Olde Rabbit's Foot - Foothills Brewing Company

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.15/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A long time want generously tracked down and sent over by jbeatty. Thanks man! Been happy with Foothills and Olde Hickory up to this point, so got high hopes for this one.

From a bomber into a snifter
Vintage: 2012
Stout brewed with honey, cocoa nibs and aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels

APPEARANCE: A black pour yields a 1+ finger, medium looking, dark tan head with good retention. Black body with slightly higher levels of carbonation evident. Head slowly fades to a full wisp. A splotchy wisp and ring remain until the end leaving some dots of lacing down the glass. Pretty decent looking.

SMELL: Big bourbon nose with oak, vanilla, sweet cream, milk chocolate, as well as some dark, pure chocolate there too. A hint or roasted barley as a base, with some caramel and coconut as well. This is really nice and enticing.

TASTE: Doesn't quite meausre up. Caramel and bourbon notes up front, but unfortunately comes off a little watery initially. Lots of booze at the swallow, with oak flavors, bourbon again, vanilla and coconut lingering on the palate. Hints of dark chocolate with the bourbon barrel as well. Flavor shows potential, but it comes across somewhat watery, as the palate is below par for sure.

PALATE: Thinner body and medium levels of carbonation. Lighter on the palate, definitely watery, not creamy at all, goes down easy and finishes slighty dry on the palate. Watery and missing body for sure. Not creamy enough and doesn't suppor the flavors, though it still isn't off-putting.

OVERALL: The nose on this was really nice and the flavors showed a lot of potential, but the feel was so thin and watey that it couldn't support the flavors and make it the beer it deserved to be. Started so well, but finished so poorly. I don't know if anyone's to blame for this, but given my experiences with these breweries, I'm afriad I'd have to give Foothill's and Hickory the benifit of the doubt. Worth checking out and I definitely enjoyed it, but not something I'd be after again unless the feel is greatly improved. Cheers jbeatty. Always good times.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 19:43:38 | More by Jeffo

portia99

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle (2012 vintage) poured into a CBS snifter.

A - Pours an opaque near pitch black in the glass. Hardly any effort is made at forming a head. Only the thinnest of collars appears around the edge of the glass. Appears near still in the glass.

S - Tons of creamy vanilla up front, mixed with some coconut, smooth and sweet bourbon, a touch of anise. Smells super smooth and somewhat candy-like.

T - Cool anise up front, healthy bourbon flavor, touch of molasses, smooth vanilla, honey, brown sugar, mild hop bitterness.

M - Medium-full body with a very low carbonation...appearance didn't deceive on this one. Mild bourbon warmth and just a hint of a tingle on the lips and back of the throat on each sip/swallow.

O - Quite complex with a lot going on in the aroma and flavor. Most of it works, but there is a bit of an off flavor that lingers past the swallow that I think is a bit of honey and molasses sweetness that tastes a little bit dirty. Only a minor distraction, but keeps this from reaching the upper eschelon of the style for me. Barrel aging is done well. Bourbon is smooth, only showing a low warmth which I really like...the bourbon shouldn't overpower the beer, only complement it.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 23:41:37 | More by portia99

mltobin

Connecticut

4.21/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle split amongst a few friends, poured into a small snifter.

The appearance is dark brown, small tan head to this offering from Foothills. Its` nose contains dark fruit, chocolate, bourbon and a little oak. A lot going on in the aroma, it is very nice. I take a sip and taste roasted malts, dark chocolate, booze, a bit of dark licorice. Mouthfeel is med-full, fair amount of heat present. All in all, a very nice beer that I was glad to have tried.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 23:30:49 | More by mltobin

AndyAvalanche

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

22 oz. bomber (2012 special release) split with a few friends. Liquid portion comes out dark brown with deep mahogany highlights. Nice dark brown head with small bubbles that goes away pretty quickly. Some good lacing to it and each sip coats the glass like cough syrup, nothing not to like in the look.

