Matricide
Nightmare Brewing Company
- From:
- Nightmare Brewing Company
- New York, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
Ranked #1,033 - ABV:
- 15.1%
- Score:
- 92
Ranked #5,950 - Avg:
- 4.17 | pDev: 6.95%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 25
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 29, 2026
- Added:
- Jun 22, 2019
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding
Imperial Stout with Coconut, Almond, Lactose, Madagascar Vanilla and aged on Cacao.
Let me start by saying that I love my mother and that she is an amazing parent. That being said, this is her being stabbed through the head with a paintbrush.
Born and raised in Chicago and Graduating from the Art institute of Chicago, she’s always had a passion for art and life. She’s always supported my dream of brewing beer and even went so far as to help me brew in her kitchen. It was only fitting to honor her by bringing her out to brew this batch with me, and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we did making it.
The Greek word Meraki (putting something of yourself into your work), and the quote “They died doing what they loved” came to mind in paying homage to her. There could be nothing more poetic and literal, than painting the reaper into a self portrait only to manifest him so he kills her and adds to her painting.
The label also feature the colors of the Chicago flag along with the colors of the wrapper of her favorite candy bar, in which I tried to emulate with the ingredients.
Cold aged on Ecuadorian Cacao, toasted coconut and roasted almonds for over 6 weeks gives off complex boozy aromatics of coconut and almond. Deeper heavier aromatics and flavors of fudge, black cherry, figs and dried apricots. Invasively viscous Coconut notes on mouthfeel, almond almost comes off like amaretto, crisp fudge brownie edges, astringent bite of flavored coffee at the finish.
.
Pairs well with:
Beyond All Recognition - Characters
Let me start by saying that I love my mother and that she is an amazing parent. That being said, this is her being stabbed through the head with a paintbrush.
Born and raised in Chicago and Graduating from the Art institute of Chicago, she’s always had a passion for art and life. She’s always supported my dream of brewing beer and even went so far as to help me brew in her kitchen. It was only fitting to honor her by bringing her out to brew this batch with me, and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we did making it.
The Greek word Meraki (putting something of yourself into your work), and the quote “They died doing what they loved” came to mind in paying homage to her. There could be nothing more poetic and literal, than painting the reaper into a self portrait only to manifest him so he kills her and adds to her painting.
The label also feature the colors of the Chicago flag along with the colors of the wrapper of her favorite candy bar, in which I tried to emulate with the ingredients.
Cold aged on Ecuadorian Cacao, toasted coconut and roasted almonds for over 6 weeks gives off complex boozy aromatics of coconut and almond. Deeper heavier aromatics and flavors of fudge, black cherry, figs and dried apricots. Invasively viscous Coconut notes on mouthfeel, almond almost comes off like amaretto, crisp fudge brownie edges, astringent bite of flavored coffee at the finish.
.
Pairs well with:
Beyond All Recognition - Characters
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Beersnake from California
3.12/5 rDev -25.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
3.12/5 rDev -25.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
Poured at fridge temp. Pours pitch black with minimal head. The nose is roasted malts, coffee, dark chocolate.
The taste is a bit odd. A medicinal (cough syrup) taste comes though right away. Strange. Boozy. I'm not really liking this at all. Very harsh, like it wasn't done correctly. Dark fruit, maybe a bit of vanilla, and nuts. Very bitter but in a weird way.
Apr 29, 2026The taste is a bit odd. A medicinal (cough syrup) taste comes though right away. Strange. Boozy. I'm not really liking this at all. Very harsh, like it wasn't done correctly. Dark fruit, maybe a bit of vanilla, and nuts. Very bitter but in a weird way.
Reviewed by DraftMonger from Denmark
4.01/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.01/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Copenhagen 1/3 2026. 47,3 cl can from Kihoskh, Sønder Boulevard, Kbh. V. Unnerving purple can with a drawing of a lady before and after getting a metal rod jammed through her skull by Death itself.
