Hop Butcher Honey Bear 4Pk

Hop Butcher Honey Bear 4Pk is a 10.5% ABV peanut butter imperial stout brewed with chocolate, vanilla, and honey by Hop Butcher For The World in Chicago, Illinois. Released in limited batches, Honey Bear carries a 4.1 out of 5 rating on Untappd across more than 1,275 user reviews — a strong consensus for a beer with intentionally narrow distribution windows.

Quick Facts: ABV: 10.5%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Peanut Butter Imperial Stout  |  Brewery: Hop Butcher For The World

Production & Heritage

Hop Butcher For The World operates out of Chicago and has built a devoted following through a rotating lineup of limited-release beers, many of which sell out quickly after canning. Honey Bear is brewed as an imperial stout with adjunct additions of peanut butter, chocolate, vanilla, and honey — a four-ingredient layering that goes beyond the typical peanut butter–chocolate pairing found in most pastry stouts. The most recent canning run was dated October 8, 2024, reinforcing its status as a seasonal or limited drop rather than a year-round offering.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Roasted peanut butter dominates the nose immediately, followed by waves of milk chocolate and a gentle sweetness suggesting honey and vanilla. There is a faint warmth underneath from the 10.5% ABV, but it stays well-integrated rather than boozy.

Taste: The palate opens with a rich peanut butter character that transitions into bittersweet chocolate at mid-palate. Honey rounds out the sweetness without veering into cloying territory, while vanilla adds a creamy, almost dessert-like quality. The malt backbone is sturdy enough to support these layered adjuncts without losing its identity as a stout.

Finish: Medium-long with lingering roasted peanut and cocoa. A subtle honeyed sweetness stays on the back of the tongue, and the overall texture remains smooth and full-bodied through the final sip.

How to Drink Honey Bear

Pour Honey Bear into a snifter or tulip glass at around 45–50°F to let the aromatics open up; this is a sipper, not a session beer. At 10.5% ABV with this level of adjunct complexity, it rewards patience. For a beer float, pair it with vanilla bean ice cream for an indulgent dessert serve. It can also anchor a beer-and-dessert pairing flight alongside a chocolate peanut butter pie or a honey-drizzled cheesecake.

Best For

• Sharing with friends during a craft beer tasting night focused on pastry stouts
• Gifting to a peanut butter stout enthusiast who tracks limited releases
• Pairing with a rich dessert course after dinner
• Adding to a curated imperial stout collection for a special-occasion opening

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Honey Bear taste like? Honey Bear delivers prominent peanut butter and milk chocolate flavors supported by vanilla creaminess and a honey-laced sweetness, all carried on a full-bodied imperial stout base at 10.5% ABV.

How does Honey Bear compare to Mast Landing Gunner's Daughter? Mast Landing Gunner's Daughter is a peanut butter milk stout at a significantly lower ABV, focusing on a lighter-bodied peanut butter cup profile. Honey Bear runs considerably bigger at 10.5% ABV and layers in both vanilla and honey alongside the chocolate and peanut butter, resulting in a heavier, more complex pour.

Is Honey Bear good for sipping neat? Yes — its high ABV and dense flavor profile make it best enjoyed slowly from a snifter or tulip glass, ideally slightly below room temperature to let the layered adjuncts fully express themselves.

Where is Honey Bear made? Honey Bear is brewed by Hop Butcher For The World in Chicago, Illinois, a brewery known for its rotating roster of limited-release craft beers distributed primarily in the Chicago market and surrounding areas.

What foods pair well with Honey Bear? Chocolate peanut butter brownies amplify the core flavor profile. Vanilla bean cheesecake complements the vanilla and honey notes. Smoked short ribs provide a savory counterpoint to the sweetness. Salted caramel pretzels play off the peanut butter and roasted malt. A charcuterie board with aged gouda and dark chocolate also holds up well against the beer's intensity.

What sizes does Honey Bear come in? Honey Bear is available as a 4-pack of cans, which is the standard format for Hop Butcher's limited-release imperial stouts.

Is Honey Bear worth the price? Honey Bear positions as a premium limited-release imperial stout from a brewery with a strong reputation for quality adjunct beers; its 10.5% ABV, four-adjunct recipe, and small-batch availability place it in the upper tier of the pastry stout category, and its Untappd consensus of 4.1 across 1,275-plus ratings suggests consistent drinker satisfaction.

Why Honey Bear?

What separates Honey Bear from the crowded pastry stout field is the four-way adjunct combination of peanut butter, chocolate, vanilla, and honey — most competitors stop at two. Hop Butcher's limited-batch approach means each canning run sells through quickly, giving Honey Bear a scarcity factor that matches its flavor ambition. The 4.1 Untappd rating across more than 1,275 reviews indicates this isn't just hype — it consistently delivers on its promise. For drinkers who want an imperial stout that goes beyond a basic peanut butter cup concept and into genuinely layered dessert territory, Honey Bear earns its place.