Wake Up Dead Nitro
Left Hand Brewing Company

Wake Up Dead NitroWake Up Dead Nitro
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From:
Left Hand Brewing Company
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
ABV:
10.2%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.04 | pDev: 10.4%
Reviews:
202
Ratings:
1,049
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 17, 2022
Added:
May 04, 2011
Wants:
  83
Gots:
  361
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Rollzroyce21:
Photo of Rollzroyce21
Rated by Rollzroyce21 from California

3.85/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
- 12oz. bottle poured into Goose Island pint glass on 7-Jul-15
Jul 08, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.57 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Jan 17, 2022
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.67/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dad dropped this can on me, sat in the fridge for a year or two, ended up breaking it out this summer.

Pours black and makes a very pretty nitro super small bubble 1" head. As far as appearances go, this beer takes a back seat to no stout. The aroma did have the roasted malt tempered as putting it on nitro will often do. But it gained complexity as notes of earth, tobacco, dark fruit came out.

Taste avoided a high degree of roasted malt and dark fruit bitterness and instead melded many things like dark chocolate, tobacco, leather, fig with only a light alcohol presence in the mouth feel. This is already the uber rare nitro stout that is better than the regular version. Like so rare, it might be the only time I can think of where it improved a beer. Also takes on a dry edge to it like an Irish stout instead of a Russian. Again, surprised that nitro can do this.

This beer really opened my eyes to the possibilities of nitro.
Dec 22, 2021
Photo of Bouleboubier
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey

3.89/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
(12 oz bottle, best by 09/20/18; purchased yesterday, single off shelf... poured rough into a fat tulip)

L: picturesque dark brown (black) liquid, topped with ultra-tight, khaki-colored foam, with a slow recede... not much lace left, but a big, healthy sip and tip reveals a solid, unbroken sheet of foam crust; cap persists until the last drop

S: dark chocolate ganache, hint of black licorice, roasted barley in higher intensity (but relatively mellow), hints of leather and 'chocolate-flavored' tobacco (influence of hops?); very subtle presence of ethanol... overall intensity, low-moderate, as expected

T: first sip, rather robustly Irish dry-like; little alcohol up front; dry, roasty (espresso-ish); mellow nugget of caramelized malt nestled in a static wash of vaguely herbal-perfumed roasted grain; very little residual sweetness... second sip, and immediately more of the foundational flavors express themselves, if only briefly; the aftertaste is much like the first sip... lingering grain sweetness and vinous alcohol do eventually develop on the palate in the aftertaste, as well as a hint of cardboard-like oxidation

F: dull smoothness; flat, planed, dry... the alcohol, roast, and hop bitterness gradually stoke a small flame at the back of the tongue... little contour or curves to its body; mildly oily

O: interesting, sort of - the presentation, that is... boring? yes, perhaps... too much like a strong dry stout, which is fine if you don't mind malt nuance and depth being muffled, fine if you prefer alcohol presence muffled as well... I don't recall seeing this before, and it was the last one left on the shelf... there you go (1701)
Sep 29, 2020
 
Rated: 4.38 by GreyGooseStout from Colorado

Jun 19, 2020
Photo of CTHomer
Reviewed by CTHomer from Connecticut

3.94/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
A: opaque; very dark brown in color; 1 finger finely pored medium brown head that receded slowly to a thin cap; sheets of lace that linger;

S: chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon;

T; deeply roasted grain up front; from the middle through the finish, it follows the nose; a little boozy with mild to moderate bitterness at the end;

M: medium bodied; moderate, creamy carbonation; moderately dry finish; alcohol is warming, but not hot;

O: interesting, but not something I would seek out;
Apr 16, 2020
Photo of wmscottsimpsonjr
Reviewed by wmscottsimpsonjr from Missouri

4.16/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Black with dark tan head. Coffee, booze, dates, bit of floral hops on the nose. Some dark chocolate is there in the flavor, and lots of the dates. Nice bitter roast, countered by it being pretty sweet. Great creamy nitro mouthfeel, and rich too.
Mar 22, 2020
Photo of aatazebeats
Reviewed by aatazebeats from Wisconsin

4.08/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
Look: dark with a little bit of a reddish hue as a do a steep pour as you're supposed to drop with nitros. About 1/2 an inch of a Sandy cream brown retaining head

Smell: Dates, milk chocolate, maybe raisins and slight notes of hibiscus, possibly anise.

Taste: Sweet, you can definitely taste the dark fruits right off the bat along with the subtle hibiscus flavor. Feels awesome to keep in your mouth for a couple of seconds. Heavy finishing notes of light roasted coffee, following with a nice, bitter 85% dark cocoa finish. Satisfying.