Pours opaque dark brown with a small light beige head. A bit bubbly. Settles as a thin rim of foam running along the sides of the glass. No lacing.
Aroma is fairly intense with a sweet and sugary malty odor mingling with a sharp scent of alcohol. Dark roasted malts, caramel and toffee. Brown sugar and vanilla. Whiff of Malibu and sherry. Metallic alcohol.
Light carbonation. Thick, oily, viscous, fat and a bit creamy, almost flat texture.
Flavor is intense with a strong sweetness followed by a more moderate bitterness. Aftertaste is bitter with a notable sweet and boozy undertone. Lingering. Finish is boozy and a little sharp.
Potent and fearsome.
Mar 01, 2026Pours opaque dark brown with a small light beige head. A bit bubbly. Settles as a thin rim of foam running along the sides of the glass. No lacing.
Aroma is fairly intense with a sweet and sugary malty odor mingling with a sharp scent of alcohol. Dark roasted malts, caramel and toffee. Brown sugar and vanilla. Whiff of Malibu and sherry. Metallic alcohol.
Light carbonation. Thick, oily, viscous, fat and a bit creamy, almost flat texture.
Flavor is intense with a strong sweetness followed by a more moderate bitterness. Aftertaste is bitter with a notable sweet and boozy undertone. Lingering. Finish is boozy and a little sharp.
Potent and fearsome.
Reviewed by JDemon from Arizona
4.18/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25
Black and opaque to the eye, smell is faintly sweet cinnamon and coconut, taste is more coconut, dark chocolate, amaretto, dark fruit, and pepper on the back end, feel is thinner than expected but pleasant, and this brew goes down easy (too easy?) for the ABV. An overall surprisingly drinkable imperial stout, with a lot to offer as long as you're a fan of the style - but not for the faint of heart, as evidenced by both the alcohol content and the art on the can.
Sep 28, 2025
Reviewed by Falcon91Wolvrn03 from California
4/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Look - Pours a very dark brown-black color with a very small head that disappears almost immediately. No lacing when swirled. I like the art on the can, but I'm not factoring that into the score. :-)
Smell - Toasted malt, then almonds, and lastly light cacao.
Taste - Taste is better than the smell in my opinion. Roasted malt, dark chocolate, almonds, cacao, and just barely some coconut.
Feel - Feels thin. To me the 15.1%ABV came across a bit strong. I'm usually ok with that much (or more) ABV, but the alcohol felt like one of the flavors.
Overall - This is a decent stout, though in my humble opinion, I think the ABV slightly overpowered the flavors. Maybe needed more thickness or more coconut/cacao?
Jun 30, 2025Smell - Toasted malt, then almonds, and lastly light cacao.
Taste - Taste is better than the smell in my opinion. Roasted malt, dark chocolate, almonds, cacao, and just barely some coconut.
Feel - Feels thin. To me the 15.1%ABV came across a bit strong. I'm usually ok with that much (or more) ABV, but the alcohol felt like one of the flavors.
Overall - This is a decent stout, though in my humble opinion, I think the ABV slightly overpowered the flavors. Maybe needed more thickness or more coconut/cacao?
Reviewed by muchloveforhops3 from Montana
4/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A big thanks to @jzeilinger for the can! First experience w/ Nightmare
16oz can poured into a La Fin du Monde tulip
P menacing deep mahogany/black w/ a small tan cap
N soft-med nose of sweet nutty and woodsy notes; a touch of roast as well
T simple profile of roast, almonds, and cocoa; doesn't pop quite as much as anticipated, but fairly tasty though; a moderate amount of warming heat in the finish (although not overbearing); plum notes come out as I drink through it
Mf med-bodied w/ soft-med carb; a bit slick
O drinks well for the 15% abv
review date: 09.15.23
can date: not captured
Jul 26, 202416oz can poured into a La Fin du Monde tulip
P menacing deep mahogany/black w/ a small tan cap
N soft-med nose of sweet nutty and woodsy notes; a touch of roast as well
T simple profile of roast, almonds, and cocoa; doesn't pop quite as much as anticipated, but fairly tasty though; a moderate amount of warming heat in the finish (although not overbearing); plum notes come out as I drink through it
Mf med-bodied w/ soft-med carb; a bit slick
O drinks well for the 15% abv
review date: 09.15.23
can date: not captured
Reviewed by woemad from Washington
4.22/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
16oz tallboy can purchased at Mid Columbia Wine & Spirits, in Kennewick, Washington, for $10.45. Special kind of person releases a beer with a picture of his own mother being murdered on it, I must say.
