Coton (100% Bourbon Barrel Aged) - The Bruery

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.33/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a very dark brown with a very thin head on top of it. Like .002". I guess one shouldn't expect much from a beer of this nature, but nonetheless. Aroma, tons of stuff going on, booze, maple syrup, chocolate, burnt malt, vanilla, bourbon, oak. Very nice, just a little stingy.

Taste, wow, decadent. Bruery knows how to make a massive, complex beer really enjoyable when you throw it in a bourbon barrel. Waves of caramel, chocolate hit up front. Brown sugar seems to take the pain off the alcohol that I was fearing from the nose. Some molasses/maple for good measure. Relatively sweet overall, makes 17% taste like 11%. Real sticky, I'm sure if you spilled this, it would cling to your skin. Its a good thing this came in a very small 4 oz pour, I could never imagine drinking 25.4 oz of this at a time. Definitely a sharing beer, like many of the Bruery's best beers. Carbonation is just right, which is lower than the average beer, but fitting for something of this monstrosity. My favorite thing about this was how it covered up the sting and dark fruit (even if minor) in the base Coton.

If you don't like dark lord or black tuesday because they are sweet, I don't see you liking this. If you do like massive sweet complex beers, check this one out.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2012 23:03:20 | More by Beerandraiderfan

UCLABrewN84

California

4.4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Bruery in Placentia, CA.

Pours a clear super dark brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, brown sugar, caramel, toffee, bourbon, and wood. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick on the finish and a woody aftertaste. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is extremely tasty and dangerously drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2012 03:13:59 | More by UCLABrewN84

jvillefan

California

4.25/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at the bruery's new tap room opening.

A: A not very dark brown beer with a very minimal head that was dark ivory in color.

S: Despite being high ABV, there was nearly no aroma from this beer. There was some malt but that was about it.

T: Very good it tasted similar to a lighter version of Eutopia. Heavy malt and dark fruit.

M: Very heavy and lightly carbonated.

O: Exceptional, The Bruery does it again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2012 01:16:12 | More by jvillefan

Sideswipe

California

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

At The Bruery barrel tastin event.

Pours dark brown with a reddish tint. Minimal tan head and lacing. Smells of caramel, chocolate, dark fruit and booze. Sweet dark fruit up front. Abundant caramel follows and brings mild chocolate flavors with it. The finish is sweet with some alcohol presence. Sweet caramel in the aftertaste. Medium to full body with low carbonation. Really enjoyed this one. Great caramel flavors and well integrated ABV make this a pleasure to imbibe. Wish I still had bottles of this one.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2011 23:06:00 | More by Sideswipe

trodersark

California

4.47/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this in tap several times, poured into a tulip & 2oz. taster glass.

B.A. Coton pours a dark chocolate black, which a decent two-finger head. It smells of boozy bourbon goodness, vanilla, licorice. It tastes like heaven. Excellent bourbon taste in the ale, which lingers in your mouth for a long time. It leaves a oily sheath covering the inside of your mouth that wont leave for a while. The brew is extremely drinkable. Overall, excellent job by the bruery. Job Well done with this one.

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2011 18:34:55 | More by trodersark

FosterJM

California

4.33/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

175th review on BA
on tap at RS party

This was one that I had to get my hands on because I rated Coton very harshly.

App- A nice dark brown with a favorable head due to the guys pouring a nice taster.

Smell- A much better smell than the regular Coton. Wasnt smelling as hot. Got nice hints of wood, vanilla and chocolate and a little less booze on this one.

Taste- Such a better taste than regular Coton was. Really smooth and lavish taste. Was malty and a bit warming but the flavors were really well done with a nice sweetness to the barrel aged.

Mouth- A bit of a heavier beer with a medium carbonation level.

Drink- A very tasty Bourbon barrel aged beer. Very well done and glad I got a chance to have this one. I suggest trading for a bottle if you can.

