Dicksmasher
Batch Brewing Company

12 ounce can into untappd stemless wine tumbler, no can dating but likely from 2018. Pours dense pitch black color with a 1 finger dense and rocky tan head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a small cap that lasts. Dense soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, star anise, molasses, smoke, charcoal, toast, nuts, dark bread/crust, wood, mint, herbal, grass, light pepper/pine, and yeast earthiness. Taste follows with big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, star anise, molasses, smoke, charcoal, toast, nuts, dark bread/crust, wood, mint, herbal, grass, pepper, pine, and yeast earthiness. Light-medium pine, woody, charred bitterness on the finish. Medium-plus carbonation and medium-full body; balanced creamy/silky malts, sticky hop, and chalky charred roast in the mouthfeel. Lingering hop/char dryness with no acrid/astringent flavors. Mild increasing warmth of 11.3% after the finish. The malt profile reminds me of Plead the 5th a lot, so more of an RIS IMO. The anise flavors compliment the rich complex malt profile perfectly. I had the rye barrel version of this beer in 2017, this was more impressive. Aged amazingly.

 

 

 

 

Good head production, about 1 full finger of dark brown foam from a modest pour. Retention is quite good but not quite great, and there is a nice flat field of lacing left behind. Brew was a dark, woody brown during the pour with reddish-purplish highlights, settling into a very dark, black walnut appearance.

The nose is .... really strange. Mint, and a ton of woodiness. Other tones are licorice, chocolate, molasses, and burnt caramel. There's not a ton of depth, but it's identifiable as a stout even without the appearance.

Flavor follows, with big bright minty tones, licorice, extremely bitter chocolate, and quite a bit of woodiness, which lasts through the finish. The star anise presents in a way you really can't anticipate unless you're familiar with it - which I am not. For me, it's licorice, bitter woodiness, and some mint.

Big and creamy on the palate; lively, with a building alcohol heat on the back end. That heat is the only sign of the high ABV.

Really creative and, most importantly, tasty brew.

Poured a very deep dark blackish brown body. Tan-ish thin head resides to almost nothing. Very thin outer ring of oily lacing left behind.

Smells of black licorice. Dark malts.

Taste is pretty much the nose. Giant burnt malts up front with some roasted dark coffee for a minute then black licorice finishes it off. Almost has a paragoric/medicinal after taste to it.
Says it's brewed with star anise which explains the black licorice smell/taste.

Feel is a bit thin for a 10% abv imperial stout. Medium body with low carbonation and a creamy smooth mouthfeel.

Good stout. Different. Could do with out the anise tho (imo)

 

 

Had on tap at the brewery. Poured pitch black with a few tan bubbles, no head. Smell was of roasted malts and spices (anise, maybe nutmeg?). Taste was similar, with a subtle licorice flavor. Body was too thin. Overall, it was a good imperial stout for the price and %ABV ($8/10 oz pour). Would recommend.