Alvarado Street Brewery Dark Libations #3
What the brewers say
Our third variant of our ‘Dark Libations’ Imperial Stout was aged in a single rum barrel with irresistible mac-adamia nuts and vanilla beans.
What our panel thought
Distinctly boozy aroma with a pleasant rum-like sweetness accentuated by hints of vanilla, coconut, maca-damia nuts, caramel, and toffee. The flavor profile is way more macadamia nut–forward than the aroma would indicate, and that nuttiness, coupled with an overt vanilla note, is the perfect complement for the rum-derived sweet alcoholic notes. It doesn’t hide its alcoholic heat, yet, despite its heft, it’s scarily drinkable.
What our editors thought
Exquisite and decadent nutty vanilla nose is gloriously excessive with today’s prices on vanilla. The sip is equally luxurious, with a big silky roast body, thick and sweet, highlighted by more layers of vanilla and nuts.