Carbon materials and methods of manufacturing carbon materials for use in high energy devices, such as electric double layer capacitors are described. High energy devices manufactured with carbon materials contemplated herein have high energy density. Methods of manufacturing carbon materials generally include providing a carbon precursor and an additive, mixing the additive with the carbon precursor prior to curing the carbon precursor, carbonizing the carbon precursor and removing the additive to form the carbon material. Such carbon materials can be used in electric double layer capacitors.