Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout - Foothills Brewing Company

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.06/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at Foothills Brewing in Winston-Salem, NC.

A: Pours an opaque very dark brown bordering on jet black in color with some light to moderate amounts of visible carbonation and some subtle dark amber highlights. The beer has a half finger tall thin sudsy light tan head that quickly reduces to a thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer with a slightly thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to heavy aromas of dark roasted malts, chocolate, and bourbon with some lighter notes of oak and coffee.

T: Similar to the smell, the taste of this beer starts out with moderate flavors of roasted malts that quickly has the coffee and dark chocolate flavors take over. All of the that pales in comparison to the strong flavors of bourbon with lighter notes of oak and vanilla. There are light to moderate amounts of bitterness but they fade quickly with the bourbon flavors.

M: Medium bodied with just shy of moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly on the thin side with some light notes of alcohol warming towards the finish.

O: I found this beer to be easy to drink, especially for a BA stout, and the bourbon aromas/flavors really complement the base beer. Very enjoyable and one I would gladly consume when I came across it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2013 01:41:09 | More by dbrauneis

dirtylou

Washington

3.83/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

on-tap, duckworths park road

appearance: short pour, dark brown body, light brown head

smell: bourbon, vanilla, dry roast and not much else

taste: I think we're coming down from the peak of bourbon barrel aging - by now we've all had 14,000 stouts aged in barrels ranging from bourbon to tequila to god knows what else. So what makes this one special? Nothing really - a pretty average stout base gasping for air in a strong dosage of bourbon. The flavors weren't off by much, but this wasnt one of foothills finer products

mouthfeel: too booze-forward, dry

overall: just ok.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2011 05:35:07 | More by dirtylou

PhillyStyle

Georgia

3.83/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria, Greenville, SC. May 2011:

The beer appeared a deep black with a thin tan head that was well retained. The beer gave off a big bourbon aroma, with hints of vanilla, alcohol and a little chocolate. The taste, while perhaps a bit heavy on the bourbon, still had a nice stout-ish taste to it. Once you get past the bourbon/alcohol, there is a nice roasted malt and chocolate taste with a hint of earthiness. The beer had a heavy feel to it with lower carbonation, as expected. Overall, a good beer, but as some other noted, if the bourbon had been a little more in the background, I think that this would have been an excellent beer. But still a must try if you can get your hands on it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2011 23:28:57 | More by PhillyStyle

oberon

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Easily my favorite of the barrel aged beers I have had from Foothills.Poured near jet black with a deep brown hue when held up to some light,a thinner but well retained tannish colored head atop.Aromas of bourbon/vanilla and chocolate really stand out,its almost like a dessert in a glass- type aroma.Deep bourbon notes melded with fudge/chocolate,a great combination,there is a enough earthy drying in the finish to make it not only rich but drinkable.Smooth as hell and rich,I really liked this beer alot.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2011 21:12:06 | More by oberon

Bung

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Draft at Macs Steel Creek.
Opaque black/brown pour with a thin layer of tan head.

Served waaay to cold, hoping that's why the nose was so muted. Malt cocoa, light vanilla. Not much barrel speak of.

More barrel presence immediately in the taste. Roast malt, chocolate, vanilla caramel and oak blend well. Caramel and oaky barrel dominate the finish.

The carbonation keeps it just shy of being creamy. Nice medium body. No alcohol presence. Still, another barrel aged stout from Foothills that I prefer the regular, the other being SC.

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2010 01:14:00 | More by Bung

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. On tap at the Sexual Chocolate release in February 2010.

Poured into my mini snifter. Color is black with a tan head and a touch of lacing. The nose brings some really nice notes from the bourbon-barrel aging, with bourbon, oak, and vanilla coming through along with some chocolate and roast. Taste is mostly bourbon and chocolate in a really nice combination. Good heavy feel. I preferred this to Sexual Chocolate and was really glad to have tried it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2010 11:54:04 | More by Thorpe429