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2011 04:00:06 | More by FosterJM

kbutler1

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Bruery Reserve Initiation party 2011. Pours a dark murky brown color with a slight tan head. The aroma is pretty nice with a blend of chocolate, nuts, vanilla, and barrel rounding out the nose. Surprisingly the booze isn't that evident ot me in the aroma. Medium/heavy mouthfeel. Sweet start but agian the booze is pretty well hidden with nice flavors of vanilla, chocolate, and oak. The bourbon tastes pretty good as well blended into the whole flavor profile.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2011 19:06:20 | More by kbutler1

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Served from tap into a Bruery sampler imperial pint at the Reserve Society Party. Poured dark brown with a minimal light tan head. There was no lacing evident throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, chocolate, wood, and bourbon. The flavor was of sweet malt, dark chocolate, wood, cream, and alcohol. It had a heavy feel on the palate with low carbonation. Overall this was excellent. A very nice smooth flavor that mixed quite well with the barrels. Had a good aroma going on too. This is a must try without a doubt and was an awesome tick while given the chance to try it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2011 14:09:36 | More by thagr81us

Gobzilla

California

4.15/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a dark chocolate brown with yellowish highlights that had absolutely no head and left no lacing whatsoever on the glass. The aroma was pretty filled with caramel oaky vanilla notes with a boozy punch alongside toffee, and brown sugar notes. the flavor was also big on the booze but was pretty sweet as well consisting of carmel, brown sugar, some candied sugar sweetness, toffee, oaky character, dark fruits, and vanilla accents. The brew was medium in body with a very low amount of carbonation which had a sweet, boozy, slight fruity, but sticky silky finish. Drank decent considering the ABV but it is definitely a sipper at 17%. Really glad I had the opportunity to try this brew out once again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2010 05:49:55 | More by Gobzilla

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.15/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

On tap at Max's for Baltimore Beer week.

The beer pours a dark rootbeer color with fairly decent head retention, but not a lot of lacing. This beer has all the hallmarks of a beer that has seen some serious barrel aging. On the nose... good grief. Talk about a rich smelling beer. I get considerable milk chocolate, raspberry liquer and maraschino cherry. I don't get a huge amount of bourbon on the nose, but that's more than made up for by what I get on the palate. This is such a sweet and boozy beer... how anyone could ever drink more than one small glass of this stuff is beyond me. In any event, the flavor profile replicates the nose, though I don't get quite as much cherry or fruit liquer. Of course it could simply be that I'm getting so much bourbon on the flavor profile, it's hard to focus on much else. Mouthfeel is very full, rich, soft and long. Drinkability is kind of a joke with this beer. The combination of bourbon, sweetness, and considerable alcohol make drinking this beer very slow going.

My reaction to this beer is much the same as my reaction to Black Tuesday. This is clearly an outstanding beer, but how often is anyone going to be in the mood for something this sweet and boozy? Not very often I'm thinking. Was happy to have the opportunity to sample this, but can't imagine revisiting any time soon.

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2010 22:27:07 | More by johnmichaelsen

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.98/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Max's, served in a goblet. Third time I've tried this, first time on tap...

Pours a murky, cola-esque dark brown with minimal wisps of an white head; no lacing or retention to note. Aroma is the highlight of the beer, an over the top sugary sweet blend of bourbon, vanilla, oak, burnt sugar, caramel, etc. The balance and blending of the barrel aging with the base beer is quite remarkable and follows through in the taste turning this into something distinct and superior to the original beer. However, while the sweetness isn't quite as overwhelming as expected, it still detracts slightly from the flavor and drinkability. Bourbon and sugars dominate with a malty, caramel body; vanilla and oak flavors are more subtle than the nose. Mouthfeel is medium thick, with minimal carbonation and for 14.5% is dangerously smooth and drinkable. A very good beer, but in this genre I'd still much rather drink any of the FW anniversary beers and wouldn't break my back tracking this down.

Serving type: on-tap

10-10-2010 20:28:48 | More by yourefragile

Phelps

Arizona

4.15/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on tap at the Off-Centered Experience. Hot damn!

Looks: an inky, opaque purplish-brown with a tiny, tight head the color of French vanilla ice cream.

