Beer Review: Hugene

Reviewing Hugene from Revolution Brewing Company. Today is the first day of this beer's release, and I am apparently the first person to review it on Beer Advocate.
Score: 88

Tap pour served in a snifter glass.

Appearance: Pours an ink black-as-night color that is 100% opaque with a thin tan ring of head around the glass. Swirling creates a thin creamy layer of head. Lacing is pretty sticky, above average. 4/5

Smell: Muted roasted chocolate, raisin/fig and light caramel. 4/5

Taste: Lots of prune/fig flavors throughout. Increasing chocolate maltiness as the beer layers. Hints of caramel up front. There is a "warming" alcohol sensation, but no real alcohol flavor until this beer approaches room temperature. Finish is smooth chocolate and dark fruit. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied with minimal carbonation. Smooth mouthfeel with a slightly sweet, kind of sticky finish. 3.5/5

Overall: A very solid imperial porter. More nuanced than "flavor forward," unlike most imperial-style dark beers. This brew is definitely worth trying, but at either $8 for a 10-12 oz snifter pour, it is not worth the price to sip this all night. I wonder if this one with get the bottling/canning treatment as a seasonal/once-a-year beer as a part of Revolution's expansion.

Recommendation: A very balanced and muted, but flavorful porter that should be enjoyed by beer geeks and casual beer drinkers alike.

Pairings: A chocolate cupcake.

Cost: $8 for a 10-12 oz snifter pour or $4 for a sampler glass.