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.05/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2008 Vintage. Served from tap at the brewpub into a Foothills pilsner. Poured pitch black with a hint of brown in the light with a one finger tan head. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, bourbon, cream, and slightly roasted malt. The flavor was of sweet malt, BIG bourbon, and roasted malt. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this one had a massive bourbon flavor to me. Almost overpowering if I'm completely honest. This still have a very nice aroma and flavor despite the bourbon. If the bourbon would have been a little muted, this one might have been great. Overall a must try and I'm glad I got the opportunity to try it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2010 14:30:16 | More by thagr81us

atsprings

North Carolina

4.9/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

23 year Pappy Van Winkle aged, on-tap at Flying Saucer for Raleigh Beer Week! Served in a tulip glass a deep opaque black with a nice frothy diminishing head that leaves a trace of lacing. The aroma is loads of roasted malts with a nice amount of oak and slight vanilla. The taste is a very smooth, complex blend of of roasted malts, oak, vanilla and Bourbon that leaves a smooth vanilla, cocoa and Bourbon finish. The beer is slightly heavy, but smooth and easy drinking. This is a very enjoyable brew, while it's no Pappy Van Winkle aged Sexual Chocolate, it's still a very special, enjoyable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2010 03:02:06 | More by atsprings

jsanford

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Thirsty Monk in Asheville on 5/28/10

A - Very dark brown, almost black. Large foamy dark tan head.

S - Bourbon! Touch of oak, tobacco and chocolate in the rear.

M - Dark chocolate, roasted nuts & malt, bit of date sweetness. Pleasant bourbon "burn" in the finish.

M - Smooth and creamy. Bit thinner then expected, but not necessarily a bad thing.

D - Amazing drinkability, could easily enjoy these all day/night long. One of my all-time favorite brews and probably the purest melding of beer and bourbon I've ever had. Great stuff!

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2010 15:45:21 | More by jsanford

Onenote81

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

In celebration of "craft beer week," Foothills decided to pull out this big boy again. The bartender told me that this was aged in barrels that had previously aged another beer.

This came out a muddy brown/black. Not as dark as I expected. No head at all. No lace. Big vanilla scents in this one. Some oak, bourbon, and a bit of toasted brown sugar. The body is slightly crisp, maybe a bit too much. Could be a little creamier IMO.

The bourbon notes are toned down a bit as these barrels had been previously used. I like that. The bourbon isn't too overpowering. Some light wood aspects noted. There's a slight hop presence as well. Very nice. Lots of chocolate, bread, and vanilla. This is one of the best BBA beers I've ever had. Well done, Foothills. Though this is only at 7.0%, I feel it. Sip this one.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2010 19:55:07 | More by Onenote81

mdfb79

New York

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at 2010 SC Day, 2/6/2010.

a - Poured a very dark brown, almost black, with about a finger of a lighter brown head. Decent retention.

s - Smelled of bourbon and chocolate, as well as small hints of vanilla and oak.

t - Taste was similiar to smell, largely of chocolate, roasted malts, and bourbon. Also taste a little bit of vanilla.

m - Full bodied with moderate carbonation, this feels very smooth and creamy.

d - Overall I liked this stout a lot. I enjoyed the smooth/creamy taste of chocolate, bourbon, and malts and thought that this was a very balanced, more subdued stout than some others I tried this weekend. I thought the balance of bourbon and other flavors, mainly chocolate, as well as a lower ABV than Sexual Chocolate, made this a great and very drinkable stout.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2010 18:55:59 | More by mdfb79

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap @ the Foothills Brewing Company on 12/12/09 during the Olde Rabbits Foot release.

Pours pitch black, with a thin covering of brunt mocha colored head. Retains with some rich bunching around the edges of the glass, leaving mostly spotty lacing and some brown oily residues behind. Bourbon is pretty strong here in the aroma, but luckily isn't overbearing, with some equally assertive notes from the Stout of dark chocolate roast, caramel, coffee, and maybe a touch of some dark fruity tones. Overall, this leaves, a sticky, woody, and boozy feel behind in the nose, which I'm really digging.

The taste starts with a thick base of chocolate, coffee, and dark roastiness. The bourbon is well integrated here, giving this some extra sticky notes of vanilla and burnt molasses. Leftover tannins and wood stick in the finish, which has a VERY dry and spicy lingering feel going on with it. The mouthfeel is full bodied, with a huge creaminess to the proceedings that spreads out across the palate. There is maybe just a touch of slickness from the barrel but for the most part, this retains that big mouth-filling feel to it. There's definitely some warmth going on with this, both from the ABV and bourbon character, but I found that just taking my time with it kept the palate from getting fatigued out.

