Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale - Whiskey Barrel-Aged - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

GRG1313

California

2.74/5  rDev -34.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.5

I cannot simply use the "Had" feature for this one. I personally find this beer far different than several reviews and figured I'd put forth a voice with which some others may agree.

Pours a clear brownish red with a khaki head and is nice looking.

Nose is a juxtaposition of fresh "IPA pineapple" hops and malt and burnt sugar. Neither is proper for style - both "mixed together" makes for one of the really few terribly unbalanced noses I've smelled. The hops character is great; the malt/carmel character is great - they do not marry well.

Mouthfeel is creamy, rich and nicely carbonated but relatively meaningless when fighting with the nose, flavor profile and finish.

Flavors are citrus/pine hops overlapping and fighting with burnt-sugar/carmel and malty tones. There is no one following the other; there is no "over tone" or "undertone." These are just two conflicting, unbalanced, disjointed flavor profiles that make for a conflicting and confusing drink. There is a character of "carbonated whiskey," . .strong whiskey, that is pervasive and not appealing. There is such an assertive alcohol presence that some of the sweetness in the nose is clearly the alcohol and the actual taste of the whiskey/alcohol seems much more than 12.2% abv. (Not that 12.2% is low....it just tastes like its about 80 proof! i.e. 40% abv!)

The finish follows the flavor profile - same comments - very confusing.

This one is just not for me. JMO

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 06:20:06 | More by GRG1313

yourefragile

District of Columbia

2.79/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

750 mL bottle shared By Banich, thanks!

Pours a clearish ruby amber with a transient light cream head that fades to a thin collar and no lace. Aroma of whiskey and... um, whiskey and pine sap, maple, oak and oppression. Flavor is sweet and oaky. Doesn't really taste like Bigfoot, just straight whiskey and wood. Sweet and syrupy, burnt and toasted, piney hops and awww hell who cares. Very raw, oaky, hoppy and woodsy. Even Oaked Horizontal was more interesting than this. Seriously, what's the point of this mess?

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 21:31:09 | More by yourefragile

maximum12

Minnesota

3/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Well, wasn't going to hunt this one down, but went to the store looking for cooking wine & lo! there were a bunch on the shelf. What do you do? You buy one. Well, I buy one. Big 750 ML of glass & liquid shared with my lovely wife.

The pour is dark red, doesn't look to far off of an amber, but I'm betting it doesn't taste like one. Apparent & sufficient carbonation. Nose isn't much to write your mistress about, caramel, whiskey, but both the smoke from a distant fire.

Whiskey Barrel Aged Bigfoot is like an alcohol-tipped boot to the nads. Wow. I like hot beers & rarely notice other beers that people complain about, but this, this is something. Hot Hot Heat. Gives way to some more of that hot caramel, some hot piney hops, & warm whiskey. None of it well integrated. Really kind of bland, there just isn't much to get worked up about in any direction. Heavy. Too heavy. It feels like it might be a chore to get through half of this liver-wringer.

Was really looking forward to this & there's just not really much here. It's a fiery, alcohol laden canvas that hasn't had a bad modern painting splashed on it. Mediocre.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 03:58:12 | More by maximum12

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.03/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

750ml bottle $15. I was excited to get a bottle because I heard only 20 cases came to CO. I also remember liking this when I had a taste at GABF five or six years ago. Unfortunately this one was a real disappointment for me. Appearance was about identical to regular Bigfoot, ruby red but less head than the regular. The aroma was quite nice, good whiskey and barrel coming out of the bottle and my glass. The flavor was just a mess for me. Huge bitter hops conflicted with whiskey flavors and then heavy brown sugar, just messy. I think my real problem was that the beer just had too much bitterness that in my opinion does not work well with the whiskey barrels. I would not purchase this again but if barrel aged Narwhal comes out, whew!

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 16:25:20 | More by ArrogantB

JD4Cali

Rhode Island

3.3/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Maybe it's because I loved another barleywine that bf brought me this as a "hey it's Friday!" gift. I know that's SO sweet but, well, there's a bizzilian gifts that are a guaranteed "OMG" and maybe beer isn't one of them? OK, back story: I love bourbon and adore Manhattans. And recently I really liked a beer that was sweet and rich and layered with toffee character so it isn't really anyone's fault. It would seem natural to think "get the Bourbon loving gf a beer aged in whiskey barrels!"
The problem became that I just didn't like it so much.
Yes moments? It is beautiful and comes in a bottle like champagne (yum!) and looks stunning in a glass. It even smells like whiskey. What went wrong? All that sweetness and whiskeyness don't seem to really work together, like clashing plaids or wearing too many shades of green.
I can't give it a bad review (ugh should anyone's second review be bad??) but simply warn y'all that this isn't a nice, easy to love kind of beer. It has it's challenges.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 12:25:10 | More by JD4Cali

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.35/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

2007 Bourbon Bigfoot (draft) from the Toronado BWine Festival (A-)

A Poured a nice deep,deep amber as the bourbon pushed through this. You can tell the bourbon influence just by the look.

