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

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.58/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at the Dark Horse 4elf party. Glad it was on tap as there were very few (VERY few) bottles for sale.

It was served in a plastic cup (boo...), a 10oz pour (sort of boo...), but was delicious (hooray). This was dark, black dark, very opaque with a thin but still existent ring of foam.

It smells like a big beer, which of course it is, without smelling like alcohol. Strong malty aromas, sweet and roasty, with some dark fruits and a well integrated bourbon. Since having this glass I've had many bourbon aged stouts over the holidays, and I can say that the nose on this one is right up there.

Very very tasty, the bourbon is not overbearing, it really complements instead of contrasting the roasty stout base. Cocoa, raisins, vanilla, bourbon, this is just excellent. No burn in the aftertaste, just lingering sweet bourbon flavors. It feels big and heavy, everything about it says this is a major beer, and you have to be careful or you're gonna get buzzed.

This is especially good considering that you can't taste the alcohol in such a strong beer, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Serving type: on-tap

01-02-2011 16:56:11 | More by TurdFurgison

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.47/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap, the 2009 vintage, 12ish%

Black with a dark brown head that has surprisingly poor retention or lacing, given the base beer. Still, this does look great, and has nice legs. The nose reminds me of dark lord. Big licorice and molasses mildly soy like even, with a big barrel character. Beautiful vanilla and oak with some tannins. Plenty of dark chocolate and dark caramel. Great nose, I almost want to give it a 5

The palate opens with a big boozy heat and plenty of bourbon working well with the chocolate and licorice. Plenty of malt and licorice bitterness as well. Thick chewy and boozy, this beer is sweet and hot on the finish with nice chocolate and vanilla. This is one of those few beers where the heat is well-incorporated in the flavor profile, mostly thanks to the huge body .Not as much soy on the palate, as the nose might suggest. A little overcarbonated, though, but that's personal preference. Letting it warm up and flatten out reveals how awesome this beer is.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2011 13:03:14 | More by DefenCorps

FosterJM

California

4.43/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

1000th Review on BA
Bottle to Snifter
12 oz

2011
Thanks to the man himself MrHirschybar for sharing one with me at the end of the night.

App- A good bit of a dark coffee pour into my woodshop snifter. A liquid of molten chocolate brown with some dark brown/amber edges. A small 1/2”-1” head forms a bit of dark brown color and falls very quickly to a nice small ring of bubbles. .

Smell- I opened the base version about a month ago and that thing was Hot. This was more mellow with more of the bourbon coming out and layering it all together. A little let vanilla than on the base version and less granular but that was to be expected.

Taste- When I first took a sip of this it was more like a candy bar than most stouts I would have guessed it would be. This had a good caramel sweetness with some fresh poured bourbon. On a second sip, smooth chocolatey goodness comes in waves. On the final sips and it's warmed in my hands a little bit the roast flavors come out. A very well done bourbon treatment.

Mouth- A thick bodied medium and bordering on full bodied for me. This also was aptly carbonated and retained a lot of the bourbon and chocolate from the profile.

Drink- I loved the fact this came in a 12 oz bottle. I am a big guy but sometimes I just want one little beer for the day with immense flavor and appeal. This beer was smooth, bold and well layered. I will come back to this one many times.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 20:39:07 | More by FosterJM

AgentZero

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

As I jumped onto the train for an hour after work for nothing more than to travel to some unknown bar on the southside of Chicago, only to blow 6 hours out of my day and tick a beer, I remembered the words of NickD: "We will not go quietly into the night! We will not go thirsty without a fight! We're going to tick on! That beer is going to survive to be ticked!" And to those own who were suprised at my travel to taste this rarity I replied: A true ticker is not dissuaded by something as trivial as distance, time, or common sense.

Found on tap at Maple Tree Inn, who knew?

A - Not much more you can ask from the beer than this. Forboding in it's blackness, the mocha head slowly bubbled up, and rose to over two fingers in length. Thick and viscous, this beer left some surprisingly fine lacing on the sides as it slide down the glass. Truly a masterpiece in terms of look.