The Total Eclipse was a great choice to put in a barrel, with its rich flavors and depth being more than up to the task of complimenting that added strength from the bourbon and wood character. Lots of spice & dryness here from those Pappy Win Winkle barrels. It was real pleasure to be able to try this version. Great stuff!

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2010 17:02:43 | More by Kegatron

CrellMoset

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Barrel-Aged Total Eclipse Stout, on tap at the Olde Rabbit's Foot release at Foothills Brewery, Winston-Salem, NC. Served in a footed pilsner glass, oddly.

Appearance: Arrives a dark but still around-the-periphery translucent ruby brown, capped by the tattered remnants of a half finger of lightly-tanned head. Seemed like it might have been impressive at one point, but all that remains is a thin collar. More on this later. An examination of the edge of the glass reveals carbonation, persistent and slow.

Aroma: Wonderfully similar to the mouth (again, more on this later) - earthy malts, toast, breadiness, highly caramelized sugars, and sweet cocoa complemented by a delicious amount of spicy, earthy bourbon. Well-integrated on the whole, I'd say.

Taste: A step up. Intensely and amazingly bourbony, and a really nice bourbon at that. A thin - relatively speaking - stout backbone showcases earth, various shades of toffee, caramel (with a barrel contribution), coffee, and faint cocoa. The barrel aging contributes a mess of additional sweetness and an amazingly mature, complex, well-integrated bourbon note, faintly spicy, dry, and not hot in the least.

Mouthfeel: A little thin to hold this much flavor, methinks - lots of free, fluffy carbonation puffs this one up in a rough but nonetheless even way. Thinned out by bourbon addition, even more, no doubt.

Drinkability: I find this one to be a little bit of a mixed bag, perhaps proving that it's not appropriate to barrel age all styles. The Total Eclipse Stout is a solid if not amazing brew to begin with, but it is a little thin, and the barrel aging here just thins it out a little more, sort of taking away what body and foundation you'd like (or, at least, are used to) for a barrel-aged brew. This is pushing the envelope in a whole different direction, and though I can't say I didn't like, I can say it was an experiment for my tastebuds. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2009 02:48:58 | More by CrellMoset

kkipple

South Carolina

4.18/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

On-tap @ Foothills the day of the Olde Rabbit's Foot release.

A. Same as Total Eclipse. Dark black-brown, small bubbled red-brown head. Decent retention. Purty.

S. BIG bourbon warmth, smooth oak and vanilla blended with some rich bourbon sweetness and the tasty roastedness of the stout. The barrel is in full force here and is foremost, but the beer is no slouch either. Some chocolate and coffee peeks through. Smells very "complete", even if a bit aggressive.

T. Mm, bourbon. I love bourbon. I love Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon. I love Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrel aged beers. I love Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrel aged Total Eclipse stout.

Just stellar bourbon complexity that comes close to overwhelming the (tasty) stout underneath, but never quite manages to, thankfully. Warm, peppery, vanilla, oak, toffee, cocoa, some (Cascade?) hops, mocha, roast. Delicious. It works.

M / D. Full, thick, warming. Wonderful bourbon-roasty finish. Not overly drinkable, seems more a nightcap than a lunch beer...

I'm pretty convinced that Foothills has this bourbon barrel thing down. A great stout kicked up a few notches by a lovely bourbon. Great if you like bourbon.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2009 20:03:43 | More by kkipple

glid02

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the brewpub.

Pours black with a half-finger brown head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of vanilla and bourbon with good amounts of molasses and very mild hints of dark fruit.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Molasses and dark chocolate flavors with faint roasted malt undertones upfront are quickly overtaken by loads of vanilla and bourbon. As with the smell there are hints of dark fruit midway through the sip that fade as the end of the sip nears. The ending is mildly bitter and leaves hints of dark chocolate and bourbon on the palate.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a solid thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is very good. I finished my glass quickly and could easily have a few more.