S: Medium smell of bourbon, not to overbearing and very subtle. It did not overpower the barleywine which was good. They were well balanced.

T: Taste is fully sweet, rounded malty goodness and that smooth bourbon flavor was there throughout.

M: No bite on this one.

O: Like liquid candy and one of my favorite barleywines to date.
///
2013 Bourbon Bigfoot (bottle)

A: Poured clear copper color with bubbles and a short-lived tannish colored cap which leaves behind some faint bubbles but no lacing

S: Pickle juice? Cheap bourbon, old wood, caramel and faded piney hops

T: Initial stinging booze with hop bitterness, pine needles, whiskey and old wood breakthrough as does some Earthiness. Mdway I get a bit of sticky sweetness with a light run at vanilla. The finish is looong with bittering hops a bit sticky at times

M: Medium to full body, a bit overcarbonated and thin,pickle juice comes to mind as a lingering flavor on the palate

O: Not so impressed by the bottle. A but thin, overcarbed, a light astringency and ultimate letdown compared to then draft version. It reminded me of BA Old Ruffian to a deree and thats not a positive.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2013 03:32:36 | More by barleywinefiend

MickeyD

Kansas

3.53/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I poured this from a 12oz bottle into a clean tulip glass.

Appearance: Nice dark golden reddish brown with a finger width high head and medium carbonation. Good lacing throughout the drink.

Smell: a slight roasted caramel is noted but mostly a piney aroma from the hops is coming through.

Taste: citrus and pine are strong with a bite of carbonation. The hops really come through and a taste of piney spice comes through but the malt is very subtle.

Mouth feel: The feel is a bit heavy but not too much. Carbonation was a bit heavy. Bit of a sweetness left on my lips.

Overall: This style is a good one especially for a hop lover, which I am not necessarily. I would definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 01:29:21 | More by MickeyD

smakawhat

Maryland

3.54/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a small snifter glass at Smoke & Barrel DC for the bottle share. From notes.

A real supper clear amber body, just looking crystal with a faint tan collar.

Nose has mild sweet malts, with a sense of toned down hop front. Not much sense of barrel aging bouquet coming off of this beer.

First sip on the palate is wondering how this is different from regular Bigfoot. The hop angle is larger on the nose which is unexpected, hitting at some pine. There's a little bit of toasty oak squeaking out of this with some filling character, maybe a little caramel, but it's really hard to tell. Palate is a bit wet for a barrel aged brew.

The ironic thing is this really doesn't taste much different than regular Bigfoot to me, with perhaps just a hint of slightly more caramel. Otherwise this isn't something that is doing much for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 21:22:10 | More by smakawhat

harrymel

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

Didn't think I'd get any of this - low and behold I scored seven bottles today.

Toasted hazelnut with a light etching of creamy foam. Smells are initially boozy and harsh, allow this one to open for a good 10 minutes. then you'll be rewarded with vanilla, nougat, whiskey barrel, caramel, hops are still in there, but profoundly subdued. Taste ranges from boozy, to sweet to bitter all in the same mouthful. I get lots of sharp alcohol early, then a deep malty character accented with syrup, spiced rum, bitterness, pine sap, toffee and some bits of plum. The body is thinner than I'd prefer, and the carb a little hi with a wet finish.

Make no mistake, the barrel added to the intensity of this beer. The barrel did not, however, tone down the beast, only changed the hairdoo. This beer is fucking hardcore. I am really surprised it was in the barrel for over a year, as the beer still seems a little rough around the edges (something I respect in a fresh Bigfoot) but with the added potential the whiskey barrel added to the overall depth.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 06:43:45 | More by harrymel

FunkyMacGroovin

California

3.64/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

750mL bottle, bottle states "Aged in oak whiskey casks for over a year." Dark amber in color, with a vigorous pour yielding a 1-finger head that dissipates quickly and leaves little lacing. Surprisingly muted aroma - light woody characteristics, and a hint of fusel alcohol. Flavor is overwhelmingly barrel and booze-dominated; tons of wood and alcoholic heat with sweet malt flavors only making a cursory appearance. No hop flavor to speak of. Mouthfeel is rich and creamy, though there is very little carbonation.

