Rating:

“Beer. Coffee. Maple. The love triangle you didn’t know you needed—until now! Back in 2019, we brewed the very first Bright Brewery Affogato Stout. Now in 2025, we’re rekindling the romance—with a little help from our Mountie mate and the legends at Sixpence Coffee in Bright. Together, we’ve crafted the ultimate cross-continental collab: sweet, creamy, rich, and roasty—with just the right touch of sticky.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Mostly black with some oddly shaped suspended sediment – like little pellets floating around in there. Definitely not a nice thing to look at. Anywho, one finger of tan foam rests atop with good retention and lacing as we go.

Aroma: The hunt for a good affogato-flavoured stout continues with this maple-infused expression. Not only do we froth over affogato, we could literally drink maple syrup like a Canadian so we’re hoping we’ve found the one here. Nice and roasty. Tick. Sweet and sticky maple. Tick. Creamy liqueur and vanilla. Tick. Espresso coffee. Tick. At this stage it’s on track but the all-important taste is the make or break.

Flavour: Quite good actually. They’ve nailed their base stout recipe that’s for damn sure. It provides a really sturdy base of charred malt, dark chocolate and espresso coffee but the creamy aspects i.e vanilla, liqueur, lactose etc are too subtle. Even the maple gets lost in it all. It finishes nice and roasty with a fleeting hint of vanilla and maple but simply not enough for what they were going for.

Mouthfeel: A tad lean and watery to be honest. Slides off the palate too easily. Medium body and Co2. The 6% ABV punches above its weight though.

Overall: The perfect affogato stout eludes us once again. Although this expression had a lot of good traits it just doesn’t have enough of the affogato qualities that we’re after.

Rating:

“A lucky few may have bumped into Snug in a bar, but such sightings have been few and far between. Snug, our much loved Irish style stout, now available in a nitro can, meaning you can catch up for a pint* anytime you care to. Just give it a couple of shakes, crack the lid, pour vigorously into a glass and sit back with a grin while a cascade of tiny nitrogen bubbles slowly rises to form a creamy head atop this silky smooth, pitch black stout. Sláinte. 440mls actually, but who’s counting Brewed and packed in Wellington, NZ. May the wind be always at your back.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Matte black with a big and creamy three finger head which forms once the beautiful process of nitro carbonation takes place. Excellent retention and a sheet of lace is draped down the sides of the glass.

Aroma: As most Irish stouts do, it displays a prominent roasty quality with hints of ash, raw cacao, dark chocolate and bitter black coffee. It’s quite earthy and dry and gives off a flinty undertone as well. We’re struggling to get anything else off it to be honest. Other than what we’ve already listed it just smells like…well…Guiness.

Flavour: If we had to be brutally honest it just tastes like water with some roasted malts thrown in. Like a tea bag of roasted barley left in the glass to brew for 5 mins. It tastes watered down and lacking any real stout flavour. All we get is a far-off hint of roasted malt, earth/flint and a mild dry bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel: A little creamy but mostly lean and watery. Mild-medium body and the 5% ABV is right for the style.

Overall: Crap. We reviewed Cornella’s interpretation recently and loved it. This one however, is bereft of any flavour. It’s mind-blowing to think that this was brewed by GP.

Rating:

“We’re back brewing with our mates and the undisputed stout champions of the world, Bottle Logic. This year we’re pushing the boundaries again by going bigger and more experimental with our adjunct ingredients. All in the name of science of course.
We started with the same malt bill and double mashing technique of the preceding two volumes, creating a thick, complex imperial stout base before letting it rest on cacao nibs and freshly hand toasted banana post fermentation. We then finished it with some creamy caramel and crushed pie crusts to make a truly decadent stout worthy of one of our favourite yearly collaborations.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Apologies on the slightly tilted angle of the can. If you were wondering, yes we took it before we started drinking. The truth is it took a tumble down a flight of stairs. We’re just glad it didn’t blow up! Alas, it pours pitch black with a finger of brown head. Good retention and lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Smells like a boozy caramel slice in liquid form. The “hand brûleed” bananas are a nice touch… adding a sweet caramelised effect to the fruit but also giving it an artificial/candy quality. Nice and brawny stout base as well – coffee, chocolate, molasses, a hint of ash. Something kinda nutty in here too… resembling marzipan. Solid.

