Imperial Biscotti Break Natale

Somewhat also cashing in on the Bourbon County name for sure. Otherwise they could have just released it as King Henry again. Bourbon County and ALL variants have the common theme of being aged in Bourbon barrels.

Imperial Biscotti Break is easily the most recognized and one of the highest rated stouts in Evil Twin's lineup....they are cashing in on the name, without having a common "theme" now, which before this version, was coffee.

I'm not saying it's a bad move on their part. It's smart marketing, but nothing more than marketing.

 

I don't see this necessarily as a minor semantic argument though. I don't see how Base Stout + Vanilla + Cherry is biscotti like (although I won't say that definitively as I haven't tried it yet and the base might have a strong almond/nutty flavor).

I'll use BCBS as a reference again. There is a base stout that isn't marketed (Cook County Stout) and different treatments of the base. The best known treatment is barreling the beer (making it BCBS). When something is added to that treatment (eg. coffee added to BCBS) that name is retained and the addition is included (BCBCS). However, when the treatment is different (dry-hopping without barrel aging) the name does not "cash in" on the best known treatment because it is not the same.

To me the "Biscotti Break" name invokes an idea of almonds and vanilla (biscotti) and I'd include coffee (the idea of taking a break while snacking on a biscotti conjures up sipping on coffee to me, but this point could be contested). This version does not have almonds or coffee added to the base and therefore, to me at least, is not really the same as the biscotti treatment. Especially since the name includes a cherry on top (makes me think it is regular IBB with cherry addition). I guess brewer's are free to use the better known product, but I'll say that at least I was surprised when I read that the version had no almonds or coffee.

Edit: Also a bit more on track, how is it compared to IBB? Early ratings have it looking good and sole review says similar to IBB only with some cherry (noting coffee, maybe because of the malt/base beer having coffee notes or maybe because he was expecting it due to the name?).

 

I've gotta second almost everything negative in this thread. I had Natale not too long ago and found it thin and watery. The cherries were too much for the base beer sans coffee and almonds, and I like sour beers. I just couldn't believe it was the same beer at all, and it really does feel like Evil Twin cashing in on the success of thr IBB name. I sort of feel cheated because I very much expected IBB+cherries, and what I got was a mediocre porter with artificial-tasting cherries, which is made all the worse by being $16.99. I wish I had just bought IBB.

Sorry for bitching, but I feel others should know that this beer is not what some may be expecting it to be. It's only the third Evil Twin beer I've ever had and the first one that underwhelmed me. I don't think they're a bad brewery (or brewer, more accurately), but I'll certainly be more wary of purchasing from them/him in the future.

 

That's not what I'm saying at all. I think you are taking the name imperial biscotti break as a brand and I'm looking at it as an imperial beer that replicates the flavor of biscotti. Not all biscotti is the same so when see imperial biscotti break natale I think Ricette Stelle di Biscotti Natale and looking at the adjuncts it seems spot on. If they removed almonds and used pine nuts its still biscotti and so long as there was a distinction in the name I'd think it was fine. I suppose I should just stop thinking culinary terms and think of nike and McDonalds marketing.

 

I had it on tap and I thought the coffee overwhelmed it. I dont like the regular version because it is too sweet for my tastes. For the Natale, the coffee overpowered the sweetness and the cherries were barely noticeable.

 

Wait - I thought there was no coffee in this version? Confused now...

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

Bought a bottle tonight @ $13.99, waiting on it to be cold enough to drink.

OT - IBB costs $12.99 here, and I still rarely buy it. I can't imagine how much it sucks to pay $18+ for it.

 

Is coming to nyc November 12

 

Foodtown 148 is going to have it.

 

The beer guy confirm that he is getting 5 case!!!

 

This sounds very similar to Evil Twin Soft Xmas aka Pretty Please with a cherry on top. Except they changed the name for marketing purposes. The only difference seems to be Soft Xmas was in 16.9oz bottles, and it wasn't brewed at Westbrook. The older version was really really good, I havent had the Natale though.

 

Funny. It's called "imperial biscotti break Natale pretty please with a cherry on top"

 

Lil'B Natale pretty please with a cherry on top

just didn't have the same ring to it.

 

It is pretty funny that they have really similar names and flavor profiles. Can you explain the differences between the two?

 

Fuck that shit.

 

I agree with those who found this disappointing given its heritage and price. Glad I only bought one.

 

Long Island will getting it mid month

 

Just got word that this will be hitting my local bottle shop today - can't wait to try it

 

I don't know anything about soft Xmas. We don't make it