Mother Of All Storms - Pelican Pub & Brewery

ajramirez1

Washington

4.98/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2012 Mother of all Storms.

Color is a rich dark brown color. Smell is amazing. Cracking this blitch Fiesta Bowl Ore vs K St. Winter season perfect time. Poured beast in a snifter.

Beer is down right dirty. Very great taste initially cold then better with warmth. I have this ranked no1 in Barleywines as of right now. Fairly new to Barleywines but ive had highly ranked ones and this is tops. Was going to give it a perfect score but no. Thats for PtY, PtE, Westy12. With time, this may be perfect.

Musy try, chalked off another top50 beer...

A-

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 02:46:52 | More by ajramirez1

cfrances33

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle thanks to islandboi8204, served in a HF stem.

Pour: Super dark brown body, but not quite black. A very small tan head forms and disappears quickly, leaving only a rim along the glass.

Smell: Big sticky toffe up front, followed by some dark, chocolate covered figs and raisins. A light roastiness. Some boozy caramel bourbon comes through on the finish.

Taste: Follows the nose, but with a big roastiness at first, that quickly morphs into chewy chocolate covered figs and raisins. Heavy, super sticky bourbon toffee and caramel dominates the majority of the palate. A thick sweet booze finishes.

Mouthfeel: Boozy, but relatively well balanced. Booze and sweetness can get cloying, but only serve to make this a lon time sipper, which is enjoyable with me.

Overall: A really decadent beer. Probably best for sharing, which is the way I will go the next time I have a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 23:15:23 | More by cfrances33

bstave

Washington

4.88/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

22 oz bottle poured into Redwood Curtain snifter. 2012 edition.

Appearance- dark with hues of red in the light. Tan head that dissipates quickly leaving no lacing. Light carbonation.

Smell- smells of bourbon, vanilla, oak, and a bit of toffee. Getting a big bourbon note as expected.

Taste- wow! This is the most complex beer I have had to date. Picking up on all of the nose plus some dark fruit, cherries, and big brown sugar. Alcohol is warming but not too apparent for a beer of this magnitude.

Mouthfeel- medium to heavy body. Low carbonation, but just right for this style.nice warming alcohol but not too hot. Just right for the style.

Overall- impressed is an understatement. This blew me away! This was my white whale and was finally able to secure a bottle. Glad to enjoy this very special beer and highly recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 02:55:36 | More by bstave

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.25/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Maudite snifter. Pours a very dark russet brown with only a thin light tan head that dissipated to a ring around the glass. There appears to be active carbonation, but the bubbles don't stick around. Classic English barleywine aroma of caramel malt and dark fruit with nice bourbon and oak notes. Flavor follows with caramel malt, brown sugar, bourbon, dark dried fruit, a hint of cherry and chocolate. Finishes somewhat dry with oak and light hops. Medium bodied. Alcohol is covered but still hot and warming. A really nice English barleywine that was worth waiting for. Will lay a few bottles away for ageing, I think this will score even higher when the alcohol mellows and the flavors balance out over time.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 06:33:11 | More by LiquidAmber

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.13/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

650 mL bottle poured into an Eclipse snifter/taster. Awesome little glass. 2012 bottle.

Appearance - Deep brown with some reddish notes. Khaki head retains nicely and settles to an island of foam and naught else.

Smell - Lots of bourbon goodness. Oak and vanilla. Deep brown sugar and caramel. Everything you'd like in a BA barleywine. Maybe some hops come through as well.

Taste - Everything the nose belies, with an intense boozy and strange aftertaste. Bourbon up front, but it doesn't linger. Lots of caramel and dark brown sugar. Hop bite in the back with an intense nutty/oaky flavor. It's kind of unpleasant and I don't get it out of other BA barleywines.

Mouthfeel - It's quite boozy and that aftertaste is harsh. Not really sure what it is.

Overall - I have had different vintages of this beer from 2010 to 2012 and all of them have had the same off-putting aftertaste. It's not awful, but it could be so much better. Not sure if it's a nutty malt or an oaky flavor, but it keeps this from being the perfect BA barleywine. That said, it's still incredible.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 05:58:09 | More by Alieniloquium

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

4.43/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

650ml bottle 13,5% Abv.
Served lightly chilled in an over sized wine glass.
2012 Vintage

Thanks a million to Lurchingbeast for hooking me up with this bottle.

