Scarface Imperial Stout (Bourbon Barrel Aged)
Speakeasy Ales & Lagers


- From:
- Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
Ranked #3,098 - ABV:
- 9.5%
- Score:
- 88
Ranked #14,149 - Avg:
- 3.95 | pDev: 10.63%
- Reviews:
- 26
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 22, 2022
- Added:
- Feb 13, 2013
- Wants:
- 6
- Gots:
- 31
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
3.79/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Purchased in Hartford
Pours a foamy semi dense 1 finger tan to brown head with med retention, a bit of lacing, nice legs, fairly inky black color
Nose plenty of baking spices, anise, vanilla, cocoa, dark chocolate, cola, little fudgey, fair roast, nougat, light vanilla barrel, very light bourbon
Taste is quite rich, thick heavy malt with roasted malt, coffee, a touch of char, more anise and baking spices, perfumey alcohol with phenol spices, bitterness from roast spices and mild spicy hop, dark chocolate cocoa fudge, some vanilla barrel and light bourbon barrel juice,
Mouth is fuller bod, rich creamy chewy, med carb, fair warning alcohol
Overall not bad, nothing special, base stout was OK, barrel was quite light
Apr 22, 2022Pours a foamy semi dense 1 finger tan to brown head with med retention, a bit of lacing, nice legs, fairly inky black color
Nose plenty of baking spices, anise, vanilla, cocoa, dark chocolate, cola, little fudgey, fair roast, nougat, light vanilla barrel, very light bourbon
Taste is quite rich, thick heavy malt with roasted malt, coffee, a touch of char, more anise and baking spices, perfumey alcohol with phenol spices, bitterness from roast spices and mild spicy hop, dark chocolate cocoa fudge, some vanilla barrel and light bourbon barrel juice,
Mouth is fuller bod, rich creamy chewy, med carb, fair warning alcohol
Overall not bad, nothing special, base stout was OK, barrel was quite light
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.75/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Drank a bottle of this June 2015.
Pours black, beige head, 1/3". Aroma more indicative of a sweeter whiskey barrel than 100% bourbon. Roastiness is higher than most bourbon barrel beers, recollection is that they blend a fresh batch of scarface into the the barreled one, to what ratio, I dunno, but 50/50 seems like it might be on point. Smells good, even if not necessarily in conformity with what they imply it to be.
Taste also takes on an equal position of more roastiness. IBU counter says 50, seems higher, but ok. Perhaps the fresh batch and all its roastiness gives it the sensation of being more of a 70 ibu beer. Caramel, char, sweet wood, come together, over me. Alcohol is hidden pretty well, this is no more challenging to drink than the base version is. But it is better. That whole whiskey layer gives a depth beyond the mere heavy and plentiful roasted malt. Not one of those sludge stouts, actually enjoyable to drink. Decently priced too, check it out.
May 06, 2020Pours black, beige head, 1/3". Aroma more indicative of a sweeter whiskey barrel than 100% bourbon. Roastiness is higher than most bourbon barrel beers, recollection is that they blend a fresh batch of scarface into the the barreled one, to what ratio, I dunno, but 50/50 seems like it might be on point. Smells good, even if not necessarily in conformity with what they imply it to be.
Taste also takes on an equal position of more roastiness. IBU counter says 50, seems higher, but ok. Perhaps the fresh batch and all its roastiness gives it the sensation of being more of a 70 ibu beer. Caramel, char, sweet wood, come together, over me. Alcohol is hidden pretty well, this is no more challenging to drink than the base version is. But it is better. That whole whiskey layer gives a depth beyond the mere heavy and plentiful roasted malt. Not one of those sludge stouts, actually enjoyable to drink. Decently priced too, check it out.
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut
3.76/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.76/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Picked up a 22 oz bottle at a shop recently after learning the brewery may be going into receivership. May as well try some beers before they arent available anymore. Im pouring the beer into a snifter at cellar temperature.
