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

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into snifter - thanks to erikkoppin

Pours a midnight black color with barely any head. Wisps of retention slink across the top, with a few spots of lacing on the glass.

A rich mix of vanilla and chocolate soaked in bourbon in the nose. A bit sweet with roasted dark malts and some softer tones of dark fruits. Softly charred oak, booze and really faint smoke.

Boozy vanilla bean up front with plenty of syrupy bourbon and softly charred oak. Dark chocolate, nuttiness and layers of roasted dark malts. Syrupy with a prolonging boozy warmth, followed by a light undertone of leather and very subtle smoke. Finishes sweet and boozy with vanilla.

Fuller medium body, milder carbonation, sticky and creamy on the tongue. I've had this one tap before and it was one of my favorite BA stouts ever, although the bottle doesn't quite recapture that moment for me. Definitely still a top notch offering, but the appearance and feel were slightly lacking.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 03:41:40 | More by xnicknj

TheGoof

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%

06-18-2013 19:27:14 | More by TheGoof

bird22

California

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%

06-17-2013 04:18:14 | More by bird22

DanGeo

Michigan

5/5  rDev +8.9%

06-17-2013 02:02:36 | More by DanGeo

jsurfs82

Ohio

5/5  rDev +8.9%

06-16-2013 20:17:27 | More by jsurfs82

BobZ

Massachusetts

4.69/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Thanks to bstyle & benjaminahudson for the fact that I have (or had) two of these.

12oz. Bottle poured into a Huna snifter, 2012 vintage. Poured along-side a 2013 Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout and a 2013 KBS as part of a side-by-side tasting.

Appearance: Dark brown almost black with very little head that quickly dissipates to a small ring.

Smell: Roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, bourbon, and a sweetness that is like black licorice. Very nice and complex mixture of aromas.

Taste: This is one complex beer, the black licorice and molasses flavors meld very well with the mocha flavors from the malt. Next, you can taste the vanilla and the bourbon, just and incredible diversity of flavor very rich and very, very, delicious. The alcohol is completely masked.

Mouthfeel: Very creamy and smooth yet clean on the palate.

Overall: An exceptional BA stout in every way, very happy I had the chance to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 15:38:36 | More by BobZ

ucsbmullet

Colorado

5/5  rDev +8.9%

06-16-2013 04:34:13 | More by ucsbmullet

EricLarcom

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%

06-16-2013 02:07:21 | More by EricLarcom

adamdarcy

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%

06-15-2013 07:10:34 | More by adamdarcy

JoninVT

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev -2%

06-15-2013 00:08:09 | More by JoninVT

VictorWisc

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +8.9%

06-14-2013 22:46:09 | More by VictorWisc

SSchus87

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev -2%

06-14-2013 02:48:08 | More by SSchus87

csustar001

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%

06-12-2013 19:17:35 | More by csustar001

twenty5

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev -2%

06-12-2013 12:04:49 | More by twenty5

PerHops

California

3.69/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

2012 Bottle into Snifter.

A- Jet black with a little bit of carbonation at the end of pour. The head is thin and tan but the retention is beautiful. This is a 100 percent perfect looking bb stout.

S- There is bourbon, roasty notes, oak and a slight damp funk at the end. Not quite what I was hoping for and not what I remember.

T- I dont pick up any funk like I did on the nose, but again slightly dissappointing. I get dark fruits, a little bitter chocolate, a little bourbon, but it has a light finish with red wine characters. A little astringent.

M- Starts off slightly syrupy but finishes pretty light and moderate carbonation.

O- To be honest this beer isn't quite what I remember it being. I am going to sit on my other too and hope they mellow out and evolve a little bit.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 00:40:41 | More by PerHops

sarge27

California

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%

06-11-2013 04:51:07 | More by sarge27

browniewithnuts

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%

06-10-2013 23:26:07 | More by browniewithnuts

tinypyramids

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%

06-10-2013 02:26:30 | More by tinypyramids

JohnnieNepal

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev -2%

06-10-2013 02:08:11 | More by JohnnieNepal

bcrossan

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +8.9%

06-09-2013 21:44:13 | More by bcrossan

MarshallBirdhouse

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%

06-09-2013 00:22:54 | More by MarshallBirdhouse

riemster

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%

06-08-2013 01:54:47 | More by riemster

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

4.04/5  rDev -12%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

I have been waiting a while to try this one, but I was finally able to acquire it in a trade. Needless to say, I was excited to try it but found myself experiencing a mild letdown.

The stout had a mild bourbon aroma with malts lingering in the background. For a 14%ABV, I was anticipating a stronger bourbon aroma. In the initial taste, I detected vanilla, malt, bitter dark chocolate, burnt malts, and perhaps dark fruits. However, the taste just seems to end there with malts. There is a warming nature to the aftertaste, which one might find quite pleasant. In terms of taste, I just do not think this beer finished well. The thickness of the mouthfeel allow a sort of vacuum of malt which led to nothing more. For such a bold style, I expected more taste, and it just was not there.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 23:47:57 | More by JohnnyHopps

tbdkev

Indiana

4.13/5  rDev -10%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown, motor oil color with some tan lacing. The aroma leaves something to be desired. Although the normal constituents of bourbon are present on the nose (i.e. vanilla, oak, etc.). There's a faint "saltwater" aroma as well, which is a little disconcerting. The taste follows the standard bourbon profile, with big burned elements and a heavy alcohol warmth throughout. The mouthfeel is pleasant, although I wish it was slightly thicker. The finish leaves something to be desired, as the big flavors from the initial taste disappear rather quickly, leaving only the burn. A solid brew from Dark Horse, but I'm a little let down.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 20:57:16 | More by tbdkev

mportnoy

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +8.9%

06-07-2013 04:40:41 | More by mportnoy