Poured into a 16 oz snifter, this was very dark brown that conceded nothing when held up to direct light. Very thin tan colored head. Almost no lace to speak of.
Aroma of vanilla and milky, sugary sweetness at first. As it begins to warm up in the glass, a note of almonds emerges as well. The cacao is also noticable after a bit. The last element to make itself noticeable in the nose is the coconut.
The flavors meld together pretty well. Like in the nose, the vanilla stands out the most, but it's not terribly dominant the way vanilla often is. Likewise, the coconut, often a adjunct that gets added with a happy hand, is not overpowering here. Everything kind of melts together like a coconut candy bar that's been turned into a milkshake. There is a bit of warming alcohol present in the background, but, despite the extremely high abv, it's not nearly as big as I thought it would be.
Rich, sticky mouth feel.
When I poured this, I thought this might be a letdown. It's a bit short on traditional Stout flavors, but the adjuncts, although they collectively dominate the flavor, are very well melted together. If you are in the mood for a well done dessert beer, this will very much fit the bill, so long as you don't have to operate any machinery afterwards!
Feb 26, 2024Poured into a 16 oz snifter, this was very dark brown that conceded nothing when held up to direct light. Very thin tan colored head. Almost no lace to speak of.
Aroma of vanilla and milky, sugary sweetness at first. As it begins to warm up in the glass, a note of almonds emerges as well. The cacao is also noticable after a bit. The last element to make itself noticeable in the nose is the coconut.
The flavors meld together pretty well. Like in the nose, the vanilla stands out the most, but it's not terribly dominant the way vanilla often is. Likewise, the coconut, often a adjunct that gets added with a happy hand, is not overpowering here. Everything kind of melts together like a coconut candy bar that's been turned into a milkshake. There is a bit of warming alcohol present in the background, but, despite the extremely high abv, it's not nearly as big as I thought it would be.
Rich, sticky mouth feel.
When I poured this, I thought this might be a letdown. It's a bit short on traditional Stout flavors, but the adjuncts, although they collectively dominate the flavor, are very well melted together. If you are in the mood for a well done dessert beer, this will very much fit the bill, so long as you don't have to operate any machinery afterwards!
Reviewed by 2beerdogs from California
3.95/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.95/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
It's dark and deep. Very pretty but no head retention.
Nose wafts a gentle, warm sweetness. Chocolate, toasted coconut, a gentle roasted nut note, and a slightly warm and round vanilla. A tad warm to me nose.
Flavor begins with a smooth combination of toasted coconut, cocoa, caramel, dates, and a hint of amaretto, vanilla, and a hint of creamy almond.
Feel is thick, almost syrupy, and warm.
Feb 14, 2024Nose wafts a gentle, warm sweetness. Chocolate, toasted coconut, a gentle roasted nut note, and a slightly warm and round vanilla. A tad warm to me nose.
Flavor begins with a smooth combination of toasted coconut, cocoa, caramel, dates, and a hint of amaretto, vanilla, and a hint of creamy almond.
Feel is thick, almost syrupy, and warm.
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina
4.09/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.09/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Look: It pours very dark brown with a brown head. Head retention is low.
Smell: There are roasted aromas and a fair amount of almonds as well. There are also some cocoa and chocolate notes and toast.
Taste: It has roast and chocolate up front with almond flavors. There are dark fruits most like prunes. There are very low levels of coconut and toast with a touch of vanilla.
