Black Magick - Voodoo Brewing Company

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.48/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 2011 vintage bottle into snifter

Appearance – Pours a pitch black color, with a vigorous pour giving almost no head on the beer. When swirled in the glass the beer looks thick; it slowly slides down the side of the glass, returning to it resting home with the rest of the liquid. It looks thick and big!!

Smell – The smell is huge and complex. Strong notes of bourbon and booze dominate the smell, but these are mixed with aromas of chocolate, coffee, black licorice, and some smoke and char. Just like the appearance the aroma is big and you know you are getting into something quite intense.

Taste – The taste starts out of milk chocolate and nice notes of roasted malt and a light caramel. Soon a good deal of smoke and a sweeter vanilla flavor enter the taste and mix with the original flavors. At this point the taste is overall on the sweeter side, with light hints of bitter and booze this all changes very soon however. More toward the end of the taste, a big, bold and boozy bourbon alcohol flavor come to the taste. Roasted malt and some char flavors accompany the boozy flavors, bittering up the brew and creating a less sweet but more roasty flavor. At the end, the taste is big of roast and char and mixed with the good presence of bourbon boozy taste and chocolate to leave a long lasting more bitter boozy cocoa flavor on the tongue that warms you throughout. Wonderful!!

Mouthfeel – Massively thick body on this one!!! It has a thick and smooth body that coats the entire mouth, bathing it in all the complex and roasty/dark flavors. Not surprisingly for the thickness of the brew, the carbonation level is on the lower side really allowing those flavors to sit and linger on the tongue. The heavy presence of alcohol is defiantly not missed with and creates a very warming feel on the tongue as well as the body as a whole.

Overall – The beer is huge and big with tons of roasty and boozy flavors. A brew that took nearly 1.5 hours to drink. A great one to sit back and sip; enjoying all the great flavors and sensations of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 01:12:28 | More by Darkmagus82

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter. Aged approximately 1.5 years.

A: Black as coal with no penetration of light. 1/2 finger of deep brown head that dissipates quickly. Has some legs showing.

N: Fudge, vanilla, sweet bourbon, alcohol esters, whipped cream and chocolate truffle.

T: Sweet bourbon booziness, vanilla and whipped cream. Underlying fudge and chocolate truffle follow mid-palate as well as a few dark roast coffee beans, Raisinets and chocolate-covered peanuts. Pleasant alcohol esters are throughout and are quite mild for 15.5%. Notes of earthy charcoal stick in the throat.

M: Medium bodied, silky, warming and smooth.

O: It doesn't get more decadent than this. Tons of rich chocolate, sweet bourbon and vanilla. The booze is pleasant rather than harsh. Sip and savor. A must try for Imperial Stout enthusiasts.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 01:48:51 | More by justintcoons

UCLABrewN84

California

3.93/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to MrVonzipper for sharing this at DarthKostrizer's tasting.

Pours an opaque black with a dark khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Tiny dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark malt, cookie dough, cocoa, and bourbon. Taste is much the same with a woody aftertaste. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good barrel aged stout but nothing all that great.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 21:21:50 | More by UCLABrewN84

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2011 Vintage. Bottle purchased at Zeno's in State College, PA. Poured in to Duvel tulip.

A - Dark inky black with one finger of espresso coloured head.

S - Huge barrel aromas up front - bourbon, vanilla and oak. Some roasted malts, chocolate and char in the background.

T - Big bourbon flavour up front with oak and some light vanilla notes. The alcohol is very warming throughout as would be expected considering the ABV. The barrel aging flavours give way to roasted malts, char and some sweet chocolate that is especially present in the finish. A touch hot overall.

M - Full body, sludgy. Light carbonation.

O - A very good beer that could probably benefit from some aging.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 02:11:18 | More by TheSevenDuffs

boralyl

Oregon

4.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 release.

A - Pours black as night and looks pretty thick. The beer is completely opaque. It produces a 1/4" of dark tan head that fades away pretty quickly, not bad considering the high abv.