Flavour: Fairly similar to the nose – leads out with sweet yet charred caramelised banana, caramel slice and coffee. Bittersweet dark chocolate, ash and marzipan quickly follow and surge through the mid. The booze burn hits a crescendo then a caramelised sugar and dark chocolate note follows right behind and puts a hefty punctuation on the finish. Good length too.

Mouthfeel: Oily, sharp and warming. Low Co2, full body and the 10.5% ABV was evident yet well tempered.

Overall: We’d say with certainty that this version has been the best of all 3. Vol.2 was harsh and unbalanced while vol.1 was the same but with a touch more refinement. They’ve got their act together now and have finally produced a good quality stout!

Rating:

“Take Ramjet, our infamous STARWARD whisky barrel aged stout, add vanilla beans and a shedload of 100% organic Peruvian cacao nibs, and you have the ultimate Easter treat… Fat Bunny! This is one beer that is worth hunting for!  Delicious whisky flavours working alongside chocolate and vanilla… just make sure you drink it before the Fat Bunny does!”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a billowing three finger head that holds its shape. Very steady reduction, decorating the glass with a tonne of spotty lace as it subsides.

Aroma: Fat Bunny…we like it. It’s a clever spin-off of their legendary Fat Santa but separates itself with additions of cacao and vanilla. The Ramjet base shines through with its classic mix of rich, warm and roasty dark chocolate, coffee, molasses, Vegemite and ash while the Starward barrels provide that oak-driven fusion of red wine and apera. Not a great deal removed from past iterations but it’s still a damn fine aroma.

Flavour: The first thing we notice is the unreal smoothness. For a 10.6% ABV stout that is ridiculous. The additions of cocoa and vanilla come to the forefront early on as the red wine tannins and oak barrels fuse through. The base stout qualities and musty oak carry across the mid and into the long and drawn out finish where notes of roasted malt and warming booze linger.

Mouthfeel: Dense but not so much thick and chewy…it’s more oily. Low Co2, medium-full body and a well behaved 10.6% ABV.

Overall: Not blown away by it but it’s another really good example of why Boatrocker are one of the best in the country when it comes to BA Imperial Stouts.

Rating:

“This creamy, Nitro-infused classic, channels the industrial spirit of dry Irish stout. The harmonious blend of roasty flavours, a velvety texture and classic dryness honours the essence of a bygone era.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Solid black with a creamy tan head nestled in on top. This little number is on nitro too so they’re going all out Irish Stout which is awesome.

Aroma: Extremely roasty…giving off ash tray vibes. In the nicest way possible though. The soft smokiness and the meaty aspect behind it all definitely assists in its appeal. Actually the meaty aspect really starts to open up as it warms, it hints at chorizo sausage, biltong and raw bacon. Meats that we could literally bathe in.

Flavour: Holy moly, for such a humble ABV (4.2%) this beer packs some serious flavour. It follows on from the nose with a wave of dry and roasty malts, ash, smoked meats and earth. We’ve never eaten a cigar box before but if cigar box could be eaten we reckon it’d taste a bit like this. That dry roastiness on the front palate returns hard in the finish and draws out nicely on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, dry, mellow AF. A tad watery but to be expected with nitro. Mild-moderate body and the 4.2% ABV is spot on for the style.

Overall: Cornella just keep hitting sixes every time. These guys may have to give up on wine and focus solely on their beer. They are kicking ass right now.

Rating:

NO COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black pour with a finger of dark tan head nestled in on top. Good retention and spotty lace work left in its wake.

