My local bottle shop owners had just got this beer in last week and successfully convinced me to give it a try. Based on the two breweries involved I was fairly confident it would be great. ‘Up Late’ is a collaboration between Bristol based Left Handed Giant and the particularly brilliant Falmouth based Verdant. It’s a big 10% imperial stout with hazelnut and vanilla.

This beer pours exactly like engine oil in both the visual and the texture. Very viscous. The beer has really good head retention as well. The aroma is pure Nutella with hazelnut coming through fantastically. Tastes very much like it smells to begin with. You then get a lovely richness from dark chocolate flavours balanced with a smooth creaminess. There’s just a touch of sweetness from the vanilla to help compliment the body. Smooth drinking and doesn’t taste as boozy as I expected.

A quick note on the can art: Simply one of the most gorgeous cans I’ve seen. The face on the front is what I imagine you look like after a couple of these. Would really love yo know who the artist is!

This is hands down the best stout I’ve ever had. They’ve gone for two flavours, hazelnut and vanilla, and used them brilliantly to compliment the core bitter dark chocolate brought in by the malts. I think this would be a great substitute for a wine to pair with a cheese or dessert course. The sweetness is subdued and the bitterness would help compliment certain foods very well. They’ve not used any lactose either so that thick, silky creaminess is even more impressive in my mind. It’s a simple design for an imperial stout but with complexity to the flavour. Executed perfectly for my tastes.

Score: 10/10

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Additional Information:

• Hops: Not Available
• Malt: Not Available
• IBU: Not Available
• ABV: 10%
• Gluten Free: No
• Vegan: Yes
• Purchase Location: Arch Rivals