Appearance: Mother of all Storms appears very dark brown (almost black) in the glass, with a back light revealing beautiful deep crimson highlights and red edges that fad into a beautiful golden amber. A rough pour yields a good sized cookie dough coloured head that fizzes away quite quickly and leaves almost no lacing. A light swirl coats the glass in heavy alcohol legs.

Smell: The initial nose is almost all bourbon with big vanilla notes alongside sweet caramel, butter scotch and oak. As the beer begins to warm, caramelized brown sugar, toffee, dark treacle a myriad of dark fruits (raisins, dates, black cherries, plums and red grapes), toasted grains and some chocolate become apparent. There is a trace of the 13,5%, but it is far from bothersome.

Taste: As promised by the nose, this is an absolutely delicious barley wine. Flavour notes include: Brown sugar, sweet caramel, dark toffee, bourbon, vanilla, oak, butter scotch, cherries, raisins, stewed plums, some chocolate, a faint roasted note, a little liquorice and some dark treacle. Unlike the nose, there is not trace of the 13,5% and this makes Moas dangerously drinkable.

Mouthfeel: Initially quite over carbonated for my tastes (medium-high level), but thankfully the carbonation settles down quite quickly. the body is medium-full and fairly chewy.

Overall: Mother of all storms is a fantastic barrel aged barleywine and one I hope to have again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 21:05:24 | More by Thehuntmaster

TheBeerTruck

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2012 Vintage poured into a snifter:

Appearance: - not much head, but a great oil rubbed bronze color.

Smell: Nice scents of figs, rich malt, bourbon, wood, but all over powered a little by a woody raisin bran aroma.

Taste: Diverse! Some many flavors! Bourbon, malt, oak, vanilla, barley, dried candied dry cherries, but damn that raisin bran!

Mouthfeel: For 14% - nice bite, but smoothness that makes it hard to feel that abv. It also reflects far more carbonation than its appearance does.

Overall: This is my first time have MOAS and I wish I had never read any reviews on previous years. It's hard to think this one compares.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 05:18:42 | More by TheBeerTruck

macrosmatic

Florida

4.53/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes. Poured from bomber into a CCB snifter glass.

A: Very dark, looks essentially an opaque black. Minimal carbonation, and forms a ring of tan foam for a head.

S: Bourbon, sweet roasted malt, some oak and wood.

T: Follows the nose. Sticky-sweet tarry malt, dark fruit and velvety chocolate & vanilla flavors blend with bourbon & wood. Wood dryness at the end.

M: Sticky thick body, low carbonation, alcohol noticeable but doesn't take over the whole drinking experience.

O: Very, very good beer. Well-put-together, and the bourbon and oak don't overwhelm the other flavors. I'm very impressed with this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 03:30:06 | More by macrosmatic

vic21234

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bomber poured into a snifter. 2012 Vintage, bottled on 11/5/12. I was lucky enough to get a case of this shipped from the Pelican Pub.

A- Pours a very dark red/ maroon with a small amount of a khaki colored head that quickly fades. Some light comes through but overall it's the darkest barleywine I have seen.

S- Aromas of oak and bourbon are most apparent to me. As it warms some vanilla seems to come through as well.

T- Starts off smooth with oak and bourbon notes like the smell. Drinks hot but is an easier sipper as it warms. I get notes of vanilla and toffee, as well as some bready malts and raisin/ dark fruits. This one drinks very nice.

M- Medium to heavy body, low on the carbonation, a nice sipper that drinks hot but smooth.

A nice beer for sure. This and Sucaba are up there as my favorite English Barley Wines I have had. Luckily I have several more bottles of this to age and see how it mellows out.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 02:04:43 | More by vic21234

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2012 vintage. The pour reveals about a finger of head which is light brown in color with a lot of red in it. Body is pretty dark and is also very deep maroon/red. The foam falls quickly to a trace. Aroma is big and sweet. The in-your-face bourbon, raisin, vanilla, and molasses fill your nose quickly. There is a bunch of alcohol burn as well. One sip reveals a lot more bitter chocolate, and dark fruit. Not expecting that. A bunch of molasses and some alcohol. Mouth is quite good with nice carbonation and a very full body. A little syrupy.

I had this right after trying Bligh's and they are completely different. This is not nearly as sweet and has chocolate and bitter/dark fruits. Maybe some time really helps this beer out, but right now I don't think it is the league of exceptional English Barleywines.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 20:37:53 | More by RuckusDu

Impfan

Washington

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

At last, a barleywine I prefer even over Olde Curmudgeon!
2012 Bottling
Incredibly complex nose and flavor of caramel, toffee, bourbon (lots of it), sherry, cognac, vanilla, oak, raisins, honey, kumquats, orange zest, persimmons, plums, peaches, strawberries, prunes, dates, figs, cherries, pecan pralines, rhubarb, toasted coconut, leather, tobacco, and a hint of smokiness.

