Hi-Wire Brewing - 10W-40

We managed to secure not one but two outstanding beers from Hi-Wire in Asheville, NC; the Sour Blonde Aged On Kaffir Lime Leaf and the 10W-40 Imperial Stout with Coffee, Chocolate, and Vanilla. This variant of Hi-Wire 10W-40 is brewed only once a year, with this batch being only available through the Rare Beer Club and Hi-Wire tap rooms. Production is extremely limited, so it’s wise to stock up before it’s gone.

Hi-Wire’s 10W-40 is a bold imperial stout, brimming with dark roasted chocolate malts and boasting a wonderful 8% ABV. Its intense chocolate and vanilla flavors coupled together with robust coffee make it a standout release from Hi-Wire, re-setting a high bar for imperial stouts. It’s so distinctive and well-executed that it’s hard to discuss other beers in this style without referencing 10W-40. It's truly exceptional.

Hi-Wire 10W-40 pours a deep, opaque black with a thick, creamy, medium-brown foam that lingers. The foam retention is moderate, leaving a good amount of lacing around the glass, which emphasizes the seriousness of this stout. The aroma is a decadent mix of dark chocolate and roasted coffee beans, enriched by a warm layer of vanilla. The chocolate notes are intense, evoking memories of cacao nibs and dark chocolate brownies. The vanilla adds a subtle dessert-like quality, enhancing the brownie character and complexity without overpowering the brew. As we savored the aroma, more layers emerged: deeply roasted malts, dark caramel, bruleed brown sugar, deep earthy undertones, and a hint of dried blackberries. The stout’s base would already stand strong on its own, but the coffee, chocolate and vanilla beans elevate it to a new level.

As you may know, in the Rare Beer Club we have a special fondness for imperial stouts, and Hi-Wire 10W-40 captured our attention from the first sip. It opens with layers of deeply roasted coffee, dark yet smooth chocolate, and continues with bittersweet cocoa. This is followed by a rich roasted malt backbone and subtle bitterness. The vanilla infusion is warm and slightly sweet; a perfect flavor for the bitterness of the coffee and dark chocolate to play off of. As the beer warms, the flavors all become more prominent, adding depth and complexity to this extremely quaffable brew.

Hi-Wire’s 10W-40 imperial stout foundation is substantial, offering a luxurious, full-bodied experience. Its smooth mouthfeel and fine mousse of bubbles plays well with the flavors as they linger on the palate. The finish is a long-lasting blend of dark coffee bitterness, chocolate richness, and vanilla sweetness. Beneath these dominant flavors lie more complex notes from the stout's darker specialty malts, with hints of pepper, dark toffee, and a touch of molasses. The creamy carbonation allows this beer to drink lighter than it is while a touch of alcohol at 8% ABV adds warmth and balance.

Hi-Wire 10W-40 is built to drink now but can be aged up to two or more years with confidence. It is packaged in 16 oz cans which lends for easy storage and portability. For food pairing we love grilled rib eyes and blackened chicken, but the best would be with North Carolina BBQ. Cheers!

Hi-Wire Brewing was founded in the summer of 2013 by Adam Charnack and Chris Frosaker, and it quickly rose to become one of North Carolina's fastest-growing craft breweries. Known for producing well-balanced core beers such as Hi-Wire Lager, Bed of Nails Brown, and Hi-Pitch IPA, the brewery expanded its operations in 2015 with the opening of its primary production facility, affectionately called "The Big Top." Based in Asheville, Hi-Wire operates two locations there: the main production site and the South Slope Specialty Brewery & Taproom, which focuses on wild and sour ales. Today, Hi-Wire also has locations in Durham, Knoxville, Wilmington, Birmingham, Charlotte, Louisville, Cincinnati, and Nashville.

The creation of The Big Top allowed the South Slope location to focus on experimental brewing, particularly barrel-aged beers and sour ales. This month, they’re showcasing their Sour Blonde Aged On Kaffir Lime Leaf as an exclusive feature for the Rare Beer Club, as well as their 10W-40 imperial stout – a super limited release they’re making available to our members. (If this is your first Rare Beer Club shipment, you may receive just one, or both, of these beers.) With a pilot system at South Slope, Hi-Wire can experiment with recipe development and small-batch creations, like the ones offered this month. Hi-Wire has been on our radar for a while, ever since our visits to the World Beer Festivals in North Carolina. Their knack for successfully brewing both traditional styles and innovative concoctions keeps us coming back. This circus-themed brewery is also committed to charitable outreach, collaborates with local artists, and prioritizes sourcing local ingredients. They aim to create a welcoming space for friends to gather, and we’re thrilled to highlight both their latest Rare Beer Club exclusive and their limited release stout.

You can find some of Hi-Wire’s core beers in the southeastern U.S., including Bed of Nails Brown Ale, Hi-Wire Lager, and a range of flagship IPAs like Hi-Pitch Mosaic IPA, Lo-Pitch Hazy IPA, and Double Hi-Pitch IPA. They also offer a rotating selection of session sour beers alongside seasonal and specialty releases. Over the years, Hi-Wire has earned several accolades, including being named Best New North Carolina Brewery in 2013 by RateBeer and winning gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival: in 2016 for a German-style märzen, in 2019 for a sour brown ale aged on Palo Santo wood, and in 2021 for a Japanese Dry Rice Lager made with Ben’s American Sake Koji.

No reservations are needed to visit any of Hi-Wire’s taprooms, which also offer space for private events. The Big Top features its own beer garden and hosts large-scale events, where you can enjoy a pint next to the very tanks where the beer was brewed. Hi-Wire currently distributes draft and bottled beer across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Indiana, and Virginia. They also ship to additional states via their Online Beer Shop. For the latest updates, visit hiwirebrewing.com.