Smell is awesome, super sweet and decent. You can totally pick up the coco nibs and the honey, sort of gives it a boiling brown sugar type smell that's really great. Very roasty and slightly boozy/bourbony (if that's a word). Either way it's a great smelling beer.

The taste is equally as excellent. Big roasty flavors of a quality stout with some awesome sweetness. Honey and coco nibs provide a nice sugary flavor with this that blend nice with the roasty stout flavors. There's also a slight dark fruit liquor flavor to it, maybe raisons and dehydrated cherries. All meshes together great, nothing not to like about it.

Mouthfeel is good. It was a cold and rainy day today and this heavy medium to full bodied barrel aged beer warmed me to the core. Silky smooth with a good carbonation level with a nice warm finish from the bourbon blends together really nicely. This beer is a perfect sipper for the end of the night. I'm almost upset I shared it, but it was shared with good people so it's ok I guess. Super drinkable, would drink this year round even if it wasn't a cold day. Curious to see how this one ages. Props to Old Hickory, Duck-Rabbit, and Foothhills for collaborating such a great beer. I wish all 3 came to my area.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 04:21:50 | More by AndyAvalanche

pmarlowe

California

4.28/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottle #385 of 694. Don't see a vintage date. Tulip glass.

A: Pours a sturdy black with a ring of sand colored head, fine and espresso like. Pretty good retention but no lacing to speak of.

S: Dark chocolatey goodness, fair amount of roast, and a little oak and cinnamon. Has the sharp acidity of an RIS. Barrel influence is quite muted.

T: Roasted malt, dark chocolate, a touch of bourbon, and mild RIS-like acidity, with a longish medium roast coffee finish.

M: Medium, creamy body and medium smooth carbonation.

O: Pretty drinkable and well balanced, but no standout flavors and very muted barrel presence in both the aroma and taste.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 16:03:26 | More by pmarlowe

brentk56

North Carolina

4.01/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2010 bottling

Appearance: The black liquid fills the chalice with the tiniest of tawny highlights and is topped by a modest head that fades to a bubbly ringlet; leggy strands of lace dot the glass

Smell: Roasty, with charred black bread, dark chocolate, coffee, Bourbon and oak tones

Taste: Chocolate and coffee, up front, with the Bourbon tones developing in the middle; the roasty character builds, after the swallow, along with a bit of tart dark fruit; in the finish, both chocolate and vanilla flavors linger with the Bourbon

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation; a bit thin for the style

Overall: I have had this beer a number of times, but this is the first time I have reviewed it; it is a bit thinner than I remembered nor do I recall the tartness; I will have to compare it to the later bottlings I have in my cellar at another time

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 00:35:14 | More by brentk56

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.21/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours near jet black with a nice medium sized brown head that reseds leaving some nice lacing and a good dose of bubbles

S: A nice roastiness with nice dark chocolate, some espresso, and bourbon soaked wood. Light notes of tobacco, vanilla and figs appear but not as dominant

T: Milk chocolate and coffee at the forfront with a nice bourbon sting, some vanilla represents. I stepped away from it and came back as it warmed to room temp. Big dark fruits, cocoa and holy tobacco. This beer really came alive as warmed and breathed. A bit sticky on the finish with some nice heat and loads of flavor.

M: Big body, well carbonated, robust and filling but it was a tad thin for me.

O: Fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 17:58:21 | More by barleywinefiend

srandycarter

California

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Near black, tan head that leaves quickly. Large bubbles all around the edges. Some spotty cling lace.

S - Baked chocolate desserts. Choc chip cookies, brownies, soy sauce.

T - Malty, boozy, smell attributes evident in taste.

M - Big body, thick, good carbonation, nice balance.

D - Very enjoyable. Perfect for a winter night.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 05:35:09 | More by srandycarter

thegodfather2701

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-pours pitch black with no head and no lacing.

S-chocolate, coffee, bourbon, alcohol, roasted malt

T-Similar to the nose. A nice balance of chocolate, coffee, bourbon, coconut, oak, and alcohol primarily dominate the flavor profile. There is a great balance between the sweetness of this beer and its roasted malt flavors. The bourbon plays an important role in the flavor but it is not overwhelming.

