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

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BA SCORE
100
world-class
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852 Ratings

THE BROS
97
world-class
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rAvg: 4.59
pDev: 7.84%
Reviews: 225
Hads: 627

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Brewed by:
Dark Horse Brewing Company

Michigan, United States

Style | ABV
Russian Imperial Stout | 14.00% ABV

Availability: Fall. bottle (163), on-tap (56), growler (6).

Notes:
No notes at this time.

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Reviews

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Reviews by tectactoe:

tectactoe

Michigan

4.8/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Thanks to Jeff for cracking open one of the last of his stash. BBPt5 pours out even darker than the regular version (which was already darker than a black hole), although it doesn't seem to be quite as syrupy and thick, as this one actually creates some noise and light turbulence as it hits the glass. A dark-ish tan head slowly bubbles up into a thin foam and perches still on top of this black abyss of a beer.

Bringing this one to my nose and taking a big whiff reveals its huge bourbon barrel characteristics - there's no denying that this bad boy spent some considerable time encased in boozy wood. The bourbon in the aroma is very smooth, however, not harsh, pungent, or stinging like many of these BBA beers can tend to be. Other notable aromas include vanilla, light coconut, mild wood, roasted malts. There's also some sweet brown sugar and a huge, creamy coffee undertone that can be found on the back end. This is really a complex beer, just from the aroma alone. Sometimes BBA beers can kind of blend together and get repetitive, but this one smells wonderful and distinct.

BBPt5 slides across my palate as I take the first sip - it's super creamy and smooth, maybe even more so than the original (not surprisingly so). The first tastes to emerge are light syrup and sweet molasses. Before long, the bourbon inches its way into the flavor profile, but just like the aroma, it remains very smooth and easy to handle. Warming, but not "hot", and it's wonderful. Some heavy oak and vanilla tones charge in about halfway through.

As it warms up, I pick up more generous notes of dark, thick fudge and even some lightly sweet, dark fruits. Roasted coffee bounces in and out for pretty much the entire duration - a big component in the base beer that certainly isn't lost through the barrel. Overall, a seriously well developed and complex beer. Even in the finish, there are still a ton of things going on; mostly dark fudge, roasted coffee beans, sweet and warming bourbon, and heavy oak. The body stays creamy throughout - heavy and lightly chewy, low-medium carbonation - more carbonated than the base beer, which as surprising.

Considering the high 14% ABV tag, this beer was insanely drinkable. I've never seen bourbon show up so heavily while remaining so smooth and tame at the same time. This is a barrel-aged beer done correctly - the flavors meld together extremely well. One of the best bourbon barrel beers I've had.

EDIT: 4/29/2013

After having this back-to-back(-to-back?) with KBS, Black Note, and BCBS, I think I can finally and honestly say that this is my favorite of the bunch. They are all extraordinary brews, but the thing that really sets BB Plead the Fifth apart is the incredible smoothness of the bourbon. Not ONCE, not even after warming up for nearly an hour, does the bourbon ever seem any bit stronger than "warm". So incredibly smooth and complex. Fantastic integration of the barrel flavors with the base beer as to not mask or hide any of the substantial flavors, either. Probably my favorite Bourbon Barrel beer. I love this stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 12:52:33 | More by tectactoe

More User Reviews:

Morey

Pennsylvania

4.5/5 rDev -2%

05-25-2013 14:05:15 | More by Morey

RayUF07

Florida

4.75/5 rDev +3.5%

05-25-2013 05:49:37 | More by RayUF07

coffygrinder

Illinois

4.75/5 rDev +3.5%

05-25-2013 05:03:22 | More by coffygrinder

s_currie

Michigan

5/5 rDev +8.9%

05-24-2013 18:58:26 | More by s_currie

kspongeworthy

Texas

4.75/5 rDev +3.5%

05-24-2013 14:35:04 | More by kspongeworthy

1424IpA

California

4.25/5 rDev -7.4%

05-24-2013 03:02:26 | More by 1424IpA

AaronBricking

Kentucky

3.5/5 rDev -23.7%

05-23-2013 05:00:50 | More by AaronBricking

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4.25/5 rDev -7.4%

05-23-2013 01:39:47 | More by mikeincharleston

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