S - The aroma is great. Bourbon really stands out along with notes of vanilla, chocolate, and roasted malts.

M - Full in body, creamy and smooth. A little bit of syrup, but not what I expected for such a big beer.

T - The barrel character is very prominent in the beer. I get oak flavors first followed by bourbon. There are then light notes of vanilla and some stronger chocolate flavors. Very nicely done. Alcohol is only slightly detectable, they did a good job hiding it.

This beer has just the right amount of barrel character and they hide the booziness well. This is a very good beer, and I would willingly seek out more.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 05:11:03 | More by boralyl

MrVonzipper

California

4.85/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Black with 1cm khaki head. Low retention and spotty lacing. 

Roasted character in the nose with some chocolate. Bourbon is present but not Alot. A little oaky. 

Flavor is phenomenal and extremely well balanced. Deep, robust and not overly rich. Nice chocolate notes. Mild bourbon and vanilla. 

Mouth is just under full bodied. Silky with light creamy carbonation. 

Overall this beer is excellent! You'd never know it's 15% abv. I want more!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 05:05:04 | More by MrVonzipper

haazer

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 release.

A- A hard pour does produce a thick 2 1/2 finger silky looking mocha head. It lasts for quite awhile too, I had not expected there to be any. Color is obviously pitch black with no light getting through what so ever. Theres even sticky lacing on the glass. Good looking stout.

S- Deep dark roast. Very charred malt, blended in with flavors of vanilla. The booze is here but its in the form of a lovely bourbon. The Elijah Craig barrels are definitely on display here. I also detect some dark fruit in here also. Letting this sit for about 7 months has probably helped on the nose.

T- Wow. Honestly this is the most intense stout I have ever had. Oh so bitter burnt and crisp malt, stingingly bitter. The bourbon then rushes in strongly to make its presence known. Slight booze burn from it, but its more the bourbon flavor than anything. Theres also an aftertaste of chocolate, and a few notes of coffee. The sheer power of this stout and the bourbon presence is unreal. I feel like if I let this sit longer it would've mellowed some and been better. Still good.

M- Full bodied stout with medium amounts of carbonation. Theres a heat from the high amounts of booze. Very thick and silky.

O- Pretty taken aback by this. I expected a big stout but did not expect THIS intensity. I think the best thing to do for this beer is get as many bottles as you can, and sit on them for as long as you can. This thing probably has infinite shelf life. At least a year after bottling would be best if you wait. This thing has a lot of potential with time.

Edit: This becomes more tolerable as it warms to room temp.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 03:24:22 | More by haazer

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Voodoo horizontal. A well balanced beer, emphasizing the bitterness of the hops and roasted malt. Chocolate and coffee in the secondary. Smooth, thick mouthfeel. Bourbon, chocolate, roast in the nose. Very dark brown with little head. Rich experience, aging has given it some notes of cognac.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 02:47:50 | More by northyorksammy

GregSVT

Texas

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

12oz bottle into a tulip

A: Pours dark dark brown with a small light brown head that quickly fades to a ring and leaves only the smallest lacing when swirled around. It actually leaves legs on the glass like a fine liquor.

S: The nose is huge on this monster. Amazing aromas of vanilla, molasses, slightly burnt brown sugar, powdered cocoa, and even whisps of whiskey burst from the glass. I could smell this as I was pouring it and could tell it was a beast.

T: The taste is equally impressive with huge notes of vanilla, molasses, chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt.

M: The feel is nice and thick with a big creamy finish.

O: This is about on the same level as GI BCS. A huge beer that is definitely a sipper. I wouldn't want more than one in a sitting and would only partake every once in a while. Great flavors and aromas. It's big and boozy but what do you expect from a 15% beer?

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 02:00:55 | More by GregSVT

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 12 oz bottle, 1st release (no label on this bad boy). Shared with Kate.