Smells: bourbon. The aroma is absolutely packed with the sweet liquor, along with notes of maple, brown sugar, molasses, oak and vanilla.

Tastes: sweet. Heavy on the oak, but I also pick up some vanilla extract, molasses and dates before an odd, toasty, musky finish.

Feels: numbing. A smooth, nearly creamy medium body amidst fuzzy carbonation.

Drinks: easily, for what it is. Coton's definitely a bruiser, but it's not too heavy, and its sweetness belies its alcohol content. Very, very nice.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2010 20:06:27 | More by Phelps

ZX6Chris

California

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at KnB 10/1/10

A-Dark brownish black, mocha colored head, very tight little bubbles. Great head retention.

S-Sweet, bourbon, oak.

T-Chocolate, bourbon, oak, alcohol, yum.

M-Medium body, very smooth, dry on the finish. Maybe a little chewy.

D-Awesome! The alcohol hits your stomach but not your mouth. Deceptively easy drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2010 16:06:07 | More by ZX6Chris

domtronzero

California

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

On tap at KnB Wine Cellars 9-25-2010, during the Bruery Beer-B-Q.

A - Slightly murky dark brown with a very small, short lived mocha head. Lots of lacing.

S - Huge, richly sweet caramel malts, bourbon, oak, vanilla, toffee. Excellently melded together.

F/M - Again, this is just a huge, sweet, caramelly beer with big bourbony wood flavors. Lots of vanilla and toffee. Perfumy boozy alcohol leads to a nice dry-ish finish. Medium-low bitterness really lets the malt complexity/barrel flavors shine through. Full bodied, slightly oily with moderately low carbonation.

D - Just great. Even though its nearly 100*F outside right now, and its only 3:30 in the afternoon, I am definitely going for another glass. It's just begging me to...

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2010 02:27:54 | More by domtronzero

beagle75

Iowa

4.28/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draft pour into a tall goblet at The Bruery tasting room.

A: Murky, dark brown with some light penetrating the edges but less toward the center of the glass. Minimal beige foam head present. No lacing remains. This beer looks less like a beverage but more like something one would find in an old, unmarked bottle stored in the garage.

S: Strong brown sugar and raisins. No hint of alcohol present.

T: Very sweet with elements of molasses and concentrated dark raisins and prunes. Some slight anise and peat breaks through, along with a very restrained and enjoyable amount of bourbon. Alcohol is detected as it warms the palate, without being excessive or inappropriate for the style.

M: Heavy, syrupy viscosity that matches the flavors well. Carbonation seems a little more pronounced than expected, which is never really a surprise in beers from The Bruery.

D: For a beer with very high alcohol content, this is a pleasure to sip. Although it is not much to look at, it presents a flavor profile that is both decadent and capable of winning over those that normally avoid strong ales. In a style where hops are typically undetectable, this beer opts for tradition over any sort of "West Coast" re-invention. It reminds of Firestone 13 or other strong dark ales from The Bruery, such as Two Turtledoves.

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2010 03:30:07 | More by beagle75

DoubleJ

California

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Meu Deus! It's on-tap at the source! On to the beer:

It's brown in color, with almost no head from the moment I received it, but for a beer this strong, I was more lenient. It gives some legs after each moment I'm done sipping. The aroma is phenominal, as expected. The Bruery never dissapoints in this aspect as long as it involves a barrel. Raisins, boozes, grapes, toasted sugar....yum!

A little boozy, but still very tasty stuff. Not boozy as the advertized alcohol. A sweet tasting beer, no surprise there. It's grapes, bourbon, hints of vanilla, lots of toasted sugar...tasty. A little carbonated, but for the most part a viscous, fat liquid that smothers your palate. There's no need to rush the drinking of this one, but you could if you choose to do so.

Most breweries would be delighted to have a beer this great, but for The Bruery, it's another high quality barrel aged beer. A highly recommended beer to try if you're lucky to find it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2010 03:32:53 | More by DoubleJ

Halcyondays

California

4.55/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at The Bruery, thought I'd never get to try this one,

A: Pours a deep brown with a colaesque head, solid retention.

