Yeah You Know Me - Chilis, Cinnamon, Chocolate and Coffee
Magnify Brewing Company

 

 

This was the last of the Magnify beers that I had in my stash here at home, having bought it almost a year ago. I loved the Coconut iteration of this and even though this wasn't as impressive to me as it's rating on here, this was a great beer that ddin't feel as strong as it's ABV would have indicated. So much going on here but somehow, it all worked out in the end as it warmed me up on this cold winter's day!

No doubt that the pour to this was nice, but not as good as it could have been. The liquid needed a head to top it off and lacing leftover on the side of my pint glass but unfortunately, neither of those were anywhere to be seen. Thankfully, everything else about this beer was wonderful to behold. Lots of chocolate, cinnamon, booze, roasted malt, coffee, and chili powder in the nose with *all* of those in the taste as well. As someone else on here alluded to, this had the feeling and spice of the Stone Xocoveza as the chocolate and chili pepper combined beautifully with the spice from the cinnamon to produce a liquid that grabbed a hold of me from the start and never let go. Slick, rich, and flavorful, the taste and mouthfeel of this were as good as *any* Stout I've ever had as it's potency took a back seat to it's richness, down to the last sip.

I don't need to state how strong this was but the only potency that I could feel from this came from the booze that I felt on my breath between sips. Such a lovely concoction, I wish I had more of this to keep me warm on these cold winter days. No doubt that this was Magnify's best offering and proof that they can stand toe-to-toe with the breweries across the Hudson. I only wish that they could back off of the hazy IPA's and give more of these beers a shot - this was proof that the end result would easily be well worth the effort.

 

 

 

 

L - uh, 15%? Guess I'm getting wasted today. Popped the top and some mocha foam shot out at my finger. Dis gon be good. Pours a 20000 mile oil change (oops) with zero head. Mostly black, slight brown hue. When swirled, we're getting some dark tan foam.

S - sweet medium roast up front with brown sugar, molasses, and zesty chili great. Reminds me of EBF and Xocoveza. Fresh and Christmasy. Nutmeg, cinnamon.

T - flavor follows the nose. Big bittersweet chocolate and peppery coffee. Black pepper, chili pepper, cayenne pepper. How festive. Brownies, Baker's chocolate, and roasty toasty coffee goodness. Milk and two sugars. We've got nuts too. Walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts. A joyous amalgamation of lively and fun flavors. Jesus, 15%? I never would've guessed but now I'm feeling it. Dangerous. The booze is cleverly masked behind a facade of adding intensity to the pepper and chocolate flavors. Mexican hot chocolate.

F - it does *feel* like 15% though. Heavy and viscous. Very low carbonation; it simply lets the syrup take over.

O - I gotta stop drinking this so fast. Again, dangerous. Heavy on the peppers and spice. Would like to see more coffee, but this is still a decadent treat with some zip in its step to wake your shit up (then put you to bed).

 

 

 

 

 

Got in a BIF from MacMalt. Rating blindly. 16 ounce can into snifter, no can dating. Pours dense pitch black color with a 1 finger dense tan head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, nutty dark roast coffee, cinnamon, chili pepper, caramel, toffee, vanilla, molasses, and toasted dark/brown bread; with light notes smoke, licorice, char, dark fruits, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness. Touch of booze in the aromas as it warmed, but not overwhelming. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt, cocoa, coffee, and spice notes; with great strength. Taste of huge milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, nutty dark roast coffee, cinnamon, chili pepper, caramel, toffee, vanilla, molasses, and toasted dark/brown bread; with light notes smoke, licorice, char, dark fruits, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness. Very minimal roast and herbal spice bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, nutty dark roast coffee, cinnamon, chili pepper, caramel, toffee, vanilla, molasses, toasted dark/brown bread, light smoke/dark fruit, herbal, and roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, cocoa, coffee, and spice flavors; with a nice roast/spice bitter/sweet balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and very full body; with a very creamy, silky, velvety, slick, and rich mouthfeel that is insane! Minimal chalky roast, sticky spice, or dryness. Very mildly increasing warming of 15%. Overall this is an insane spiced imperial stout! All around amazing complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, cocoa, coffee, and spice flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the enormous ABV. Extremely rich and complex; with perfect balance fruity/nutty coffee, cocoa, spices, and malts. I expected a huge beer from the warning that was placed on the covered can, but not 15%. You would have no idea if it wasn't labeled. Tastes extremely similar to Prairie Bomb!, but even thicker on body and less drying on spices. One of the smoothest stouts I've ever had at this gravity. A highly amazing offering.

 

 

The tastes all come through. It's so hard to believe this is 15%. The chili is the right heat and the cinnamon, chocolate and coffee all play well off each other. By far one of my favorite stouts. This in a bourbon barrel would be heaven.

 

Pours syrupy near-black with zero head.

The nose is like a churro. Sweet and bready, with coffee in the background.

The taste is cinnamon, coffee, dark chocolate, licorice, and mild spicy heat. Less over the top than I expected. Medium, semi-viscous mouthfeel. A sipper for sure, but balanced for 15% ABV.

Overall, very good. 8 oz. is enough for me, though. Like Stone Xocoveza on steroids.

The third batch of YYKM and possibly the best, hard to say so I might have to do a side by side to determine which is my favorite but they are all excellent. IMO a proper Stout should pour jet black and drink like it looks. Thick and almost chewy. This has all that along with enormous flavor. This variant is one of the best of this style I've had. Up front you get that wonderful flavor with hints of chocolate and cinnamon, then the heat hits you and its just right. Its a tough balance to get the right heat without overpowering the beer and IMO this one nails it. The vanilla is a nice touch - its there all the way through but subtle and in the background. Just a fantastic beer. Can't wait for the next variant and down the road the barrel age'd version should be amazing. Well done.