On Tap.

TUPPS Brewery’s Full Grown Man Is A Big, Badass Imperial Stout That Demands Respect.

Welcome to On Tap! Each week in this recurring feature, we’ll take an in-depth look at one of the many beers now available in the suddenly crowded North Texas brew scene. The goal here is to look at these area beers without our local goggles on and to wonder aloud, “Is this beer good or do I just like it because it’s local?” Should be a fun experiment, no? Cheers to that!

This week, we sipped on TUPPS Brewery’s Full Grown Man.Fast Facts on TUPPS Brewery Full Grown Man.
Style: Imperial Stout.
ABV: 11.2 percent.
International Bitterness Units (IBUs): 20.
Color: Black.
Availability: Draft and cans.

Overview.
Let’s spend a little time with our friends from the north, yeah? OK, so maybe McKinney isn’t that far north, but it sure feels that way for someone like me who lives inside the loop. Anyway, the last time I reviewed a TUPPS beer, I grudgingly confessed my sprouting penchant for pepper beer. This review aligns more with a winter sort of beer, and even though it’s a balmy 70-something degree night in January as I write this, my palate is craving a big dark beer. We’re knocking on the door to springtime here in Dallas-Fort Worth, so it’s high time to get in a few more helmet beers before the weather warms and the zymurgical liturgical calendar once again moves us back toward those lighter-colored brews.

Background on Imperial Stout.
For a primer on the imperial stout style, check out our review on Community’s Legion, a most big and badass imperial stout. The imperial stout style sits up high on the ABV range, and it’s also known for its robust flavor profile. While this is a big beer is every sense, it should combine aromas and flavors to create a harmonious drinking experience. Aromas normally have roast, coffee, chocolate and even a slight burnt sort of sense. Hop aroma ranges from subtle to rather intense. Flavors oftentimes mimic the aromas, providing a big, robust experience. Dried dark fruit flavors are welcomed, as well as the other stout-ish flavors like cocoa, chocolate and even some caramel notes. All in all, this is a sipper sort of beer, and it requires that you bring your helmet. Imperial stouts are big beers and they demand respect!

Appearance.
Full Grown Man pours black in to the glass. Its medium tan foam pillows up around and up out of the glass before it subsides in to a clingy, thin welcoming layer. As the beer warms, the head remains. I should stop here and make mention of the pretty killer label design on the can. Since I’m drinking this beer on tap, I don’t have a photo of the can. So this image courtesy of TUPPS’ Facebook page will have to do:Aroma.
I get a ton of deep roasty grain on the nose with FGM. Behind the roasty grain, there’s a dark chocolate sensation. Hop aroma is very low on this beer, which is appropriate for the imperial stout style.

Flavor.
Full Grown Man tastes fresh — almost like it’s so fresh that it has some sort of newness that doesn’t belong here. Don’t get me wrong; I do like this beer. There’s just some sort of biting fruit thing I get that reminds me of a lower-alcohol stout or barleywine, and less like a big badass imperial stout. I also sense a dried dark fruit thing going on, like the raisin-ish goodness you might notice on a barleywine. Anyway, it’s damn good, and it’s also on point for the style. My brain just wants this to taste like an older or different sort of beer, with the fruity esters turned down a bit and the roast turned up a bit.Mouthfeel.
I think that the mouthfeel has a tie with the flavor as my favorite trait about this beer. The beer is lower on the carbonation compared to a brighter IPA or effervescent saison. There’s just a tinge of carbonation that bites my tongue during the first few moments of the sip. Then the carbonation bubbles quickly fade and a warming sensation takes over. There’s a chewy, velvety thing going on with Full Grown Man, and it is a real pleasure on the palate.

Overall Impression.
TUPPS’ website states that this beer would be a good candidate for aging. My guess is that if you were to lay this beer down for a year or two, some of that green-ish bite and newness would fade a bit and more of the roast and chocolate would take its place. If you snag this beer while you’re on the hunt for your local brew, place a couple of these in the back of your fridge and try them on a later date. Or send them my way.

Score.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give TUPPS Full Grown Man a 7.75.What’s happening in the area brew scene?
• Thursday, January 12. Peticolas Brewing Company’s Official Taproom Opening Bash.
• Friday, January 27: Pop-Up Beer Dinner w/ Maple & Motor at Noble Rey Brewing Co.
• Sunday, January 29: Girl Scout Cookies & Beer Pairing Flight at L.U.C.K.
• Saturday, March 11: Tater Tots and Beer Festival at Fair Park.
• Friday, March 31-April 2: Big Texas Beer Fest at Fair Park.

