Fancy Pants Sunday: Moonraker Wicked Whisper with Maple

Moonraker Brewing Co. opened in 2016 in the same Auburn, California industrial park as Knee Deep Brewing, and was later honored as the ninth-best new brewery in the world by RateBeer, a resource for craft beer enthusiasts. Along with additional honors from RateBeer, Moonraker has received recognition in other competitions, including the California State Fair. Moonraker’s solar powered facility cranks out highly coveted New England style hazy IPAs, including Zulu Haze, Hazy Duz It and Electric Lettuce, which await in Peaks and Pints’ cooler.

That’s all fine and dandy, but this is the latest installment of Fancy Pants Sunday, a column that champions high ABV, complex and delicious craft beers — and Moonraker’s Wicked Whisper with Maple (12%) fits the bill. The imperial stout sits in Heaven Hills and Wild Turkey barrels with maple for one year for a huge maple doughnut/coffee shop aroma. It might have low to medium carbonation, but the mouthfeel is thick and rich.

As expect, Wicked Whisper with Maple has huge, rich, decadent maple flavor. Seriously, if you really like maple, this is the beer for you, If not, maybe let it age a bit to see if the maple mellows out. As for Peaks and Pints, we’ll be sitting by our fireplace sipping it today.