Style: Barrel-Aged Stout

ABV: 11.0

95/100

Aroma:	12
Appearance:	3
Flavor:	19
Mouthfeel:	4

Humboldt Brewing Company Black Xantus

What the brewers say

“Our imperial stout is infused with fair-trade, organic coffee from a local roaster, Jobella, and aged for 6 months in a combination of bourbon, retired Firestone Union, and wine barrels.”

What our panel thought

Aroma: “Dark fruity esters up front, with raisin, plum, dark cherry, and currant. Vanilla and oak, with some sherry and raisin aged character, but works nicely in this beer. A unique spice character hues back and forth between bourbon and sarsaparilla.”

Flavor: “Intense dark fruity sweetness, with a concentrated raisin and currant character. Chocolate, sherry, and oak add complexity. It’s quite boozy and sweet, with moderate bitterness to balance. The roastiness comes out much more as it warms, and it lingers with every passing sip. Some of the finishing sweetness tastes like vanilla from the oak, or even smoked licorice.”

Overall: “Sweet, boozy, and complex. It’s an intense drinking experience that benefits from a healthy blend of both chocolaty malt, molasses, and fruity esters. A bit sweet on the finish, but it has a roasty dryness, too. Given a little time to rest, this will be a fantastic beer.”

What our editors thought

Review printed in: Sweet, Roasty, and Delicious (February-March 2017) (View All Issues)

Print Shelf Talker

How We Review

REVIEWS FOR YOU >

Cellarmaker Brewing Company Regeneration Cycle

“Aroma of earthy chocolate, big vanilla, moderate coconut. Flavor is quite sweet, almost cloying, but offset by bitterness and spicy alcohol—notes of chocolate, coconut, vanilla. Viscous, mouth-coating. Long, sweet finish.”

Lawson's Finest Liquids Coffee Fayston Maple Imperial Stout

__Aroma:__ “Dark roasted coffee dominates, with medium roast, light chocolate, and malt sweetness underneath. Cocoa, caramel, and toffee notes are in there, too. There may be a hint of maple, with some sugar sweetness that sits in the back. Dark fruit esters complement the malt.” __Flavor:__ “Smooth and thick, with heavy caramel, big chocolate sweetness, and a high dark coffee flavor. It’s got a big body and light carb. Fruity esters of raisin, spice, and other dark fruits, with strong hints of dark coffee and maple syrup like a sweet iced coffee. A smoky character gives it a bit of a campfire coffee character, too.” __Overall:__ “The sweet chocolate and coffee pair well together, with a light roast toward the end of the sip. It’s a bit on the sweet side, but with the ashy campfire roasted coffee character, all it needs is a side of bacon. It’s enjoyable and big, with rich and satisfying flavors.”

The Bruery Black Tuesday 2016

__Aroma:__ “Moderate dark fruits of raisin, light plum, big cherry, and date. Notes of light coffee, vanilla, and chocolate, with some caramel and light roast. Great complexity on the nose—full-bodied, nice, sweet, and inviting.” __Flavor:__ “Assertive alcohol up front continues throughout the sip in a big and inviting way. Very intense raisin and plum charge the taste buds. Chocolate and roast sit in the background, with a touch of tobacco, strong oak tannins, light vanilla, and malt sweetness. Oak and bourbon come through, along with some oak tannins. Light acidity and a hint of vinegar balance the sweetness. It’s full-bodied and chewy.” __Overall:__ “The intensity of this beer was significant—the stone fruits, raspberry, vanilla, and assertive alcohol are quite intriguing. It’s big and complex, and given the alcohol strength, it’s very balanced. The more you drink, the more you find.”

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.