The body is syrupy, but playfully so, not sticky or cloying. This beauty has legs like Angelina, and the mouth becomes delightfully coated as the sipping continues. The finish is one of the longest I've ever experienced, and the woodiness and the alcohol prevent this one from becoming too sweet (as a gentleman before me pointed out).

It's been quite a few years since I was an ardent fan of the barleywine style, but this one absolutely blew me away, even fresh. I can only imagine what a few years of aging might achieve.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 21:26:11 | More by Impfan

writerLJBerg

Oregon

3.55/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle from Belmont Station. Split 2 ways. Snifter. 2012 vintage.

A: Dark brackish brown with tints of red. No head after an aggressive pour.

N: Malt, licorice, caramel, and toffee. Brown sugar. Has an inviting nose. Bourbon, vanilla, coconut, and oak are present, subtly. Biscuity sweetness. Quite nice.

T: Very sweet. Loads of brown sugar, toffee, and licorice. The bourbon goodness of the nose is very muted. There is some oak, but it’s very light. Does become cloying. Wish this matched the nose.

M: Thick and sticky. Coats the palate.

O: Glad this is distributed, because I definitely don’t need more than one and it would've bee a long drive to Pacific City to be nonplussed. Needs a ton more bourbon, otherwise it doesn’t justify the cost increase over the Stormwatcher's Winterfest or even the Wee Heavy. *Sigh* 2009 seems so long ago, though this is better than the 2011/2010 vintages when they were fresh.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 16:00:31 | More by writerLJBerg

notchucknorris

California

4.73/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 Bottle

A: Pours a deep reddish brown color with a thin light brown head.

S: Rich bourbon aroma, but it's not completely overpowering. Lots of toffee, raisin, brown sugar, toasted coconut, oak and dark fruit. Very complex and very intriguing.

T: Opens with some burnt raisin skin and bourbon. Then leads into some great flavors of vanilla, toffee, butterscotch, toasted oak and a dry and warming finish with a touch of booze. Fantastic young, but I definitely can't wait to try an older bottle really soon.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 21:09:07 | More by notchucknorris

barleywinefiend

Washington

2.88/5  rDev -35.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

2009 -The Perfect Storm
A: Poured a deep brown with good carbonation.

S: Nose is bourbon, booze and vanilla.

T: Taste is off because I thought it was poorly carbonated. I did find notes of bourbon, toasted grains, caramel, toffee, dark fruits and booze. This beer was all over the place. Not a subtle barleywine and I have had many barrel aged bwines which were capabale of pulling flavors together much better.

M: Mouthfeel is hot and bourbon but mainly because I did not find much on mouthfeel to help balance it out. There is a sherry like quality to it

O: I struggled and wanted to give it an A but no dice
///
2011-Mother of All Storms ampled 1/8/2012 and 12/1/2012

A: Poured a medium brown with a nice tan cap and some bubbles

S: I get a unique cotton candy nose on this with toffee, brown sugar, bourbon and booze

T: Immediate atringency with brown sugar and toffee, a little bit of residual sugar, bourbon midway with some pungent heat. I managed to pick up some light leather, vanilla and cocoa

M: Medium body but I still feel this beer was carbonated a bit high for the style, seemed a bit thin on the back end, perhaps due to the heat. Booze and a syrupy sweetness on the back end and an odd twang to boot I can best describe as liquid dirt.

O: Originally I gave this a cut above average. I c have changed my mind. After afting the first runs, vintages and fresh I still believe this beer is thin, hot and off balanced. The tannins on this beer just a killer for me. In no way is this a true to style English Bwine and I feel by taste, experience and BJCP standards this is a poor showing.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 19:39:17 | More by barleywinefiend

arizcards

Arizona

4.35/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up 3 bottles of the 2011 vintage from Matttyce's purchase in the Arizona Cardinals parking lot on 12-11-11. Enjoyed the 1st bottle with my bro celebrating the Cards victory over the Niners that night...drank very hot. Matt - i appreciate all your efforts getting that case!

Beer poured a reddish brown with a small tan head.

Nose is bourbon that is still going pretty good after all these months.

Taste is a nice balance between the bourbon and the malt sweetness. Vanilla notes linger in the back. Hops are barely noticeable. Alcohol appropriately warming but not overwhelming.

