The Murder in Carcavelos Imperial Stout by Lisbon's Dois Corvos Cervejeira is a standout annual release within their barrel-aged series. It achieves distinction by leveraging a hyper-local Portuguese influence: the fortified Carcavelos wine barrels.
This high-gravity Imperial Stout begins with a complex malt bill centered around Pale Ale, Carafa, and copious amounts of Roasted Barley, creating a robust, black base beer designed for longevity and barrel integration. The wort is fermented with a clean American Ale yeast strain, allowing the intense malt character and subsequent barrel notes to take center stage. At the same time, the hopping, primarily with Chinook, is restrained (around 25 IBU), serving only to balance the significant malt sweetness without competing with the aging process. The actual signature of this beer is its maturation: the potent stout is racked into old Carcavelos wine barrels for an extended period. Carcavelos is one of Portugal’s smallest and most unique wine regions, producing an oxidative, amber-hued fortified wine similar to a White Port. The barrels, thus saturated with the wine's residual sugar, fruit characteristics, and subtle oxidation notes, impart a distinctly Portuguese character to the already intense Imperial Stout. This deliberate aging transforms the base beer, elevating it beyond typical bourbon-barrel profiles.
Poured black with a deep mahogany fringe, the Murder in Carcavelos immediately offers a decadent, warming aroma where the base stout’s dark chocolate, molasses, and strong espresso notes mingle expertly with the specific character of the fortified wine. On the nose, one finds complex layers of dried fig, black raisin, prune, and a nutty, slightly vinous richness imparted by the Carcavelos residency. The mouthfeel is appropriately full-bodied and velvety, coating the palate with a noticeable density. The flavor profile is a harmonious interplay of roast and wine-derived fruit; initial flavors of dark cocoa and charred malt lead into a mid-palate expressing brown sugar, subtle port-like oxidation, and hints of savory spice. The finish is long, warming, and decidedly vinous, exhibiting a pleasant dryness and a residual complexity that showcases the unique contribution of the fortified wine barrels without becoming cloyingly sweet, a true testament to successful cross-category barrel-aging.
