Black Brewing Co’s winter seasonal Bad Boy Bao Bao returns for 2023, tweaked and headed in an adjusted trajectory to coincide with a change in brewing personnel at the Margaret River brewery. Stylistically, this year’s iteration is a straight imperial take on the OG Bao Bao milk stout found in the brewery’s core offering. No marshmallows (2021) or cherries (2022) this time around, but a sizeable bump in ABV to 10.5 percent instead, making it more than twice the strength of the OG Bao Bao.
But it isn’t just ABV that gets a boost: the flavour profile leans into the luxurious, offering rich, bitter chocolate layered atop charcoal-like malt-bitterness, earthy tones, raisins, and dense fruitcake. Looking the part with a lacy, mocha head and black inky tones, this reinforced take on the classic is well-constructed with lasting impact thanks to its higher booze content and bold, lingering bitterness.
Jono Outred
Published July 21, 2023 2023-07-21 00:00:00
