a bit syrupy, with a carbonation that’s too in-your-face. Not awful; really benefits to warm.
Sep 10, 2020
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16 ounce can into tulip glass; 2019 vintage, best before 11/11/2021. Pours dense opaque dark brown/black color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and rocky dark tan head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice dense foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, molasses, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, mezcal, agave, oak, wood/peat smoke, char, leather, tobacco, roasted nuts, toast, dark bread/crust, licorice, molasses, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Minimal booze in the aromas as it warms. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/black/roast/bready malts, mezcal barrels, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop notes; with big strength. Taste of huge milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, molasses, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, mezcal, agave, oak, wood/peat smoke, char, leather, tobacco, roasted nuts, toast, dark bread/crust, licorice, molasses, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal, grassy, woody, roast, charred bitterness; and mezcal/oak spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, molasses, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, mezcal, agave, oak, wood/peat smoke, char, leather, tobacco, roasted nuts, toast, dark bread/crust, licorice, molasses, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, mezcal barrels, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; with an awesome roast/hop bitter/sweet balance; and no cloying/acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering hop/char bitterness. Medium carbonation and very full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/velvety/bready, and lightly slick/sticky/chalky/tannic mouthfeel that is great. Mild increasing warmth of 14%, with minimal lingering barrel booziness after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic barrel aged imperial stout. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, mezcal barrels, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the huge ABV, with the mellowly bitter/charred/drying finish; great soft/silky feel. Fantastic balance of super rich malts, and mezcal barrel presence/integration; solid earthy hops and restrained fruity yeast. Not overly sweet/heavy from lingering dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstanding style example. Definitely a good amount of peaty smoke from the mezcal barrels, but not overwhelming!
Jun 08, 2020
 
Rated: 4.43 by robotic_being from Illinois

Jun 03, 2020
 
Rated: 4.13 by BadgerNCarolina from North Carolina

May 28, 2020
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.49/5  rDev -19%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
16oz can at share, courtesy of Toby. The group was divided on this, I was the odd man out in liking this. Black, oily pour, small fizzy head fades quickly. Smoky aroma, roasty, woody. Taste introduces light chocolate, more campfire notes, mildly sweet. Give it time. Soak it in...
May 28, 2020
 
Rated: 4.36 by BAsbill from California

Mar 23, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by Elicoleman from Colorado

Feb 19, 2020
Photo of mwilbur
Reviewed by mwilbur from Minnesota

4.71/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
2019 vintage.
Poured from pint can into snifter. Stamped 11/11/21 (best by) on the bottom of the can.
A: Pours a dark black with 2 inch finely-bubbled dark mocha head with excellent retention.
S: Charred wood, mezcal (smoky tequila), bitter dark chocolate, toffee, and a dark nuttiness. Potent!
T: A quick hit of mezcal (spicy, smoky tequila) and charred wood followed a fraction of a second later by smooth dark chocolate, almonds, toffee, hazelnuts, dark dried fruit, and a shot of cream. Wow! Layered and complex.
M: Medium heavy body. Darkly sweet, spicy, and char with a bit of mild alcohol burn. The high ABV is extremely well hidden.
D: What a wonderful sipper! The mezcal adds a unique twist. Amazing stuff. Seek it out!
Feb 15, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by the_beerist from Massachusetts

Feb 08, 2020
 
Rated: 4.13 by SFNC from North Carolina

Jan 18, 2020
 
Rated: 4.19 by Abstractspirit from Rhode Island

Jan 07, 2020
Calmécac from Compañia Cervecera Hércules
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 22 ratings