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Original Reaper

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Roasted cocoa bitterness, toffee and dark fruit carry this dark, delicate stout, with chocolate, roast and coffee in the mix. Original Reaper is a jet-black, silky smooth 6.8% stout under a frothy foam topper, a beer to carve out some time for. It comes from Half Acre, one of Chicago's pioneering breweries, founded in 2007.

ABV
6.8%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark35
PaceSipper
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
roastedchocolatecoffee
roasted
chocolate
coffee
dark fruit
caramel
Aroma
The nose opens with pronounced roasted cocoa and dark chocolate notes, underpinned by earthy, coffee-forward character.
not found:hoppy,bready,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Original Reaper

◎ Appearance

Original Reaper presents as a jet-black stout with minimal light penetration, revealing deep ebony tones when held to the light. A substantial, creamy foam head builds and persists across the surface, leaving fine lacing that clings to the glass walls. The body sits opaque and dense, characteristic of a well-crafted dark stout.

jet-blackcreamy headdense body

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with pronounced roasted cocoa and dark chocolate notes, underpinned by earthy, coffee-forward character. Toffee sweetness and subtle dark fruit undertones emerge beneath the roast, creating a complex but cohesive aromatic profile. There is no harsh astringency—the roast presents as refined and balanced.

roasted cocoadark chocolatecoffeetoffee

◐ Taste

The palate entry is smooth and silky, with roasted malt dominating immediately alongside rich chocolate and coffee flavors. Mid-palate reveals layered toffee and caramel sweetness that provides ballast to the 35 IBU bitterness, which arrives as a roasted cocoa edge rather than a sharp bite. The texture remains creamy throughout, with dark fruit notes adding dimension without weight.

silky smoothroasted maltchocolate-coffee blendcocoa bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is medium-length with a dry, roasted cocoa drydown that lingers pleasantly on the palate. No astringency intrudes; instead, a gentle bitterness and subtle chocolate aftertaste persist.

dry roastlingering cocoa
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
84
Appearance
85
Finish
78
Serve at 10–14°C

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

Pint glass

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.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Original Reaper

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About Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a 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 Stout

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

Compare with another beer →Explore all Stout beers in hopIQ →New to Stout? Read our guide →Browse United States beers →