4 Hands Madagascar

Tasting Notes

This is a barrel-aged-style imperial stout built around Madagascar bourbon vanilla, so expect a pronounced vanilla sweetness on the nose layered over dark roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, and a hint of espresso. On the palate it's full-bodied and rich, with the vanilla softening the roast's edge and pushing the beer toward dessert territory. The mouthfeel is thick without being syrupy, and the 11% ABV shows up as a gentle warming presence rather than heat. The finish lingers with dark cocoa and vanilla bean, fading slowly.

About the Brewery

4 Hands Brewing is based in St. Louis, Missouri, and has been operating since 2011. They've built a strong regional reputation with a diverse lineup that spans sessionable lagers and wheat ales alongside big, ambitious stouts and barrel-aging projects. Their City Wide series made them a household name in the St. Louis market, and their seasonal and limited releases — particularly in the dark beer category — have earned them consistent recognition in the Midwest craft scene.

Food Pairings

A rich vanilla imperial stout like this pairs well with a dark chocolate brownie because the roasted bitterness in both mirror each other without competition. Crème brûlée works in the opposite direction, the beer's roast cutting through the custard's richness. A slice of pecan pie finds common ground with the vanilla and caramel undertones already present in the beer. Strong aged cheeses like a cave-aged Gruyère or aged Gouda offer a savory contrast that keeps the sweetness from becoming cloying. Finally, a espresso-rubbed beef short rib echoes the beer's coffee and chocolate notes in a savory register.

Style Guide

American Double or Imperial Stouts are the amplified end of the stout spectrum — bigger in alcohol (typically 8–13%), fuller in body, and more aggressive in roasted malt character than their English or standard American stout cousins. They originated as American craft brewers pushed the English imperial stout tradition further, adding domestic hops, more fermentables, and frequent barrel-aging experimentation. What separates them from standard stouts is sheer intensity: deeper roast, more pronounced dark fruit or chocolate complexity, and a viscosity that distinguishes them from everyday pours. Vanilla and adjunct variants, like this one, lean into sweetness to balance that roast weight.