Bottom line: if you like booze-bombs, open one of these ASAP. Otherwise, I'd suggest sitting on this for a while before opening. Definitely has potential.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 23:45:08 | More by FunkyMacGroovin

n2185

North Carolina

3.71/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A: pours a clear dark copper with a finger of beige head that fades into a thin ring with a little lacing.

S: tons of oak with whiskey, vanilla, caramel, and citrus hops dominate the nose with a fair amount of booze.

T: similar to the aroma, tons of oak and woody tanin flavors with whiskey, caramel, and vanilla. There is also a moderate hoppy bitterness with a fair amount of booziness.

M: medium-thick body with medium carbonation, this beer avoids being sticky sweet by being boozy and hoppy.

O: a solid beer overall, but a bit overwhelmingly boozy. Maybe in a year or two it was more balanced.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 00:52:54 | More by n2185

ShareANevada

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Shocked to see 'Aged Bigfoot' on the tap list at the Beer Engine in cleveland. 5 bucks a snifter. A steal if you ask me.

Talking to the bartender, turns out this 2 year old is barrel aged.
Being a monstrous Bigfoot fan, and especially aged bigfoot, I
obviously could not resist. (Of all nights, I was wearing a bigfoot tee shirt, i was virtually obligated)

The barrel comes off very strong. The beer is incredibly smooth, which has been my experience with older vintage bigfoots. Especially for the alcohol, major smooth here.

The barrel seemed to overpower the beer a bit, to me, and obviously when you're talking barleywine, thats not a minor thing.

Overall the beer was very good, would definitely drink it again, it just was a hair off of what I would have really liked in this beer.

To me, and I love huge, huge flavorful beers, the barrel just needed to be turned down a notch so this exceptional brew gets to show itself off a bit more.

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2008 15:02:25 | More by ShareANevada

ThickNStout

Georgia

3.74/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

750mL bottle from Total Wine (Kennesaw, GA). 15.99. Bottled 01/13. Served in an Ommegang tulip.

Pours deep garnet with one and a half finger off white head. Plenty of patchy lacing.

Smells of piney hips, whiskey and toffee.

The hops and whiskey battle for dominance. Pine, whiskey, citrus rind, toffee, oak, burnt caramel and booze infused dark fruits.

Medium full, oily feel with a good bit of carbonation. Long bitter, boozey aftertaste.

A nice new take on Bigfoot. The whiskey compliments as supposed to competes. It's definately worth a try if you can land a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 01:52:17 | More by ThickNStout

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.76/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I have had a few of these now, but wanted to give a bottle a proper review.

Pours with a short lasting khaki head... and only has spotty lacing... the brew is polished deep amber.

Christ it is amazing how hoppy this is... thick resinous pine combines with caramel, lite vanilla and dry toast... pretty damn boozy, not from the barrels but from the 12%.. with warmth, I get something that I associate with coconut.

More barrel presence on the palate helps balance out the hoppiness... again, thicker caramel and vanilla.. hints of dried cherry.. as it warms up, the oak gets a bit drying, almost like a tannic quality... long bitter bite on the finish clashes too much with the barrel presence and the hefty

A lighter than expected carbonation accentuates an already pretty thick brew.

Honestly, a bit of a mess right now, but the bones of a great BA BW are there.. but it is going to take a long sleep in the cellar to round out the flavors/aromas. The hops and the barrel qualities fight each other too much right now.

4/3.75/3.75/3.75/3.75

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 03:54:23 | More by JohnGalt1

tectactoe

Michigan

3.81/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Jeff for cracking this one open and sharing, saved me from having to search the city for it. Pours a murky, deep-amber color, nearly copper and almost on the verge of being called raw sienna. The light-tan head settles rather quickly and leaves very spotting lacing on the edges of my glass. Light whiskey and bourbon on the nose - more standout-ish on its own, rather than integrated into the rest of the aromas. Slight wood and oak with some sweet plums, crispy burnt vanilla, and brown sugar. It's hard to remember how similar this is to the regular Bigfoot, but I believe this one packs a more powerful punch. Of course, that's to be expected, given the whiskey barrel aging and all.

The taste is full of brown sugar and an underlying bourbon heat that starts off on the smaller side, but crescendos throughout the sip and actually becomes quite hot. Sweet figs and dates which tasted like they were soaked in a bourbon bath for years. The malt provides a huge caramel and molasses backbone which becomes washed out a bit by the booze and fruits. This one is also quite hoppy, and if I recall correctly, the original Bigfoot had a nice hop profile to it as well. They seem even a bit stronger, here. Ashy and leafy, providing a small amount of bitterness to the aftertaste, which is largely dominated by boozy dark fruits and wet wood. Thick body all around with a slick and sticky mouth feel, medium carbonation.

