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XI

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Brewed for the brewery's eleventh birthday with coffee from a local roaster, then aged in ex-whisky and bourbon barrels and finished on amburana wood. Espresso and dark chocolate carry it, with vanilla, coconut and a cinnamon-like spice arriving from the amburana. Dense and sweet, the alcohol warmth folded into the coffee rather than standing apart from it.

ABV
11.8%
Bitterness
Very bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark40
PaceSipper

AWARDS

Bronze Medal · 2026
Australian International Beer Awards
★Bronze Medal — Australian International Beer Awards
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
chocolatecoffeevanilla
chocolate
coffee
vanilla
oak
spicy
roasted
Aroma
Espresso and dark roasted malt dominate the nose, supported by rich chocolate and vanilla notes from the ex-bourbon barrels.
also:dark fruit
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for XI

◎ Appearance

Deep black-brown with an opaque, impenetrable core and mahogany edges where light passes through. A dense, tan head settles to a thin collar, leaving clean lacing that clings to the glass. Low carbonation produces a languid, syrupy visual character befitting the barrel-aged format.

black-brownopaquedense headslow carbonation

◌ Aroma

Espresso and dark roasted malt dominate the nose, supported by rich chocolate and vanilla notes from the ex-bourbon barrels. Amburana wood brings warm spice and subtle coconut undertones. The alcohol sits integrated into the coffee aromatics rather than solvent-sharp, with a gentle sweetness threading through.

espresso, dark roastbourbon vanillaamburana spiceintegrated warmth

◐ Taste

Entry is bold and smooth, with roasted malt and coffee flavour building immediately across the palate. Mid-palate reveals layers of dark chocolate, vanilla, and a cinnamon-like spice that lengthens the sensation. The 11.8% ABV delivers alcohol warmth without harshness, folded seamlessly into the coffee and oak framework. Residual sweetness persists without cloying.

coffee-chocolate forwardlayered spicebarrel-integratedfull-bodied

◑ Finish

The finish is long and warming, with coffee and chocolate lingering on the palate as a gentle alcohol heat builds. Drying oak and faint coconut vanish slowly, leaving an impressionistic sweetness and roasted character.

sustained coffeewarm fadedry oak
88
hopIQ score
Aroma
90
Taste
92
Appearance
85
Finish
82
Serve at 13–16°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 XI

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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 chocolate, coffee, sweet character as XI will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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