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

rlee1390

Indiana

4.38/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Black in the glass, one finger brown head.

S-Bourbon, vanilla, chocolate coffee and roasted malt.

T-Bourbon, chocolate, roasted malt, molasses.

M-Medium bodied, not much carbonation though.

O-Really improves as it warms, was expecting a little more but still a wonderful beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 01:32:58 | More by rlee1390

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

4.4/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle enjoyed in a blind tasting alongside BCBS and KBS

A - Thick black with no head, alcohol lacing, dark brown edges.

S - Cherry, molasses, sweet, alcohol, cocoa, vanilla tinted bourbon.

T - Bourbon!!!! Chocolate, molasses, cherry, alcohol. So much bourbon, the barrel dominates the flavor. Oak, vanilla extract, light char.

M - Medium body, zero carbonation.

O - Fantastic! A perfect display of bourbon barrel flavors layered onto an excellent stout base. Thought this beer had more bourbon notes than KBS, which I didn't realize was possible.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 21:45:31 | More by greenmonstah

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

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

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

womencantsail

California

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

Bottle from Derek. Thanks!

Black in color with a nice viscosity and a finger of dense brown head. Heavy on the bourbon and vanilla, as expected. Great chocolate character with hints of roasted malt, caramel, and molasses. Pleasantly sweet, but not cloying. Great milk chocolate and vanilla flavors all the way through with tons of bourbon as well. Not too heavy on the oak, but a little bit is present. Mild roasted malt and caramel flavors.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 19:43:58 | More by womencantsail

Gobzilla

California

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

A: poured a dark as night black in color with a dark brown ring sitting at the top with absolutely no head that didn't leave no lacing whatsoever on the glass.

S: plenty of chocolatey oat grains were noticeable upfront in the aroma with brown sugar molasses sweetness, subtle burnt sugar, good bourbon barrel booze present and a little coffee bean coming through as well.

T: molasses with brown sugar sweetness were more prominent on the palate alongside chocolate goodness, nice roastiness, coffee accents, a touch of vanilla, plenty of oat grains, well balanced booze and bourbon barrel notes that added plenty of character to the base beer.

M: the brew was medium in body with a low amount of carbonation which had a roasty, boozy, chocolatey, sweet, rich and chewy finish.

O: definitely a must have, plus the bourbon barrel treatment really gave this beer great qualities all around; Delicious

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 09:43:23 | More by Gobzilla

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2011: The grand finale to the night spent with jzeilinger. Poured this between the two of us. This beer was black it had a brown head that was faded quickly but left a ring around the edge of the glass. The look of the beer is pretty typical for the style. The smell of the beer is surprising to me, I expected the barrel aging to stand out a lot more on this. There is some vanilla on the nose along with some other sweet aromas. The taste of the beer is also really subtle. I was surprised by this, Really thought you'd be able to get much more intense flavors of the barrel and the bourbon. It's a great tasting beer regardless. The mouthfeel is thick and gently carbonated, it's a very smooth beer. Overall it's much more balanced than I expected, it's a solid beer from start to finish. I would have enjoyed a little more bourbon on it though. It's good but I don't feel it's worth the 100% rating on here.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 17:39:43 | More by Knapp85

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

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.45/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks goes out to cmrillo for sharing this one after a ticking session at a local restaurant this evening! Thanks brother! Served from bottle into a Ommegang Three Philosophers chalice. Poured pitch black with a half finger brown head that subsided to a minimal amount very quickly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised roasted malt, sweet malt, brown sugar, dark fruit, wood, sweet alcohol, and vanilla. The flavor was of sweet malt, roasted malt, dark fruit, raisin, vanilla, wood, and sweet alcohol. It had a heavy feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a very good brew. The aroma on this one was really quite nice and very complex. All of the right components for the style were present in this one. The barrel really did a nice number on this brew as the regular version was quite good, but this turned that up to 11. The flavor was very well balanced and inviting making it quite easy to drink despite the high ABV. This could definitely get you in A LOT of trouble if not careful. An absolute must try if you are a fan of beer. Really glad I finally got the chance to try this one myself! Thanks again Rillo!

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 02:08:03 | More by thagr81us

Dennoman

Belgium

4.45/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Massive thanks to trading partner Pnell316, hope you enjoyed the De Molen bottles!

2011 vintage, poured into a 25 cl tasting tulip.

A: Pour is thick and black, with a dark brown caramel head. Slight redness on the pour and legs, but very hard to detect. A textbook imperial stout look-wise.

S: Bourbon notes, alcohol warming your nostrils, big bourbon hit and pleasant dark chocolate.

T: Dark chocolate bitterness is the first thing that touches the palate, which is then swept away by candy sugar and bourbon sweetness. I could spend ages trying to describe the tastes that pop up in this brew. It's a taste explosion that lingers far into the aftertaste. The after-sip aroma on the tongue is pleasantly bitter, as if to fool you the sweet, woody bourbon was never there.

M: Soft carbonation through a thick oily mass makes this slide down deceptively easy. Velvety smooth and just as sexy.