Overall this was a solid BA stout however I prefer mine with a bit more roastiness. However, I have to admit that's nitpicking and this is still a very good beer and well worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2009 01:17:21 | More by glid02

brentk56

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Arrives with an espresso brown color and a modest tan cap that hangs around as a ringlet and leaves a few wisps behind

Smell: Subtle wafts of bourbon, chocolate and vanilla

Taste; Opens with a black bread and chocolate flavor that is quickly joined by the soft bourbon and vanilla aspectsa; some dark fruit joins in as well; after the swallow, the biurbon grows slightly more pronounced though the overall effect is understated

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: A pleasure to drink; subtle flavors and well-disguised alcohol

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2009 17:47:31 | More by brentk56

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The final in the trio of offerings from Foothills that I was just insanely anxious to try. This a new takes on an old favorite.
 
The pour was the best I saw all day for a stout, hands down. Rich and completely black with a huge towering head on the top that would not quit. Spilling over the sides it left everything just completely soaked and sticky with a thin chocolate covered film. A wonderful mess indeed. Rich notes of bourbon and Vanilla welcome you in on this one and play off each other nicely. Warming lets a touch of the chocolate underneath peak its head up but not as much as I would have liked, still, very nice. As I take a sip, it crashes over the palate. Richness that is well served to say the least. Creamy and full bodied the deep chocolate and roasted malts interact with vanilla and a leather and tobacco note making it all so smooth and full that it was absurd. Enormous flavor here that was simply hard to withstand. I really could have just sat there with a glass of this all day, it seemed to really come together quite well. Long and very sweet finish had nice hints of molasses and vanilla leaving me looking around to find out just what had happened.
 
Overall solid as could be. It appears they cannot go wrong with aging their offerings. Very impressed with what was going on here and rightfully so. A lot of time went into these and it really shows. Very well done.

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2009 17:21:17 | More by mikesgroove

cbros

North Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed on 8/1

I was fortunate to have this at the Foothills 'Beer School' they held on Saturday August 1st. I tried this first as a sampler but then had a full pint of this afterwards.

A- Pours a jet black with a nice 2 to 3 finger tan head.

S- They aren't exagerating with bourbon barrel aged in the title. This beer reeks(in a good way) of bourbon. The smell was so strong that I could smell the bourbon notes before the server even poured the taster. Behind the bourbon were some mid chocolate and tobacco notes but it is the bourbon that overwhelms the smell of this beer.

T- The bourbon experience does not stop at the smell. The bourbon flavor overpowers you at first taste however it mellows out nicely with the tobacco and chocolate coming through. This is a nice combination of flavors that normally I would not be keen on havinh however it works with this beer. I was blown away at how strong and mellow this beer would be simultaneously. Very good and very dangerous if consumed too much.

I am very sad to know that I had this for one day and will not be able to have this again. I was hesitant at first to try this because of my general lack of interest in bourbon but I am glad that I did. This was a very good brew, so much so that I tried bribing the bartender into selling me a growler, however to my dismay they only had about a pitcher of it left. After having this I would like to have more bourbon barrel aged imperial stouts to see how they stack up. A very good beer indeed.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2009 22:07:08 | More by cbros

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.73/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On draft. Pours black with a tan head. Aroma of chocolate and bourbon. Flavor of bourbon initially with a chocolately finish that lingers. Fairly mellow for a barrel-aged stout. Nice beer (and in general I am not a fan of bourbon-aged beers but this was done well).

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2009 17:54:23 | More by LilBeerDoctor

SaCkErZ9

Florida

4.2/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on draft at Laura Alberts in Daniel Island (Charleston), SC, 7.1.09

Nearly opaque black with black grape colored highlights and topped with a slightly mocha colored head. Copious amounts of lacing leave the glass quite cloudy.

Aroma is really bourbony. Vanilla and bourbon are about all the nose encompasses, which, in my opinion, isnt a bad thing.

More bourbon in the flavor. The bourbon really hits me immediately but fades slowly on the tongue leaving a long, slow finish. Was this aged on 23 year old Pappy Van Winkle barrel or was this aged 23 years in a Pappy Van Winkle barrel? Either way, its delicious.

Be ready for some bourbon in this one. One thing I like about this is that it is relatively sessionable. It isnt a huge double stout or RIS so it is a little more enjoyable in my opinion. I really liked this one.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2009 12:37:55 | More by SaCkErZ9

LauraAlberts

South Carolina

4.97/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Courtesy of Jamie and Scott at Foothills. They dropped this keg off after a Draft Promo and great night filled with CornHole, BBQ & Sexual Chocolate.

Appearance: Solid Black - Poured off tap with thick tan head. Nice lacing and head retention.

