Mybeerbuzz .com Highlights Coppertail Brewing Pistachio SuperVoid & Egatobas (Review)

I always try to admit up front when I’m sampling my first beer from a brewery, so without further adieu…this is my first beer from this Florida brewery.  Today I’ll be sampling beer from Coppertail Brewing in Tampa, FL, and while I’ve been to Ybor City in Tampa, it was unfortunately long before Coppertail opened in 2014.
If you’re not familiar, Coppertail was founded by attorney Kent Bailey in a former Hellman’s Mayo factory on Adamo Dr in Ybor.  The brewery is named after the mythical sea monster that lives in Tampa Bay and the tasting room features 20-taps and a dog-friendly outdoor space.  Coppertail uses a 50bbl Rolec brewhouse with 1000bbl of fermentation space overseen by brewmaster Casey Hughes (formerly of Flying Fish).
Coppertail Brewing beers are “Florida inspired and Tampa brewed” and they all feature some really great artwork by artist Evan B. Harris.  Their packaging has a distinct family resemblance and you can’t miss them in the beer cooler.  Today we get to sample two unique beers….so off we go.
Up first we’ll be sampling Coppertail Brewing Pistachio SuperVoid.  I couldn’t resist the name or beer-style, and I don’t think I’ve ever had a pistachio beer.  This imperial stout pours a deep brown-black color with a really intriguing sweet and roasty combination in the aromas.  I love a good imperial stout and the flavor combinations going on in Pistachio SuperVoid were not only right up my alley, but also a really interesting and unique mix.  The nuttiness of the pistachio is definitely there, and the roasty flavors of dark chocolate you’d also expect in an imperial stout are there as well…but laying over the top is a really drinkable vanilla flavor.  That play of sweet, roasty, dark chocolate and nutty made for a really nice sip.  Overall I really enjoyed Pistachio SuperVoid and I’m exciting to taste a new imperial stout combination that I think really works.  At 12%-AbV, this beer will get your attention (especially in a 16oz can) so be sure to share it with a friend.
Up next I decided to open the collaboration beer that Coppertail brewed with Mexico’s Compañía Cervecera Hércules.  The beer is called Egatobas and it is a smoked Mexican lager brewed with wheat.  Yes, there is a lot going on with this beer in the description before you even pop open the can, but I think you’ll be surprised.  Egatobas pours a much brighter golden color than I was expecting with a soft and pillowy white head.  The smoked aromas you’d expect are prominent in the nose and they definitely dominate the aroma of this beer…and while the first sip or two will also lead with smoky flavors, they are not as prominent as the aromas (especially as you have a few more sips).  Egatobas is crisp and clean with a nice finish and even though I am not typically a smoked beer fan, I found this one to have some really interesting flavors going on outside the smoke.  If you are a lover of smoked lagers, Egatobas will not disappoint, but I was surprised how delicate the smoky flavors and aromas remained.  I was also surprised to find that this beer rolls in at a very sessionable 4.6%-AbV.  Overall I think this beer will be really popular with smoked beer and surprisingly good for any non-smoked beer lover willing to try it.
I really enjoyed sampling these unique beers from Coppertail Brewing and both beers were packaged in my favorite packaging; 16oz cans.  Egatobas has a really interesting and delicate smoked taste and a soft mouthfeel, and the flavor combinations going on with Pistachio SuperVoid were a really exciting and unique mix that layered out nicely with each sip.  Both beers are really unique and complex, and while the imperial stout is a favorite of mine, I’d encourage you to try both for yourself.  And when you do try them, be sure to let us know what YOU think.