Name: Brutal Truth
Brewer: Blackwhite Craft Brewery (Philippines)
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 9%
Review Year: 2021
Brutal Truth is an Imperial Stout brewed by Lorenzo Reyes of Blackwhite Craft Brewery. The brewery is driven by the “Do it Yourself” ethos of the Hardcore Punk movement as it pushes artisanal, vegan-friendly craft beer in Batangas.
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as an Imperial Stout (20C) in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.
TASTING NOTES
Opaque deep brown with a foamy white head. The aroma is medium in intensity, of cacao nibs with light cedar, twig, and herbal impressions. Medium-full bodied; moderate carbonation. Cacao nibs and raisins characterized mainly the flavor profile. Supportive flavors of cedar, pine, nuts, molasses. Semi-dry finish; hints of orange pith and pine lingered into the aftertaste.
THE VERDICT
Billed as an Imperial Stout, Brutal Truth feels more of a scaled-up American Stout (20B) with its notable hop presence. This beer lacked the rich, complex, and roasted malt profile of a classic Imperial Stout, but the presence of dark fruit in the form of raisins is a nod to the mentioned style. Likewise, Brutal Truth didn’t have hot alcohol notes despite clocking in at 9% ABV, contributing to its drinkability. The next versions could have a darker and roastier malt backbone with more of the dark fruit attributes. We also think that a slightly fuller body and tempered hop character could enhance this beer further.
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