I would probably choose this over the regular Bigfoot, given the nice whiskey and oak additions, but there are still better BBA barleywines out there. Hopefully this one will become more readily available, being a Sierra Nevada brew and all, but I guess you never know. Thanks again to Jeff for this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 23:52:31 | More by tectactoe

rlee1390

Indiana

3.91/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

A-Clear ruby, not much carbonation, one finger off white head.

S-Burnt coconut, oak and not much whiskey.

T-Some spiciness, the burnt coconut is a tad too dominate, some bitterness and some molasses.

M-Medium bodied and nicely carbonated.

O-The coconut was too much for me. Wanted more bourbon/oak and caramel. Maybe age will do this some good.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 21:24:46 | More by rlee1390

Callenak

California

3.95/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled at the 10th Annual Pizza Port Strong Ale Fest. More than shocked to see this, never knew SN did barrel aging but boy was I happy to see it. Bigfoot is one of my favorite barleywines, and to have it barrel aged….man I love this place. Is the strong ale fest what dreams are made out of?

Pours a deep amber with a slight head that dissipates quickly. Color, of course, resembles regular Bigfoot.

Smell is all Barleywine. Rich caramel with a hint of roast malts. Hops are a little toned down compared to a newly released Bigfoot, but still present. The three C's (cascade, columbus, centennial) are still in full effect though. A mellow citrus zest associated with such. A solid oak presence but don't pick up to much of the whiskey. Was only my 3rd sample at the fest so my palate and nose was still pretty fresh.

It was served a little on the cold side but the warm SoCal day warmed it up quickly for me to get the full effect. Taste was warm and soothing. The normal Bigfoot properties, hoppiness, toasted malt, caramel. The alcohol is more apparent than the regular BW. It was labeled at 12.3%, which is considerably higher than the standards Bigfoot at 9.6%. I know a slight ABV budge can come the barrel, but not that much. I imagine SN brewed a stronger version of Bigfoot for this, maybe to take the test of time better. 9.6% seems like plenty for that though. It had a strong oak taste but not much of the whiskey. I think the high ABV and full flavor of Bigfoot might have drowned it out a bit. It didn't seem to have been aged for that long though. Maybe a year tops, but who knows.

I was very excited to try this so maybe my expectations were a little high and I'm a little over critical. I always dreamt of what Bigfoot would taste like barrel aged, probably more so than any other beer. I think if it would have stayed closer to the original ABV and maybe a little longer in the barrel it would have reached perfection. As it was though, it was an amazing beer that I was more than glad to have consumed. I hope I get a second chance with this one some day.

Serving type: on-tap

12-05-2006 17:59:22 | More by Callenak

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottle to CBS snifter. Thanks to Adam for this one!

A - Murky dark amber/brown colour with a dark ruby glow along the bottom. A thin layer of dirty white head formed on the pour.

S - Sweet whiskey and vanilla dominate the nose with caramel, toffee, maple syrup and lighter oak notes also present.

T - A huge alcohol presence is noticeable at first but then settles down, while remaining warming throughout. Whiskey, oak and vanilla come through from the barrel and are met with dark caramel, toffee, raisin and maple flavours. Good integration of barrel and base beer.

M - Medium to full body. Creamy. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 18:12:22 | More by TheSevenDuffs

stoutman

Michigan

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Outstanding for the style. Pours a slightly cloudy brownish-red with a small layer of foam with a complex malty aroma with hints of hops as well. Tastes rather astringent with lots of fresh hops and a nice bitter finish. Strong with good carbonation, great body. Hearty and drinkable, great for sippin.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2008 01:08:46 | More by stoutman

ms11781

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

2013 Expedition marked on bottle. 750ml bottle poured into a snifter.

Pours a deep, murky ruby red color, close to brown but not quite. A decent off white head develops, maybe a half a finger, and settles in as spotty foam cap. There is some wispy lacing left on the glass and there is less of it as the beer disappears.

The appearance might be the Bigfoot we all know but the nose sure isn't. Whiskey and oak dominate the nose. Neither is overpowering but they stand out above all else. To a lesser extent there is some vanilla and a caramel/toffee sweetness. The barrel notes really come through here and make this a completely different beer than it was.

The taste still has a lot of barrel character to it but the hops that pack a punch in fresh Bigfoot are here as well. Caramel, toffee, vanilla, oak, whiskey, some dark fruit and piney hops are all here and mix so well that it's tough to discern where one ends and the other begins. Aside from the unmistakable resiny bitterness from the hop finish each characteristics seem to be present all the way through each sip.

