Posted in New Releases, Westbrook Brewing Co

Westbrook 5th Anniversary Chocolate Raspberry Imperial Stout (DRINK NOW)

Westbrook 5th Anniversary Chocolate Raspberry Imperial Stout

Westbrook 5th Anniversary Chocolate Raspberry Imperial Stout has just sporadically hit shelves across the brewery’s distribution network.

One thing is for sure, the brewery love their birthday releases. That’s where Westbrook Mexican Cake got its start. Westbrook 5th Anniversary Chocolate Raspberry Imperial Stout is a 10.5% alcohol by volume imperial stout, brewed with raspberries, vanilla beans and coco nibs.

We’re talking boozy dessert here.

A couple of tasting notes to throw at you. After drinking this one last night, a few of the Beer Street Journal readers mentioned waiting/cellaring before trying this beer. Essentially hoping an aspect of the beer (like the raspberries) would fade a bit from the flavor…. At this point, you don’t really want this beer do you? The beer you have in your fridge right now is exactly as the brewery intended it. So… drink in the boozy bit of berry laden deliciousness in front of you. Don’t wait.

Westbrook 5th Anniversary Chocolate Raspberry Imperial Stout is available now in limited quantities in 22 ounce bottles.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Vanilla Beans, Raspberries, Cocoa Nibs.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles. Limited.

Release: Late-January, 2016

10.5% ABV

5 thoughts on “Westbrook 5th Anniversary Chocolate Raspberry Imperial Stout (DRINK NOW)

  1. Outside of Belgian Lambics and some brett beers, even your headiest Imperial Stouts or Barleywines (i.e. FW BA beers) are hardly worth aging for more than a year. Lambics/Wild Ales are a thought because the yeast has potential to change the character of the beer. It’s not just fading and oxidizing. People are too quick to say “I bet this will be better with some age on it”. No, it won’t. It will taste like a hollowed out shell standing in a shadow looking in the mirror at itself. I’m sure the beer industry loves people buying more beer than they need so they can “see where it goes”, but I can tell you it doesn’t go anywhere grand. You have to ask yourself, “What beers do I want to taste oxidized?”. Do you want oxidation in your raspberry stout? How about your chocolate/coffee stout? Oxidation in your Expedition Stout or Bigfoot? Yeah, some of that can be good. Are they BETTER with age? Hard to say, but at least vertical tastings with those can be fun. Orval or Saison Brett? The yeast develops, or in Orval’s case, the hops fade and the brett develops. Go for it. Better? It certainly can be. Another thing: I’ve NEVER aged a beer that wasn’t good or what I wanted it to be that later became that. If it ain’t good now, it won’t be good later. Save your “I like Bourbon County with a couple of years on it” for someone else, please. I can fart into the wind myself.

      • If you could hear text, I would say you misread my tone. I’ve educated many people on what beers to age and for how long. It’s sad that people mistake humorous information with blathering rage.

    • I’ve had plenty of beers that have improved with age, many Hangar 24 ‘barrel roll’ series beers come to mind. I’ve also had many that have not…(enter 2013 Coffee Abraxas) but when I get a really boozy beer like 50/50 Eclipse, BA Speedway or pretty much all Bruery BA beers, I find that aging the beer in excess of 1-2 years allows for the heat to mellow and other flavors to shine. Just because you haven’t found aging to be beneficial doesn’t mean everyone else is wrong, I’d be willing to bet you’d be rushing to get a pour of Thomas Hardy’s ale if someone were to open it.

      • I wasn’t trying to say that zero beers age well. 99% of adjunct beers do not, though Deschutes makes a couple of good ones.I’ve found the heat to mellow in some of those BA beers, Speedway for example, but when tasted next to the same beer fresh, it seems like someof the flavors oxidize and fade, rather than pop. The brewers age and bottle the beers when they feel they are ready to drink. Would you paint over a Picasso to more suit your tastes or would you just buy a different painting? Would you ask Katy Perry to play Rush songs instead of going to a Rush show? Wouldn’t be reasonable. Does Bud Light being the number 1 selling beer in America make it a good beer? If someone likes 5 year old Bourbon County does that make it good or better? The answer is no. It means they like it. And yes, Thomas Hardy’s ages well, I’ve had it from fresh to 14 years old and several places in between, but I’m pretty sure they don’t make it anymore. JW Lees is another one that is worth hanging on to for extended aging, but very few people drinking craft beer right now give a shit about those anyway.

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