O: I cannot sing the praises of this beer enough. Though it would have probably scored higher if it had a slight touch of extra bitterness from the dark roasted malts, I find it very hard to fault this. If you can somehow get this, you definitely should. I'll be after you if you don't.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 21:17:28 | More by Dennoman

Treebs

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz waxed bottle served in a FW tulip. We did a side by side with the base beer.

A: Pours a jet black with a quick dissolving dark mocha head forming on the pour. A very thin ring is left over that leaves no lace, but there are some nice legs.

S: Really smooth and sweet bourbon up front. Chocolate, roasted malts and oak. Dark chocolate and raisins on the finish.

T: Bourbon up front like the nose, but again, it's very smooth and sweet. Just a touch of heat comes from it. Sweet caramel and oak barrel. Coffee like dark chocolate with a little bitterness to it. The finish is toffee and raisin.

M: Thick and heavy bodied. Creamy mouthfeel with a medium to low carbonation level.

O: The barrel aging really took this beer to another level with out sacrificing the complexities of the base beer. I'm glad it still retained the body that regular Plead the 5th carries. A must try.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 18:38:22 | More by Treebs

azdback

Arizona

4.45/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a small snifter. Ultra black color with not a hint of highlights. Head is almost non existent but does have a nice collar that is light brown colored and leaves just a bit of lace.

Smell is quite bourbon forward. Lots of vanilla, burnt wood, tart dark fruit. Definitely some alcohol. Very very nice!!

Taste is lots of roast, char, chocolate, vanilla, some mild tart cherries. Tons of booze but not unwelcome.

Body is viscous and rich, mouth is full with medium to mild carbonation. Finish is very long and wet.

Overall I was very impressed with this. I have had the base beer and enjoyed it but the barrel did an amazing job to this. Very smooth and rich barrel characters reminded me a lot of Parabola or Old Raspy XI. Possibly a bit better and more drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 05:34:36 | More by azdback

jvillefan

California

4.46/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A-Dark black. There was a small mocca colored head that did not stay or linger at all.

S-Very roasty malts with dark dark chocolate, coffee, and burnt aroma in the beginning. The alcohol and the bourbon cut through the initial aroma to finish off the smell.

T-The bourbon is in the beginning of this beer with the sweet caramel maltiness associated with it. The barley comes through afterward with the deep roast of coffee with very subtle chocolate flavors.

M-It has an average viscosity, which was a little unexpected for such a high alcohol beer. The alcohol is very sharp on the tongue and the carbonation is low.

O-Great beer, worth getting if you can buy it or trade something not too outstanding for it. I would put it on par with a lesser version of KBS.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 23:32:35 | More by jvillefan

djmitche

Illinois

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

I had this in a snifter at local option and the strong recommendation of the server.

A: Dark and thick with a decent chocolatey brown head and some reasonable lacing.

S: The other reviews suggest that the nose only emerges as the beer warms, but even at serving temperature this has a nice roasted nose with coffee and a bit of heat. There may be a hint of honey in there, too?

T: I'll admit I worry when I see "bourbon stout" - they tend to be extremely sweet and thick. But this was advertised as overcoming that problem, and delivered. There's roasted malt, bitter chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, and enough bitterness to keep you mind off the possibility of cavities.

M: As hinted above, this is less chewy than most beers of this style, although it does thicken up as it warms

D: This is no session beer, but it is not limited to dessert and breakfast purposes.

Serving type: on-tap

09-12-2010 02:12:05 | More by djmitche

largadeer

California

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

Growler shared by Adam and Anna. Thanks!

Oily, viscous black with a small dark brown cap.

The aroma is great - rich dark malts backed by strong but well integrated bourbon barrel. Milk chocolate, fudge, caramel, slight mustiness from the barrel and a hint of tar from the dark malt. Some noticeable alcohol, but no harshness.

Flavors of dark chocolate fudge and scorched malt frolic alongside caramel and vanilla. The body is huge and oily with a low level of carbonation. Tarry, burnt malt lends some balance to an otherwise sweet finish. The lingering sweetness reminds me of Jack Daniels. Alcohol is surprisingly reigned-in, I'd never guess this was 14%.

Plead the 5th is already a great beer, and this is even better. Impressive stuff.

Serving type: growler

11-03-2010 19:35:43 | More by largadeer

philbe311

Pennsylvania

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

A - Slight medium brown colored head quickly fades leaving just a thin collar around the glass... Slightly menacing black color... Minimal carbonation...

S - Lots of roasted malts... Vanilla... Smoke... Some dark chocolate... The scent of the bourbon barrel is present, but far from overpowering... It adds nicely to the overall aroma...

T - Fudgie brownies... Dark fruit... Roasted malts... A touch of smokiness... The bourbon continues to take prominence as this one warms a bit, but never overwhelms...

M - Full bodied... Thick... Slightly viscous... Subtle carbonation... Sleek... Silky smooth...

