Cigar City Hunahpu's Imperial Stout - Apple Brandy Barrel Aged
Aged in Apple Brandy barrels.
4.3
185 reviews
Tampa, United States
Community reviews
Growler at FoCo Stout Tasting 2013, courtesy of Armin. Thanks man! Pour is deep viscous black - like car oil - with a small tan head. Big cocoa, caramelly, toffee, sweet brandy, light chili, espresso, dark fruity, and raisins in the aroma. Taste is sweet dark chocolate, light hint of heat, chilis, cinnamon, sweet vanilla, nutmeg, coffee, grapes, and dark cherries with a big roasted finish. Slick mouthfeel with soft carbonation. This one really held up well and is super tasty. Nice stuff.
Sampled from a 0.75l bottle @ Top Hops (BA) Bottle Share. Damn this is black. Doubt the blackness-scale has anything blacker than this and it has a small quickly sidesticking really really deep dark brown top. Lovely nose with chocolate, apples, vanilla, wood, and it’s actually so deep and intense that it’s a little scary. Yeah I said it, I’m a little scared. It’s super smooth in the mouth! Thick, chewy and almost syrupy oily with a soft really prickling and stingy carbonation. It has a pure chocolaty liquefied roasty flavor. Oh my. There is also a soft sharpness in the finish here. Only subtle nuances of apple, wood, vanilla, raspberries and dark cocoa powder. One of the best I’ve had in a long time (and I have recently had some pretty incredible stuff). Huge thanks Josh! The things I would do to this bottle if I could just get it for myself.. 15.06.2013
As close to a perfect beer as you can get. Draft at the Funky Buddha 3rd Anniversary. Snifter. Pours a very dark, thick, opaque pour with thin off-white head. Aroma is strong with bourbon, meat, roasted malts, dark chocolate and earth. The taste is powerful with bourbon, oak, thick malts, spices and brandy. Full body. Flavorful, spicy finish. Just so good. Period.
Bottle shared at Borefts, thanks! Black with a small head. Aroma is coconut, chocolate, vanilla. Slightly syrupy mouthfeel, sweet on the palate. Taste is coconut, marshmallow, chocolate, vanilla. Yummy.
THX! for the sample of this gorgeous rarity. 75 cl. bottle, yellow wax, no idea of the bottle nr. Black with a mocha rim. Nose is sweet molasses, light spices, chocolate, vanilla, touch pepper & warming what I assume is apple brandy. Taste is sweet molasses, huge vanilla, wood, I am even getting even coconut, sweet berries, caramel, very creamy chocolate, cocoa, warming. Creamy rich & decadent. Very good & completely different from the Stranahan which I have also had, Stranahan was a touch better even if this is still an incredible beer, so good.
Original review (2012-07-16): Gloops from the bottle as any Zhukov-based brew should. Tremendous roast in the nose with brandy and caramely notes. Lots of complexity here, though I wish it were more pungent.
Taste is marvelously complex with brandy, booze, vanilla, spice, and plenty more that end up dancing atop the delicious stout base. Chiles are mild, where they belong. The trademark Hunahpu’s chocolate, vanilla, and chile aftertaste gets a boost from the brandy as it tickles the back of my throat upon swallowing. Ultra-viscous body, as expected, and just amazing.
Ranks among the best stouts I’ve tasted. I could drink the whole growler!
Yellow wax. A very sweet stout, appley, the cocoa and spice mellow out substatially.
July 3, 2013 - bottle shared by Joe. Another whale came swimming out of Joe’s cellar. Black pour with a tan head. Aroma and taste of chocolate, spice and brandy. Thick and smooth on the palate. This lived up to the hype.
bottle 36/68 dont know what happen here i was poured maybe an oz so i will factor that so i was late getting to the tasting it was now room temp which in this beers case shouldnt be a problem so poured a silky jet black dark tan lacing nose was cigarette butts and some boozyness thats it taste was an ashtray i somewhat can say either this wasnt keep right or someone is messing with me
Growler pour at a tasting. Black pour, tan head that disappears immediately. Alcohol legs, glass-staining lace. Nose is big apple brandy, spices, dark fruits. Taste is apple brandy barrel, sweet milk chocolate, dark fruits. Syrupy viscousy mouthfeel. Held up incredibly well. Easily the best CCB brew I’ve tried & very happy to have gotten a pour of this.
Bottle from Jay the Welder from Cigar City. This could be the best Stout in the World right now. Amazing Chocolate taste. Alcohol is very well hidden. Don’t get any better than this
Backlogged. Small sample at Capones during the 1st CC event in 2011. this was the first time they sent their beers to our area. Poured deep black with medium sized mocha colored head. Aromas were rich chocolate, vanilla, apple brandy, wood, cinnamon, and light pepper. Flavor was more layered with soft wood, brandy booze, sweet malt, spices, and cocoa. MEdium to fuller bodied with light to med carbonation. Barely any booze present. This was another gem at an awesome CC event before they over-extended themselves.
22nd May 2011
Bottle 57/84. Opaque black beer, thick dark brown head that dies away quickly. Softish semi dry palate. When cold it’s all about the soft creamy chocolate with dashes of coffee and molasses. As it warms up other flavours appear - wood and vanilla sweetness. The apple brandy is quite subtle but provides a fruity sour undertone. Gets a little stronger towards the finish and is in balance with the chocolate and coffee. This is a lovely beer but I’m surprised how high in the top 50 it is.
Thanks to RB Dsgolovin for hooking me up with a growler of this nectar of the gods...
Apperance: Pitch black with a dark, dark, brown head.