Feel: It has a full body with smooth alcohol warming.
Overall, plenty of flavor and the alcohol is surprisingly smooth.
Jul 21, 2023Smell: There are roasted aromas and a fair amount of almonds as well. There are also some cocoa and chocolate notes and toast.
Taste: It has roast and chocolate up front with almond flavors. There are dark fruits most like prunes. There are very low levels of coconut and toast with a touch of vanilla.
Feel: It has a full body with smooth alcohol warming.
Overall, plenty of flavor and the alcohol is surprisingly smooth.
Reviewed by UWDAWG from Washington
4.17/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 16 ounce can into a snifter.
Look- Black, opaque, average head retention, below average lacing, medium brown frothy head.
Smell- Cacao, almond, coconut, medium strength of scent.
Taste- Cacao, almond, vanilla, coconut, mildly spicy, between medium and high strength of flavor.
Feel- Between medium and full body, average carbonation, moderately bitter, moderately creamy, mildly mouth coating.
Overall- Black and opaque with a medium brown frothy head. Bouquet was cacao, almond and coconut with medium strength. Taste was cacao, almond, vanilla and coconut with between medium and high strength of flavor. Body was between medium and full with moderate creaminess and mild mouth coating properties. Overall this was an enjoyable drinking experience with moderately intense flavors and nose. The cacao was very nice, but could have used some more vibrant complementary flavors.
Jul 11, 2023Look- Black, opaque, average head retention, below average lacing, medium brown frothy head.
Smell- Cacao, almond, coconut, medium strength of scent.
Taste- Cacao, almond, vanilla, coconut, mildly spicy, between medium and high strength of flavor.
Feel- Between medium and full body, average carbonation, moderately bitter, moderately creamy, mildly mouth coating.
Overall- Black and opaque with a medium brown frothy head. Bouquet was cacao, almond and coconut with medium strength. Taste was cacao, almond, vanilla and coconut with between medium and high strength of flavor. Body was between medium and full with moderate creaminess and mild mouth coating properties. Overall this was an enjoyable drinking experience with moderately intense flavors and nose. The cacao was very nice, but could have used some more vibrant complementary flavors.
Reviewed by Christianriveraaa
4.14/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.14/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
L: Poured from a pint can into a sniffer - Thick, oily pour with a fingers length of head risen to the surface.
S: The smell is oozing with lactose, milk chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, with slight coconut.
T: Wow nice. Getting milk chocolate upfront mixed in with some bakers chocolate. Getting tastes of vanilla. To be honest I can see where they said coconut in this but it's very subtle to none. Maybe as the beer warms up the flavor will be more present but I'm not getting much of it.
F: Thick, oily thick, slight acidity, very little to no carbonation, very easy sipper. Especially for a big boy 15% beer. Very good job.
O: This beer was recommended to me by a friend and I'm glad I tried this. I was loving the milk chocolate part of this beer, followed by a nice vanilla ride to the end. Very well done. I wouldn't say this is world class but if nightmare found a way to bring out that coconut then that might be a different story. Maybe try to age in rum barrels? Just a thought if the brewing co. reads these reviews. Would recommend if you haven't tried.
Feb 20, 2023S: The smell is oozing with lactose, milk chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, with slight coconut.
T: Wow nice. Getting milk chocolate upfront mixed in with some bakers chocolate. Getting tastes of vanilla. To be honest I can see where they said coconut in this but it's very subtle to none. Maybe as the beer warms up the flavor will be more present but I'm not getting much of it.
F: Thick, oily thick, slight acidity, very little to no carbonation, very easy sipper. Especially for a big boy 15% beer. Very good job.
O: This beer was recommended to me by a friend and I'm glad I tried this. I was loving the milk chocolate part of this beer, followed by a nice vanilla ride to the end. Very well done. I wouldn't say this is world class but if nightmare found a way to bring out that coconut then that might be a different story. Maybe try to age in rum barrels? Just a thought if the brewing co. reads these reviews. Would recommend if you haven't tried.
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