S: Classic Bruery barrel character. Are they classic after 2 years? Rich amounts of vanilla and wood, whiskey, sweet malt, great.

T: Heavy dark fruit which was recognized in regular Coton but given the death nell by the alcohol. Very sweet malt/molasses, prune heavy, raisins/Amarone with the whiskey, a great flavour, for me though, just missing a WOW factor to go 5.

M: Very smooth, full-bodied, creamy. Viscous and elegant on the tongue.

D: Another high alcohol beauty from The Bruery. Having only had unaged Coton before, the need for barrel aging was evident. This is so much more drinkable young than regular Coton, but I think a beer that can certainly improve from intensive aging.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2010 01:44:29 | More by Halcyondays

Overlord

California

4.65/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Let me start by saying how amazed I am by the transformation this beer has gone through in the -bal aging process. It's almost unrecognizable from the base beer.

I was basically hoping for an updated version of last year's bourbon barrel papier, one of the best beers I've tried, evah. This pretty much accomplishes it, though there are some subtle differences.

The beer pours brown, maybe slightly orange, with wispy bits o' foam. Surprised there's any head at all, and it actually bubbles and works to overcome the abv for a while. Surprisingly.

Aroma is fantastic. Absolutely overwhelming. Ahhh...these bourbon barrel aged beers from The Bruery are just the best smelling liquids out there. Huge overlapping bourbon, caramel, toffee, brown/roasted sugar (I had to ask if there was roasted sugar or molasses in here, it's so prevalent ... and there is). Copious vanilla. Sometimes saying something "smells like bourbon" really doesn't communicate how well the bourbon is integrated with a beer, or the quality of the aroma. This beer has "it."

Flavor is also excellent. Huge bourbon/vanilla notes, but it doesn't overpower an extremely strong brown sugary, caramel-y, roasted sugar base with notes of toffee, alcohol drizzled dark fruits ... is that belgian candi ??? ... and crazy complexity. It's an overwhelmingly sweet beer, so be forewarned.

Mouthfeel is chewy and almost ... slushy with residual flavors that linger on the tongue. Appropriate for such a heavy blend.

The barrel aged version of this beer is a monstrously good beast.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2010 02:02:56 | More by Overlord

womencantsail

California

4.7/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Review #800

On-tap at the Bruery

A: The pour is a muddled dark brown color with a surprising amount of off-white head on top which sticks around nicely.

S: A really rich, sweet aroma fills the nose. I pick up lots of vanilla, maple syrup, burnt sugar, caramel, and toffee as I give it a deep sniff. The bourbon is present, but not completely overwhelming, and the wood character is somewhat minimal.

T: The sweetness follows on the palate as the burnt sugar, caramel, and vanilla attack the tongue. A touch of dark fruits combines with vanilla and maple syrup and works surprisingly well. There is certainly some booze present, but it's not really hot.

M: The body is thick and full, with a minimal carbonation. The beer is sticky and chewy on the tongue.

D: This is dangerously easy to drink. I had several glasses of this fine libation and found it to be absolutely delicious and I really look forward to opening some of my bottles.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2010 17:49:36 | More by womencantsail

antioch

California

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Bruery's 2nd Anniversary Party.

Appearance is that of a typical barrel aged stout, porter or old ale... Thick and dark, with almost no light coming through.

Smell is also of a typical barrel aged brew, vanilla, chocolate, bourbon, oak, dark brown sugar and some dark fruits.

Taste is great as always. Alcohol heat comes through pretty quickly, but it's not overwhelming. Very sweet and tasty vanilla and sugar also coats your tongue throughout the whole sip.

Mouthfeel is typical. Thick, viscous and full. Slight carbonation to make the beer dance a bit on the tongue, but other than that... It's thick.

Drinkability, well... I had a few of these... But, they were small pours, if I had a pint glass or a whole tulip of this, I might think it wasn't too drinkable.

