Noggin Floggin (Bourbon Barrel Aged) - Hopworks Urban Brewery

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

First had: on tap at HUB, Portland, OR

Tremendous improvement over the regular version, and easily the best beer I sampled at HUB. I believe this was a 2010 vintage.

Poured a darker amber color, not too different from the original, but much hazier; a few delicate bubbles dotted the surface. Aroma of dark fruits, bourbon, butterscotch. Complex taste of raisins, figs, licorice, black cherries, butterscotch, bourbony booze, and woody vanilla. Whatever they did to this beer, they should do exactly the same thing over and over again and never stop producing it. Heavy-medium body, full of flavor, smooth, and notably lower in alcohol than the original, making for a very drinkable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2012 20:41:19 | More by Rifugium

MsRif

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had on-tap at HUB in Portland, OR. Poured a hazy dark amber color with no head and no lacing. Very, very slight ring of bubbles. Had an aroma of raisins, burnt caramel and toffee. Intriguing and WAY different from the regular Noggin Floggin. Tasted of dark fruits, burnt caramel, toffee, booze and brown sugar. Really, really good and honestly so different from the regular Noggin Floggin they should change the name on it.

Medium bodied and smooth. Low carbonation. Enjoyable! My favorite from HUB.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2011 00:00:21 | More by MsRif

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.28/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Horse Brass the other night.

The beer pours a reddish brown amber color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is attractive and intriguing, as one can really pick up the Macallan scotch barrel aging. Otherwise, there is noticeable vanilla and butterscotch, making for one fine smelling BW. However, as nice as this beer smells, this beer is just excellent on the palate. The scotch barrel flavor component intermingles in a very nice way with the toffee, caramel and light smoke I'm picking up. Also, while this beer is fairly sweet, the butterscotch and peat tend to counter it pretty well. There's a bit of heat on the finish, but it has a single malt flavor component about it, and is not at all unpleasant or objectionable. Mouthfeel is fairly full, with a long, fairly sweet, butterscotch and light peat finish. Drinkability is surprisingly good, though one can tell the abv. is up there a bit, and so along with the sweetness and peat, a little bit obviously goes a very long way in this beer.

Very nice BW. The scotch barrel flavoring really imparts some different and attractive flavors in this beer, making it much different from barleywines I've had aged in bourbon barrels.

12/31/11 edit. The uber put on a keg to celebrate the upcoming new year.

The beer seems to have matured considerably over the past year, and I really think needs to be drunk up. I get little of the peat aroma or flavor any more, and the beer seems to have lightened considerably (it seems slightly oxidized, with the mouthfeel a bit thin and a slight green apple flavor in the nose). Still a good beer, but it's really pretty sweet with a lot of vanilla and alcohol at the present time.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2011 15:52:49 | More by johnmichaelsen

ralree

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Red-gold, light head. 0.1 fingers.

S: Light smell - honey

T: Rather alcoholic, great honey and massive hops. Raisin backend. Perfect bitterness.

M: A bit too carbonated, medium wetness and body, a bit astringent.

D: Goes down easily, but strong.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2010 06:23:00 | More by ralree

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured s light copper color with a small white head and good carbonation.

S: Nose is citrus, floral and apricot being a big player.

T: Taste is sweet and smooth up front, citrus and oak.

M: Mouthfeel is light booze, oak, sordove unique, I did not get a big scotch influence and I drink a lot of scotch, particurally McAlllan, Lagavulin and Bowmore.

O: Very good overall.

Serving type: on-tap

03-07-2010 03:01:41 | More by barleywinefiend

BigMcLargeHuge

Arizona

3.73/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled at Toronado 2009 Barleywine Festival.
Pours slightly hazy deep gold with thin off white head. It has a pleasing aroma of dark fruity esters and toffee/butterscotch that works well here. I also get mild roasted malts too. The taste is much the same with a pulse of dark fruity esters followed by toffee and butterscotch that quickly becomes too much by midway. It becomes smooth and dry into the finish. The toffee is a bit too much for me right now, likely based on some palate fatigue.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2009 22:16:24 | More by BigMcLargeHuge

Floydster

California

4.45/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a ten ounce glass at the Belmont Station on 4/28/09, reviewed from notes, the last beer I had while I was in Portland, but at least I ended with a doozy, outstanding beer and it is too bad it was not on tap at the brewpub when we there, could have had it twice, color is a dark brown with some amber edges, 3/4 inch frothy light tan head that stays around awhile, good lacing for a barrel aged brew, aroma consists of bourbon, oak, sweet malts, pine, luring alcohol, caramel, toffee, candied sugar, oranges, and earthiness, flavor starts off with a big bourbon flavor as well, some sweetness in the middle, alcohol in the finish along with dark fruits and a nice vanilla finish, like how the bourbon brings out the rich malt flavors even more, boozy, malty, and fruity mouthfeel, full bodied, moderate carbonation, taste lingers for several minutes, could drink a few more glasses of this, for nearly ten percent it was very smooth and has a nice aftertaste, one of the great surprises of the trip, great way to end a great first experience in Oregon, highly recommended

Serving type: on-tap

07-03-2009 19:25:20 | More by Floydster

antilogic

California

4.15/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Had on tap at the Horsebrass Pub in Portland, OR.

Wow! I don't know how to describe this beer. Taste bud overload. Almost no head, amber with floral aroma and a strong hint of scotch in Aroma. The taste is sweet and smooth up front with a heavy aroma and taste of Macallan.

This beer is "Dry Oaked" in a keg with oak chips that have been soaked in 12 year Macallan single malt scotch and toasted on an open fire. You can taste the Macallan, and it makes for a VERY interesting beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2008 08:03:11 | More by antilogic