Bourbon Barrel 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout - Stone Brewing Co.

trancesk8er

California

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%

06-09-2012 04:30:51 | More by trancesk8er

nataku00

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-18-2013 17:04:59 | More by nataku00

cadaugherty

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.2%

05-07-2013 23:10:36 | More by cadaugherty

Kelp

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

04-27-2013 09:15:55 | More by Kelp

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev -7.2%

02-25-2013 03:24:20 | More by t0rin0

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On tap at Congregation Ale House in Pasadena, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Thin rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, vanilla, wood, and bourbon. Taste is much the same an alcohol kick and woody finish. There is a mild roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a low level of carbonation with an almost flat mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty but has a better smell in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2012 01:25:02 | More by UCLABrewN84

ArchitectBrewCo

California

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%

06-05-2012 06:39:40 | More by ArchitectBrewCo

FosterJM

California

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

1092nd Review on BA
Draft to 4oz taster

WinterStorm 2012

App- Very much a black pour. Had a super creamy pour with only about 1/16th-1/8th of bubbles in a dark brown color. Zero cling or lace.

Smell- Big notes of oats, bourbon, bits of chocolate chunks and a bit malty. Very smooth and very creamy on the nose.

Taste- Very smooth. Much more smooth than the 2008. Expected because of the ingredient profiles. The oats come in 1st again with more of the smoother bourbon (still prickly). I like the tempered chocolate and bourbon.

Mouth- A medium to low body on this one with a medium prickly carbonation. Residual booze and a bit of creamy chocolate.

Drink- I liked this one better than the 2008 but not by much. A bit creamier and a bit more smooth. I like this beer a lot.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2012 20:23:38 | More by FosterJM

PhineasGage

Iowa

3.5/5  rDev -18.8%

01-27-2012 18:54:05 | More by PhineasGage

djaeon

California

5/5  rDev +16%

01-22-2012 23:36:25 | More by djaeon

AgentZero

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

01-21-2012 04:03:59 | More by AgentZero

ChrisPro

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.2%

01-03-2012 01:55:12 | More by ChrisPro

HopHead84

California

4.47/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12/31/2011

On tap at Stone's New Year's Eve party.

A: Black motor oil with a small light brown head.

S: Bourbonic dark chocolate cake with caramel drizzle and light vanilla notes. Roasted grains are pronounced and pervasive. Smells great.

T: Cocoa and bittersweet dark chocolate with an evenhanded bourbon presence and light vanilla notes. Lower moderate bitterness with earth and a little licorice. This is very sweet.

M: Full in body with upper low carbonation.

Overall: Not as good as the 2008 Bourbon Barrel IRS which was also on tap, but still enjoyable enough that I had 20 ounces or so. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2012 23:16:42 | More by HopHead84

hawkmage

California

4/5  rDev -7.2%

12-31-2011 17:29:00 | More by hawkmage

photomike

California

4/5  rDev -7.2%

12-14-2011 19:09:42 | More by photomike

doof116

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +16%

12-11-2011 03:09:25 | More by doof116

jerz

California

5/5  rDev +16%

11-18-2011 05:16:05 | More by jerz

sbricker

Illinois

5/5  rDev +16%

11-14-2011 17:19:28 | More by sbricker

ehammond1

California

4.13/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On Tap

Stone 15th Anniversary Celebration
CSU, San Marcos
San Marcos, CA

(Aged 3 years at the brewery)

A menacingly thick and black pour with a thin brown, persistent head. Thick and oily in the glass and leaves plenty of lacing. Looks mean and menacing but beautiful.

Roasted malts, caramel malts, and plenty of dark chocolate in the nose. The bourbon is very faint but is present. It adds a nice, earthy warmth, without being at all overpowering. The burnt chocolate and char aromas I experienced in the non-barrel aged version are gone now, fortunately.

Rich chocolate, creamy oatmeal, lots of roasted malts, and just a hint of bourbon. I'm actually pleasantly surprised at how faint the bourbon is on this one--it doesn't cover up anything, only accentuates.

Creamy, thick, chewy in the mouth, which is appropriate and expected for this style, but not quite as velvety and full as the standard Stone RIS.

A delicious and subtle bourbon barrel aging of a delicious chocolate oatmeal stout.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2011 19:40:48 | More by ehammond1

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.55/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Served up a raven black body under a thin sheet of light tan-colored suds.

