Dark Horse Bourbon Barrel Aged Plead The 5th - Dark Horse Brewing Company

Pete27lax

New York

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

2012 Vintage, big thanks to Cosmicevan for gifting this bottle to me at a tasting!

Pours a straight black with minimal head. The small head that does form is a perfect deep brown, really awesome appearance. Spots of lacing around the glass.

Smell is sweet chocolate! Like you're smelling melted chocolate, really enjoyable. Dark and milk chocolate with bourbon bringing it together perfectly.

Taste is PHENOMENAL , all the characteristics to look for in a stout. Mainly taken over by sweet chocolate, slight roasted notes toward the tail end and the bourbon hitting the palate perfectly. The balance here is really remarkable, the way the traditional stout flavors tie together so well with the barrel aging. Can't say enough about how enjoyable this is.

Mouthfeel is just what I look for in a stout. Just the right amount of viscosity and stickiness. coating the palate and so smooth for a barrel aged beer. I love barrel aged beers but I have never had one that is this easy and smooth to sip on. The fact that this beer is 14% abv is just unbelievable, not a trace of alcohol heat.

So I think I've found my benchmark for barrel aged stouts. Just can't find a flaw in this beer. Such a fantastic balance and everything else is just outstanding. Best stout by a mile and my second perfect 5.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 06:48:47 | More by Pete27lax

dcloeren

Texas

5/5  rDev +8.9%

05-21-2013 20:47:14 | More by dcloeren

CosmoHopHead

Kansas

4.5/5  rDev -2%

05-21-2013 04:07:31 | More by CosmoHopHead

powz87

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -2%

05-20-2013 17:18:17 | More by powz87

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev -2%

05-19-2013 15:02:17 | More by ShawnMH

kustard

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%

05-18-2013 21:12:51 | More by kustard

writerLJBerg

Oregon

4.26/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2012 bottle from Jim M. Thanks! Poured into my LA Teku.

A: Pours in an inky, almost treacly manner to the glass. Fills up with a solid dark mocha head which fades quickly. Some carbonation bubbles are disturbing the surface of this black puddle. Legs are thick, thick, thick.

N: Hearty bourbon with a big chocolate and espresso background. Vanilla and caramel and oak. Coconut and more fudge. Brown sugar and some molasses. Big sweet sugars here. Some rye and oatmeal.

T: Very, very sweet. Bourbon appropriates the top level here and adds a sweet sting on top of a very pronounced sweet malt body. There’s a little bit of earth, pine and spice from what I assume are the hops and there’s some additional roast. This has some surprising balance, though it’s still a heavy confection. Does have a salty soy sauce aspect.

M: Super boozy, but it’s got a wonderfully filling mouthfeel. Other RIS’s should pay attention to this aspect, it’s the best I’ve had outside Apple Brandy Hunahpu’s.

O: I wish I had split this bottle because it’s absolutely going to sit in my stomach, but at the same time, I don’t think I’m going to get sick of it. This might get a few more points if it turned down the bourbon heat, but at the same time, it’s done an excellent job of making both the bourbon and the stout distinct, so what else can you want?

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 03:46:30 | More by writerLJBerg

Pelican5

California

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%

05-16-2013 07:19:02 | More by Pelican5

deekyn

California

3.75/5  rDev -18.3%

05-16-2013 03:58:18 | More by deekyn

chrisp450

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%

05-16-2013 01:58:09 | More by chrisp450

GBallHead

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%

05-14-2013 19:46:46 | More by GBallHead

Gunson

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%

05-14-2013 19:02:40 | More by Gunson

thedarkestlord

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%

05-14-2013 18:08:47 | More by thedarkestlord

GimmeGumballHead

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -2%

05-14-2013 16:09:28 | More by GimmeGumballHead

ajzy

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +8.9%

05-14-2013 15:58:29 | More by ajzy

davesway10

Iowa

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%

05-14-2013 15:57:14 | More by davesway10

Grfilwett

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -2%

05-14-2013 03:12:56 | More by Grfilwett

Ahappyhiker2

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

2011 vintage.

A- Poured dark and thick, black in color. Barely any head or noticeable carbonation. Dark brown lacing.

S- Bourbon, vanilla, coconut, some booze on the nose as well. The smell is sweet, I don't get as much chocolate or bitterness that I got when I had this fresh. The aroma is mostly bourbon and vanilla.

T- Bitter on the tongue as it goes down, and has a dominant coffee flavor. It's so much different from when I had it fresh. I remember tons of bourbon in the taste, and I'm honestly barely getting any. There is some vanilla in the aftertaste, but it's predominantly coffee and a bitter dark chocolate flavor throughout. Reminds me of KBS.

M- Could use a little more carbonation, but it's nice and thick.

O- More than I could say I'm disappointed, I'm just so surprised. This is the same exact beer I had fresh 2 years ago, and it's completely different. It's a little sweeter which I expected, but it has so much more coffee presence and so much less bourbon. It really reminds me of KBS, which is not a bad thing at all but the first time I had it it reminded me of Parabola. I'm putting this one down as a beer not worth aging. It's delicious in its own right still, but I enjoyed it so much more fresh. Still a solid barrel-aged offering from Dark Horse, and one of the better barrel-aged stouts floating around in my opinion. For those of you that are aging a few: drink them.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 02:11:53 | More by Ahappyhiker2

Dirtinabottle

New York

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%

05-14-2013 01:30:27 | More by Dirtinabottle

GameOfThrones

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%

05-13-2013 03:23:23 | More by GameOfThrones

everettsbeerguy

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -2%

05-12-2013 20:07:51 | More by everettsbeerguy

lpayette

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev -2%

05-12-2013 19:49:34 | More by lpayette

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +8.9%

05-12-2013 18:19:05 | More by Bonko_the_sane

coldmeat23

Oklahoma

4.5/5  rDev -2%

05-12-2013 15:12:59 | More by coldmeat23

zestar

California

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%

05-12-2013 07:34:40 | More by zestar