Style: BA Dessert Stout

ABV: 8.4 IBU: 20.0

90/100

Aroma:	12
Appearance:	3
Flavor:	17
Mouthfeel:	4

Breakside Brewery Chocolate Brandy Alexande

What the brewers say

"Dosed ... with freshly grated nutmeg and Dutch cocoa powder, before aging it in brandy barrels."

What our panel thought

"Inviting aroma: milk chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon; lighter graham cracker, toast, and coffee. Straightforward flavor—bittersweet chocolate, light spice, roast malt. Chocolate flavors linger. Subdued barrel."

What our editors thought

"Polished leather, dark red fruit, and earthy spice on the nose; light, rustic anise. The sip is sweeter and less rugged, with soft fruit, milk chocolate, and sprawling sweetness."

Review printed in: Stout: More than Just Desserts (Oct-Nov 2020) (View All Issues)

Print Shelf Talker

How We Review

REVIEWS FOR YOU >

Highland Park Brewery Infinitefinite

“Oaky highlights support whiskey and roast in the aroma. Then light coffee, chocolate followed by raisin, black currant. Loads of espresso, dark chocolate on the sip while sweetness and oaky vanilla lend a decadent dessert-like quality.”

Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout

**Aroma:** “Big coffee, moderate roast, light toasty, floral/citrus hops notes, dark chocolate, lots of fruity esters, with cherry and a touch of bubblegum, caramel, and molasses. Alcohol is evident. Emptied mug of latte and a chain smoker’s breath in a dive bar.” **Flavor:** “Strong roast, moderate coffee, moderate toasty, some chocolate, background, fair bit of malty, prominent tropical fruity hops flavor, moderately sweet, full bodied, juicy fruit, light plum aftertaste. Long linger is dark chocolate, dates, and plums.” **Overall:** “Strangely fruity for an imperial stout—gives it a unique twist and it works. A fairly long lingering chocolate note with dates and plums. Odd choice of hops? Alcohol flavor is strong, lingers in aftertaste. Fruity esters. Boozy and awesome imperial stout. The more I drink it, the more I like it.”

Reuben's Brews Chocolate Box: Hazelnut Praline

Earthy, nutty, bourbon aroma. As it warms: vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, and a sense of age. Rich flavors: chocolate and roast coffee, also vanilla, caramel, coconut. Subtle hazelnut and earthy, oak-derived leather.

FRESH BEERS >

The best new craft beers available in a beer store near you. Sponsored content.

New Belgium Dominga Grapefruit

New Belgium wood cellar blender Lauren Limbach was gifted a new foeder that she aptly named Dominga—a play on the Spanish word for Sunday. She first created a mimosa-inspired golden sour called “Dominga: Goddess of Brunch.” Now we are excited to introduce the cocktail-inspired version, Dominga Grapefruit Paloma. Inspired by the classic cocktail of Mexico, Dominga packs a refreshing combo of bright grapefruit and lime flavors, along with agave and a pinch of salt.

Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest

Oaktoberfest is our oak-inspired homage to the great German tradition of Oktoberfest. We go the extra mile of maturing this beer in French oak barrels to create an amazingly smooth mouthfeel. The result is a classic German festbier with a hint of West Coast hoppiness. Grab your stein, don your lederhosen, and enjoy!

Firestone Walker Parabola ’24

Parabola is always a beast of a beer, with intense flavors of black cherry, dark chocolate, vanilla, and roast coffee—yet each annual release also bears its own subtle imprint. For this latest edition, we aged the beer for a year in 12-year Elijah Craig barrels. These coveted bourbon barrels imparted signature notes of charred oak, caramel, and cinnamon, taking the Parabola experience to new heights. Pour some out in your favorite snifter; behold the impossibly opaque color as you allow it to warm up a bit; and then let the dark magic of Parabola stun your palate with its unrivaled flavor and complexity.

Sierra Nevada Cosmic Little Thing Hazy Double IPA

For the latest in the Hazy IPA series, ride Sierra Nevada’s interstellar wave of tropical flavor in this Cosmic Little Thing, a hazy nebula glowing with Comet, Strata, and Helios hops for notes of citrus, berries, and lychee. Head into orbit with this 8 percent ABV hazy double IPA before the next Hazy IPA rotator hits. Look for Cosmic Little Thing in six-packs and 19.2 oz singles.

Firestone Walker Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA

Out-of-this-world flavor that packs a punch—take a journey with Cosmic Crusher. “Cosmic Crusher is our crazy adventure into the realm of imperial juicy IPAs,” says brewmaster Matt Brynildson. Cosmic Crusher is built around two ultra-tropical hops—Galaxy and Strata. The result is a level of flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel that can only materialize at high strength, crossing the line into a whole new cosmos of punchy mango and pineapple character. SKUs available: 12 oz six-pack cans, 19.2 oz single serve, and Mind Haze Variety Pack.

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion

Luponic Distortion is the Firestone Walker trailblazer that continues to break the rules, back for the first time since 2021. The classic Luponic Distortion base recipe returns with an all-new hop blend to deliver a fresh blast from the past. Brewed with a secret blend of new-age hops, the 2024 edition of Luponic Distortion turns up the volume with mind-bending flavors of lychee, peach, nectarine, and strawberry. Available exclusively in the Beer Before Glory IPA Mixed Pack.