Funeralopolis | Laugar Brewery
Score: 94/100 - outstanding
From a 330ml bottle served at cellar temperature at 13 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Best before date: 08/2024 - it's not clear when this was brewed, but I'm assuming it went in a bottle around August 2019. I acquired this beer through a friend and I'm looking forward to trying it after having reviewed their Aupa Tovarisch Jack Daniel's Edition.
Appearance (2/3)
The beer pours a clear black with limited, thin, beige head which dissipates into a partial film in less than a minute. No lacing with poor head retention.
Aroma (23/24)
Medium-strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is dark like the soul of a headbanger. Rich coffee at the front followed by an interesting spicy character from the tonka and an overall mix of caramel, roasted grain, tar, dark fruit (prunes + black raisins), and herbal-resiny hops. Mild ethanol along with some burnt tones. The dry nose is sweet and layered with notes of cinnamon, brown sugar, and smoke.
Flavour (38/40)
Strong intensity with bitter balance and very assertive perceived bitterness. The palate opens up salty-sweet with notes of black licorice, molasses, and coffee making way for a robust center where notes of caramel, dark chocolate, and herbal-resiny hops (menthol + pine) marry the coffee and aniseed. The long finish is strong and quite balanced with notes of black licorice, caramel, a hint of smoke, coffee, tar, and mild ethanol.
Mouthfeel (10/10)
Full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is heavy, smooth, and slightly chewy with noticeable alcohol warming and a medium-sweet finish. No astringency or harshness of any kind on the palate.
Overall (18/20)
Laugar Brewery's collaboration with Kraftank - Funeralopolis - is an outstanding brew. Solid looks - even if the head leaves room for improvement - lead into a fascinating, layered aroma where the special ingredients shine and are backed up by an excellent RIS character. The flavour follows with depth, intrigue, and personality. Toss in the smooth mouthfeel which matches the fullness of flavour with its weight and you've got an exceptional recipe. I highly recommend this beer to any imperial stout lover and/or the people after interesting, strong flavours. I'd happily drink this again - however unlikely it's to happen at this part of the globe. Make sure you serve this warm as 13 degrees Celsius (30-40min out of the fridge) was too cold to bring this to life. Cheers!