Hellfighter & BBA 007 Hellfighter by Karbach Brewing (Dual Review Special)

1653680_10101696087728560_115194308_n 1234913_10101696084884260_1317327856_n 1979512_10101696088047920_2123118399_n 10007447_10101696088257500_1085991134_nSo today I bring you something very special. A Double Review! Courtesy, Suggestion, Donation and Gratitude to my friend Aaron at www.beermetaldude.com. It would not be possible to bring you a dual review if it wasn’t for these special gifts from from him. This is the second time I try Karbach and I am looking forward to this review as this is something that is going to involve a side by side tasting. I will separate my work individually and provide you the final verdict for both at the end. The rating has been set after at the end to show case my final thoughts for the beers individually. SO….. on to the the review and Cheers to my loyal readers, Aaron, and the good people at Karbach brewing company for making this a possibility.

HELLFIGHTER REVIEW
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Hellfighter by Karbach Brewing is a 9.5% ABV Imperial Porter

Label:
Set your soul on fire

BLAZE ON!

From the depths of the earth leap flames of destruction. When time is of the essence, the Hellfighter boldly steps in the line of danger. Whether or not he’s insane is not important now. It’s with intensity and aggression that the Hellfighter taunts the blaze of almost certain doom.

Our Imperial Porter is much the same. Robust and black as oil, Hellfighter Imperial Porter, with roasted coffee and chocolate malt characteristics, finishes what it started. This explosion of flavors will extinguish even a Texas-sized penchant for boldness. Intense and maybe a little insane, drink carefully but drink often.
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Aromas:
Dark chocolate molasses, caramel, smokey notes, coffee, dark fruit notes, waffle cone, vanilla, hints of hazel nut and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, anise, smokey notes, molasses, caramel, vanilla, dark fruit notes, waffle cone, coffee, brown sugar, earthy hop notes, mild licorice notes, rye and hinting coriander spice.

Aftertaste:
Earthy hops, dark chocolate, mild coffee roast and anise. No alcohol in the taste. A full bodied sipping ale. 

Overall:
Very good porter indeed. It introduces a few new aspects from the average porter and that definitely has to be the complimenting anise and smokey factor that fuses very well with this one. Very good stuff out of Texas but if you have had a smokey porter before, this would probably be very similar. Still worth the taste ofcourse.

007 BBA HELLFIGHTER REVIEW
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007 Hellfighter by Karbach Brewing is a 10.8% ABV World Class Imperial Porter aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:
If you like darker, more robust ales and you also have a penchant for whiskey, you may have just reached the promised land. We took our Hellfighter Imperial Porter and aged it in bourbon barrels for several months. Alluring aromas of vanilla, chocolate and coffee give way to a rich, malty sweetness that slowly transitions to a silky, oaky finish. Bourbon Barrel Aged Hellfighter is a special brew that is best enjoyed with hearty foods, decadent desserts or the finest cigars. Ready to drink now in a snifter-style glass at 45-50* F, this fine ale will also benefit from years of cellaring under proper conditions.
F.U.N. Series 007 2013
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Aromas:
Holy toasted coconuts!! Wow!!, a big almond joy and bourbon fragrant beer. Dark chocolate, dark fruits, molasses, flan, crème brulee, caramel vanilla, oak, brown sugar, rocky road ice cream, mocha, roasted coffee, hazelnuts, roasted pecans, mocha, marshmallows, milk chocolate, graham crackers, mild smoke, fudge brownies, and chocolate cake.

Flavors:
Liquid Almond joys! Dark chocolate, toasted coconut, bourbon, oak, vanilla, caramel, flan, oak, raisins, cherries, currants, molasses, anise, brown sugar, rocky road ice cream hazelnuts, roasted pecans, maple syrup, chocolate fudge brownies, campfire smoke, campfire smores with the chocolate, marshmallows, graham crackers, mocha, coffee and crème brulee.