S - Huge chocolate on the nose with some hidden dark fruits as you become acustom to the smell. The barrel aging brings out a lot of sweet vanilla, which melds nicely with the cocoa. Bourbon is present, but nicely muted, doesn't smell hot at all.

T - This is quite chocolaty, it is the first thing you notice about the beer. The bourbon plays a strong role, but the cocoa keeps it from tasting hot at all and allows you to enjoy the bits of oak and very present vanilla in this beer. As you continue the drink there is a nice bittering sense of espresso on the end which helps to balance the flavor out. I was disappointed, as this bittering espresso grew fainter the more of this I drank, and I was left with more and more of the chocolate. It still tasted great, but lost a lot of its complexity as it warmed up somehow.

M - Very chewy, but managed to be quite thin on the end. Obviously a full bodied brew. Soft carbonation.

D - This is a beer that can kill you. At 14% it drinks like about something at 8%. I drank this quite easily and found myself having to concentrate hard on putting one foot in front of the other. A great beer that I would love to have again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2010 04:34:42 | More by AgentZero

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.63/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle from the first release of that format, courtesy of warnerry, into a NEBCO 668 glass. Enjoyed alongside regular Plead the 5th and BCBS.

A: Looks identical to the regular: pitch black body, thin brown head. Solid.

S: Wow. This is amazing. Huge bourbon, coffee, vanilla, chocolate, and major coconut. Big, rich, and complex. BA RIS perfection.

T: Follows the nose initially, with enormous barrel presence providing generous bourbon, vanilla, and coconut. Roasty coffee and dark chocolate behind. The only downside is a significantly boozy finish. Wonderful.

M: Thick, creamy, and moderately carbonated. Terrific.

O: This was an absolute winner - a huge step up over the non-BA version, and a clear superior to the overly-syrupy (in comparison) BCBS. The coffee and bourbon worked beautifully together, and I'm simply enjoying the hell out of it. Thanks Ryan!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 02:18:54 | More by woosterbill

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.9/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On Tap at Hulmeville Inn in a fricken pint glass, are you guys trying to kill me!?!???!?

A- Bourbon 5th is a big ol black stout, it looks dark as night. Really thick looking to, not on the thin side at all. The liquid kinda coats the glass. A very minimal dark brown cap on top not leaving any traces on the glass.

S- While not the most explosive nose on this, 5th remains a big ol roasted malt masterpiece with malts(duh), getting a nice chocolate base with cocco and some underlining vanilla. Dark fruits play a big part in this and bourbon is there but muted. Smells delicious:)

T- Regular 5th is smooth as silk and this bourbon aged one is just as smoooth, if not smoother. The bourbon does not overpower and sort of takes a backseat to the base beer. Chocolate, deep roasted malts, dark fruits, vanilla and some bourbon. This is not hot at all.

M- For the supposed 14% this is not hot at all, no heat whatsoever. Creamy, thick, coating, inviting. Thick bodied, almost barely carbed up. This just glides down. An excellent feel on this bad boy.

D- Ok, 14% is very high and all, nowhere near a session beer. I drank my pint with ease. I would drink more but I have to stay alive, if I was at home drinking this, bourbon 5th would be a all dayer. Im not a big stout guy lately but this one is worth the damage that the alcohol will do over time. This one is a winner and possibly the best bourbon aged stout that I ever had. I drank this along with older vis and bourbon black and this one took the cake.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2010 22:47:10 | More by onix1agr

ngeunit1

California

4.44/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark brown-black with thin finger of frothy chocolate head. Fades fairly quickly.

S - Sweet roasted chocolate and caramel malts, oak, vanilla, Bourbon, molasses, black licorice, some booze.

T - Sweet roasted chocolate and caramel malts, oak, vanilla, Bourbon, black licorice, molasses, dark chocolate, coffee, earthy hops, and some booze.

M - Full bodied with mild carbonation. Smooth and fairly thick with a sweet and warming finish.

