2014 Big Hugs by Half Acre brewing

Rating: 5.5/5

2014 Big Hugs by Half Acre brewing is a 10% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with Dark Matter Coffee

Description:
This beer is a thug. Big and chock full of tender embrace.

A specialty brew. Grab it when you see it. 10% ABV.

==Introduction==

This is the second time I try this beer and this time it is at its freshest. Thanks to www.mybeercollectibles.com for helping me obtain this one as this one is nowhere to be found here in California. Although, from what I remember in the last time I reviewed this beer, it was awesome aged. This beer is still hard to find unless you live near Chicago or can trade for it. Either way, let us see how well the fresher one does here.

Label: https://brewerianimelogs.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/c74e2-bighugs2014_over-final.jpg

Aromas:
Fancy roasted coffee, espresso, Mocha, Java Kahlua, vinous grapes, dark fruits like raisins, prunes, plum hints, dark cherry, blackberry, currants, deep dark chocolate, hazelnut nectar, rock candy, Danish Cookies, oatmeal cookies, spices like ginger, herbal notes, brownies, peppercorns and tobacco.

Flavors:
Mocha, Fancy roasted coffee, espresso, vinous grape notes, java, Kahlua, caramel, vanilla, dark fruit raisins, plums, prunes, hazelnut nectar, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bakers chocolate, molasses, walnuts, pecan pie, toffee, brownies, rock candy, peanut butter, Danish cookies, oatmeal cookies, peppercorn, tobacco, leather, smokey hints, brownies, spicy notes, herbal hints, complex coffee notes, earthy notes, dark cherry, black berries, and prailines.

Aftertaste:
Fancy Coffee roast, spicy coffee complexity earthy notes, caramel, dark chocolate and vanilla. No alcohol in the taste, Smooth and creamy mouthfeel, almost easy to drink despite the ABV, Dark like the abyss of nothingness dark body.

Overall:
Damn, every time I try a different roasty variant from different companies such as Dark Matter or Portola Labs, they always have some really complex stuff. Like the fact that the coffee world is on its own level, just mixing it with some of these beers makes them that much more complex. Also the fact that this makes this one is just that much of an exceeding expectations kind of beer is just phenomenal. I really think the fresher the beer is better as you get more of the coffee complexity than what I did with the 2 year aged one. It is rather strange but I really feel like this was the case with this one.

Anime Corner:

Ark Angel MR or Evil Mythra from Final Fantasy XI was used in this pairing as I used her in the last pairing. The original idea had to do with the whole Big Hugs. Since she is a gray cat lady with crimson eyes, it would have fit with the Mecha Hugs Label. The fact that she is an Ark Angel, she fits even more perfect with the Cat Angel of Death and the whole Big Hugs as she squeezes the orange Mythra representing the colors of the original Big Hugs cat. This beer is evil, Feline Evil.

****Update****:
Just like the surprise toy in the cereal boxes or the special prizes they have on those McDonalds cups, Peel the original label to get so much Win in this awesome label behind the Original. Yeah I really didn’t catch this until later. YAY BigHugs!! See, Ark Angel MR and regular Mithra are great friends!