Mouthfeel is pretty full and smooth.

Overall this brew is doing quite well after a year of mellowing out in my wine cooler. Bourbon heat is just right compared to a year ago. Definitely would recommend the splurge if you have the cash!

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 23:27:17 | More by arizcards

yamar68

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to cosmicevan for this one!

Pours like a black cup of coffee... minimal ruby-black clarity. A single finger of creamy tan head fizzles down to a nice lasting collar, oily drapes of thick lace.

Beautiful scotchy caramel and smooth bourbon, ripe raisin, some grape soda, molasses, brown sugar, pancakes, more sweet bourbon... really an incredible smelling beer.

Soft bourbon character, rum raisin, vanilla, some licorice, still pretty damn hot but nothing you have to struggle with... toffee, some biscuit malts, a little bit of fruit... nice.

Fantastic beer worthy of a spot on the top 100. Thanks Evan!

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 01:28:00 | More by yamar68

sukwonee

Washington

4.2/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 Vintage bottle - consumed on 11/21/2012.

A: It's almost black - really dark reddish brown but clear body with half a finger head.

S: Wow. Vanilla, caramel, oak, dark fruits, alcohol, sweetness. amazing.

T: Vanilla, toffee, caramel malt, brown sugar, dark fruits (plum, cherries, fig). It's a tad bit hot. Barrel aging on this beer is done to perfection, adding so much complexity. If it was slightly less sweet and less boozy, it would been perfect. I think this could use another year or two of further cellaring.

Update* - I had a chance to try 2012 bottle (fresh) and I have to say that the fresh bottle had much more fruit notes and surprisingly less alcohol burn. It felt sweeter too.

M: Thick, syrupy, with lots of alcohol heat.

O: I think I much refer fresh Abacus/Sucaba over this, but it was pretty solid. Too sweet for me though.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 23:57:30 | More by sukwonee

bonghitta

Washington

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

Had the 12 at the release, absolutely delicious. Only bourbon notes, not too bourbony, not infact too boozy either. All in all, this gives KH a run for the money. The sweetness drops off quickly, but its a delicious sweet tinge that hits you upfront that really makes this beer unique. A sweet BB aged barleywine!

Can't wait to try this next year after its aged a little

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 16:56:23 | More by bonghitta

MrVonzipper

California

4.28/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

'11
Pitch black in glass which is a little surprising to me for the style. Bubbly tan head head with pretty short retention.

Solid bourbon barrel character in the nose. Caramel, notes of dark fruit and molasses. Not quite as complex as I'd hoped but nice.

Flavor is pretty big and bright with notes of dark fruit, oak, a bit of anise, caramel and molasses with a mild bitterness. Mildly sweet vanilla wafflecone-like aftertaste.

Mouth is medium-full bodied with low carb. A bit sticky.

Overall it's a very good beer but not quite as good as I had anticipated. I have traded away a few and put off the chance to try this and am finally trying it. Maybe I set my hopes a little too high? Some say it's better fresher??

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 23:38:57 | More by MrVonzipper

bum732

Maryland

4.85/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2011 vintage

S: Very rich, bready toffee malt. Intense. Medium bourbon presence, super malty.

L: Dark brown, little to no head. Viscous.

T: Super rich toffee malt, very malty. Sweet caramel, rum raisin quickly follows. Medium low herbal bitterness. Bourbon comes through near the finish, super smooth. Finishes semi-sweet, touch of alcohol and earthy.

M: Rich, medium full body, medium low carbonation.

Amazing, so many rich flavors without being too cloying. One of the best beers i've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 04:14:17 | More by bum732

libbey

Washington

4.76/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

2011 poured into a CBS snifter

A: The beer is a lovely deep dark ruby red and an aggressive pour yields a cap of tan head that is unlike any I've ever seen. It literally snaps and crackles like soda. It settles quickly into a thin film leaving no lacing to speak of.

S: The nose is of deep candied malts mixed with huge layers of vanilla and toffee. The barrel is still a major player a year later but it has integrated itself into the base. This is pretty special.

T: Follows the nose with huge blasts of candied plum, big notes of vanilla and toffee. The barrel continues to shine with the ABV always being present but never becoming overbearing. Notes of leather come forward as it warms.

M: The overall carbonation is perfect. Huge layers of flavor are left after each sip. Sticky and tacky the notes remain well after the fact. Decadent.