The beer pours a pitch black color with a creamy tan head foaming up about 2 cm and fading slowly to a sturdy surface layer of spongey foam and leaving densely packed lattice on the sides of my glass that sticks around for much of the sampling.
The aroma is all malt with some dark chocolate and charred malt, I also get some black licorice and a little bit of booziness. I dont get any hops nor as much bourbon as I had hoped.
The first sip reveals a silky textured beer with mild spacious carbonation, pretty easy drinking on the physical side of the beer.
Flavor is a deep hit of roasted malt and some dry oak character. I also get the charred malt and a bit of dark chocolate and again the black licorice comes on strong. I also get a heavy dose of warming booze after each sip. So this big beer does reveal itself and isnt a sneaky boozer. The beer is a big imp stout and fairly easy to drink, but there isnt a lot of bourbon as anticipated from the bottle. A decent enough beer, but not amazing.
Apr 16, 2017The beer pours a pitch black color with a creamy tan head foaming up about 2 cm and fading slowly to a sturdy surface layer of spongey foam and leaving densely packed lattice on the sides of my glass that sticks around for much of the sampling.
The aroma is all malt with some dark chocolate and charred malt, I also get some black licorice and a little bit of booziness. I dont get any hops nor as much bourbon as I had hoped.
The first sip reveals a silky textured beer with mild spacious carbonation, pretty easy drinking on the physical side of the beer.
Flavor is a deep hit of roasted malt and some dry oak character. I also get the charred malt and a bit of dark chocolate and again the black licorice comes on strong. I also get a heavy dose of warming booze after each sip. So this big beer does reveal itself and isnt a sneaky boozer. The beer is a big imp stout and fairly easy to drink, but there isnt a lot of bourbon as anticipated from the bottle. A decent enough beer, but not amazing.
Reviewed by ccg from Virginia
3.72/5 rDev -5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.72/5 rDev -5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
This is a good-looking stout. It seem slightly fizzy at first, but the legs are thick and stick to the glass, and once it settles, it looks creamy and dense, and it leaves a thin layer of khaki foam.
There is some chocolatey roasted malt on the nose and a hint of sourness in the background, but overall the smell is actually rather weak.
The flavor also has a bit of chocolatey roast and a hint of sour. I can't say that I'm getting any sense of barrel-aging in this particular bottle.
Has a sort feel with the alcohol mostly hidden except for a lingering warmth at the end.
I would approach this beer as a regular stout rather than a bourbon-barrel-aged stout. As a stout, it works reasonably well. I had this bottle in the cellar for several months, and I'm picking up a bit of a sour note in it, so that might be a sign that it's better to drink this one fresh.
Feb 20, 2017There is some chocolatey roasted malt on the nose and a hint of sourness in the background, but overall the smell is actually rather weak.
The flavor also has a bit of chocolatey roast and a hint of sour. I can't say that I'm getting any sense of barrel-aging in this particular bottle.
Has a sort feel with the alcohol mostly hidden except for a lingering warmth at the end.
I would approach this beer as a regular stout rather than a bourbon-barrel-aged stout. As a stout, it works reasonably well. I had this bottle in the cellar for several months, and I'm picking up a bit of a sour note in it, so that might be a sign that it's better to drink this one fresh.
Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland
3.47/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.47/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Poured from the bottle into a snifter glass. Vintage not known.
Dark walnut brown body color, with quite a light colored head. Head is about a good solid finger and staying power, but is very light tan in color. Good amounts of weeping spotted lacing as well.
Fruity nose. Hints of berried quality and light sensing whiskey notes. Fruited almost spicy sensing rye qualities, and an interesting ester. Light bodied roast qualities and not too particularly large. Solid.
Palate is just weak and watery. Fruity and wet washing palate, with a light roast character. Slight char and a hint of wood, but with not much density or richness. Besides being wet there's quite a bit of fizzy body. Much of the fruity tones just aren't coming out either, and the beer really lacks the character of barrel aging, minus the boozy quality.