Smell: Soothing aroma smelling of creamy bittersweet chocolate fudge, chilled coffee, vanilla, coconut cream, and zesty wood. It's just a joy to cram up against one's nose and give it a whiff.

Taste: Deep, dark maltiness tasting of bittersweet chocolate fused with a small shot of espresso and a little helping of vanilla bean. The vanilla flavor moves to the front, joining with toasted oak and dark brown sugar. Hint of dark fruitiness and coconut shavings. Lightly earthy, roasty bitterness which ramps up on the back half, though the chocolate and bourbon hold on strong until the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-light carbonation. Smooth, creamy mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Quite nice! The bourbon barrel aging here made, for me, a marked improvement over the original beer, smoothing out its coarser elements and adding a new level of deliciousness.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2011 15:27:11 | More by ChainGangGuy

Bung

North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Takeover at Duckworths. From notes.
Near black pour, dark tan head. So far so good.

Roasty malt and vanilla with some oaky woodiness.

Taste is a very nice blend of roast malt, dark chocolate, vanilla and oak. Oaky tannic barrel lingers forever. Finishes a little more caramelly and dry.

Near full bodied, creamy mouthfeel. Exceedingly smooth. An excellent version of the 12th which I already greatly enjoyed.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2010 00:45:27 | More by Bung

stakem

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Habmike for the chance to try this brew.

From a 16oz growler into a snifter, this brew appears black in color with some lighter brown showing around the edges. The head is darkly tanned which rapidly fades to a thin layering around the top of the brew.

The aroma includes some mellow vanilla and a lightly oxidized touch. A bit of an indication of grain like caramel and chocolate with some citrus hops and a layer of cocoa.

The taste of this brew is dark bitter chocolate that has a touch of citrus and herbal hops. It is lightly oxidizes which adds an interesting complexity to this brew. The alcohol becomes increasingly evident as the brew warms. It is reinforced with some faint bourbon notes.

This is medium bodied with a smooth, light level of carbonation. It has a longer lingering aftertaste of bitter chocolate and herbal hops. The bourbon is evident in trace amounts. I think this brew is too similar to the non-barreled version. I would have liked to see more a barrel presence in this beer instead of just a mellow smoothness that is readily notceable when compared to the normal version.

Serving type: growler

11-22-2010 20:07:36 | More by stakem

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at RnH during Total Takeover event. review from notes.

Pours a complete midnight black with a toffee brown head which dissolves into some nice lacing and film.

Coffee, chocolate, oak, vanilla, and bourbon boozyness in the nose.

Plenty of oats and dark roasted malt in the beginning. Continues into more complex bourbon and wood flavors with sweet tones and bitterness. Finished dry and oaky with alcohol warmth.

The feel was slightly different bc of the oatmeal but heavier drinking due to the boozy warmth.

This was one of my favorites at the event, yet another great vintage from Stone.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2010 00:10:27 | More by xnicknj

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served from tap into a sampler shaker. Poured pitch black with a minimal dark tan head. There was no lacing evident throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of only roasted malt and bourbon. The flavor was of roasted malt, bourbon, and slight chocolate. It had a heavy feel on the palate with low carbonation. Overall it had quite an excellent bourbon flavored followthrough. Even though it was a little boozy it was still nicely balanced and went down easily. This one is definitely worth trying IF you can find it that is...

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2010 20:55:29 | More by thagr81us

chaz410

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Got this beer at Charlotte's, that's right Charlotte's, Total Tower Takeover event at Duckworths.
Pours a deep dark black body with a thin mocha colored head.
Smells intesley of bourbon and tons of oak notes. Vanilla covers over some hints of roasted barley and bitter chocolates.
Taste of a beautiful battle between intense bitter stout and straight ass bourbon. It's intensely vanilla and oak as well as bitter roasted barley and bitter cocoa. There's some complex chocolate and caramel undertones that smoothes out with the oak wood. Finishes very dry and pretty harsh with the combination of boozy fussle alcohol and bitter chocolates.
Mouthfeel is thinner than expected but still very nice and sweet.
Not an easy to drink beer but if you want a perfect example of what a specialty stout should taste like... this is it!

Serving type: on-tap

10-13-2010 03:08:44 | More by chaz410