Aroma: Chocolate, Spices, Barrel, Coffee, Roasted malts.
Taste: Cinnamon, Chili, Chocolate, Brandy, Coffee.
Palate: Supersmooth and perfectly balanced. Medium carbonation. Goes down way to easy considering the abv.
One of the best stouts i’ve yet to try. World class.
Growler shared at CCB Black Friday. Poured a black color with a minimal fizzy brown head that mostly lasted with minimal lacing and great legs. Moderate to heavy toasted dark chocolate, vanilla, woody and apple alcohol aroma. Heavy sweet toasted sweet malt flavor with a heavy sweet and small brandy alcohol bite finish of long duration. Full body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. This is a standout beer.
Apple Brandy Barrel - enjoyed Summer and Fall 2012
Appearance: Pours dark brown with a thin brown ring. An iodine like coating is left behind on the glass.
Aroma: Sweet brandy. Chocolate, coconut, pepper skin.
Taste: Strong apple brandy, cinnamon spice, dark chocolate, barrel char.
Mouthfeel: Thick, spicy carbonation.
Overall: A fantastic treat, even on a warm summer day in this case. I had it in Denver and it was amazing then too. As the old XX Meme goes: “I don’t usually need barrel treated Hunahpu, but when I do, it’s Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Hunahpu.”
Pours a pitch black beer with a dark chocolate head. The aroma is malt, chocolate, roasted and fruit. The flavor follows the nose with additional sweetness, coffee and brandy. The palate is sticky with sweetness. Overall a really good beer.
Growler shared with Per, HUGE thanks to Greg. Pours oily pitch black with a small brown diminishing head. Aroma is fantastic; slightly vinous dark fruits raisins vanilla cocoa coffee chocolate roasted malty sweet. Flavor mmmmm.... Damn so good. Acidy fruity roasted sweet in front, explosion of cocoa chocolate coffee licorice vanilla and a bit booze with some pungent bitterness, all flavors just stay and stay all the way to the end with longlived bitter chocolate licorice and warming boozy aftertaste.
Really used motor oil with a thin mocha head, Aroma of noble rot, chocolate and toasted nuts with resin and grape notes. The palate is smoked and licorous coffee with some vanilla
Growler from Sean9689, thanks my friend. Black body with a small brown head. Aroma is chocolate, oak, roasted malt, licorice, sweet, syrup. Flavor is chocolate, vanilla, syrup, licorice, oak, roast. Delicious.
Jet black and then some. Tiny light brown head. Aroma of dark chocolate, licorice and spirits. Sweetish chocolate, roast, dessert wine, licorice flavour with a faint hint of ash and some dried fruit. Deliciously complex and free of that annoying green pepper flavour often seen in Hunapu...
Bottle @ Odense September 2012 Tasting. Thanks Hallinghansen for sharing. Pours black with a small creamy beige head. Coconut, pancakes, maple syrup, roasr, coffee, vanilla and oak. Smooth, oily and slick. DOPE.
Nice size sample from growler thanks to Corbet! Pours solid black & viscous with a thin mocha head. It smells of boozy whiskey, brandy, and vanilla as the oak gives off a powerful bouquet. Taste is chocolate, fudge, sweet brandy, oak with some roast and sweet coffee. A bit of pepper is noticeable on the finish and adds that nice base Hunahpu element. Very full bodied imperial stout with low carbonation and a thick, mildly sweet malt feel. One of the best stouts I’ve had and the only Hunahpu variant I like more than the base!
Tiny pour from a growler shared by Alex. Motor oil colored. Aroma of brandy, bourbon, malt. Thick body, flat, tastes of malt, bourbon, slightly tart. Very nice beer, reminded me of Sam Adams triple bock without the soy sauce flavor.
Growler. Extremely thick, engine oil like pour. Black with no head. I got lost in the aroma and taste of this beer, so good... Man, I’d like to have a bucket full of ths stuff.
Served on tap at Stone’s 16th Anniversary Celebration. The tap list has it as "Apple Brandy Barrels" but I am not seeing that in the database so I am putting my rating here for now. The appearance is a rich inky black with a rich brown head. The aromas are full of chocolate and apple brandy with a healthy dose of malt aromas. The flavors are warm gooey dark chocolate, rich flavorful brandy with some apple tones, heavy roasted malts that give off a touch of coffee with some cinnamon and spice. The finish is rich with a maple oak profile. Very thick mouth where the heat is way present but not distracting. Just a wonderful beer and a real treat to make it to CA for a festival!
Growler courtesy of the Cheeseman. Poured a thick motor oil black with a small tan head. Huge cocoa aroma, a touch of cinnamon and just a hint of the barrel. More chocolate in the flavor, a little bit of pepper heat, and the most caramel flavor I’ve ever had in a beer, like a fine candy. Full long finish, with enough bitterness it manages to not be over sweet. World class.
Growler. Pours a black color with a small tan head. Has a roasted malty chocolate brandy aroma with weak hints of vanilla and coffee. Roasted malty thick chocolate and coffee flavor with nice woody brandy hints. Has a smooth roasted malty thick chocolate and coffee finish with brandy hints in the aftertaste.
Bottle shared at RBSG 2012 Grand Tasting. Pours that signature inky black with an otherwordly dark brown head. Delicious rich fudge and chocolate with luscious vanilla rounding out the body and a mild chili influence.
Growler ’12. Rating off a growler opened yesterday. I get soy and it’s throwing me way off this brew, that wasn’t as apparent yesterday. The chili’s are still around I think this growler is relatively fresh. It’s great...but soy. Update: Had multiple growlers of this batch with the same result.