Smoking Wood Bourbon Barrel Aged - The Bruery

maximum12

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to dfernandez77 for this bottle in a recent trade. Big bomber split into two snifters.

The pour is black trending towards black. Minimal carbonation. Nose is smokier than expected, heavy smoke, hints of barrel, plenty of barrel & a bit of chocolatte. Had a couple of weeny-smelling brews lately, this, this isn't for the faint of heart.

Rye Barrel Aged Smoking Wood brings out the best of the Bruery Augean Stables. Smokiness is present but not overwhelming, instead set off beautifully against a ton of vanilla & big roast. Bourbon is complementary & tickles the back of the aftertaste. Thick chocolate rises from the surface of the brew like Excalibur when it warms. Big & chewy. Solid. Contains no alcohol, so it's easy to drink by the gallon.

Wow. I'm not a huge fan of smoked beers, but this hits the bulls-eye. A beer with layer upon layer that's easy to drink despite the stupidnessly ABV...this is an excellent beer that borders on the elite. Fantastic. Lovin' every sip of it

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 02:40:41 | More by maximum12

GRG1313

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewing so that this one gets a score since I usually use "Hads" these days. However, this one I liked so much that I'm pleased to be reviewing it.

Pours black/brown with a nice dark khaki/malted brown head. Nice looking and pours with a bit of a viscous "feel" to it.

Nose is pleasant sweet dark chocolate, roasted grain, vanilla tones and integrated smoke. Some "sweet jerky" notes to it all around.

Mouthfeel is rich, full, bold and creamy. The balance on this one is spot one.

Flavor profile is great and it's balanced and fully integrated. Sweet beef jerkey, molasses, brown sugar, vanilla, bourbon, coffee and more all integrated in a mouthfilling balanced brew.

Nothing stands out and hits you over the head and yet you can break the flavor componants apart, if you choose. Just a delicious verson of Smoking Wood. This is the one. Nice job. Perfect with BBQ and other meats. Was also nice with dessert and could be a sipper, as well.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 05:31:54 | More by GRG1313

pmarlowe

California

4.48/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at 2012 RS Initiation party. Taster glass.

A: Pours black with a light khaki head. Good retention and some lacing.

S: Similar to the taste. Slightly more smoke and rye come through as it warms.

T: Chocolate, round and slightly sweet bourbon and vanilla, some oak, subdued smoke, spicy rye, with some coffee and sweetness on the finish. More smoked malt comes out as it warms.

M: Smooth, medium-full body and light carbonation.

O: My immediate impression was that this is a slightly smokey BCBS. Really delicious. I got less of that as the beer warmed and the smoke came through more.

In any case, I liked this much more than the rye barrel version: the slight sweetness, more bourbon and barrel characteristics, and less smoke really elevated this to more than a slightly bourbon-y porter.

09/12 update: Tried this again and was a little less impressed. There was a bacony flavor that came in and out, and the nice barrel characteristics didn't show as much.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2012 05:41:07 | More by pmarlowe

IKR

California

4.43/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Very dark brown bordering on black with a moderate beige head that slowly fades. The head on my bottle was smaller than that of the Rye Whiskey-aged variants I sampled.

Smell: Smoked wood, some vanilla notes, and moderate bourbon aromas.

Taste: The smoke is present like in the Rye whiskey-aged version, but I found the Bourbon-aged version to have less of a "smoke" presence. I get some Bourbon, roast malts, vanilla, and some oak notes. I'm getting some mild dark fruit notes as well. The beer finishes with the smoke and Bourbon barrel elements. The higher ABV (than the Rye whiskey-aged version) results in a bit more heat but fairly subdued for something 13%.

Mouth-feel: On the light side of medium bodied with a modest level of carbonation.

Overall: A good beer. There are some trade-offs in my opinion compared to the Rye whiskey-aged version, but both beers were welcome surprises to me.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 00:07:55 | More by IKR

billab914

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into my CBS snifter. Pretty close to pitch black in color with a thin, frothy, tan colored head to it.

The smoked malts really stand out in the aroma. It's got kind of a smoked dark chocolate thing going on that I'm really liking. There is some notes of BBQ and smoked meats coming out of the smoked malts as well. The barrel aged flavors are a little more reserved in it, but it does add some complimenting brown sugar and bourbon flavors to it. Loved the smokiness in the aroma.

The dark, smoky malts come out throughout the taste. I get some notes of smoked, salty meats that do remind me a little of bacon. The finish shows a little more of a burnt wood and dark chocolate flavor. I get a little bourbon coming out in the finish, it compliments well but feels a little light overall. The bold smokiness is fantastic in it though.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side with carbonation being low. Overall, I really loved this beer. Smoked beer is one of my favorite styles and I love when a smoked beer isn't shy on the smoke. The bourbon was a little light, but what was there complimented very well. This one rivals Alaskan Smoked Porter for my favorite smoked beer. Great beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 12:52:26 | More by billab914

shand

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Smoking Wood pours a ruby-tinged dark brown with a small head. The aroma is intensely smoky with a big bourbon note. The taste is very intense in three ways. Smoke. Bourbon. Rye. All three are huge. There's just a bit of vanilla in the back. After the intense flavors, a nice lingering smoke and bourbon note lingers. The mouthfeel is slick and relatively light, and the drinkability is actually very good as long as you like smoked beers. BBA Smoking Wood really took me by surprise. It's an absolutely massive smoked beer, that manages to be extremely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 02:52:44 | More by shand

mdfb79

New York

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

8/3/12 notes.

a - Pours a very dark brown color, almost black, with one finger of dark tan head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of roasted malts, smoke, bourbon, oak, dark fruits, toasted malts, toasted malts, some chocolate, and light vanilla. Very nice nose. The smoke is stronger than the bourbon, but noth are nice.