D - This one isn't for the timid or shy... A full bodied, full flavored, full throttled barrel aged stout... Lots of good things going on here... This one deserves a seat at the table of the best of the big time barrel aged stouts...

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2011 04:05:27 | More by philbe311

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

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

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

Bottle shared by Thorpe429. Thanks Mike.

The beer is near black with a thin, beige cap. The aroma offers bourbon and roast, followed by alcohol, vanilla, oak, chocolate. Great flavor, with prominent bourbon throughout. Additional tastes of vanilla and chocolates. Moderately low carbonation, with a smooth, buttery feel. A bit of heat in the finish, but 14% abv feels pretty nice. Overall, very enjoyable. A top notch barrel-aged imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 21:01:15 | More by Huhzubendah

drabmuh

Maryland

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

At the time of this review, this beer is the #7 top Russian Imperial Stout on the beeradvocate.com "Top Beers - Russian Imperial Stout" list. Another top 10 beer for me. A big thanks to Thorpe for letting me have some of this beer during our impromptu epic New Years Day tasting.

Beer served in a sniffer. Beer is black, oily, this dark brown head of small bubbles, low retention, falls back to halo the glass minimal lacing and low carbonation.

Aroma is sweet, chocolate, strong malt presence. The boubon come through strong. Mild oak. Smells like a big bourbon stout.

Beer is medium to big in body, malty sweet with a strong bourbon character. Fudge and chocolate with minimal roast. The sweetness carries through all the way to the end. The bourbon wins in this beer. So sweet, so oaky, vanilla, booze but without heat. I really liked it.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 17:14:27 | More by drabmuh

dogfishandi

New York

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

huge thanks to lurchingbeast for this awesome extra!

pours out complete opaque motor oil black with a dark mocha colored head that rather quickly faded to a thin yet retentive ring. off a swirl, a little sticky lace, but more so some nice legs left on the glass.

big boozey bourbon attacks the nostrils, oaky, woody vanilla, burnt roasted malts, a little dark chocolate and dark fruits. more and more bourbon comes out as it warms.

wow, that first taste almost blew me away. awesome bourbon flavors, big vanilla, more so towards the finish, burnt, dark roasted malts, bitter dark chocolate, burnt marshmallows, dark chocolate cake. really some wonderful bourbon flavors in the finish, for me, thats when the magic really happens. there is such a wonderful marriage of flavors here that i dont even have words for.

creamy, low carb which is nice, big chewy mouthfeel. very warming. silky.

really a wonderful bourbon barrel aged stout. the regular plead the fifth was such a well done impy stout, so i had such high hopes for this and i was definatly not let down. ill definatly seek out more of this for the cellar if possible. great beer, loads of bourbon, still i dont think i can say its better than bourbon county, although extremely close.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 23:26:11 | More by dogfishandi

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.48/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to injuredreserve for sharing!

Pours black as night, with a mocha finger of head.

Aroma has big oaky bourbon notes with a soft, silky chocolate note.

The taste is far more complex: chocolate, vanilla soaked oak, rich roasted coffee, with bourbon notes mixing and adding to the complexity, not overpowering things. Awesome.

Nice full bodied, creamy, chewy feel. Can't really complain.

Can't taste the alcohol, super drinkable. Lives up to the hype IMO.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 14:00:36 | More by EgadBananas

Etan

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz 2011 bottle shared by ravot. Thanks!

A: Brownish black with a very dark brown head. Thick looking.

S: Huge vanilla, maple, chocolate. Creamy and richly aromatic.

T: Mild roast, chocolate, slight raisin, vanilla, caramel, solid oak, pleasant hit of booze in the finish.

M: Thick with a bit of carbonation.

O: Very, very good bourbon barrel stout.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 05:29:38 | More by Etan

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.48/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a snifter

A: Pours completely opaque black, even on the pour with a finger of dense brown head. Retention is very good.

S: Molasses are most prevalent, but dark chocolate is close behind with light toffee in the background. Oak and bourbon are also there, but even further back.

T: Dark chocolate is now upfront with molasses and caramel close behind. I also get very well integrated bourbon way in the background. The flavors of this beer mix incredibly well. A bit too boozy, but not over the top and expected for the ABV.

M: The best part of this beer - extremely thick and creamy.

O: The integration of the flavors in this beer are phenomenal. The mouthfeel is also nearly perfect. I could use a bit more complexity and a bit more roast, but this beer is very, very good.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 23:15:48 | More by coreyfmcdonald

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

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

Had this on tap at DH and at Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Fest

Pours 1 finger of creamy dark tan head that has amazing retention. Color is an oil black.

Aroma: Warming bourbon, thick rich chocolate. Roasted malts. The nose is fairly muted.

Taste: Much better here. Bigger bourbon flavors, oak, sweet chocolate, vanilla, caramel, dark fruits, and raisins.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, and warming. Full bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends rich, sweet, and malty.

Overall, a solid -bal aged stout. Great flavors and very drinkable. Very impressed with DH on this one.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2010 15:06:20 | More by mothman