Previous On Tap Reviews:
• Revolver’s Sangre y Miel: 10.
• Peticolas’ Royal Scandal: 10.
• Community’s Mosaic IPA: 10.
• Peticolas’ Velvet Hammer: 10.
• Community’s Barrel-Aged Legion: 10.
• Community’s Legion: 10.
• BrainDead’s Fill in the Blancs: 9.5.
• Oak Highlands’ Freaky Deaky: 9.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Barrel Aged Four Swords: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Saint Dymphna: 9.5.
• Peticolas’ Lost Epic: 9.5.
• Community’s Ascension Porter: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Temptress: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Goatman: 9.5.
• Community’s Public Ale: 9.5.
• Peticolas’ Thrilla in Brazilla: 9.5.
• On Rotation’s Lingonberry Sahti: 9.25.
• On Rotation’s Jalapeno Saison: 9.
• Woodcreek’s Bourbon Barrel Bock: 9.
• Lakewood’s Wild Manimal: 9.
• Revolver’s Blood & Honey: 9.
• Martin House’s Imperial Texan: 9.
• Community’s Trinity Tripel: 9.
• Peticolas’ Irish Goodbye: 9.
• Four Corners’ Block Party Porter: 9.
• Cedar Creek’s Belgian Dubbel: 9.
• Small Brewpub’s Black Pepper Pils: 8.5.
• Peticolas’ Ghost Of Alfred Brown: 8.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Easy Peasy IPA: 8.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Oak Cliff Coffee Ale: 8.5.
• Lakewood’s Rock Ryder: 8.5.
• Rahr’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer: 8.5.
• Lakewood’s Raspberry Temptress: 8.5.
• Peticolas’ Prime Minister: 8.25.
• Lakewood’s Thread Spinner: 8.
• Texas Ale Project 50 Ft. Jackrabbit: 8.
• Texas Ale Project’s Payne Pils: 8.
• Noble Rey’s Bridesmaid’s Tears: 8.
• Collective Brewing’s Urban Funk House: 8.
• Lakewood’s On Call: 8.
• Oak Highlands’ Golden Mustache: 8.
• 903 Brewers’ Crackin’ Up: 8.
• Deep Ellum’s Play Date: 8.
• Rahr & Sons Brewing Company’s 11th Anniversary Russian Imperial Stout: 8.
• Bitter Sisters’ Belgian Tripel: 8.
• Noble Rey’s SteamPunk: 8.
• 903 Brewers’ Citra On Top: 8.
• Bitter Sisters’ Hissy Fit: 8.
• BrainDead’s Gritz: 8.
• Community’s Barrel-Aged Inspiration : 8.
• Cedar Creek’s Fisticuffs: 8.
• Lakewood’s Punkel: 8.
• Four Corners’ El Chingon IPA: 8.
• Martin House’s Day Break: 8.
• Deep Ellum’s GOURDzilla: 8.
• Peticolas’ The Duke (Aged 12 Months): 8.
• Deep Ellum’s Pale Ale: 8.
• Revolver’s Bock: 8.
• 903 Brewers’ Sasquatch: 8.
• Peticolas’ Wintervention: 8.
• Armadillo Ale Works’ Brunch Money: 8.
• Martin House’s Salsa Verde: 8.
• Cedar Creek’s Spinning Mule Robust Porter: 8.
• Lakewood’s Holiday Bonus: 8.
• Lakewood’s Hop Trapp: 8.
• 3 Nations American Wit: 7.75.
• Armadillo Ale Works’ Dapper Apple: 7.75.
• Legal Draft’s Accused Amber Lager: 7.5.
• Grapevine’s Reserve Tart Cherry Berliner Weisse: 7.5.
• Martin House’s Stars Above: 7.5.
• Grapevine’s Prickly Pear Wheat Ale: 7.5.
• Bitter Sisters’ Knock Out: 7.5.
• Four Corners’ Notorious O.A.T.: 7.5.
• Noble Rey Golden Rey With Raspberries and Ginger: 7.5.
• On Rotation Saved By The Belma: 7.5.
