If you are into basketball at all, you know what a Triple Double is. For those who are not basketball fans, a Triple Double is when a player achieves double digits (i.e. 10 or more) in three of the major statistical categories – points, rebounds, assists, steals or blocks. Achieving a Triple Double is a difficult feat for most and is usually reserved for the more skilled players.
I’m excited to share the news that I scored a Stout Triple Double this weekend – thanks to the good people at Epic Brewing! I enjoyed their Triple Barrel Big Bad Baptist and their Double Barrel Big Bad Baptist all in the same weekend!
Epic has really upped their Stout game in the past couple of years. Their OG or franchise Stout is Big Bad Baptist (BBB) – a coffee stout that is barrel aged. The neat thing about BBB is that each year the Epic brewmasters choose a different coffee to add to the base BBB stout, creating different “releases”. Each release has it’s own flavor profile which makes each release different, unique, and makes for some tasty release comparisons!
Two years ago they introduced Son of a Baptist (SoB), a non barrel aged coffee stout. With SoB, Epic partnered with a number of regionally located coffee roasters to simultaneously release different regional variants. Last year, the Baptist family expanded with Double Barrel Big Bad Baptist and Big Bad Baptista. Double Barrel introduced the concept of Barrel Aged Coffee to the Baptist lineup while Baptista is Epic’s salute to Mexico with the addition of cinnamon, vanilla, cacao nibs and a blend of Mexican coffees!
I must admit that Big Bad Baptista was my favorite — until Epic went one step further and introduced Triple Barrel Big Bad Baptist this year. Triple Barrel is an intoxicating 
nectar of barrel aged Stout (Big Bad Baptist), barrel aged coffee, and barrel aged coconut!! Yes, you read that right! Epic put shaved coconut into barrels and let the coconut absorb the flavors that barrels can impart over time. They also added some rum barrels into the aging process and the result is magic.
Opening up a bottle of Triple Barrel BBB the first aroma is coconut. The flavor profile are complex layers of coffee, rum, coconut, whiskey, chocolate all wrapped around a wonderful base Stout. The mouthfeel is just right and the swallow is smooth with just a hint of the coconut. It was one of those Stouts that you are actually sad when the bottle is empty!
Next up is the Double Barrel Big Bad Baptist. It’s Big Bad Baptist with the addition of barrel aged coffee……coffee that’s been aged in whiskey barrels. A totally different flavor profile, more boozy and less sweet than Triple Barrel, as you might expect. However, I can taste more of the base stout than I could with the Triple Barrel. I 
suspect that’s what the Epic brewmasters were hoping for…very different flavor profiles across the Baptist family. Just what a family should be…..same stout heritage, but different personalities!
At the end of it….do I have a new favorite? Well, like a parent, the right answer is that they are all good in their own way. Epic really has their act together when it comes to stouts…… the Triple Barrel Stout has the perfect balance of coconut sweetness and barrel aging. Big Bad Baptista has the spice profile that I really like. Double Barrel has a great profile of barrel aged coffee and BBB. Lastly, the OG Big Bad Baptist hits the sweet spot for a barrel aged coffee Stout. As in any family, you don’t have a preferred child; you love them all the same yet each have their different personalities. While each has their positives, my favorite (for now) is Triple Barrel Big Bad Baptist. The sweetness of the coconut really complements the bourbon flavor and the faint rum barrel flavor added an entirely new dimension to the aroma and taste. I’m glad I have another bottle to sample and review in the coming months!!
I’m proud of my Epic Triple Double this weekend! It was quite the taste journey and I would be happy to take that trip again!!
Until next time….have a stoutstanding week!!
Stoutwhisperer 