Aftertaste:
Marshmallows, almond joy chocolate, coffee, earthy notes, caramel, smokey notes at the end. No alcohol whatsoever in the taste. Sipping drinkability and full mouth feel with a sense of smoothness as it goes down. Very nice!

Overall:
Exceeding the expectations of the original by a lot. Holy shit this is fucking good. It should be up there with the best barrel aged imperial stouts. This one is unique as the earthy hops and smokey goodness shines but does not intervene with the already built complexity. In fact, it complements the flavors. Highly recommended and definitely one of my top best beers from Texas. Thank you Aaron, this made my day brother!

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Overall (Both Beers):
The choice is like night and day. Holy crap!! While they are both very good beers, the 007 beer is like like turning super saiyan for the first time. Another way of saying it is like saying your average Honda Accord suddenly turned into a Lamborghini Diablo. 

Anime Corner (Both Beers):
If Aya Brea from Parasite Eve does not fit the bill of both of these beers, I don’t know what would describe an agent, maybe not a spy, but she fits the bill, of a “Hellfighter” who faces off parasitic deformities. They may not come from Hell but they sure look like demons on earth. Crazy experimentations and self combustion people is nothing short of horror, and Aya is the one who can take them down. The original hellfighter is her in a night gown looking like the spy chick from Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The 007 Hellfighter one is the one that shows her as she is essentially evolving into something greater. That and the obvious “Sexy Fan Service=Delicious Beer”. The pictures where it is both beers shows Aya as she is surrounded by the parasite demon and the bloody chaos that she has to fight and endure. This is the first time I use Aya in my reviews, so this is a very special occasion for this awesome double review. Can you tell any other things that are awesome about this pairing?

Rating: 4.65/5* Hellfighter
Rating: 5.8/5* 007 Bourbon Barrel Aged Hellfighter
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Yule Shoot your Eye Out by Karbach Brewing

1536479_10101609321219340_1436639056_nRating: 4.25/5

Yule Shoot your Eye Out by Karbach Brewing is an 8%ABV Spiced beer brewed with cocoa nibs and spices .

Label:
Dear Santa.

I know I don’t deserve anything special this year, but there’s a really awesome beer I’d like to get my hands on called Yule Shoot Your Eye Out. I know my boss will tell you I really botched the Penske file and I forgot my anniversary (again), but I PROMISE I will be good if you could get me some of that beer. It’s loaded with specialty malts, fresh ginger, cocoa nibs, orange peel and other holiday spices. I heard Karbach only brews a limited quantity so if you could just think back to that year when I was SO good and you got me the BB gun, that would be great.

Respectfully yours,

R
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Another awesome seasonal from Texas provided by my friend Aaron at www.beermetaldude.com This time it is a Christmas beer. First time trying Karbach brewing so I am exited. This is normally not sold in California so if you want to get this one, good luck. If you are lucky, then you should definitely be in for a treat.

Aromas:
Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger bread, dark fruit hints, fruit cake notes, caramel, toffee, mild chocolate notes, coriander spice, herbs and peppercorns.

Flavors:
Caramel, ginger bread, grapefruit, earthy hops, citrus, coffee notes, cinnamon, fruit cake, coriander spice, pecan notes, peppery spices, herbs, dark chocolate notes, raisins, orange peel, biscuit bread and butterscotch.

Aftertaste:
Dark fruit notes, earthy and citrus hop bitterness, peppery spices, cinnamon and caramel. Easy to moderate drinkability, no alcohol in the taste and medium mouthfeel.

Overall:
A very good beer to try. It is a lot like a winter Black IPA almost since you get a good amount of hoppy bitterness along with some winter spices. Cocoa nibs are subtle but come out as the beer warms up. Worthy of a try as it is an interesting winter beer. Very good stuff.

Anime Corner:
Candy Cane Miss Fortune from League of Legends was included in this pairing to represent the Spirit of Christmas but also the beer itself. I wanted to find something that related to Christmas and Shooting. This girl is packing heat and those are not Candy Canes. She will shoot your eye out especially if you look at her the wrong way. Merry Christmas ya filthy animals!