D - Great barrel aged imperial stout. Super smooth and rich.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 05:27:03 | More by ngeunit1

oline73

Maryland

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

2011 bottle poured into my colossus snifter. I got this in a BIF today and was so excited I decided to open it up.

Appearance: Pours an opaque black with a half finger layer of cocoa colored head. The head fades to a ring around edge of the glass with just a swirl of carbonation in the middle.

Smell: Sweet roasty malt with some dark fruit and smooth alcohol. I'm picking up some caramel and vanilla from the barrels. There is also cocoa and bourbon in the nose. Very nice.

Taste: This is a really smooth BA Imperial Stout. The slightly burnt roasty malt sweetness hits you first, with some dark fruit just behind. The barrel aging was artfully done. The bourbon and caramel from the barrel are very present in the taste, but not hot at all. The finish is warm and full of bourbon and sweet cocoa notes.

Mouthfeel: On the thick side of medium, but thin compared to what I was expecting. Tingly carbonation with a very slick finish. The beer sticks to you mouth long after you swallow.

Overall: Not disappointed at all. This is a fantastic brew and I plan on having more in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 02:56:54 | More by oline73

billab914

Virginia

4.68/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage poured from a 12oz bottle into my Bruery tulip. It poured pitch black in color with a thin tan head scattered across the top of the beer and concentrating around the edges of the glass.

The aroma shows a little more of the bourbon and barrel character to it. I get some dark chocolate and brown sugar to it with just a bit of roasted malts to it. The bourbon is nice in it, very smooth.

The taste really integrates the bourbon barrel flavors into the beer nicely. It has a very rich, dark chocolate, brownie batter like flavor to it up front with a little more of a bitter, coffee, roasty character in the finish. The bourbon is smooth and adds some great complexity with some notes of brown sugar, oak, vanilla and alcohol. It had some really great flavors to it but what really impressed me is how well they balance the beer and barrel flavors.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side with carbonation being moderate. Overall it was a fantastic beer. The flavors came together extremely well in it and the barrel flavors complimented the beer perfectly instead of overpowering it. This one definitely lived up to the hype for me, one of the best barrel aged beers I've had.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 02:14:06 | More by billab914

maximum12

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Great thanks to dlello2 for this bottle, now drained into two small taster cups. Consumed as part of a Friday night lineup that included the '10, '11, & '12 vintages. One of my favorite regularly available stouts, so I've been looking forward to this vertical. 12 oz. wax-capped bottle.

Pour is black & close to flat, but it makes up for it in the smell. Lush bourbon loveliness pours out after the wax is busted, but fades quickly. By the time it warms there's nothing but a hint of malt & figment of bourbon left. Huh.

Bourbon Barrel Plead the Fifth is a shot of Maker's Mark to the gut; I wouldn't be surprised if this was 25% bourbon. Bourbon suffuses the base beer & overwhelms it with goodness (except I love the base beer). Roast manages to thrash its way out of the bourbon, & it retreats as it warms. Chocolate emerges rapidly; rich. Gorgeous. Deep wood that really adds some depth. Wasn't really digging this initially, but after some time, it grew on my rapidly. Up, up, & away. Heavy. Luscious.

Wow. This one didn't impress me out of the gate, but as it warmed - really warmed, after about 25-30 minutes - it became amazing. This is an excellent beer that really complements the excellent base beer. Worthy. Glad I have one more.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 02:43:26 | More by maximum12

DavoleBomb

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on the eve of the August 27th JO's bottle release. Big thanks for sharing this. ~2 oz from a tasting snifter.

4.5 A: Black. Small medium brown head with good lacing.

5.0 S: Excellent duality between bourbon and beer. Sweet leathery bourbon that integrates seemlessly with the stout. Bourbon and barrel contribute a light fruitiness and touches of oak, but leave out any astringency. Super smooth I say. The beer below offers a deep chocolate, moderate roast, and ample caramel. Mild coffee too. Awesome.