Aroma: Hhhmmm, nice set of aromas but it seems to be well short in the depth department. We’re getting muted notes of dark chocolate, coffee, metal, charred wood, toasted oats and cocoa. It’s rather frustrating coz the bulk of it is really good, it’s just too standoffish.

Flavour: Thankfully it pumps the accelerator a bit more here. Nice and roasty with bitter dark chocolate, charred wood, ash, espresso coffee, burnt toast and the oats coming through with a dry, bready earthiness. It’s still too shy for our liking though, especially considering it’s a stout, which are all about intense and in your face flavours. Needs more oomph.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, creamy and finely carbed. The 5.6% ABV is neither here nor there really.

Overall: We’d love to see the brewers boost that ABV up to over 6% and extract more intensity out of the malt bill. People will probably say “it’s only a core range stout, it’s meant to be approachable”. We’d say fair point but look at stouts like MC’s Moon Dust, Reckless and Boatrocker…all of them big and intense core range stouts that kick arse. This one, not so much.

Rating:

“Imperial Stout – 2x mash, extended boil condition on toasted Sri Lankan Coconut.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: pitch black with a finger of dark brown head. It slowly peels off and forms a collar with scarce lacing on the glass.

Aroma: First thoughts are that it seems a little disjointed and messy. The 11% ABV is very direct and the coconut aspect is super oily. Once it settles it starts to come together a bit more. We still feel like the base Stout gets a little lost though… we’re only getting a pungent mix of alcohol and rich molasses. To make matters slightly worse we’re now detecting a hint of ethyl acetate (pear drops/apple). Sheesh.

Flavour: Surprisingly far better than the aroma. The coconut provides more of a toasty note and the base stout is less convoluted. The booze burn is still present but it’s better integrated as well. Our main issue still is that it’s simply too harsh, unbalanced and untidy. It’s a mess of flavours that have been let off the leash to do whatever they want.

Mouthfeel: Sharp, oily and astringent. It does coat the palate nicely though. Full bodied, low-ish Co2. As already mentioned the 11% ABV overplays its hand.

Overall: Our first crack at this Canberran brewery and it’s probably obvious to say we’re not impressed. We like the black can, we like the label but unfortunately the beer inside on this occasion fell well short of the mark.

Rating:

“A stickler for detail with a discerning palate, turns out the humble stoat isn’t so humble after all. Never happy to settle for second best, he prefers to brew his own thing. We have that in common.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Light black with a finger of tan head resting atop. Excellent retention with healthy lacing.

Aroma: Wow, definitely not what we were expecting. It reminds us of Big Shed’s Golden Stout Time with its exceedingly moreish caramel and toffee fudge overtones, buttery biscuits and milk sugars. It also displays robust milk chocolate, coffee and burnt toast alongside more subtle hints of treacle, cookie dough and plum jam buried a little deeper. Very pleasantly surprised.

Flavour: Absolutely delicious. They’ve dialled a bit of the sweetness back but managed to keep the intensity of the caramel ice cream, toffee fudge, burnt toast and coffee. It offers a notable bitterness that carries the heady treacle, vanilla and bittersweet chocolate into the roasty, sweet, creamy, yet dry finish which lingers on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, silky texture with fine carbonation. Medium body and the 5% ABV punches well above its weight.

Overall: Well, that was awesomely unexpected. Considering not only Badger’s range but most English beers in general are typically conventional so to experience this pastry-style coffee stout was wild. We’ll have to go back for more of this.

Rating:

“Rhythm and Blues. Batman and Robin. Peanut Butter and Chocolate. These classic duos never go out of style. Enter Peanut Butter Milk Stout. We took the pure milk chocolate bliss of our classic Milk Stout and added peanut buttery goodness. It’s like an adult peanut butter cup you can drink. It’s rich and decadent on the palate and lusciously lingers into a nutty, dry finish. A perfect pair you’ll want to share.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Impenetrable black with a finger of light brown head emerging on top. Decent retention and lace work clinging to the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: We can literally smell it as it sits idle on the table. Without even lifting it to our nostrils we get milk chocolate, cocoa, peanut butter and vanilla. Under the nostrils it’s amplified x100. The peanut butter also gives off hints of raw salted peanut and husk, bittersweet chocolate, lightly roasted malts, cookie dough and ice cream. Very moreish stuff.

