Year of New Beer: Big Bad Baptist Vanilla Brandy Barrel Aged Stout, Epic Brewing (UT)

Written By: Dion on 12/15/2019

Hits the nose with a ton of roasted coffee bean and cocoa powder. Little to no vanilla or brandy initially. Warmth does allow some dark fruit and oak to come through. The tongue follows along similarly, with a roasty char and bittersweet chocolate commanding the attention. Coffee note is pretty pronounced. Some burnt sugars and a mild earthy hop bite join the oak and subtle vanilla along the middle. It's not until deep into the bottle (like 3 hours post-pour) that the brandy notes really emerge. Plums, grapes, and caramel-dipped figs offer some redemption for a bottle that was a bit disappointing early on. Good beer, but not as good as locally produced barrel aged stouts like Baba Yaga and Snake Cake.