4.0 T: Not as comples as the nose suggests. The sweetness is there with the chocolate and caramel, but the roastiness is much subdued. Mild sourishness, but not the infected kind. Moderate bourbon contributions and subtle oak. It's impossible to think that this is 14%. I still don't believe it.

4.0 M: Heavy body, but on the lighter end of the spectrum. Good moderate carbonation. Reasonably creamy.

4.5 D: A great beer that would be worth seeking out if they made a reasonable amount of it.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 03:11:49 | More by DavoleBomb

ehammond1

California

4.33/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2011)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, joshrosborne!

(Aged for 1 year)

Nearly black in color with a very small whisper of dark brown head that falls away quickly. Leaves the glass somewhat messy with irregular webs of sticky, small bubbles.

Pleasant, complete aroma of oak and bourbon, very mild chocolate, some roast. All the expected players are in the pool.

The flavor follows the aroma, with the bourbon and oak leading the way, along with roast, very mild chocolate, and dark black bread. Low bitterness, and the alcohol is exceptionally well hidden given the known heft.

Full in body with low carbonation. Oily, slick, and rich. Lingering chocolate finish. Incredible.

Excellent, but I actually think the base beer is better--full disclosure, the base beer is one of my all-time favorites.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 07:10:23 | More by ehammond1

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.33/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled at EBF on Saturday afternoon. Pours a solid black with a decent tan head with some retention. Smell is heavy on the bourbon with lots of chocolate and roast, and some vanilla and wood. Taste is chocolate bourbon and roast. Thick body with a creamy smooth mouthfeel and a light level of carbonation. A big thick stout, one of my favorites of the day.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 01:18:38 | More by johnnnniee

grub

Ontario (Canada)

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

sampled on tap at stub and herbs pre-darkness party, oct 22/2010.

pours inky black and opaque with a small layer of fine dark brown head. the head quickly drops to a ring around the glass and leaves only a few spots of lace.

aroma is good. bourbon and vanilla. bit of raw oak. coffee and espresso. whole wheat bread and biscuit. dark chocolate. bit of milk chocolate. earthy and woody.

taste is great. similar to the aroma, with more bittersweet and dark chocolate. just under medium bitterness level. espresso. hint of oxidaiton. the barrel is actually farily mellow, allowing the stout beneath to show through.

mouthfeel is good. medium-large body. medium-light carbonation level.

drinkability is good. nie balance. barrel is not all that assertive and works well.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2011 17:23:02 | More by grub

nickd717

California

4.28/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Nanoslug for this one.

Pours black and relatively viscous with a one-finger tan head and thick lacing.

Great aroma, similar to the regular version with a decent bourbon and -bal hints. Dark chocolate, roast, molasses, and anise.

The flavor is rich and huge on the molasses, not unlike the regular version. Rich dark chocolate notes and a good bourbon-soaked wood presence.

Really thick and a little syrupy with very low carbonation.

Great beer. Glad I got to tick this. I love me some -bal aged RISes, and this is a great example.

Serving type: growler

12-11-2010 02:30:08 | More by nickd717

mdaschaf

Washington

4.65/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to funhog for this one, been a top want for a while!

A: Pours a deep black with a very small tan head that reduces quickly leaving a very thin ring on top. Minimal lacing forms and dissolves quickly.

S: Lots of bourbon and roasted malt up front, chocolate, molasses, vanilla, and a little bit of dark fruit. As it warms the wood comes forward a bit as well. There is a little bit of alcohol, just to let you know its there.

T: Fantastic flavor profile. A great blend of bourbon flavors, vanilla, brown sugar, caramel, mixed with a little bit of chocolate and light roasted malt. The bourbon really shines nicely in this beer, not too in your face. Faint dark fruit flavors add a bit of sweetness.

M: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation. Slightly dry, but sweet finish. No sign of the alcohol in the taste.

O: Really great beer. The flavors blend nicely with the level of bourbon presence being spot on. I can see why it is so sought after.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 01:31:27 | More by mdaschaf

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.88/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Huge Thanks to Thorpe429 for providing this great beer. He’s quickly become a regular trading partner.

