Style: Imperial Sweet & Flavored Stout

ABV: 11.5

89/100
Aroma: 12
Appearance: 3
Flavor: 17
Mouthfeel: 3

Evil Twin Brewing Imperial Biscotti Break

What the brewers say

“Keep it cool, clean, confident, arrogant, and flamboyant. Forza Imperiale.”

What our panel thought

Aroma: “A very apparent nuttiness on the first sniff, with a slight vanilla extract aroma and a slight alcohol burn. There’s a really nice roasted coffee character in the back, with some slight dark caramel and toffee on the nose. Esters of fruit, fig, raisin, and other dark fruits. A light spice, with an almost cinnamon-like note.”

Flavor: “The nutty character dominates up front, similar to a cherry pit with some raisiny tannic flavor. This gives way to light vanilla and almond, but quickly fades to a medium-high roast character of caramel and bread crust. In the middle, coffee notes support. The sweetness was pronounced and enhanced the dark-fruit esters.”

Overall: “The nutty amaretto character of the beer dominates, with needed roast complexity to balance. Thin body and high carbonation undermine the creaminess. The flavors didn’t quite run together, but rise and fall in isolation. The individual components are nice, but the beer needs a touch more roast and body to round things out.”

What our editors thought

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


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**Aroma:** “Caramel nose with a bit of chocolate—reminds me of Sugar Babies candy. Some oxidation, divided between sherry and cardboard. There’s also a bit of a spicy phenol that reminds me of pepper and dried oranges. Cherry fruity notes up front with a bit of chocolate hiding in the background. High sweetness.” **Flavor:** “Sweet and malty. Toffee, chocolate, and caramel. Still get Sugar Babies candy, but more malt complexity. Moderate sweetness with fruity cherry and plum notes. Roast malt is restrained, but present. Tastes more like an old ale than a stout. Slight alcohol warming, just enough to let you know it’s there. Light hops toward the end of the sip.” **Overall:** “Tasty and easy drinking. Not a challenge at all, but still interesting. Very drinkable beer, but I wouldn’t put it in the stout category. The fruity esters and the oxidized notes seem more like an old ale. Very sweet and a rather heavy body, but it would make a good fireside sipper or desert beer.”

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**Aroma:** “Heavy charred roast, with a little smoke on the nose that’s similar to burned leaves—a bit metallic. An interesting dankness adds a charred resin character, and the earthy aroma up front is of wood with slight sardine. The esters are dancing from the head, made up of plum and prune with some cloves.” **Flavor:** “A significant mineral character up front with a secondary note of some dark chocolate roast. Heavy roasted notes, earthy dankness, light chocolate, espresso, and tobacco. The earthiness carries throughout with a slightly salty finish that lingers in conjunction with the roast. Esters of clove, dark fruit, and spice emerge as it warms. The carbonation is a touch high, but it cuts through the sweetness. The medium body dissipates rather quickly. Well balanced and intriguing.” **Overall:** “Singularly unique and complex, like drinking a cup of hot chocolate through a burned-out, charred wooden hash pipe—but that’s not a bad thing. The slightly salty seafood aroma paired with the earthy flavor was a bit unbalanced with the other far more nuanced flavors that were present. You have your roast, your fruits, your spices, and your sweetness in a supportive environment. Very easy to drink.”

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