Flavour: We get the sense that a foot has been taken off the accelerator here. It has all the same delicious flavours but it seems watered down. Peanut butter, milk chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, a hint of cookie dough….just at 75% which is a little disappointing to be honest as the aroma set it up to be an absolute corker. It all dies off into a fairly weak and insipid finish too.

Mouthfeel: Holds up ok. Slightly slippery texture, a bit oily. Medium body and Co2. The 6.2% ABV slots in nicely.

Overall: We reviewed the nitro version a month or so ago and honestly thought this Co2 version would be better. Not to be. It also doesn’t stack up against Belching Beavers expression either. Pretty average.

Rating:

“Donning double dry-hopped Citra for a big citrussy hit with Cascade and Centennial hops balanced perfectly against a light, smooth, dark-as-night malt backbone, this special brew is very near and dear to us and engineered for absolute stouty pleasure. As a great man once said, “Holy mackerel! This hoppy stout is perfect for every occasion!”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Solid black with a dense two finger head. Excellent retention and a tonne of lace weaving its way down the glass.

Aroma: Getting heady black IPA vibes from it. *Can check* definitely says stout on it. Read the brewers ramblings and it states that it has a big double dry hop with Citra so that explains it! Smells damn fine too. The Citra really kicks off with its hallmark grapefruit, rind, pine/resins then the malt base provides generous helpings of coffee and roast. Brilliant.

Flavour: Man they’ve absolutely gone to town with the hops here. We love it. If we were blindfolded we’d dead set call this a black IPA. The ratio is literally 50/50. Punchy resins and pine, zesty grapefruit and oily rind rubs elbows with the robust toasty-ness, coffee and bittersweet chocolate. Culminating in a dry, resinous, roasty and bitter finish with good duration.

Mouthfeel: Viscous, chewy, yet smooth. Medium-full body, low-ish Co2 and a 5.8% ABV that punches above its weight.

Overall: Impressive stuff from Reckless. Stout? Black IPA? Call it what you will. Either way it’s an absolute pearler.

Rating:

“Colloquially known as the Velvet Sledgehammer, for reasons that become apparent when you take a sip. Huge, layered slabs of dark malt and hop-driven bitterness sit in perfect harmony, buoyed by a not-unhefty wallop of booze.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a finely beaded two finger head perched on top. Excellent retention and lace work on the glass.

Aroma: Oof this thing is packing heat. As we’d bought this online we we didn’t actually notice the whopping 8% ABV. Very surprising considering not only the sharp price but the core range status of it. Maaaasive richness and big one-two’s from molasses, licorice, earthy coffee, ash and subtle alcohols. Quite an impressive start.

Flavour: Excellent follow through. It carries over the same aggression and grandiose abundance of rich roasted malt character – licorice, molasses, ash, espresso coffee and bitter dark chocolate. It really dries out midway, forcing the saliva glands to release a load of moisture in readiness for the big, dry, boozy and roasty finish that goes for days on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Dense and muscly. Finely carbed, full bodied and once again…a surprisingly well concealed 8% ABV.

Overall: It has been a long time between drinks for us and Moo Brew. For no reason really, as we hold this brewery in very high regard. We didn’t actually realise they had a stout in their range but we’re glad they added one. And we’re glad we got to review it. It’s a corker.

Rating:

“Beneath the moon’s baleful glow, you sprint down empty streets, desperate for an escape. Predatory shapes dart behind you, pale faces leering from darkened doorways. Is that merely a shadow? Or something more sinister? Adrenaline pounding in your ears, you sense primal hunger surrounding you. The things that were once human seem to be herding you, savouring your dread as they close in.” 