When you pour this beer, you know it’s serious. Looks as thick as Bourbon County Stout. You can see the body even before the head billows up from within. The head builds and is a milk chocolate color while the beer is motor oil, including the shine with about 50,000 miles on it. Head does settle to nothing and a scant amount of lace remains.

Aroma is also fantastic. bourbon, CHECK, vanilla, CHECK, dark chocolate, CHECK, a well rounded sweetness pulling all of these together. Double CHECK. Great.

A mellow chocolate bourbon flavor is immediate and then some vanilla. Chocolate returns and there is a nice balance of ABV and some sweetness. You can tell there is a kicked up ABV, but it’s so rounded and smooth it’s crazy. Is this vintage really 14%? That’s amazing. Dangerous beer.

Just a fantastic beer. Loved it from front to back and was sad when it was gone. Have to score another somehow.

I am a little concerned how much this reminds me of Bourbon County. (One of my favorite all time beers) If I ever get the chance, I’d love to do a side by side comparison.
(EDIT - I promise I never looked... I scored this the exact same score as Bourbon County Stout) Too frigging funny

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 01:08:08 | More by Reagan1984

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Jackie O's release party in February 2011.

A-pours a cola brown with a thin tan colored head.

S-the bourbon is fairly strong with notes of wood. sweet caramel malts and brow sugar make up most of the malt components.

T-again, strong bourbon in the flavor with a nice wood component. this seems sweeter tan anticipated with a lot of malty sugars, caramel and brown sugar.

M-medium body with a thick and syrupy texture. nice carbonation with a full easy drinking finsh.

D-this has a fair bit of balance between barrel aging and malt base but the malt base seems a little sweet. still a great easy sipper with loads of flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2011 15:23:05 | More by cpetrone84

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Notes from 12/30/11. Last review of 2011.
Poured in to CBS Snifter.

A - Thick ink black with a small amount of bubbly light brown head that very quickly disappeared leaving only a thin ring around the glass.

S - The barrel aging really dominates the nose up front with bourbon, vanilla and oak aromas. A decent sweetness is evident and cuts through the ABV, which is somewhat noticeable but well hidden given the 14% ABV. Some roasted malt and chocolate notes are hidden in the background.

T - Follows the nose - big flavours from the barrel aging dominate. Bourbon, vanilla and oak flavours are meld together in a good balance. The characteristics of the base beer are hidden behind the barrel flavours but some subtle roasted malt and chocolate notes come through along with hints of licorice and smoke. The ABV is somewhat noticeable but is complimented by sweet molasses flavours to subdue it well.

M - Full body, somewhat viscous at times. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 01:26:38 | More by TheSevenDuffs

sweemzander

Illinois

4.7/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12oz. bottle poured into a pint glass. 2012 vintage. **Note that my bottle had the ABV listed as 11%, NOT 14% as it does on this page**

(A)- Pours pitch as black night and fairly thick. A surprising crown of brown froth formed. Even some lacing was left behind as it dissipated.

(S)- A lovely rich combo of a molasses / chocolate / roasted caramel / and bourbon barrel sexiness. A really harmonious aroma.

(T)- Same as the smell, only a distinct higher level of bitter roastedness coming through. Combined with the superb barrel characteristics, I have absolutely zero complaints.

(M)- A great carbonation level and balance. As great as the sweet and rich barrel notes are in this, the underlying roasted qualities from the base beer still coming through is quite superb. Makes for a very dynamic tasting and feeling beer.

(O)- Overall, world class. I had a sample of this years ago at a beer fest and it has haunted me since. Now finally trying it in bottled form was really rewarding. Fantastic fresh, but for me, it just might benefit with a little more time on it. Looking forward to seeing if I am right. One of the best for the style hands down.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 02:45:39 | More by sweemzander

mcallister

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep shade of brown with a tan head that fades into a toffee topper with slight lacing.

