Prairie Artisan Ales ‘Bomb!’ Imperial Spiced Stout

Rating:

12717473_479721188878698_7525524356675715386_n“Bomb! is an imperial stout aged on espresso beans, chocolate, vanilla beans, and ancho chile peppers. All the flavors meld to create a truly unique beer. The peppers add just the right amount of heat to complement the intense coffee and chocolate flavors.”

Served in a beer tulip. This mysterious being of the night pours to an impenetrable pitch black shade with a short beige crown that steadily recedes to a halo. Some spotty lace trails are omitted as we imbibe. Let’s not beat around the bush here huh? This aroma is freakin’ lethal! The brewers reveal coffee, cacao nibs, vanilla beans and chilli peppers as the added ingredients. Let us be the one to tell you that every ingredient is tangible. All four come gushing out followed closely by scents of charred wood, licorice, leather, dark chocolate, alcohol and molasses. This stout has that dangerous looking stranger in a dimly lit laneway feel to it. Who knows what it’s gonna do! The texture pretty much covers all ends of the spectrum. Smooth, oily and astringent all rolled in to one. Co2 is mild while the 65 IBU packs a solid punch. While some may shirk at the 13% ABV we must admit it’s certainly evident but it doesn’t overpower. Kudos to the brewers there. As we swish this bad boy around our mouths a certain Galliano-like character comes to mind – sharp, spicy and warming with firm hints of licorice, coffee and spice leading out. The booze crescendos late on the front palate and emphasizes the heat of the chilli peppers across the mid. A pinch of cocoa and vanilla develops before a drawn out, roasted, spicy and slightly boozy finish rounds it all out. Wow! Just….Wow! This stout can be placed somewhere between brilliant beers like Clown Shoes’ chocolate sombrero and Mikkellers’ mexas ranger. Enough to blow your socks off but delicious enough to want another. Excellent drop.