A: Oily, viscous, black, midnight, ebon. Unconditionally pitch black with a thin mahogany head. Thin is an understatement, this beer pours like a digestif.

S: Powerfully intense nose. Port and brandy aromas, fortified fruit strength, pairs with the traditional bourbon aromas of vanilla and coconut, resulting in a big aroma. Dark sweetness runs throughout, the vanilla pairing well with the RIS's murkiness. For being so big, the booze doesn't bog the stout down.

T: The barrel aging is still vibrant but I fear that the stout may have lost a step. The bourbon, over the port and brandy from the nose, stands out. It adds sweet vanilla against the backdrop of roasted malts, baker's chocolate and coffee. The stout body is big, the booze can't hide here. Bourbon is upfront and returns later in each sip; although the burnt malts of the stout are the lasting impression to me. While thin at times, the stout is still bold. Slow sipping brings more vanilla in the finish. Unfortunately the port and brandy from the nose don't make appearances here (that nose has Utopias-like qualities).

M: Plenty of alcohol, I ended up splitting the bottle with Kate (I did get more than she did). Heady and full with a nice bourbon body.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 01:17:38 | More by akorsak

doughanson78

Washington

4.08/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Huge thanks to wedge421 for this one.

A: Super black. Just the slightest wisp of a dark mocha colored head.

S: Bourbon and oak is big. Alcohol is very present. Big roastiness, dark chocolate and a hint of anise.

T: Big dark chocolate upfront. Light roasted dark coffee comes through in the middle with bourbon, vanilla, and a light butterscotch. Alcohol is present but less than the nose.

M: Full body but leaning on the thin side of full. Very low carbonation. Slightly creamy.

O: Very good Imperial Stout. Complex, but a touch hot. The flavors could blend very nice with some age.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 04:57:26 | More by doughanson78

PappyVanWink

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Best Imerial Stout I've ever had!
A-Dark as can be of course.
S-The smell on this can only be descibed as Mystical Unicorn Farts, which is the best smell in the world.
T-like heaven in a glass
M-Smooth....
O-The new King of Stouts
Drink It! It's Good!
Pappy Says So....

Serving type: growler

02-03-2012 15:21:41 | More by PappyVanWink

InebriatedJoker

Ohio

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

shared this with schwaeh .

A: Pours as black as a Voodoo Practitioners soul with a half finger head that quickly descends into a thin tan lacing - good carbonation.

S: Bourbon , deep roasted malts and barley ,slight chocolate.

T: Bourbon with slight vanilla , hints of caramel , toffee roasted malts , hues of coffee and dark fruits .

O: Smooth and creamy , This was really a tasty beer that hid it's abv% very well , Great bourbon flavor , Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 23:59:10 | More by InebriatedJoker

philbe311

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 Release

A - A half finger's worth of tightly packed perfectly uniform lush creamy medium-to-dark brown colored head... Minimal retention gives way to a full veil of lace and moderately thick collar... Some deliberately slow paced carbonation to start before turning quite still... The color is not quite black, but rather a deep menacing brown that allows a small bit of light to leak in around the top edge of the glass...

S - A wonderfully complex array of aromas... Raisins... Light enticing bourbon notes... Vanilla... Some roasted malts... A drop or two of soy sauce... Sweet chocolate syrup... Outstanding and nothing short of perfection in this category...

T - A wonderful carbonation of subtle bourbon barrel aging and milk chocolate to start... Very lightly roasted malts... A hint of soy sauce... Vanilla... A touch of licorice on the finish... The bourbon notes linger on the finish in a very delicious way...

M - Luxurious... Uber smooth... Sleek... Full bodied... Did I mention smooth??? Very light carbonation... Sophisticated and worldly...

D - Wow, this is an AWESOME brew... Dangerously drinkable and ridiculously smooth... There aren't enough accolades to go around for this world class offering from Pennsylvania's most underrated breweries...

