Hunaphu's

Hunaphu's Imperial Stout
11% ABV
80 IBUs
30 degrees Plato
80 SRM

An Imperial Stout Aged On Cacao Nibs, Madagascar Vanilla Beans, Ancho Chilis, Pasilla Chilis and Cinnamon.

750 ml bottle from the year 2011 poured into a snifter. Thanks Frank, Jason and Kan.

    Hunaphu's is by far the darkest beer I recall drinking. Unlike any other stout I remember, Hunaphu's seems to pour BLACK rather than dark brown! The head is moderate, very dark chocolate brown, with good retention but hardly any lacing. I do notice legs on the snifter. I don't think I can quite describe how awesome this beer looks... it's the devil in liquid form!

    The aroma is very heavy on vanilla with some chocolate coming in at the back. Initially I loved it but it got a tad tiring over the course of the beer. Something something juicy and spicy... could it be the hops? Or is the chilies? Tough to say.

    Unlike many other "specialty" stouts, the stout is not lost in Hunaphu's. Bitter and roasty with a burnt, charred finish, Hunaphu's is stout first. I can taste and smell the fire! On this delicious stout base, there's plenty of chocolate, coconut, malty sweetness, and perhaps a little too much vanilla. Not that I mind, but it's too strong for an entire 750. Hard to pick the chilies but that could either be the "age", or the fact that my palate doesn't pick anything hot until it's real hot ;-) Regardless I feel the telltale heat at the back. Good.

    Mouthfeel is spot on, thick and chewy although the carbonation could be dialed down a notch or two. Overall, Hunaphu's stands out in its complexity against straight up Imperial Stouts while avoiding the booziness of barrel aged stouts. I wish the vanilla notes were dialed down a bit, that's all!

4.5, 4, 4, 4.5, 4.5