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Solid black with a billowing head which swells to about three fingers before gradually receding. Nice wavy lace clings to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: There was one component about this stout that had us a little hesitant and that’s the chai spices. We’ve been burnt in the past where brewers go ham on the spices and it totally ruins the beer. Thankfully Deeds have used them conservatively here which allows the bourbon/oak and the rich base stout to shine with the chai spices neatly tucked in behind.

Flavour: Delish. They’ve dialled the chai spices up a tad more here but they’re still very much integrated with the rest of the beer. We’re really liking the prominent bourbon oak and the way it works back into the rich coffee, molasses and dark chocolate. The chai is like a delicious dusting on a boozy and rich chocolate mud cake.

Mouthfeel: Slick and oily with a hint of warmth from the 12.4% ABV. Full body and low carbonation.

Overall: Deeds have been a bit up and down in recent times but this one is certainly one of their better BA imperial stouts.

Rating:

“Experience the “butter half” of America’s Stout. Our classic Milk Stout’s aromas of roasted coffee, milk chocolate, brown sugar and vanilla cream combine with the sweet and savory flavors of peanut butter. Pour Hard from the bottle to release the Nitro magic inside and revel in its hypnotic cascade.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Some of life’s pleasures can be so simple. For instance, pouring a nitro beer into a glass and watching it cascade down and form up its creamy head. So satisfying.

Aroma: Smells of creamy peanut butter cup and milk chocolate. Straight up. We have to give mention to the natural peanut butter element we’re getting off it. We’re not sure if it’s the nitro that’s taking the edge off the sweetness or whether they’ve just used real peanut butter. Either way it’s really pleasant to take in. It integrates with the base stout exceedingly well.

Flavour: Although the flavour profile as a whole is rather subtle, the main two features (being the creamy peanut butter and milk chocolate) are substantial enough to satisfy us. A gentle roasted malt and bitterness is injected midway, which lays down for a super smooth, creamy, nutty and chocolatey finish.

Mouthfeel: Ultra smooth and creamy. Well rounded and full bodied. The 6.2% ABV is positioned nicely too.

Overall: This was our first venture into Left Hand, out of Colorado, USA. It’s a fine drop. We’d love to try the non-nitro version next to see where it sits against Belching Beavers expression.

Rating:

“Like falling in love for the berry first time, Love Bites was crafted with a passionate amount of strawberry paired with a generous helping of cacao nibs. This imperial stout is ripe with berry character and chocolatey richness on both the nose and the palate. We dare you not to fall in love.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pours blacker than a midnight sky with a finger of finely beaded brown foam perched on top. Head retention is good, gradually reducing to a collar with reasonable lacing.

Aroma: We’ve ummed and ahhed over this beer for months now. Since covid the price of The Bruery beers has been absurd so the only time we jump on them now is when they’re discounted (as this one was). Smells phenomenal though. Rich chocolate malt base with the sweet and mildly tart strawberries fused through. The cacao nibs add that little bit more earthiness and roast. Very nice.

Flavour: Not quite as alluring as the aroma but still tasty. The rich and roasty Impy Stout base hits first with notes of dark chocolate, coffee and molasses, then the sweet strawberries roll over the top… mimicking the old choc-coated strawberry (just in reverse ). Delicate cherry and mixed berry then rendezvous with the dark, roasted malt profile to finish.

Mouthfeel: Thick and viscous. Low Co2, full bodied. The 9.2% ABV is well absorbed.

Overall: It’s a good offering but even reduced to $32 a can it still doesn’t stack up. At least when we drop a similar amount on Deeds’ BA Stouts or Fat Santa we’re getting 12+% ABV and a better-quality beer.