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 02:51:37 | More by philbe311

doopiedoopiedoo

Netherlands

4.4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

We had to take it easy this night so we only had one bomber (50/50 Eclipse EG) but because that was just not enough Jeffo decided to break this one out...

12 oz shared between the two of us poured into a Surly snifter.

Menacing is a term used for a beer as thick, sludgy and black as this. The minimal head did not survive very long on this one.

Loads of boozy sweetness on the nose combined with caramel, vanilla, roasted malts and oak.

Flavors are like a rollercoaster. It starts out all fruity with some of the vanilla and the caramel from the nose. In the middle the oak notes and the malt base shine and some of the barrel becomes present. After the swallow it's like an explosion of bourbon barrel flavors that end with a very pleasant bitterness.

A heavy mouthfeel. Boozy but in a most pleasant way.

Overall this is one of the better barrel aged stouts out there. The flavors evolve while drinking which I found to be very cool. I can highly recomend this and would buy every single time I run across this.

Thanks a ton for the great beer Jeff.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 13:34:32 | More by doopiedoopiedoo

Morey

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12oz bottle with no freshness date. This was released in 2011 and aged for 1 year in my basement.

Pitch black in color with a beige colored head which stood less than one finger tall following an aggressive pour. Very little in the way of retention or lace, but this is 15.5% alcohol!

Aroma is an appealing blend of wood, alcohol, bourbon, vanilla and char.

Malty, yet a bit thin up front. Very little carbonation (too little as the matter of fact). Nice bourbon and oak flavors. Alcohol hits you about midway with a nice warming sensation. Maybe a hint a of dark chocolate near the end. Most if not all of the flavors linger on in the finish.

Medium bodied (which is thin for the style) with almost no carbonation.

A good BA IS overall, but the lack of bubbles brings this beer down a couple of notches.

Morey's Bottom Line: I can't say it enough...if the carbonation was there, this would be an extremely good beer, plain and simple. Only a couple other reviewers seem to mention this, but there is NO carbonation in this bottle. Maybe if I wouldn't have paid $9 for a 12oz bottle, I'd be more forgiving...but probably not.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 20:58:26 | More by Morey

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.98/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 bottle. Thanks to exiled for this one.

Pitch black hue. Tiny wisp of head. Earthy malts, chocolate, coffee, hint of booze. The flavors are mostly bitter chocolate and roast malt. The heat is pretty intense. Thick motor oil body. Surprisingly this drink pretty good for a 15% beer. Would love to age one for a few years.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 21:42:16 | More by beerwolf77

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I am down to my last couple of bottles and seriously cannot believe I never took the time to review one of these. With the talk of the next years release (batch 3) already in the air, I was amazed that I haven't reviewed either previous batch so this one is from the latest release (batch 2). 12oz bottle into a snifter, the brew appears black with a finger of tan head that slowly recedes. When held to the light, a faint line of lighter brown clarity is seen around the edge. As the cap slowly fades, some finger-like strings of lace stick to the wall of the glass.

The smell of this brew is absolutely rich with bourbon barrel qualities. A sweet boozy inclusion hits the nose first with an alcohol tang that gives way to all the succulent barrel qualities and nuances. Vanilla, coconut, cocoa, caramel... all of it is here with a solid balance that contrasts the dark bitter grain base. Coffee and light citrus notes are a faint afterthought to the backend of the nose.

The taste is almost a sick joke as it takes all the wonderful aromas and packs it seeming with identical quality in the flavor. There is no denying the bourbon heat that is upfront in the flavor profile that gives way to a hearty bitter roasted grain quality that is flavored with coffee and unsweetened cocoa. As the beer rests inside the mouth, the subtle barrel quality comes forth with a flavor of caramel, toasted oak, vanilla and coconut. The vanilla lingers in the mouth mixed with the grain that really draws out the chocolate flavoring.

