“An Imperial Stout brewed with ancho chili peppers, cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and cinnamon sticks. Pouring deep brown with a thick head, this beer has a complex body with a delicious lingering roastiness. Abraxas is brewed with unique ingredients intended to challenge and excite the palate. It may be enjoyed right away or allowed to age in the bottle. Vertical tastings are encouraged.”
Glassware: Tulip.
Appearance: Hits the glass like engine oil! It generates a short brown head which gradually peels off to a ring with a bit of wavy lace in its wake.
Aroma: We initially pick up a strong but well tempered spice profile – mostly nutmeg, clove and cinnamon. Oodles of rich molasses, licorice, charred malts, old leather boots and dark chocolate with more subtle hints of vanilla, cacao, chilli peppers and espresso coffee tucked in behind. The longer it sits in the glass the more prominent those chilli’s become as well. Magnificent aroma.
Flavour: More of the same…and we say in that in a good way! Opening with a notable amount of spice and shifting to a delicious mix of cacao, chocolate and chilli peppers. The heat from the chilli (and most likely the booze as well) intensifies and ushers in the espresso and charred malt bitterness midway. The heat tapers off and finishes with a tonne of chilli flavour, spice and cacao on a length.
Mouthfeel: Warm, spicy and full-ish in body. The 10% AbV shows through but it’s fairly well rounded for its size.
Overall: It’s a bloody brilliant stout but the spice profile may overplay its hand just a bit. We feel that something should give between that and the peppers…allow one to shine because at the moment they clash a little. Semantics. Ultimately it’s an excellent offering.