Beer Review: California Brandy Barrel Aged Hunahpu's Imperial Stout

Reviewing the California Brandy Barrel Aged Hunahpu's Imperial Stout from Cigar City Brewing out of Tampa, Florida.

Score: 93

2013 vintage bottle served in a Hunahpu's Day 2014 taster glass and enjoyed on 03/25/14.

Appearance: Pours that typical black bodied Hunahpu's color with a thin layer of espresso colored head that settles to a ring around the glass. Okay lacing, average retention -- less so than the Double Barrel Hunahpu's. Solid oily legs. 4/5

Smell: Brandy, chocolate and light peppers. Fresher (six-plus months ago), in some bottles of this beer we sampled, the pepper and spiced characters were more robust on the nose. Alas, at least in this bottle, with just under a year of age on it, the spiciness and spiced qualities are very muted on the nose. A little bit of cinnamon and some tobacco beyond the brandy/chocolate, oak too. 4/5

Taste: The spiciness factor is substantially greater on the palate than it was in the nose -- especially side-by-side with the Double Barrel Hunahpu's. Pepper spiciness, milk chocolate, vanilla and a hint of roast on the palate. A bit of dark fruit character towards the back half too. A kiss of cinnamon, which is not nearly as pronounced as it was in the 2013 vintage Hunahpu's or the Double Barrel Hunahpu's. The spiciness of the brew last throughout the taste and lingers a bit past the swallow (along with the milk chocolate flavor) with a nice tingle sensation from the pepper heat on the front-center of the tongue. There is a very mild underlying sweetness present. The brandy aging is quite muted relative to the nose. Everything here mixes nicely. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, spot on carbonation. Has a good balance with a slight sweetness. Slightly salivating mouthfeel, with a little bit of pepper liveliness. 4.75/5

Overall: A really nice barrel aged treatment of Hunahpu's that is put to shame by Double Barrel Hunahpu's side-by-side, though the comparison is not entirely fair since the California Brandy version is nearly a year aged at this point. I think this beer was better fresher, but it has held up well. There have been numerous reports of bottle variation with this beer, but the last three I have consumed had a nice degree of spiciness -- even with nearly a year of age. Although this brew is less complex and appetizingly flavorful than the Double Barrel Hunahpu's (in fairness, so many beers are), it is nonetheless pretty delicious in its own right. It is just not as tasty as what it takes to land one at this point.

Cost: $25 for a 750 ml bottle.