Cigar City Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout

Brewed by Cigar City Brewing
Style: Imperial Stout
Tampa, Florida USA

Date: January 31, 2009
Mode: Cask
Source: Beerfest, ACAT
Appearance: black, scant head
Aroma: dark roasted malt aroma, lots of earthyness, lots of spicyness
Flavor: sweet and spicy flavor, lots of spices, touch of hot pepper, dark caramel sweetness keeps it balanced, nice chocolate brought out by the sweetness, lots of complexity
Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.9/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

I would like to rerate this beer.

Poured a deep black color with a one finger creamy brown head. The aroma was smoky, with chocolate and fruit notes. I could have smelled this all day. The flavor reminds me of mexican hot chocolate, similar to what some of the other raters have said. A spicy finish is perfect. The body on this was full, the carbonation was soft and the mouthfeel was creamy and tingly (from the spice). I absolutely loved this one.

Extra black body with a rich dark brown head. Complex aroma - chocolate, tobacco, light ancho and dark fruit. Tastes like beer candy - ancho, lots of dark fruit, rich coffee, intense dark sugars, creamy black malts, cherries. There are so many layers to this it’s scary. A full value champion.

First foray from these guys was on cask at ACAT. Best of fest and definite points for originality. Reminds me of mexican hot chocolate, well at least, an alcoholic version of hit. Spicy, chocolaty, interesting goodness. Chocolate flavor upfront with the hot and spicy on the back end. The spice stays with you for a while but you take another sip to get back to the smooth and cooling chocolate flavors.

Pours thicker than a hot chocolate in Barcelona. A two-fingered head. In the aroma, spices precede the chocolate and lead you in. The cassia is predominant. A creamy mouthfeel is as smooth as can be. It’s impossibly smooth. Mole-like flavor complexity with some spice, some acidity, some chocolate in savvy format. The best exhibition of Mayan chocolate. As it warms the pure dark cocoa emerges even more. Then the cedar boosts the body even though its flavors are buried beneath the superb Mayan chocolate experience. Sublime and dreamy.

Bloody spectacular. Had it at the brewery courtesy of Wayne (Brewmaster). The man is a genius and his brews reflect as such. A real treat, for some reason reminded me of a super dark chocolate covered espresso bean with a mid-palate charred caramel tone. Much akin to drinking happiness. Looking forward to being able to purchase this one retail.

Bottle, courtesy Degarth. Pours pitch black, with a thin dark head and big lacing. Nose is very spicy, with vanilla, chocolate, marshmallow, some hot elements, and tobacco. Very nice flavors. Spicy and chocolatey. Some roast and full of uniqueness. Tobacco, dry toast. Medium-bodied, very tasty and balanced. Very awesome, very unique, and impossible to not to finish. Beg for more.

Wow. When you look up complex in the beer dictionary, this beer should be the first entry. Holy moly, where to begin. Pours black with a thin dark head. Aroma is cocoa, some peppers, cinnamon, earth, alcohol, malt, chocolate, coffee, and spice. Flavor does not disappoint, either: cocoa, coffee, cinnamon, cocoa, tobacco, peppery chilies, vanilla, spice, and complexity. Lots of yellow lace swirls around this teeming dervish of flavor. Deep, complex, earthy, and robust. Liquid awesome in a glass. This is the best beer that has not been barreled.