Feel: Mixed. I don't really like nitros, but I lik to try new types often to broaden my horizons. I don't like the flatness of the nitro that comes right off the bat, but it goes down so damn smooth. I'll give it a higher rating because this is the first nitro I've had that feels okay.
Mar 08, 2020
Photo of bbtkd
Reviewed by bbtkd from South Dakota

4.14/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Left Hand Wake Up Dead Nitro RIS, 10.2% ABV. Pours black with a nice one-finger tan nitro head. Nose is real nice strong dark fruit, coffee, chocolate, and something floral. Taste is some chocolate, but the heavy roast coffee/malt bitterness really overrides any other flavor. Outstanding creamy nitro mouthfeel which makes you expect sweet creaminess that you don't get. Overall very good for a RIS.
Mar 05, 2020
 
Rated: 3.69 by Valkyrie23 from Texas

Feb 26, 2020
 
Rated: 4.54 by StoutsAllDay from Iowa

Feb 12, 2020
Photo of barnzy78
Reviewed by barnzy78 from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
13.65oz can, best by 10/2?/2020. Thanks to Ken for giving me a can to try! Pitch black body with a reverse cascading khaki head that holds unbelievable retention. Aroma is roast, dark chocolate, caramel, grain, and faint dark fruit - fig perhaps. Nice bold Imperial Stout flavors with notes of dark chocolate, roasted barley, caramel, toffee, fig, and a bit of cherry along with earthy hop bitterness. Full and exceptionally creamy body, soft nitro carbonation, balanced finish with some roast and faint anise lingering. I had the regular Wake Up Dead many many years ago, but I really like what they did with this nitro version - I don't believe I've ever had a nitro Imperial Stout. I will get this again if I see it.
Feb 08, 2020
 
Rated: 4.12 by jwmoore from Iowa

Dec 29, 2019
Photo of tp1962
Reviewed by tp1962 from Illinois

5/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
There are so many Outstanding tasting RIS’s out there and Wake Up Dead is another perfect 5 in my book. I can’t find it often but when I do I usually grab a couple 4 packs. Ages well and is perfect to share with my friends who are craft beer enthusiasts
Dec 23, 2019
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: A nitro pour yields a creamy ecru head topping the pitch black liquid; webby lacing

Smell: Brewer's licorice, piney hops and a hint of molasses

Taste: Chocolate forward with a burst of roasted, piney flavors that take over in the middle; some licorice and molasses sweetness underneath but the finish is dominated by an over-roasted character

Mouthfeel: Full bodied and creamy with moderate carbonation

Overall: Lots of powerful flavors here but the chocolate tones get dominated when they should be more prominent
Dec 15, 2019
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

3.84/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
"Best by 2/18/16"; drank 7/30/15 @ the Yarchives.

Black/brown/purple appearance.

A rough pour yielded a small tan head; a small ring of continually dissipating lace.

Black cherry & fresh earth notes in the nose.

Creamy, medium thick mouthfeel.

Black licorice & milk chocolate flavors up front; fresh earth notes on the finish.

An odd mix of a sweet stout & a RIS; methinks the nitro smoothness rounds out some otherwise rough edges.
Nov 30, 2019
Photo of EnderFett11
Reviewed by EnderFett11 from Virginia

3.7/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a can into a snifter glass fairly hard. Nitro took a minute to settle to 1+ fingers of creamy head that stuck around the entire time. Smells mildly of dried fruit. I taste some dried fruit, but is too hoppy and bitter to enjoy fully. Excellent creamy nitro texture like I'm used to from Left Hand. Not something I'll be getting again due to the bitterness.
Nov 24, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by eawolff99 from Minnesota

Nov 08, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by kjkinsey from Texas

Nov 08, 2019
Photo of Mister_Faucher
Reviewed by Mister_Faucher from Washington

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Four pack of 13.65oz can picked up at Total Wine in Lynnwood, Washington.
Best by date is 09/10/2020. Aggressively poured in to a Samuel Smith pint glass.

Look- Opaque dark coffee/almost black color, sizeable light khaki colored head with great retention, good amount of lacing. No carbonation streaming after it settles.

Smell- Fresh ground coffee, toasted dark bread, burnt sugar/caramel, chocolate and licorice, light dark fruits (raisins and figs) faint vanilla.

Taste- Rich toasted bready malt, coffee, licorice, bittersweet chocolate and raisins, burnt sugar and vanilla, light spicey hops.

Feel- Heavier side of medium bodied with a smooth, creamy texture. Well balanced but leans toward the bitter side. Very light carbonation on the tongue.

O- Another great stout from Left Hand, can't detect the alcohol at all, which makes it dangerously easy to drink. I had their milk stout nitro yesterday and liked that one a bit more than this though.
Oct 27, 2019
Wake Up Dead Nitro from Left Hand Brewing Company
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 1049 ratings