M-Somewhat thin, yet much more syrupy than carbonated.

D-Deffintely a sipper given its complexity and high abv.

Overall, this is a really good beer and I am glad I was able to get one of the last glasses before it ran out. This is a solid barrel aged imperial stout and I highly recommend it.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2012 03:13:41 | More by thegodfather2701

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on-tap at the brewery.

A: Pours a very dark brown color with a half finger head and nice lacing.

S: Strong aromas of chocolate, oak, and bourbon. Smells tasty!!

T: Just like the smell, there are strong chocolate, bourbon, and oak flavors balanced amazingly together.

M: In between medium and full bodied with some carbonation. Very smooth.

O: Wow!! What a great example of a Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. I only wish I had some bottles to age for a year. I think this would be almost perfect after a year. Once again, I'm extremely blessed to live close to the brewery and get the opportunity to try all of their amazing beers.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2012 01:40:32 | More by nUgZ

twowheelssoar

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Foothills the day after the bottle release. Didn't get any bottles, but excited to try this on tap. Looks very dark, with barely a dark tan head that disappears almost immediately. Very nice lacing of the same dark tan variety. Smells of cocoa and sweet bourbon, really great smell. The taste is wonderful, with dark fruit, the cocoa from the nose, wood, and a perfect amount of bourbon blending together perfectly. The way the flavors work together is artful, with the bourbon in a excellent dance with the flavors of the base beer, neither dominating the other. There is no notice of the 10% ABV, well done. The moutheel is on the fuller side of medium, with some creaminess. This is where I could see some small room for improvement, as in replicating the outrageous mouthfeel of Event Horizon. However, this is merely nitpicking. Overall, a wonderful beer I enjoyed very much.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2012 19:48:45 | More by twowheelssoar

bbarrows

District of Columbia

4.68/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2011 version, from bottle to snifter

A: Clear dark ruby when put to the light. Head dissipates quickly as expected.

S: Malty sweetness along with dark chocolate, coffee, toffee, and licorice.

T: Dynamic blend of chocolate, cherry, licorice, oak, and tobacco. Lingering oak, bourbon, and chocolate. The persistent oak flavor is a bit much.

M: Viscous to the extent of an oatmeal stout, but obviously not underattenuated. Low carbonation.

O: Perhaps the best bourbon barrel age imperial stout I've ever had. Aside from the overwhelming oak in the finish, I can't imagine this being better.

I'm glad I have a couple more bottles to age. I hope the oak fades and the other characters become more dominant. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 23:31:28 | More by bbarrows

birchstick

Missouri

4.23/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - pours black into the glass, frothing up a somewhat subdued chocolaty head

S - nose is milk chocolate malts intertwined with bourbon notes

T - opens up with milk chocolates that were so dominant in the aroma. These move on to some spicy vanilla bourbon flavors that eventually move on to some dark chocolates on the backend. Finshes chocolaty and delicious.

M - medium silky body that is very smooth

D - really nice brew on hand here. Another winner in the North Carolina brewery collaborations. Second time having it, and it is better than I remember it.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 02:48:20 | More by birchstick

UCLABrewN84

California

4.08/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Retsinis for sharing this one at NoSignsOfPain's birthday bottleshare hosted by mrbubbler.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cookie dough, cocoa, coffee, wood, and bourbon. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick and woody finish. There is a medium roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with a nice barrel aged presence but I think this one smells better than it tastes.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 02:14:54 | More by UCLABrewN84

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 vintage poured from 22 oz bottle into a Alesmith Horny Devil snifter.

A- pours pitch black with a 1 finger dark tan head. Small bubbles and thick waves of lacing remain on the glass.

S- big bourbon and vanilla notes at first. Chocolate, oak, and some dark fruit almost citrus notes.

T- licorice, chocolate, bourbon, and vanilla. Dark fruits and a slight tartness comes in towards the end.