Rating:

“Edition: Limited 2024. This Imperial Stout was aged in Bourbon Barrels for 12 months resulting in thick chocolate notes, backed by vanilla, coconut, whiskey and oak.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a short brown head which quickly retreats to the rim. Lots of spotty lace left on the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: We’ve always believed this release was like the little brother of Goose Island’s BCBS and this 2024 re-release further reinforces that claim. It’s just the perfect barrel-to-stout ratio and the perfect Bourbon for it. Deeds’ base Imperial Stout also adds to the sheer class as well. Bourbon oak, sweet alcohols, a touch of cherry, molasses, espresso and roasted almond. Absolute brilliance.

Flavour: Heavenly. So many breweries struggle to get this level of intensity along with the balance and finesse that’s on display here. The palate is in disarray trying to isolate the flavours…mostly due to the amalgamation of Bourbon, oak, espresso, molasses, campfire, roasted almond, vanilla, glazed cherry and soft tannic notes. It’s just pure complexity and intricacy from start to finish.

Mouthfeel: Dense and muscly. Low Co2, full bodied, and the 13.5% ABV is quite well behaved for its size.

Overall: Well it’s safe to say the 2024 re-release is just as exceptional and imposing as the original. Top shelf stuff.

Rating:

“Surrender to the Void, an irregular series of outrageously decadent pitch black stouts brewed using an enormous, complex malt bill and mounds of debaucherous adjuncts. What’s The Void up to this time? Cherry, chocolate and coconut – well that does sound lovely, but don’t you think it rather a lot? What do you mean you’re only getting started! Oh Void, have you no restraint! Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Solid black with a short brown head which quickly forms a collar. Thick rings mark each sip as it ebbs.

Aroma: One of our most favourite all-time chocolate bars (for one of us) is the mighty Cherry Ripe. Cherry and coconut covered in dark chocolate is simply a match made in heaven so this was an easy purchase. To be honest we’re not really getting a whole lot of Cherry Ripe off it. Cherry, yes. Coconut, a little. Dark chocolate, not really. Hhhmmm.

Flavour: Sheesh. This does NOT taste like a Cherry Ripe. The cherry component, although pleasant in its own right, is a tad sour/tart, the coconut is very delicate and there’s no sign of dark chocolate. Once the tartness levels out it takes on more of a tangy character but even then there’s something about it all that’s just not integrating. It’s a shame really.

Mouthfeel: Fairly thick and oily. Subtle bitterness, flat-ish Co2 and a slightly noticeable 11.5% ABV.

Overall: We had fairly high expectations for this (considering how good the choc-peppermint was) but it fell far short. Here we are in the last review saying that it doesn’t matter what GP brew, they always hit the mark  we jinxed it. Really ordinary stuff from them here.

Rating:

“Bourbon Barrel Aged Pastry Stout with Vanilla, Almond, Coconut & Raspberry.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Pitch black with a finely beaded brown head which slowly forms a collar. Nice cascading lace down the walls of the glass.

Aroma: Holy moly. If you were born in the 80’s and early 90’s you’ve more than likely heard of a medicine our boomer parents used to feed us when we were crook. It was called Benadryl and it was repulsive. Not saying this aroma is repulsive but it definitely smells like Benadryl! As it settles the raspberry, coconut and vanilla are revealed which saves it from a near disaster.

Flavour: Oh my my. The Benadryl is back. This beers saving grace is the extra adjuncts – vanilla, coconut and almond. Plus the fact that Deeds’ base Imperial Stout is brilliant. The main culprit is the raspberry and its fusion with the dark/chocolate malts. The subtle bourbon adds to it as well. Damn. Without the raspberry it could’ve been a cracker of a Stout.

Mouthfeel: Dense and viscous. Co2 is kept low. Full bodied with a well behaved 11% ABV.

Overall: Not a fan of this one. Normally we froth on every BA Stout from Deeds but this was a rare strike out for them. The medicinal nature of it was too hard to get past.

Rating:

“Beneath the moon’s baleful glow, you sprint down empty streets, desperate for an escape. Predatory shapes dart behind you, pale faces leering from darkened doorways. Is that merely a shadow? Or something more sinister? Adrenaline pounding in your ears, you sense primal hunger surrounding you. The things that were once human seem to be herding you, savouring your dread as they close in.”