Chocolate, roasted malts, hints of bourbon, musty wood, vanilla, black fruits, earthy esters with a bit of leather and tar.

The easiest drinking 14% beer ever maybe. Very balanced, neutral , and creamy. The bourbon barrel aging is very light and not aggressive, I would of liked it a bit more aggressive honestly. Light vanilla, oak, hint of bourbon, chocolate, roasty malts, dark fruits, leather and tar. Very nice.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2011 22:51:10 | More by mcallister

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.68/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to alampear for sending me a 2011 bottle.

A - Pours a motor oil black with a dark tan head that quickly fades to the edges.

S - Mostly bourbon and some dark fruit.

T - Lovely chocolate, toffee, and bourbon.

D - Mild carbonation with a heavier body.

O - Complex, layered, and pleasant. Boozy, but very, very nice. I really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 00:21:19 | More by HuskyinPDX

harrymel

Washington

4.43/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2011, thanks Jamie!

pours a dark, inky black ale with just a little bit of mocha rim. No lace. Aroma bursts from the bottle with cocoa, cake batter, caramel, oak, bourbon, bourbon...did I mention bourbon?

Taste follows suit with cocoa, cake, vanilla, caramels, hints of tannin, praline and even a little bit of....bourbon! I can't believe this beer is 14%, it is sooo well hidden, insane. Really lovely flavor.

Mouthfeel is liquid oil. Really smooth with full body and low carb. Im really impressed with this beer overall. Wish I had more of theses puppies. Damn fine brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 15:31:17 | More by harrymel

Arbitrator

California

4.23/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Chilled bottle into a glass, courtesy of lurchingbeast. Thanks, Frank!

A: Pours a dark, oily black -- the color of motor oil that has been used several thousand miles past spec. A pinky finger of dark mocha head caps the beer; retention is short.

S: Vanilla, caramel / burnt sugar, fudge, bourbon, oak, molasses. The net effect here is reminiscent of early, keg-only Parabola. I shed a tear for the hoppy abomination the bottle form has become, and give praise that Dark Horse seems to have stumbled onto Firestone-Walker's formula.

T: As in the nose, the flavor captures a delicious blend of fudgy vanilla. Bourbon is somehow less prominent than the vanilla bean character, though it is by no means hidden. A touch of roast evokes earthy coffee, but this is a minor element; the beer clearly prefers the chocolate-dessert approach, and I'm not one to complain about that.

M: Chewy and oily, but not lingering or difficult to remove from the palate. In fact, it finishes relatively cleanly for something this big. And it hides the ABV quite well. I'm sure this is beyond 14% (isn't that what the base beer has?). My only complaint is that as it warms, it has a distinct solventy aftertaste, which in several bottles became unbearable at the proper serving temp.

O: I had this a few times out of the bottle and detected noticeable variation. Two bottles were outstanding; very fudgy and rich, with great bourbon integration. Others were a little cardboardy and solventy. I'm tweaking my score so that the overall grade is a rough average of the bottles I've had.

Incidentally, I compared this to early batches of Parabola, but it also reminds me of a chewier Silva Stout. Overall, this is a fantastic beer and needs more love.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 07:25:16 | More by Arbitrator

Sean9689

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle provided by TurdFurgison, thanks Eric! Poured into 3F wine glass.

A - Pours black, a fingers-worth of tan/mocha head, some good lacing and a thin cap on top which hangs around.

S - Peanut butter, tons of it. Like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Sweet milk chocolate, light on the bourbon, oak, caramels, expresso. All very rich and decadent on the nose.

T - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chocolate, some dark fruit notes, oak, smooth bourbon character, coffee beans. I was really impressed how smooth and rich this was for 14%, very well-done. Bitter chocolate finish.

M - Full body, rich, thick, and creamy finish.

D - I never did get to try this on-tap, but I was very impressed with this out of the bottle. Def a top-notch -bal, no doubt about it. Still can't get over how easy this was to drink for 14%. Recommend.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 23:59:17 | More by Sean9689