M- full body, medium carbonation. Higher viscosity and bubbly finish.

O- good imperial stout but not sure if it's the age on it but the dark fruit tartness takes away from this beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 02:15:51 | More by kawilliams81

marvin213

North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pitch black with almost no head, the tidbit of froth has only the lightest brown tinge. The nose is dark fruit with anise aperrault van winkle bourbon. Served a bit too cold in a rush to suddenly consume for luck before this game, it's a bit heavy on the bourbon. I realize some of y'all think that's impossible....

It's a neat beer and, surprisingly, I feel like it hasn't returned to '09 form. Now, I perceive it more of a combo of these three (great) beers instead of a new beer complex in its own right. It lacks the chocolatey feel of traditional SC, but the sweeter smooth Olde Hickory contrasts nicely with the darkly fruity, anise-filled Rabid Duck. A good beer, but one that for me has lost its luster. BUT if it can still hold true to its lucky name, I will forever hold it in my heart....

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 21:02:54 | More by marvin213

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle opened on 3-1-12. I believe it to be the 2010 batch.

A - Pours a dark brown with a very dark tan-brown, one finger head. Good retention.

S - Boozy bourbon with a slight sweet, almost orange scent.

T - More chocolately with a nice boozy-sweet finish.

D - Good carbonation, with a medium body.

O - Very nice, the honey makes it more sweet, but the bourbon saves it.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 05:26:45 | More by HuskyinPDX

russwbeck

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Shared graciously at a recent tasting

A: Motor oil black pour with about a finger of brown head. Great retention, however only minimal lacing.

S: Rich, roasty aroma. Big notes of chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, wood, and enough honey to balance, but not to disjoint the beer. Really a wonderful scent.

T: The taste features booze throughout, but the chocolate and roast really come up big to balance it out. Bourbon and vanilla lend beautiful notes. Just the perfect example of a Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout.

MF: Heavy, creamy body with lower than average carbonation. Warming alcohol feeling graces the backend.

O: This was delicious. It beat out all of the 50/50 Eclipse variants we tried earlier in the evening. Drink this if you can get your hands on it!

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 23:34:55 | More by russwbeck

Onenote81

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2011. Missed the release of this one last year, but I was able to score a bottle from an in-person trade at the SC release this year. Bottle split and shared with fellow BA, ClarkPinnock. Poured my allotment into an Allagash chalice.

Pours a deep rich black. A luscious inch-thick tan head rests atop. Lace cascades down the glass edge after each sip. Pretty beer. The aroma on this one is superb. Big oaky vanilla notes, faint astringent ethanol, roasted malts. Really rich and pleasing.

The body is silky smooth, but deep. Carbonation gives a little spritz, but it still mellows out on the palate. Vanilla sweetness greets me at first sip. Smooth bourbon character with mild wet woody finish. Chocolate roast noted, but this gets edged out by more bourbon and oak. Sweet aftertaste. This was really good and actually surprised me. A really good BB-Stout that I will now make the effort to acquire at the release each year.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 19:11:23 | More by Onenote81

claspada

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle provided by cuzco at a recent tasting; 2011 version.

Pours a very dark, velvety brown color with a nice creamy textured inch of khaki head which leaves just a lacing as it recedes.

Aromas begin with boozy bourbon barrel and associated bourbon smells, vanilla and toffee predominantly. Also the traditional stout smells; roasty dark chocolate and bitter coffee presence as well.

The tastes follow the nose but in opposite fashion. The Imperial Stout flavors begin with roasted maltiness, dark bitter cocoa and light espresso. Then you get the solid kick from the Pappy barrels; vanilla and toffee once again. Booziness is definitely evident in the finish (which was mellowed and non-existent in the 2009 bottle I sampled side by side).

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonated. Finish is a nice balance of roasty malts and sweet barrel. Not offensive or boozy at all; quite mellowed actually.

