Category Archives: 4 – Good (buy)

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Epic Brewing Company, Stout - Imperial, USA

Epic Big Bad Baptista

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Brewery: Epic Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 11%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2017 Rare Release. Imperial Stout with Mexican coffee, cacao nibs, vanilla & cinnamon flavor added and 100% aged in whiskey barrels. Malts – Ultra Premium Maris Otter, Briess 2-Row Brewers Malts, Muntons Crystal, Weyermann Light Munich Malt I, 2-Row Chocolate Malt, 2-Row Black Malt and Roasted Barley. Hops – Nugget, Chinook and Cascade. Spices – Cinnamon, Vanilla, Blue Copper Mexican Coffee and Solstace Cacao Nibs

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Inspired by the spicy and bold flavors of a Café de Olla we added Vanilla and Cinnamon along with Mexican Coffee beans and cacao nibs to our 100% Barrel-aged Big Bad Baptist. The result is luxurious, complex, and the perfect after-dinner companion on chilly evenings.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.13
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, release #8, bottled on 9th November 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown in colour with a thin dark tanned head that had decent retention while leaving some nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, coffee, almond, cinnamon, oak, with hints of chocolate and whiskey.
Taste: Roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, oak, moderate sweetness, whiskey, cinnamon and very light chili spice.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, moderate to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice and enjoyable. A good sipper, although spice could be stronger.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Omnipollo, Stout - Imperial, Sweden

Omnipollo Amurga

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Brewery: Omnipollo
Country: Sweden
ABV: 11%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Brewed by Omnipollo at Brouwerij De Molen (Netherlands)

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Black butter vanilla volcano salt mocha maple white chocolate ganache.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.03
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottled on 15th December 2017, and with a best before date of 15th December 2022. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a thin brown head that disappeared almost immediately but left some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, white chocolate, coffee, vanilla, along with hints of maple and herbal notes on the finish.
Taste: Roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, vanilla, ash, with hints of maple and brown sugar.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice Imperial Stout that hides the booze well. Not too sweet either despite the maple, but I think it could be the smoke/ash flavours that balance this out.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery, Stout - Russian Imperial, USA

Jackie O’s Dark Apparition

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Brewery: Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 10.5%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Stout brewed with brown sugar

Brewer Description: (from bottle) The hauntingly good brew in your hand is rife with dark complexities. Seven malts were used to create deep flavors of coffee, chocolate, caramel and molasses. A hint of bitterness and herbal character from carefully selected European and American hops help support the monolithic maltiness. A truly decadent brew that is intended to be poured into your favorite snifter and given time to warm up from its dark and cool resting place.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.09
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 12.7 fl. oz. bottle, 2017 vintage, poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a thin dark tanned head that disappeared quickly but left some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, black coffee, chocolate, toffee, raisin, molasses and licorice.
Taste: Roasty, chocolate, coffee, caramel, molasses, herbal, licorice, and a hint of bitterness on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice easy drinking flavours here, but in this case, the bourbon barrel aged version is definitely the way to go.

4 - Good (buy), 8 Wired Brewing Co., Beer Reviews, New Zealand, Stout - Imperial

8 Wired iStout Affogato Imperial Stout

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Brewery: 8 Wired Brewing Co.
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 10%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Brewed with lactose, coffee & vanilla

Brewer Description: (from can) The “i” might be in lower case, but beware – this is a capital beer. Brimming with luscious roasted coffee and chocolate malt flavors drizzled over a scoop of velvety ice cream. iStout Affogato is balanced by a brisk bitterness and bold hoppy freshness, remixed by the addition of lactose, coffee, and vanilla in the brew. As with all our beers, this beer is a very modern interpretation of this classic style.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.22
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 440ml can with a best before date of 7th November 2021. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a just over one finger tanned head that had decent retention while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Coffee, roasted malts, cacao nibs, chocolate, vanilla and a touch earthy.
Taste: Bittersweet, roasted malts, coffee, chocolate and hints of vanilla and earthiness.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Good sipper with nice bittersweet coffee and chocolate flavours.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Cloudwater Brew Co., England, IPA - New England / Hazy Double

Cloudwater A•W18 Brewed All Season DIPA

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Brewery: Cloudwater Brew Co.
Country: England
ABV: 8.5%
Style: New England / Hazy Double IPA
Other Notes: Autumn-Winter 18. Aroma & Flavour – Ripe mango supported by peach and passion fruit, with a light, sweet malt profile. Body – Full-bodied, smooth and juicy. Aftertaste – Soft peach and mango sweetness, very low bitterness

Brewer Description: (from can) Double IPA is a style close to our hearts and one we’ve worked hard to continually refine. This beer is the result of two years’ experience in developing recipes that are deliciously drinkable at a higher ABV, delivering clean and precise flavours. Thick body and sweetness provide the platform to showcase juicy mango, peach and passion fruit.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.08
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 440ml can, canned on 29th January 2019. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy mango juice orange colour with an almost two finger white head that had decent retention, while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Super ripe mango juice with hints of peach and citrus zest.
Taste: Bittersweet, grapefruit zest, orange peel, orange, mango, peach and a light spicy peppery finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Great aroma full of juice while taste was more bitter citrus than juice. In the end the juice and bitterness were balanced, but my favourite haze’s are all juice.