Glassware: Snifter.

Appearance: Black AF with a short brown head that holds its shape pretty well. It settles to a collar with fine spotty lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Really sweet and rich yet well tempered. We’ve only just realized that vanilla, banana and maple are three of the most common hallmarks of American Bourbon so in essence what they’ve done is age this Stout in Bourbon barrels and then accentuate those hallmarks even further. It’s actually quite clever. Not to mention absolutely heavenly to take in.

Flavour: Pretty much a mirror image of the aroma. The hearty base Stout is superb and the delicate Bourbon/barrels, maple, vanilla, earthy spice, banana, fleeting hints of brown sugar and cola are in full support. A gentle alcohol warmth messing about but it’s very well kept as it all finishes rather sweet and spicy.

Mouthfeel: Oily and relatively light bodied which is wild considering its size (11%). Low-ish Co2.

Overall: The Deeds situation has been confusing to say the least. First they went into VA and were unfortunately one of a few breweries that didn’t survive the process. Several months later and here they are still producing quality BA Stouts just as they were a few years ago. Who’d a thunk it?

Rating:

“Dare to go deeper with Shadow Perception. Barrel-aged and layered with coconut, banana and marshmellow, this imperial stout is like a dessert for the dark side. Rich, smooth and full-bodied, each sip pulls you further into layers of flavour and leaves you wondering where the shadows end.”

Glassware: Teku.

Appearance: Solid black pour with a very thin and dark brown head that immediately disperses. All we see on top (and the sides of the glass) are patches of little white chunks which we can only imagine is marshmallow?

Aroma: Phenomenal. The most distinct scent hitting us is the toasted marshmallow and it’s literally exactly what you’d expect a lightly burnt marshmallow would smell like once pulling it out of the fire. The coconut provides a bit of extra creaminess and the banana sits in the background with a very delicate caramelised quality. Not getting much at all from the barrels unfortunately.

Flavour: While the focus is still on the toasted marshmallow, the coconut, banana and the muscly base stout are more active here. Again, the barrels are very indistinct and it’s hard to ascertain whether they’re just plain oak or whether they housed rum, bourbon or whiskey etc. No idea. Subtract nothing though, as it surges into a sweet yet roasty, rich yet pleasant finish which drags out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Oily, dense and warming. Flat-ish Co2, medium-full body and the 12.6% ABV is quite well behaved for its size.

Overall: An expensive purchase ($29 a can) but thankfully it backed up the price. They’ll need to be careful venturing into that price territory but…only breweries like Boatrocker, Deeds and Hawkers have had limited success there.

Rating:

NO COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Glassware: Snifter

Appearance: Blacker than midnight with a short brown head emerging on top. It quickly forms a collar and provides a cascading lace down the glass.

Aroma: Pungent AF. We thought for a moment that they’d used whiskey barrels due to the richer and slightly smoky qualities but nope… definitely a BBA. The base Stout is enormous. Decadent notes of Bourbon/oak, dark chocolate, licorice, espresso coffee, black leather and warming alcohol. We’re almost fearful of drinking this!

Flavour: It’s a biggun. Actually, not as aggressive as we’d expected but it certainly still packs a punch. Some alcohol warmth and sweetness upfront but it’s quelled by the super rich chocolate, licorice, espresso, leather and heavily charred malts. The Bourbon/barrels add to the sheer complexity as well, tacking on as early as the front palate and reaching well into the rich and warming finish.

Mouthfeel: Oily, warming and well rounded. Full body, low Co2. The 14.1% ABV is unsurprisingly noticeable.

Overall: We were really keen to see what Bracket have in the BA Stout department. We already know how good their Hazy’s and IPA’s are and the final thought is that even though this was an absolute ball-tearer it’s a very solid BBA Impy Stout.