Judge’s Review: 78 Rating – Bananas Foster by Abita Brewing Co.

Specialty Fruit Beer | Limited Release | USA

By John C. Tull

Judges Rating: 78.00
Aroma: 16.00
Appearance: 6.00
Flavor: 33.00
Mouthfeel: 8.00
Overall Impression: 15.00

Bananas Foster by Abita Brewing Co. was judged as Specialty Fruit Beer (29C, BJCP 2021). The base beer is an Imperial Stout (20C). A strong aroma of vanilla and banana esters exudes from this beer. Strong alcohol esters and some modest fusel notes are also present, the latter, or combination of all these aromas, lending a slight nail polish quality to the aroma. Hints of other fruit esters, most notably cherry, also come through in the nose.
The color is a very dark garnet, almost black, and quite bright despite the opacity from the dark tones. A ring of fine, tan bubbles lines the edge of the glass. The flavor is chocolaty, almost syrup-like, with banana and vanilla notes. Alcohol is evident as well, making it apparent that this is not a small beer. The sweetness of residual sugars along with the very rich chocolate character make for a somewhat cloying finish. The flavors temper somewhat as the palate adjusts to the intensity of the beer. A strong bitter quality is also found in the finish, lingering for a while, which may be from dark grains, flavor additions, or both. The mouthfeel is full with some drying in the finish from the bitterness described above.
Overall, this beer has a very dessert-like quality to it and is probably best reserved for pairing with rich foods or desserts in a dinner or party setting. If you are a fan of bananas and chocolate, you will likely enjoy it more than others.