Overall this was a solid beer which I was happy to sample. A really well made barrel aged Imperial Stout which will definitely improve with some age on it, a bit brash for my liking at the moment. Glad I was fortunate to sample it, but not a MUST have for me going forward.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2012 17:57:26 | More by claspada

adrock7309

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Shared a 2011 vintage with two friends at a recent tasting.

Poured into a bells snifter. Body was dark black with a semi transparent hue. The brew foamed up a medium tan head which left nice lacing.

Hints of espresso, dark chocolate, vanilla, and nice oaky burbon came through on the nose.

Mouthfeel was lighter than I was antIcipating but still enjoyed tremendously. Lots of vanilla and bourbon notes shined through the heavy roast.

Overall a good but not great beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 04:16:36 | More by adrock7309

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

3.73/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared with steepH20 during a leisurely and long overdue day of celebrating the birth of his son. Cheers to Chris and Ben (and Katie :)!

2010 edition

Pours a very dark brown with a nice puff that settles to near stillness

Sweetness of the honey reaches up from the glass as it mingles with the tangy bourbon. A light smokiness pokes through along with a faint heat and the dry chocolate nibs.

This is different. At its base, there's a smooth, rounded, slightly light bodied bourbon stout. At around mid palate however, there's a sharp honey spike that washes over the beer and leaves a very sweet but also pungent bitterness along the back end. The finish is where the nibs play center stage.

I believe that the honey may be used to beef up the body, which this beer could use. However, cutting the honey might also pull away from some of the distraction that the honey imparts. Hmmm....quite the conundrum...or not.

Overall, a pretty good beer and one that I'm happy to have been able to share.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 15:42:21 | More by BarrytheBear

hdelavega

Florida

4.6/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From notes.
Enjoyed at a bottle share.
Pours a deep black with about an inch of thick, dark brown head.
The aroma is rich with chocolate, honey, dark fruit, and a little bourbon.
Very tasty, great chocolate, dark fruit, vanilla, the bourbon is present but not hot and plays really nicely with the chocolate.
The feel was super smooth with a pretty full body and light carbonation that finished smooth coating the mouth leaving a nice reminder of the awesome beer just sipped.
Overall a fantastic stout. Defiantly worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 17:22:55 | More by hdelavega

mcallister

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle 233

Pours jet black with no penetrable light. A creamy half inch mocha colored head fades into a rich top leaving a thick layer of lace in its wake.

Aromas in this seem a little tight and restrained. Hints of bourbon, cardboard, cocoa, dark chocolate, burnt caramel, honey, black fruits, light vanilla, toasted coconut and wood.

Wow the taste on the other hand is phenomenal. Rich layers of cocoa, fudge and dark chocolate, Nice dollop of honey. Black fruit, burnt caramel, earthy hops, light bourbon, toasted oak and vanilla. Finish is short and semi sweet. A hint of leather and asphalt. Hot on the finish in the back of the throat and chest. Mouth is a bit thin and medium bodied. However this complex beast isn't hurt too badly by it. Years to go on this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 21:15:06 | More by mcallister

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.73/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

After sampling the van pappy dark lord just prior to trying this beer, it was perhaps to be expected that this would be something of a let down.

Sampled at the epic finewinemike event.

The beer pours a dark brown color, with good head retention and lacing. The nose is impressive in this beer, albeit a bit boozy. Still, I otherwise pick up considerable chocolate, prunes and vanilla, that in combination is quite attrative. Given the aroma profile, I have to say I was all the more disappoitned by what I got on the palate. The beer was a thin and fairly dry, and seemed to be dominated by licorice and light coffee. Also, I picked up some noticeable heat on the finish, which further detracted from the flavor profile. Mouthfeel otherwise was medium bodied at most, with an adequate at best finish.

Maybe I would have liked this beer more if I had tried it at the outset of the tasting, but the fact remains that this was probably the least impressive beer I sampled at the tasting. Along with CBS and the 2010 Kate the Great, this was one of the few beers that disappointed at this tasting event.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 16:19:56 | More by johnmichaelsen