-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Wake Up Dead - Barrel-Aged
Left Hand Brewing Company
- From:
- Left Hand Brewing Company
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 10.2%
- Score:
- 79
- Avg:
- 3.45 | pDev: 20.87%
- Reviews:
- 133
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 26, 2021
- Added:
- Aug 02, 2010
- Wants:
- 25
- Gots:
- 45
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BretSikkink:
Reviewed by BretSikkink from Mexico
3.5/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Dark brown with some highlighting - a little disappointing given the name...head is a tanned foam with decent stick and the lacing is solid enough. Updated: the retention is weak.
Nose is fairly sweet with some roasted bitterness. I get nothing from barrel-aging like woodiness or vanillin. Mostly caramel with the roasted barley edge.
Flavor is par for the course. Not bad but not very exciting either. One-dimensional in terms of black, roasted malts. Chocolate, fig, coffee, licorice. Hops are present for sure, but contribute some spiciness and blend in with the espresso bitterness.
Didn't realize it was barrel-aged until i looked at the profile on BA and subsequently read the bottle. Not an endorsement.
Moderate body, as the thickness doesn't keep up with the color and flavor. I do like how the bitter, aggressive flavor is couched within this silky sort of creamy body, but for a big-ass waking-up-dead kind of stout I'm looking for a bit more heft.
Apr 20, 2011Nose is fairly sweet with some roasted bitterness. I get nothing from barrel-aging like woodiness or vanillin. Mostly caramel with the roasted barley edge.
Flavor is par for the course. Not bad but not very exciting either. One-dimensional in terms of black, roasted malts. Chocolate, fig, coffee, licorice. Hops are present for sure, but contribute some spiciness and blend in with the espresso bitterness.
Didn't realize it was barrel-aged until i looked at the profile on BA and subsequently read the bottle. Not an endorsement.
Moderate body, as the thickness doesn't keep up with the color and flavor. I do like how the bitter, aggressive flavor is couched within this silky sort of creamy body, but for a big-ass waking-up-dead kind of stout I'm looking for a bit more heft.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia
2.78/5 rDev -19.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
2.78/5 rDev -19.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
"Good morning, you've woken up dead, you're in ruins, on the brink of catastrophe. But don't be discouraged. You are ripe for a revolution! Our barrel-aged russian imperial stout doesn't happen overnight. Patience is required. Wake up Dead hibernates in our cellars for over 12 months before being blended to woody perfection. Hints of raisins, cherry, licorice and toffee. Followed by earthy, herbal hop notes that rise up, joining you in your fight for a better life." Brewed in the style of an American Double / Imperial Stout aged in barrels. Occasional release in 22 oz. bottles and limited draft.
Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass.
(Appearance) Pours a foamy frothed head of a mocha brown color over a very dark brown, near black body. Retention is average and lacing is light and patchy. 3.75
(Smell) Thin roasted malts, chocolate, grain malts, tangy green apple tartness. Virtually no discernible barrel aging character nor stout aromas either. Potency is moderate. Off-the-mark by style standards and even by general beer standards. 2.5
(Taste) The flavor comes close to replicating the aroma, although not everything that defines an Imperial Stout is lost in the flavor. Delicate roasted malts with a fruity tart and grainy bite, drying traces of raw barrel without any spirit influences, and a moderate alcohol pinch. Very average by beer standards, although I don't come across many imperial stouts that are this disappointing. 2.75
(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, silky, moderately dry. Carbonation is moderate, generating a medium frothiness and a medium crisp finish. Body is shy of medium for the style, medium/heavy overall. Balance is slightly tangy, boozy and earthy bitter over sweet. Alcohol presence is moderate and there are some suggestions of potential infection with green apple and tart cherry notes coming through strongly. 3
(Overall) This is a pretty disappointing Imperial Stout, incredibly messy with flavors of infection, limited range and development of imperial stout characters, shallow texture and viscosity, and disappointing, if not offensive barrel character. I guess introducing a barrel screwed up things more than expected. I much favored the standard Wake Up Dead over this one, although as a base, it's not spectacular by any means, it likely doesn't have the substance to justify maturing in barrels. 2.75
Left Hand Brewing Company's
Wake Up Dead Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
2.78/5.00
Feb 20, 2016Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass.
(Appearance) Pours a foamy frothed head of a mocha brown color over a very dark brown, near black body. Retention is average and lacing is light and patchy. 3.75
(Smell) Thin roasted malts, chocolate, grain malts, tangy green apple tartness. Virtually no discernible barrel aging character nor stout aromas either. Potency is moderate. Off-the-mark by style standards and even by general beer standards. 2.5
(Taste) The flavor comes close to replicating the aroma, although not everything that defines an Imperial Stout is lost in the flavor. Delicate roasted malts with a fruity tart and grainy bite, drying traces of raw barrel without any spirit influences, and a moderate alcohol pinch. Very average by beer standards, although I don't come across many imperial stouts that are this disappointing. 2.75
(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, silky, moderately dry. Carbonation is moderate, generating a medium frothiness and a medium crisp finish. Body is shy of medium for the style, medium/heavy overall. Balance is slightly tangy, boozy and earthy bitter over sweet. Alcohol presence is moderate and there are some suggestions of potential infection with green apple and tart cherry notes coming through strongly. 3
(Overall) This is a pretty disappointing Imperial Stout, incredibly messy with flavors of infection, limited range and development of imperial stout characters, shallow texture and viscosity, and disappointing, if not offensive barrel character. I guess introducing a barrel screwed up things more than expected. I much favored the standard Wake Up Dead over this one, although as a base, it's not spectacular by any means, it likely doesn't have the substance to justify maturing in barrels. 2.75
Left Hand Brewing Company's
Wake Up Dead Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
2.78/5.00
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.22/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.22/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Gritty black pour, reddish brown head on it. Roast, whiskey, heavy, like a shot.
Taste imparted milder barrel notes, mouthfeel was good, gave some thickness that kept the heat down. A little bit of dark fruit bitterness at times. Given the price and availability this ain't half bad. Far from top tier stuff, but when you see it on shelves at a decent price, it has a place in the world.
Dec 20, 2015Taste imparted milder barrel notes, mouthfeel was good, gave some thickness that kept the heat down. A little bit of dark fruit bitterness at times. Given the price and availability this ain't half bad. Far from top tier stuff, but when you see it on shelves at a decent price, it has a place in the world.
Rated by JMFP from Delaware
4.25/5 rDev +23.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +23.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
I don't know why the reviews for this are so inconsistent. I had it on tap at The Cambridge during Philly Beer Week, and thought it was excellent.
Jun 01, 2015
Wake Up Dead - Barrel-Aged from Left Hand Brewing Company
Beer rating:
79 out of
100 with
296 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!