In the big bourbon barrel aged stout realm, while drinkable and nothing faulty, this just doesn't stand out.
Dec 27, 2016Dark walnut brown body color, with quite a light colored head. Head is about a good solid finger and staying power, but is very light tan in color. Good amounts of weeping spotted lacing as well.
Fruity nose. Hints of berried quality and light sensing whiskey notes. Fruited almost spicy sensing rye qualities, and an interesting ester. Light bodied roast qualities and not too particularly large. Solid.
Palate is just weak and watery. Fruity and wet washing palate, with a light roast character. Slight char and a hint of wood, but with not much density or richness. Besides being wet there's quite a bit of fizzy body. Much of the fruity tones just aren't coming out either, and the beer really lacks the character of barrel aging, minus the boozy quality.
In the big bourbon barrel aged stout realm, while drinkable and nothing faulty, this just doesn't stand out.
Reviewed by jws7968 from Illinois
3.86/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.86/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours pitch black and had my hopes up for a minute. The smell was was some faint bourbon, vanilla some chocolate. The taste is similar with not much bourbon barrel which was a disappointment. The feel was a little thin for my liking, Overall, glad I made the purchase, but would not repeat
Dec 24, 2016Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado
4.08/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.08/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
these guys just dont get enough credit, its a shame, i think they do nice work across a range of styles, and this definitely stands as one of their best beers ive had. its a pretty classic example of the style. matte black in color, just under an inch of soapy thick latte colored head. the nose and taste of this are just excellent. packed with dry roasted barley, less bitter than many, but not sweet either, and as flavorful as can be, fresher almost in some ways, espresso and tobacco come to mind, a little dark raw chocolate in there too. not quite as syrupy as a lot of these in terms of texture which i think is a big help. the booze is well hidden in the moderate body. awesome bourbon flavor here, pretty robust, but not too much that it takes over the flavor of the base beer, fortunately, because the base beer is delicious. less vanilla than some, more whiskey itself, wet oak, and roast. pleasant round finish to it, very satisfying brew with all of the essential elements. im not sure why their beer doesnt get more love, but if you are among the doubters, get yourself a glass of this one and you will be converted, i am quite confident in that. i like when these are carbonated too, which this one definitely is. active and peppy, very well done.
May 31, 2016Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania
4.6/5 rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.6/5 rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bomber born 11/09/15 at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter, allowed to warm to 50 degrees
Aroma of bourbon, light and enticing, not nose-burning like many, lasts the entire glass
Head average (Three cm, aggressive pour), light brown, creamy with rocks, diminishing to an irregular two to seven ring and thin layer
Lacing excellent – complete ring of mostly tiny bubbles with a half dozen or so larger bubbles
Body – dark brown/black, opaque
Flavor – very smooth and well-blended, light bourbon, some oak, some roasted malt; no hops, no alcohol, no diacetyl
Palate – full, creamy, soft carbonation
Overall, an excellent example of this style, as smooth as the best versions of bourbon.
Appearance 4.5, Aroma 4.5, Flavor 4.75, Palate 4.5, Overall 4.5
Mar 24, 2016Aroma of bourbon, light and enticing, not nose-burning like many, lasts the entire glass
Head average (Three cm, aggressive pour), light brown, creamy with rocks, diminishing to an irregular two to seven ring and thin layer
Lacing excellent – complete ring of mostly tiny bubbles with a half dozen or so larger bubbles
Body – dark brown/black, opaque
Flavor – very smooth and well-blended, light bourbon, some oak, some roasted malt; no hops, no alcohol, no diacetyl
Palate – full, creamy, soft carbonation
Overall, an excellent example of this style, as smooth as the best versions of bourbon.
Appearance 4.5, Aroma 4.5, Flavor 4.75, Palate 4.5, Overall 4.5
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