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Big Bad Baptist

Epic Brewing Company
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🌍 United States · Imperial Stout · One of 99 Imperial Stouts in hopIQ

Epic's legendary imperial stout aged on coffee beans and cacao nibs in bourbon barrels. Rich, decadent, and complex with waves of espresso, dark chocolate, and vanilla.

ABV
12%
Bitterness
Very bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark45
See all Imperial Stout alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Full body.

The weight carries the beer on its own, leaving the aromatics free to lead.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Imperial Stout.
Malt character
coffee
roasted
chocolate
Distinctive notes
dark fruit
vanilla
oak
Compare with another beer →

FEATURED IN

Featured inThe Best American Stouts

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Big Bad Baptist

Appearance

Deep black-brown color with an opaque body and minimal light transmission. A dense, tan head forms and clings to the glass with steady retention, leaving substantial lacing on the walls as the beer is consumed. Carbonation is gentle and restrained, appropriate to the style.

deep black-brownopaquedense headstrong lacing

Aroma

The nose opens with dominant espresso and roasted coffee notes, supported by cocoa powder and dark chocolate undertones. Vanilla and bourbon oak emerge beneath, along with subtle hints of dark fruit and a faint alcohol warmth. The barrel aging adds a subtle vanilla and wood-spice character that frames the coffee-forward profile.

espresso-forwardcocoa and chocolatebourbon oakvanilla notes

Taste

The palate is full and enveloping, with roasted malt providing a bitter-sweet foundation that carries waves of brewed coffee and dark chocolate across the mid-palate. Cacao nibs add subtle texture and tannin structure. Vanilla and oak lend complexity without overshadowing the core flavors, while 12% ABV provides warmth and body without harsh alcohol bite.

roasted maltcoffee-chocolate interplayfull-bodiedwarming alcohol

Finish

The finish is long and warming, with roasted and coffee notes lingering alongside a gentle bitterness and drying oak tannin. The bourbon barrel influence persists as a faint vanilla undertone that extends the aftertaste.

long finishlingering coffeewarming
88
hopIQ score
Aroma
87
Taste
89
Appearance
86
Finish
88
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Big Bad Baptist

Serve at 13–16°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Slightly warmer than you might expect. 10–13°C lets the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee notes open up fully.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Can be cellared 2–5 years. Develops dark fruit, leather and port-like complexity with age.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Big Bad Baptist

About Imperial Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Imperial Stout?

Stouts are dark ales with roasted barley character, 4–8% ABV and IBU 25–45. Expect coffee, dark chocolate and toast flavors with a creamy body and dry finish.

Finding a similar Imperial Stout

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, coffee, rich character as Big Bad Baptist will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Imperial Stouts in hopIQ

Explore all Imperial Stout beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →