Epic Big Bad Baptist 22oz is a barrel-aged imperial stout brewed with coffee and cacao nibs, bottled at 12% ABV in a 22-oz bomber format. Rated 97 out of 100 on BeerAdvocate across more than 4,100 reviews, and scoring 99/100 from Craft Beer & Brewing, this release from Epic Brewing Company has earned its reputation as one of the most acclaimed imperial stouts in American craft beer. Quick Facts: ABV: ~12% | Origin: Salt Lake City, Utah | Style: Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout | Brewery: Epic Brewing Company Production & Heritage Epic Brewing Company, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, builds Big Bad Baptist on a complex grain bill featuring Muntons Maris Otter, Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt, Crystal Muntons, Weyermann Light Munich, 2-Row Chocolate Malt, 2-Row Black Malt, and Roasted Barley, hopped with Nugget, Chinook, and Cascade. The beer is 100% barrel-aged in used whiskey and bourbon barrels — a commitment that has become increasingly rare as barrel costs climb. Epic cycles their barrel casks through three different uses, each imparting distinct characteristics, and each batch receives a unique dose of coffee rather than following a fixed flavor template, meaning no two releases taste exactly alike. Tasting Notes Aroma: Dark roast coffee and bittersweet cocoa dominate the nose, layered over roasted malt and a subtle bourbon-soaked oak. Hints of burnt sugar and tobacco emerge as the beer warms in the glass. Taste: The entry is thick, viscous, and creamy, immediately delivering waves of dark chocolate and cacao nib bitterness. Mid-palate, medium-roast coffee merges with roasted barley and a tobacco-like dryness, while bourbon and charred oak surface gently underneath. The whiskey barrel influence stays restrained, letting the coffee and chocolate lead. Finish: Long and warming, with a dry bourbon character reminiscent of sipping neat whiskey. Lingering roasted malt, cocoa, and oak char fade slowly, leaving a pleasant bitter-sweet impression. How to Drink Big Bad Baptist Pour into a snifter or tulip glass at cellar temperature (50–55°F) to let the barrel-aged complexity open fully; this beer rewards slow, contemplative sipping. For a beer float, pair a small pour with vanilla bean ice cream to amplify the chocolate and coffee layers. It also works surprisingly well in a Black Velvet variation, layered with dry sparkling cider for textural contrast, or used as the stout component in a beer cocktail like a Stout Flip — shaken with a whole egg, demerara syrup, and a dash of mole bitters. Best For Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who collects barrel-aged stouts Dessert course pairing at a dinner party Cold-weather evening sipping beside a fire Side-by-side tasting sessions comparing barrel-aged imperial stouts Frequently Asked Questions What does Big Bad Baptist taste like? Big Bad Baptist delivers rich dark chocolate, medium-roast coffee, and cacao nib bitterness over a creamy, full-bodied base, with understated bourbon barrel warmth and a dry, oak-tinged finish. How does Big Bad Baptist compare to Founders KBS? Both are barrel-aged imperial stouts with coffee, but Big Bad Baptist is 100% barrel-aged and varies its coffee dosage by batch, while Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) follows a more standardized production process and is now brewed year-round, making it more widely available. Is Big Bad Baptist good for sipping neat? Absolutely — at around 12% ABV with a thick, creamy body and layered barrel-aged complexity, it is designed to be savored slowly from a snifter at cellar temperature rather than consumed quickly. Where is Big Bad Baptist made? Big Bad Baptist is brewed by Epic Brewing Company in Salt Lake City, Utah, where the brewery ages the stout in used whiskey and bourbon barrels on-site. What foods pair well with Big Bad Baptist? Flourless chocolate cake mirrors the cocoa and coffee notes; smoked brisket matches the barrel char; aged Gouda complements the malty sweetness; crème brûlée echoes the burnt sugar undertones; and dark chocolate truffles with espresso dust amplify the beer's core flavors. What sizes does Big Bad Baptist come in? The standard release is a 22-oz bomber bottle, though Epic has occasionally offered variant sizes and draft pours depending on release and market. Is Big Bad Baptist worth the price? Big Bad Baptist positions as a premium craft offering — 100% barrel-aged with coffee and cacao nibs — and its 97/100 BeerAdvocate score and 99/100 from Craft Beer & Brewing place it among the highest-rated beers in its category, justifying its price relative to comparable barrel-aged imperial stouts. Why Big Bad Baptist? The distinction here is full commitment: 100% of the liquid spends time in bourbon barrels, a practice many breweries have scaled back as barrel prices rise. Epic's approach of cycling each cask through three uses and adjusting coffee dosage per batch means every release carries a unique fingerprint — a sharp contrast to the increasingly standardized barrel-aged stout market. Multiple bronze medals at the Denver International Beer Competition (2012, 2014) and at Mountain Brewers Beer Fest (2013) back the consistency, while a BeerAdvocate score of 97 across thousands of reviews confirms broad critical and consumer approval. For anyone serious about barrel-aged stouts, this is a benchmark expression from an independent American brewery.
