Chicago Stout Releases (2018)

Don't do lists anymore....

 

Per Hubbards cave facebook, next Thursday 7/6, they are releasing a taproom only "12% imperial stout fermented with almond flour, cacao nibs, cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans, ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, habanero chiles, and cherry wood".
Sounds divine.

 

So just pours, no crowlers or bottles? I need this beer lol.

 

Is it just me or is the Almond flour weird? I don't think I have seen a stout aged with any of type of flour, although I think almond flour is just super finely ground almonds? So maybe less odd? But why not just use almonds? More almond flavor?

 

Well this excites me greatly. Having no experience with Chicago stout releases, how hard would this be to get do you think?

 

Not much hype for this brewery, I'd venture to say quite easy.

 

Yeah, Hubbards cave is more revered for their IPAs as of late, which are awesome FYI. Severely underrated operation IMO, cool little taproom as well, barrels right next to the bar. And on site pours are priced economically as well. Their other stouts have been decent, but this is the first one that has pushed the 12% boundary, and the ingredients sound amazing. How could you go wrong? Ha, there is three types of peppers in it though. Hope the cinnamon, almond, vanilla and cherry wood balance it out.

 

Yeah, I hope it's balanced. Definitely my favorite style of stout so I'll have to seek it out. The cherry wood intrigues me...

 

honestly, i stopped reading after "ancho"

 

Because you knew you that you need to have it?

 

i can't say that i totally shy away from chili'ed stouts, but i've found that if it's not from a brewery that has a decent history in this style, it's a spicy bomb. i hope i'm wrong, but something tells me that HC may fall into the latter category.

 

Stop putting so much damn pepper in beer.

 

You actually have it backwards. Almond flour may impart more of an almond flavor (just think of one solid block of sugar vs finely ground). Almond flour also doesn't have the skin on it, however, it is bleached (not sure what that takes away, if anything). I'm not a chef by any means, but I can see the almond flour creating more of the flavor they want, and additionally, maybe lending a thicker, fuller-bodied mouthfeel.

However, I could be way off base.

 

Not a huge fan of Vlad the Conqusitador regular. Did anyone have the BA version in 15?

 

I've never had Vlad before, but I'm a sucker for these pastry stouts.

 

Agreed. I have loved every variant this year so far.