The mouthfeel is big and sticky with a decent but not unwelcome alcohol kick. The carbonation is relatively high for the style, especially a BA version. Lower carbonation would perhaps make the beer a bit smoother and less rough around the edges. Time could work that out as well.

This is definitely a really good beer. The barrel notes already seem to be well integrated already and it compliments the already great base beer nicely. As mentioned, the carbonation is high for the style and it sort of throws the mouthfeel off a bit for me. I'd like to see this beer down the road to see what comes of it.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 02:55:10 | More by ms11781

mdfb79

New York

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From NOTB notes last month.

a - Pours a murky, mahogany brown color with an inch of off white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of whiskey, caramel malts, a bit musty, toffee, bready malts, toasted malts, and some herbal notes.

t - Tastes of whiskey, tea, herbal notes, floral notes, caramel malts, toasted malts, toffee, roasted malts, earthy notes, mustiness. A bit hot but I like it.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Some light alcohol heat.

o - Overall a nice beer, though I didn't think it was a big improvment on the base beer. Lots of whiskey and caramel, if you're one of those people who love the normal Bigfoot you'll probably love this one. I've always thought Bigfoot was very good, but not great, and would say the same with this. Have a bottle of this and plan on sitting on it for a while.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 15:56:14 | More by mdfb79

UCLABrewN84

California

4.01/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to AndresR for sharing this one at jmgrub's tasting.

Pours a clear dark orange with a foamy beige head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, brown sugar, toffee, whiskey, and wood. Taste is much the same with a hoppy finish and an alcohol kick. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with a great smell and a hoppy flavor I wasn't quite expecting from a barrel aged beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 03:15:42 | More by UCLABrewN84

portia99

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

750ml corked and caged bottle poured into a CBS snifter.

A - Bottle opens with a healthy pop and pours a slightly dirty/muddy medium dark amber color. A short head of loose bubbles forms briefly and leaves behind an uneven ring of off-white bubbles for a collar.

S - Sweet toffee aroma upfront, backed with some assertive vanilla, lightly buttery, sweet and boozy whiskey.

T - Whiskey is up front here for sure and takes the lead with a boozy, alcohol fronted flavor. The Bigfoot base comes thru tho behind it...big hop bitterness comes on behind the booze with some citrusy aspects as well. Oak, vanilla, butter, toffee, bit of brown sugar. A bit unbalanced to me - whiskey and hop bitterness dominate and overpower the rest instead of complementing.

M - Big and boozy - quite noticeable alcohol...a bit rough around the edges and somewhat hot. Noticeable alcohol burn that lingers long past the swallow. Medium body with a lighter mid-level carbonation.

O - Wanted to try a bottle of this fresh, as I love fresh Bigfoot in its standard incarnation (although being aged in a barrel for an extended time probably doesn't qualify this as truly fresh) and its big hop profile that dies over time. Despite these feelings, before drinking this I was figuring that this version would probably go against this and be better with some age. After drinking this bottle, I think that is probably correct. Not bad now, but a bit disjointed and unbalanced. I think as this ages, the whiskey will smooth out and the hops will fade more and this should transform into a much more balanced and better beer. As suspected, my other bottle will be sitting in the cellar for a while to see what happens with this over time.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 00:32:42 | More by portia99

barczar

Kentucky

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

No head, and a tad clothier cloudier than the original.

Aroma is more caramel, vanilla than the regular, with a dominant whiskey kick. Slightly smoky, lots of oak character.

Hops, citrusy and resiny, still shine through the whiskey character, but the bitterness is accented nicely by oak. Slightly sweeter backbone, with caramel pitted well against citrus. Sweetness counters the overwhelming bitterness that detracted from my enjoyment of the original.

Lacking in carbonation, fairly still, and seems a bit smoother. Noticeably higher alcohol warmth.

The barrel aging adds more complexity, and I definitely enjoy the aroma more. If you're into barrel aging like I am, think you'll enjoy the added complexity.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 21:17:34 | More by barczar

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

4.04/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared thanks to Jason, thanks man.

The beer pours a nice brown and red mixed color with some nice shine, it has a *tiny* head with a fresh pour but it dies down to a still spirit look very quickly.

The smell is absolutely dominated by the whiskey, really the only reason it's not all whiskey is that th malt balances the heat down on the barrel completely so it's nice and fluffy... good, but one dimensional.

The taste has a nice marshmallow pillowy sweetness with some nice warm pie spice notes and even a hint of slight acidity. Good barrel notes, some slight hoppy and raisin notes from the base.

Feel is good, beer good overall.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 07:36:43 | More by Dreadnaught33