O: Overall this is what other barrel aged barley wines should be striving for. World Class in every sense of the term. Pursue with a passion.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 07:29:04 | More by libbey

Jeffo

Netherlands

2.65/5  rDev -40.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Got this one from Stupac a while back. Cheers man! I had 1oz of this beer a while back and have wanted to try more ever since.

From a bomber into a snifter
Vintage: 2011
Aged in bourbon barrels

APPEARANCE: This one pours a one finger, very loose and fizzy, tan colored head that fizzes away immediately. Only a slight ring is left after the quick disappearing act. A transparent rosewood red/brown in color with lower levels of carbonation evident. A faint ring remains until the end but leaves no lacing down the glass. Body is fine, but the fizzy head was pretty unattractive.

SMELL: Boozy nose for sure. Bourbon and hints of oak in there, with some dark fruits, caramel and coconut notes, but I'm reaching a bit. The nose advertises a sweet, bold and boozy ride. More so than others in the style.

TASTE: This is exactly as the nose suggested. Lots of alcohol here, especially after the swallow. Some dark fruits and caramel up front, but quite mild in flavor initially, then the barrel and booze multiplies exponentially after the swallow. Bourbon, oak, raisins, caramel, and light flavors of coconut show up, but the booze is just overpowering. Bold and ligering, spicy alcohol finish just doesn't quit. This is certainly flavorful and complex, but it's hotter than a prick.

PALATE: Medium-thin body with surprisingly high levels of carbonation. Light on the palate, semi-creamy as well, but goes down a bit prickly with a good burn and scratch, finishing mouth-coating. It thickens a bit as it sits, but this is generally too light and abrasive. Layers of heat linger.

OVERALL: This is one step too far in my book. I've had enough of this style to say that this one needs at least 3 years before it'd be remotely approachable for anyone other than the most ardent booze lovers. Simply too boozy, light and harsh to be enjoyable. Glad I was able to drink more than 1oz of this one, as it's shown how increadibly challenging this beer really is. I'll skip this one and choose one of the many others in this style that agree with me more. Thanks again for the trade Stupac.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 19:06:26 | More by Jeffo

mltobin

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2009 bottle, shared with a couple friends, poured into a Duvel tulip.

This pours a deep ruby red color with a small off-white head. Its` nose contains caramel, brown sugar and quite a bit of bourbon. The smell is very fragrant, but those who enjoy bourbon from time to time, it is quite nice. Sipping on this and I taste vanilla, toffee, more bourbon and some oak. And that bourbon really continues to shine it the taste. Mouthfeel is rich, but finishes smooth, a rich, sweet texture lingers on your palate afterwords. Wow, this was a very tasty English barleywine, an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 23:52:47 | More by mltobin

Etan

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle into a Maine Beer Company wine glass. 2011 vintage.

A: Pours a dark cola brown with a small dark tan head. No lacing or retention.

S: Raisiny with a lot of barrel notes. Prunes, toffee, dark grain, vanilla, pleasant sting of booze.

T: Roasted malt, crushed raisins, vanilla, slight hop oil and bitterness, a bit of oxidation, heavy boozy heat throughout. Tannic and bitter in the finish.

M: Thick with slight, tingly carbonation.

O: The alcohol shows itself a bit too much, leaving a slight astringent bitterness, but otherwise this is good.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 23:03:42 | More by Etan

augustgarage

California

4.6/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2009 vintage. Poured from a 22oz bomber into my Spirit Sippers snifter.

A vigorous pour produces a thin active layer of mixed yellow-browns: khaki/citrine/fulvous which bubble out to a thin lasting collar and smattering of surface slick. Delicate lacing is suspended in viscous tears. The liquid below is an abyssal shade of auburn.

The bourbon barrel contributes immense aroma without any sharpness, redolent of fine tobacco, leather, loam, vanilla, and cocoa for starters...a low fruity note like that of a fine sherry flitters in and out as well.

Deep unctuous palate entry intensifies all the aromas into corresponding flavors and integrates them into a delicately shifting yet extremely potent cascade. Gentle hops contribute just enough bitterness to offset the immensity of the malt which itself is just strong enough to stand as a foil against the bourbon notes. Finishes moderately dry, fruity, and earthy. Surprisingly balanced and clean despite its stunning richness.

Silky mouthfeel is like melted chocolate ganache on the tongue though sufficient carbonation enlivens the mouthfeel.

An inspired and inspiring glass - a truly top tier example of the style...while any one element might be improved upon in theory, doing so would upset the balance of the whole.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 19:53:02 | More by augustgarage