Merry Christmas everyone.  I hope everyone has a great holiday with their families and I hope everyone is enjoying some really good craft beer!  I know I will be.   My craft beer festivites started when I popped open a bottle of Hunahpus Imperial Stout I received in a beer trade.

Hunahpus is a brand new brew from the people at Cigar City Brewing out of Tampa.  Never heard of these guys? Well soon I think you will.  Right now their distribution isn’t to big.  They distribute in some areas of Florida of course, they also send some of their brew to NYC.  Soon they’ll be distributing to Pennsylvania.  Hey guys you somehow skipped Virginia!!!!  Anyway.  These guys are pretty well known on sites such as Beer Advocate and Rate Beer.  Their stuff always rates well and by all the reviews I’ve read they always seem unique.  Well folks this beer is no different.  It’s fantastic and has a really nice unique twist to it.

Hunahpus isn’t bottled yet.  They released the first batch in kegs only but the rumor is it’s being bottled around March.  So how did I get this brew then you ask?  While making a beer trade, the guy I was trading with mentioned the would throw in a bottle of this stuff.  Knowing that it wasent bottled yet I asked him to explain.  He said he had a few bombers of this stuff left, he bottled it himself from a growler, capped it, and dipped it in wax.  Sign me up I said.

The same day I got the box full of fantastic Cigar City brews I decided I had to try this beer.  Sure enough he dipped the bottle in black wax so no air could get in.  I popped the cap off and was greeted by a nice pffft.  I was worried that when I opened this beer that to much air would of gotten to it and ruined the experience.  No sir it was perfect.  The beer poured thick and black.  A huge creamy tan head poured.   This beer poured perfect.  The smell on this beer is fantastic.  Deep chocolate malt, vanilla, smokiness, and spice.  Yup spice.  A nice amount of cinnamon and chili pepper.  It hits the nostrils but doesn’t overwhelm.  Not to much of a burn.  Definitely a unique aroma that you don’t usually get from a stout.

The taste on this beer is just amazing.  So much going on.  Really complex.  The taste happens in waves.  Up front is the chocolate and vanilla.  It’s sweet and slightly bitter.  Next up is the smokiness and roasted malt.  Then the spices hit.  They just sit on your tongue.  When I first sipped this brew the spices weren’t to noticeable.  But as you take sip after sip the hotness starts to sit there.  Not overwhelming though like some other beers I’ve had.  Finally there is a bit of a bitter ending from the hops.  Just so much going on and they did it so well.  The mouthfeel is thick.  When the beer hits the tongue it’s a little rough, by the time it hits the back of your mouth it’s smooth and goes down really nice.

This was my first beer from these guys and wow what a way to start off.  You’ll be seeing a lot more reviews from these guys.  I have a nice stash of Cigar City brews sitting at my house.   If you can I’d say definitely trade for some of their stuff.  It always rates well.   Merry Christmas all!

Found: Beer Trade
Price: No idea
Website: http://www.cigarcitybeer.com/
What the company says: In Mayan myth, Hunahpu gave cocoa to the Mayans. The base recipe is Marshal Zhukov Imperial Stout. It is aged on pasillo and ancho peppers as well as vanilla, cinnamon and cocoa nibs.
ABV%: 11.50%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Cigar City Guava Grove, Cigar City Jai Alai IPA
Other beers to try within the same style: Southern Tier Mokah, Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
Rating: A+