Horus Aged Ales Raph | Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

Horus Aged Ales Raph pours a near-opaque jet-black with minimal head, characteristic of the densely concentrated imperial stouts that have made the Oceanside, California brewery a cult name in the American craft beer world. The nose is rich and inviting, offering waves of dark chocolate, roasted espresso, bourbon-laced oak, caramel toffee, and a subtle undercurrent of vanilla. On the palate, Raph delivers the full-bodied, almost viscous mouthfeel that defines the best of Horus’s barrel-aged output — sweetness is present but kept in check by a firm roasted backbone and gentle tannic structure from the oak.

Key flavour notes include bittersweet cacao, dried dark fruit, candied pecan, and warm baking spice, all framed by an elegant barrel integration. The finish is long and warming, with lingering notes of molasses and light char. As with all of Horus Aged Ales’ hyper-limited releases, Raph rewards patience: the complexity deepens with cellaring, making it equally compelling fresh or after a year or two of careful storage. A benchmark expression of West Coast barrel-aged craftsmanship. Discover Raph on Untappd: https://untappd.com/b/horus-aged-ales-raph.

Food Pairing

Horus Aged Ales Raph pairs magnificently with a wedge of aged Comté or Époisses de Bourgogne, where the cheese’s salty umami depth counterbalances the stout’s roasted sweetness. For a dessert pairing, a warm chocolate lava cake with salted caramel sauce echoes the horus aged ales raph’s dark confectionery character while amplifying its silky barrel-aged finish.

Horus Aged Ales Raph