Smell: 23 Year Old Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon. Cocoa, Chocolate, Malt, Tobacco

Taste: The most bourbony of the Bourbon Barrel aged beers I've had. Over the top! Rich chocolate flavor, tobacco leaf, hazelnut, almond

Mouthfeel: My favorite part. The bourbon leaves the finish so clean and refreshing. This beer has a soft mouthfeel with a nice tannic thick essence.

Drinkability: very drinkable - I had a glass with some good friends last night outside in 89 degree weather. Amazing and refreshing. I highly recommend if you can get your hands on some.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2009 22:00:28 | More by LauraAlberts

Gfunk720

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to my brother for sending this. Out of my Captain Lawrence glass.

A- A light blackish brown, with a healthy khaki colored head. The lacing is very nice. Definetely not very thick in appearance.

S- Rich notes of chocolate, malt, and bourbon. Some oaky and bourbony/whiskey notes.

T- A beautiful blend of rich oaky bourbon/whiskey flavor. Chocolate, malt, and a all around creamy complexion. Very very nice barrel aging. Nothing crazy, but extremely well balanced.

M- This is probably not the best part about this beer. It is rather thin, and light in mouthfeel. The flavor is very nice and complex.

O- This beer was a very nice sessionable barrel aged beer. It has a tremendous amount of depth for being a light stout. The barrel aging is probably the highlight, and just adds a ton to this beer.

-GFunk

Serving type: growler

09-04-2011 01:29:09 | More by Gfunk720

SCbrewdoc

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler fill from the good fellows at the Greenville Beer Exchange.

A- Dark, black coffee color. Tan, retentive head. Good look for an Imperial Stout

S- The Whiskey is strong with this one... Also has a smell of cocoa/chocolate. A faint sense of oak. All that I would expect from a barrel aged brew.

T-Woof. I have never taken half a shot of good bourbon mixed with a good stout, but I am pretty sure this is what it would taste like in a dream. Bourbon taste up front followed by chocolaty coffee. Finishes with a very light note of oak.

M-Not as full bodied as I would expect but pleasant. Does not have the phenol/alcohol mouthfeel that many barrel aged RIS have. To me, this could be a sessional beer

O-Wonderful beer overall. A microstep below Bourbon County Stout, but for what they are going for Foothills nailed it. Highly recommend this brew

Serving type: growler

06-25-2011 02:23:20 | More by SCbrewdoc

TheDudeRules

Minnesota

2.68/5  rDev -36.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Reviewed from notes taken 4-13-11. Hooked up in a trade from Mikesgroove.

Pours pretty dark and vicious looking into my trusty Darkness snifter. Deep dark brown with a tannish two finger head. I pick up bourbon and molasses right away. Upon my first sip I notice how incredibly thin this is. Carbonation is scant. Based on looks you wouldn't think so. There is literally no other taste than booze. An imperial at 7% you wouldn't expect it to be overpowering, but it certainly was for me. Crap. I mean really? This is falling way short of what I was hoping for. In fact overall it is not good at all and I poured my glass out into the dump bucket. I wasn't the only one either. Almost the whole group did.

Maybe our growler was a touch off or it needed some time to settle. I'll bet the latter. I'd try it again but it commands a king's ransom. One I'm not willing to pay. Skip it.

Serving type: growler

04-20-2011 16:18:31 | More by TheDudeRules

grub

Ontario (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

lantern corps beer summit 2010 - day 1, oct 8/2010. Jw347 contributed this one. thanks john!

64oz growler.

pours opaque black with a bit of brown around the edges. a thin ring of fine tan head forms and leaves only a few spots as it falls.

aroma is good. bourbon and vanilla. dark chocolate. milk chocolate. biscuit. whole wheat bread. bit of cracker. light alcohol. faint earthy and herbal notes.

taste is great. bourbon and vanilla. dark and milk chocolate. biscuit and whole wheat bread. bit of cracker. light alcohol. there's more chocolate and coffee than barrel coming through, but it's good. just under medium bitterness level. lightly earthy and herbal.

mouthfeel is good. medium-large body. just under medium carbonation level.

drinkability is excellent. great balance, both hiding the alcohol well and balancing the barrel against the base beer. nice and mellow and super drinkable.

Serving type: growler

02-04-2011 05:50:10 | More by grub