• True Vine’s Unicorn’s Revenge: 7.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Hop Seeker: 7.5.
• Four Corners’ El Super Bee: 7.5.
• Lakewood’s Hopochondria: 7.5.
• Three Nations GPA: 7.5.
• Martin House’s Rubberneck Red: 7.5.
• Lakewood’s Antigoon’s Revenge: 7.5.
• Community’s Texas Pils: 7.5.
• Lakewood’s Zomer Pils: 7.5.
• Cedar Creek’s Dankosaurus: 7.5.
• Oak Highlands Brewery’s Oktoberfest.: 7.25.
• Manhattan Project’s Plutonium-239: 7.
• Backcountry’s Texas IPA: 7.
• Backcountry’s Double IPA: 7.
• Rahr’s Visionary: 7.
• Shannon Brewing’s Irish Cream Ale: 7.
• Oak Highlands’ Guava Good: 7.
• TUPPS Brewery’ Northbound 75: 7.
• Rahr & Sons’ Iron Joe: 7.
• BrainDead’s I Like Harvey IPA: 7.
• Martin House’s Turtle Power: 7.
• Collective’s Petite Golden Sour: 7.
• Shannon’s Chocolate Stout: 7.
• BrainDead’s Red Ale: 7.
• Community’s Razzy Raspberry Witbier: 7.
• Martin House’s Gateway Blonde Ale: 7.
• Bearded Eel’s Purple Unicorn: 7.
• Noble Rey’s Off The Leash: 7.
• Shannon Brewing Company’s Irish Red: 7.
• Texas Ale Project’s Somethin’ Shady: 7.
• Deep Ellum IPA: 7.
• Cedar Creek’s The Lawn Ranger: 7.
• Martin House Brewing Company’s Cellarman’s Reserve IPA (Amarillo).: 7.
• Lakewood’s Till & Toil: 7.
• 903 Brewers’ The Chosen One: 7.
• 903 Brewers’ Sugar On Top: 7.
• Martin House’s Gateway XPA: 7.
• Armadillo Ale Work’s Quakertown Stout: 7.
• Revolver’s High Brass: 7.
• Community’s Pale Ale: 7.
• Oak Highlands’ Chump Change: 7.
• Martin House’s River House: 7.
• Grapevine Craft Brewery’s Sir William’s Brown Ale: 7.
• Community’s Funnel Cake Ale: 7.
• Audacity’s Boss Raptor IPA: 7.
• Martin House’s Queen of the Mist (Prickly Pear): 6.75.
• Three Nations Texas Xmas Hazelnut Ale: 6.5.
• Martin House’s The Juice: 6.5.
• Collective Brewing Project’s Mom Azacca: 6.5.
• Four Corners’ La Lechuza: 6.5.
• Revolver’s Ironhead IPA: 6.5.
• 903 Brewers’ Trot Line: 6.5.
• Four Corners’ Celebración: 6.5.
• Peticolas’ Operation Collaboration: 6.5.
• Grapevine Craft Brewery’s Nightwatch: 6.5.
• Peticolas’ The Duke: 6.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Double Brown Stout : 6.5.
• Wild Acre’s Tarantula Hawk: 6.
• Martin House’s Kafkaesque: 6.
• TUPPS’ Cotton Mill Gold: 6.
• Rabbit Hole’s Tweedleyum: 6.
• Rabbit Hole’s Off With Your Red: 6.
• Cedar Creek’s Elliott’s Phoned Home Pale Ale: 6
• Grapevine Craft Brewery’s Lakefire: 6
• Armadillo Ale Works’ WunderMelon: 6
• Deep Ellum Pale Ale: 6
• Lakewood’s Troll Toll: 5.5.
• Martin House’s Hell Below: 5.5.
• Lakewood’s La Dame Du Lac: 5.5.
• Woodcreek’s Lakeside Cerveza: 5.
• Martin House Cuvee Pumpkin Latte: 5.
• Intrinsic’s Crunktoberfest: 5.
• Martin House’s Mind On My Money: 5.
• 903 Brewers’ The Land Of Milk And Honey: 5.
• Deep Ellum’s Numb Comfort: 5.
• Four Bullets’ Black Jack Brown: 4.5.
• Audacity’s Checkered Past: 4.
• Four Corners Heart O’ Texas: 4.
• Audacity’s Sunset Boulevard: 4.
• Shannon Brewing Company’s IPA: 4.
• Grapevine’s Monarch: 4.
• Twin Peaks’ Dirty Blonde: 3.
• Franconia Wheat: 3.
• Miller Lite: 1.