Generational
Half Acre Beer Company

Glossy black with an impressively dark brown head retaining a firm, fine level foam despite being short.

The full body's firm, espresso-like carbonation delivers nutty malt, bourbon vanillin, dark fruit, Reisen and nougat while staying far shy of too sweet.

Oh damn that's good.

This one pours a very dark black color, with a small head, and not much lacing.

This smells like dark truffle-y chocolate, toasted coconut, caramel, bourbon barrel, oak, and dark fruit.

These are two of the best stout purveyors going right now, so of course this is going to be might tasty. The various adjuncts are present, but none overwhelm, and all of them work in tandem along with the heavy barrel char to make a new, concentrated singular barrel aged stout. This is not pastry for the sake of it – everything works in cooperation.

This is medium bodied, slightly warming but not boozy, with a creamy long finish.

This is just stupendous – I could drink this so easily, which is dangerous given how strong it is.

 

12oz can, dated 11.18.2024, poured into a stemless wine glass. Enjoyed on 12.25.2024, reviewed from Tasting Journal.

The beer pours a deep jet black color, super thick and viscous, oily, sludgy, thin layer of tan head that offers spotted lacing. The aroma is great, rich chocolate cream, vanilla, marshmallow, roasted coffee, toasted coconut, super smooth oak barrel, lightly warming spirit, earthy licorice. The flavors are outstanding, bursting with chocolate, coffee creme, warm oak, smooth bourbon spirit, stone fruits, leather, licorice, light coconut. The mouthfeel is excellent, super thick and full bodied, heavy but smooth and creamy with a very luscious finish.

Verdict: A stellar barrel-aged coffee stout from Half Acre and Side Project. The coconut isn't quite as prominent but does help add to the layers of flavor and the overall balance is just incredible. A really remarkable beer.

 

Poured from a 12oz can into a SP stemless snifter. Pours a thick and dark black with a thin dark mocha brown foam cap. Lots of dark chocolate on the nose. Waves of vanilla and coconut when lightly agitated. Some bourbon as it warms. Taste follows with rich chocolate up front, more bourbon than the nose and finishes with sweet vanilla and coconut. The coconut is light and never gets sickly sweet. I really don’t get a lot of coffee on the nose or in the taste but that’s okay as this works as is. Thick, full mouthfeel. Sticky and coats the mouth with a gentle rush of carbonation to the finish. Really good barrel-aged imperial stout collaboration. The flavor additives work (even if I wish there were more coffee) without covering up the barrel.

Pours like motor oil into the glass. Pitch black with a half finger of dark mocha, reddish head that dissipates quickly.

Aroma brings a big barrel presence. I'm not sure how long this version is aged in barrels for, but the first batch was 2 years. I could see this being the case for this one as well. Bourbon spirit, charred oak, and vanillin all on display from the barrels, as well as dark chocolate fudge, big vanilla bean, caramel, slight coffee, some coconut, cherry, and roasted malt.

Taste mimics the aroma well, with the barrel character at the forefront. Bourbon spirit and charred oak tannin in spades, complemented nicely by big vanilla bean frosting, brownie batter, coconut macaroons coated in dark chocolate, dark cherry, dark roast coffee, caramel, and slight tobacco.

Full body. Low carbonation. Sticky, oily, and dense.

I appreciate the elevated barrel character with this one, which balances the thoughtful addition of adjuncts well. High quality all around. Wouldn't expect anything less from two breweries of this pedigree in the stout world.

Look - black thick nice rimming and lacing
Smell - chocolate forward followed by coconut then vanilla with a nice barrel, coffee in the back
Taste - rich chocolate coconut coffee vanilla barrel toasted malts
Feel - full body light carb
Overall - pretty tasty

Tick #4800!!!

 

Blend #2. Canned 11/8/24; drank 12/16/24 @ the Yarchives.

Midnight black appearance.

A rough pour yielded a nice dark tan head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lacing remained.

Chocolate milk, dark roast coffee bean, mild vanilla & faint wood notes in the nose.

Thick, creamy mouthfeel.

Dark roast coffee bean, milk chocolate & vanilla flavors; faint booze heat emerged when this warmed.

Better mouthfeel than Benthic, for sure. A bit too sweet, but it's good stuff.