All in all, it was a tasty beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2010 16:10:11 | More by antioch

PeprSprYoFace

California

4.75/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

On tap at the 2nd annaversary party.

Pours a very dark brown. Little lacing. Film for head.

Aroma of lots of bourbon, dark fruits and toasted sugars.

Tastes as it smells. Kinda sweet. A little hot but good.

Mouthfeel is kinda viscous but nice carb.

Overall an amazing beer. Glad to have several tasters of this.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2010 01:39:08 | More by PeprSprYoFace

mulder1010

Australia

4.59/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ML into a snifter

A-- Dark chocolate brown color, bordering on black. Light brown head. Good body to head. One finger head to start and dropped off to a collar. Obvious ABV legs and good strips of lacing with this.

S-- Bourbon, massive bourbon. I would say this got some time in the barrel. Oak, bourbon, leather, brown sugar, chocolate, figs, vanilla, and a slight bit of oxidation. Nothing bad at all.

T-- See above :), minus the oxidation. Bourbon is a little more restrained and the brown sugar, chocolate, caramel, and fruits are bigger. ABV is very well hidden.

M-- Thick, rich, sweet, and powerful. Quite coating. Sweet but not overly sweet.

O-- My thought was this is at it's prime now. Dangerously drinkable. Big and bold beer that has balls but gives you enough not to kick your ass. Splendid beer

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 05:53:58 | More by mulder1010

scottfrie

California

4.35/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Snifter, reviewed from notes. Thanks a ton for sharing, Nick!

Pours a murky dark raisin brown with a thin bubbly collar of a head that hung around a little while. Tobacco and sugary sweetness are most prominent to me on the nose with notes of leather, caramel, chocolate, raisins, bourbon and vanilla mixed in as well. The taste follows suit with extremely rich and well integrated flavors as mentioned. Sweet overall but very balanced and not cloying. The alcohol is hidden extremely well despite being such a big beer, and the bourbon is not overpowering. This one is definitely a sipper though. Carbonation is low, body is full and the mouthfeel is slick. A surprisingly drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 17:03:52 | More by scottfrie

Auracom

Illinois

4.39/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Personal whale slain tonight. Thanks to Dan for helping me tackle this one. 12 oz. poured into a snifter on September 22nd, 2012.

A - Semi thin, rich mahogany coloring. One finger of a frothy medium tan head. Retention amounts to clinging bubbles. Very little lacing. Tons of legs, as anticipated.

S - Huge oak and bourbon barrel. It's even more than what I've had from other Bruery beers. Big secondary caramel. Touches of winter fruit, molasses.

T - Big barrel. Molasses, honey, possible light cherry oxidation to complement the enormous bourbon. Much more tannic barrel and woody character than sweetness, which is honestly perfect. Mellowed residual alcohol. As it warms up, the balance that this blend achieves is just absurd. Heavy oak and peppercorn-spice aftertaste.

M - I don't understand it, but the Bruery's bigger beers always feel heftier than they appear. Medium body, low and appropriate carbonation, semi-dry, mouth-watering finish.

D - What's not to love about this? Easily the best balance of the anniversary series bottles that I've tried. This is the reason I look forward to this series every year, and I pray that future releases will truly feel akin to year #2.

Edit - revisited on April 30th, 2013 side-by-side with my reference, Adam from the Wood. This bottle was predominantly sweet with brown sugar enveloping all barrel characters and overall did not match what I experienced the first time with the exception of aroma, which was still well-done./ Docking some points for consistency.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 15:58:28 | More by Auracom

Bendurgin

Maine

4.05/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks a bazillion to Andy for sharing this one. Poured into a chalice. This one pours dark brown with a small cap of dark tan head.

The aroma is rich with hints of plumbs and raisins with toffee and cocoa in the background. A nice bourbon background. The pallet has a good flavor of dark fruits and bourbon. This is reminiscent of a port with a dark cherry presence.

The body is thick and chewy with soft carbonation. Overall this one is real nice. A wonderful treat.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 00:07:51 | More by Bendurgin