This is a full bodied brew with a light level of carbonation. After a couple of sips I have to laugh because now I remember why I haven't reviewed this yet. Every time I crack one of these open, I just want to sit and enjoy it without thinking about it. This is a fantastic brew that is one of the best barrel aged beers coming out of my home state. If you love bold, aggressive flavored imperial stouts, this is an absolute must-try. I feel bad for recalling from memory at this point but after recently having both batch 1 and 2 in a side by side tasting, it is amazing how this batch 2 drinks a bit more mellow and better balanced.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 03:38:57 | More by stakem

HosP

Indiana

4.03/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a 12oz bottle for a friends birthday.

A- Pours jet black, almost no light around the edges. Tan head down to a thin cap on the beer, leaving little lace clinging to the glass.

S- Wow, lots of bourbon aroma in the nose. Tough to get past it to pick anything else out. Maybe a hint of sweet milk chocolate. Still lots of bourbon smells to go around here!

T- Earthy, woody, bourbon flavor mixed with a dark roasted
chocolate flavor right up front. Surprisingly smooth drink. While a lot of bourbon flavor, sweet chocolate and hints of vanilla blend nicely. As it warms, flavors come out of the background. Nice roasty flavors. Make for a very nice drink!

M- Full body, good carbonation. Smooth, creamy feel. Not to chewy feeling like other barrel aged beers.

O- If you like bourbon aged stouts, this is one for you. Even with the heavy bourbon to it, still a easy to drink beer. Very much enjoyed this one. Would love to get some more of this next time it comes out for sure. Can't wait!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 03:37:22 | More by HosP

BigMike

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

This is one beer that i've been dying to try. I'm a real big fan of Voodoo brewing.

A: Pours dark as used motor oil. No light penetration what so ever. No head to be seen.

S: One sniff reveals what i thought. This is a huge ass barrel aged stout. Alcohol, burnt chocolate, black licorice, bourbon, charred ash, coffee, alcohol.

T: Holy hell this thing is big. Alcohol burn out the ass. Like the nose there's, licorice and charred ash tray. Coffee oak and vanilla.
Overall it's dominated by a burnt alcohol flavor. Very sweet and sticky on the finish.

M: Like an oil slick. This thing coats your entire mouth with alcohol burn and sticky chocolate.

Overall: Not the easy drinker like their BBVD is. And surely doesn't make any attempts at hiding the 15%abv. This is an ass kicker for sure. Proceed with caution!

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 22:21:27 | More by BigMike

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.18/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours out a completely expected black with a very thin dark brown head. Aroma was bourbon heat, at this point, I was not expecting greatness, you have a substantial boozy heat coming through in the nose.

But then it was love at first sip, the booze was really diminished on the palate, allowed the bourbon to come across in a behind the scenes way, wasn't hot at all, made me think of all the iipa's at 7.5% that seemed to have more heat to them. Lots of toffee. Fair amount of chocolate. Great mouthfeel, doesn't get tired, and is far from a chore to finish, unlike many other beers in this neighborhood of 15%.

Thanks to whoever it was that threw this in as an extra, and then koufax21 for throwing me another. Drank this after the bama/lsu game and during ufc 138.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 15:34:55 | More by Beerandraiderfan

rhong187

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

served from a 12oz bottle into a snifter

A - completely black, can't see a thing through the glass or on the sides..

S - wow complete bourbon on the nose with very little of anything else. It literally smells like someone handed me a glass of bourbon with a couple shots of beer put into it.. I detected a very trace amount of roasted malts, but bourbon, bourbon, bourbon...

T- despite the aroma, the flavor was a bit complex, but the predominant flavors I picked up were bourbon (of course), a touch of vanilla, and quite a bit of alcohol

M - full bodied, lower than average carbonation, with a nice joly of booze

a great offering from voodoo, and I'm glad that I have multiple bottles because this brew will definitely improve with age. don't get me wrong, it tastes fine now, but will only improve.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 03:31:36 | More by rhong187

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

2011 bottle, opened between my girlfriend and I to celebrate her niece's birth. Poured into two tulip glasses, served slightly cooler than cellar temperature.

A: Pitch black body with some evident dark brown and maroon hues around the top edge. A rich, bubbly and creamy tan head was present for a bit and eventually rested as a patchy retention cap with some minor lacing. For a beer of this size, that is a seriously impressive feat and look; absolutely gorgeous beer.

S: Boozy bourbon notes immediately hit the nose, followed by some dark fruits, sweet milk and dark chocolate, vanilla and wood. Towards the back end, hints of raisin and dates come through, but the profile is certainly focused on the barrel aging. It's big, boozy, rich and wonderfully intoxicating.

T: Dark chocolate, vanilla, bourbon and wood all hit the palate immediately, seemingly dominated by the bourbon at first. Once it passes, the roasted dark malts, sweet sugary dates and more chocolate notes on the back end come through. It's big and warm going down but certainly full of all the flavors you'd expect from a bourbon barrel aged stout. Simply fantastic.

M: Bubbly, creamy and initially it seemed medium-bodied. Unfortunately, the more I drank this beer and it warmed, the body became quite thin on the palate. It didn't necessarily seem watery but thick, viscous and chewy? Hell no. It goes down quite hot in the back of the throat, but I love it.

Everything about this beer was fantastic, save for the mouth feel. I really wish this would have a bigger body to complement such strong barrel aging and flavor. A bit more here and this would easily be one of the best bourbon barrel aged beers out there; in fact, it's already one of mine. The feel is hindering it but overall, this is absolutely wonderful.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 13:02:35 | More by ShanePB

Chriscrundwell12

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a Darkness snifter.

A- Pours a one finger dark brown chocolate colored head, dissipates quickly to a nice brown collar around the glass, sticky lacing, dark black opaque color.
S- Big bourbon aroma, dark fruits (plums, raisins, cherries) brown sugar, dark malts, slight roasted coffee notes, vanilla, caramel, the bourbon takes over the aroma.
T- Big alcohol presence but not enough to take away from the beer, this is definitely a big beer, huge warming bourbon flavor, vanilla, dark fruits (plums) caramel, toffee, browns sugar, oak, tasty overall.
M- Big mouth feel, coats the palate, sticky, dry finish, warming as it goes down.
O- Big Big bourbon barrel aged beer, really tasty and definitely a sipper, pretty impressed, with some more age on it this beer it would be even better IMO.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 05:08:22 | More by Chriscrundwell12

kiddynamite920

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Well, pitch black of course. Unbelievable head retention that is sitting at about one fingers worth so far. The head itself is a light brown/tan, hinting at some of that bourbon barrel effect. Not really sure where a bourbon barrel stout could improve here.

S: Well there's the bourbon/booziness. Very dark chocolate with sweet notes of toffee and some bitterness of coffee and molasses. The barrel lends a perfect bourbon sweetness on the aroma full of caramel, vanilla and butterscotch. Think this one needs to be cellared quite a bit to try to tame the underlying alcohol heat though.

T: Again, I can see this one aging quite remarkably. 15% is quite a bit to hide, and they have done incredibly well, just seems like trying to hide Andre the Giant behind a regular man. Huge chocolate notes, almost feels like eating a Hershey Kiss, with the chocolate still melting in your mouth. Big on the bourbon, which I quite like for this style. This beer has enough to back it all up. Amazing how there is still a sweetness behind all these huge, pronounced flavors. Definitely a stout that benefited from barrel aging.

M: Gigantic beer, thin mouthfeel!? Finishes roasty and bourbon-y which is nice, but it really is a bit thin. Perhaps its the high abv that makes it almost wisp away on the palate, leaving just a hot reminiscence of a stout.

O: One of the beers that I was blown away with, without ever reviewing properly. Interesting to notice the change in enjoyment when a review isn't in order. This beer has great things going on, great stout undertones with the overtones of bourbon working well. The mouthfeel is what fails it for me. Suppose it's one for the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 05:46:17 | More by kiddynamite920