t - Tastes of roasted malts, chocolate, bourbon, oak, vanilla, toffee, caramel malts, toasted malts, smokey malts, and light dark fruits. Less smoke than the nose and more bourbon, vanilla, and chocolate, which gives it a huge step up for me.

m - Full body and moderate carbonation. Thick and chewy, but smooth. Does not feel like 13% ABV at all, though there is a tiny bit of heat.

o - Overall this was pretty much exactly what I was hoping for; I liked it a lot. The nose has some nice smoke to it and a little bourbon, which then flip flop in the taste where you get more bourbon and less smoke. In both cases the smoke does not dominate, and it is pretty well balanced. Thick body which is great for this beer, very glad I have some more of this one. I think in a few months this will be perfect; I plan on drinking the other bottles of this in the winter.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 16:16:30 | More by mdfb79

TATURBO

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Very Dark Brown. Minimal Head. Low Carbonation

S: Bourbon, Oak Smoke, Molasses, Vanilla.

T: Roasty, Oak Smokiness, Bourbon. Sweetness of the Bourbon Version tames the smoke compared to Rye Barrel version which I had back to back.

M: Wow, at 13% the alcohol is very well hidden. Mimimal burn just a bit of heat. Medium thickness.

O: Easy Drinking and well balanced sipper. Smoke present but not overpowering. In a back to back tasting with the Rye Barrel both ranked close ultimately but still had some noticeable differences. Sweetness being the biggest of them in the Bourbon Barrel version. I'd give it a solid 4.3 Overall

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 15:16:51 | More by TATURBO

brotherloco

California

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle. 2012 Reserve Society Edition. Served in a snifter.

Pours a solid ultra-dark brown with half a finger of mocha colored foam that settles to a ring of loose bubbles. A spot or two of lacing.

Aroma of savory smoke, sweet and roasty malt, molasses and soy sauce, dark fruits and vanilla. Some port wine in the background. An overtone of alcohol.

Flavor begins with campfire smoke, leads to dry roasty malt, then some dark fruit and caramel notes sweeten things up slightly. Also a bit of scotch peat. Reminds me of savory smoked meats with a sweet bbq sauce, but in a beer. Finish is very rich with a lot of caramel and toffee notes, oaky vanilla, smoke, a little bourbon, and roasty bitterness. Can't really pick out the alcohol here, which is quite impressive for 13%.

Medium-full body with moderate carbonation. Rich and oily, although gets a touch thick after several sips.

These are the type of big bold beers that make me love The Bruery. Great stuff.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 21:15:14 | More by brotherloco

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark black with a bit of brown and a finger of frothy chocolate-khaki colored head. Fades normal.

S - Roasted chocolate malts, vanilla, oak, Bourbon, smoke, coffee, earthy hops, molasses, and some booze.

T - Roasted chocolate malts, vanilla, oak, Bourbon, smoke, coffee, rathy hops, some bitterness, molasses, and some booze.

M - Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a sweet, smokey, and warming finish.

D - Great smoked porter. The barrel adds some great character and the balance is great.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 06:54:11 | More by ngeunit1

Auracom

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle share with Dan, first RS allocation we've cracked in a while. 12 oz. poured into a Founders tulip on February 23rd, 2013.

A - Surprisingly thick for a Bruery concoction. Deep oily black with virtually no head beyond a thin mocha lacing. Marginal legs given 13%.

S - Smoke indeed, hugely-so when below 55 F. Slightly lesser dark cocoa, oak, and cinnamon. You really need to let this hit room temp otherwise the aroma is way too single-note, dominated by smoke.

T - Plentiful roasted almond, espresso bean, and bourbon-soaked fig. Rear-palate is dense, pitted fruit and nicely offsets the heavy roast upfront. Wonderfully unsweetened compared to so many other Bruery offerings.

M - Medium body, low carbonation, semi-smooth with a dry finish.

D - Really pretty decent, and memorable beyond what I'd expected. The smoke is well balanced and the flavor really gets kicking with some air. I think Black Tuesday suffered greatly this past year, leaving my impressions of this beer even greater. Not everything needs to taste purely sweet.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 17:15:36 | More by Auracom

DovaliHops

California

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a thick, pitch black with a very small tan head that immediately turns to brown bubbles. Scent is smoky at first, smoky but quite sweet. Some sweet vanilla bean ice cream aroma…there is definitely a creamy aspect to this beer…almost like sweet cream ice cream or something. A bit of chocolate with mellow bourbon scents. Sweet caramel as well. Taste is like smoked meat at first…a bit of pork and burnt malt. The smoke immediately turn to sweet bourbon and A TON of vanilla. This is a lot more sweet and vanilla-y then I was expecting. The booze is hidden quite well in this beer. A bit of wood and alcohol in the finish with sweet chocolate lingering on the back of the tongue. Mouthfeel is medium(could use a little more body) and creamy. Drinkability is fairly high for such a big beer. Overall, better than the first Smoking Wood. This is a delicious beer!

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 07:55:53 | More by DovaliHops

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle split with JLindros. Poured into a palm tulip.

A - Poured a deep dark oily brownish black hue with a nice one finger mocha head that leaves a nice halo and solid sudsy side lacing.

S - Wow oh wow aromas of big bold campfire smoke. It does not overpower the Bourbon which is present with nice vanilla oak caramel. Slight booze which is okay. This is delicious smelling super inviting. Nice roasty malts.

T - Similar to the nose with a nice lingering smoke and finish. It overpowers the rye in that I miss some of the spice. That lingering smoke fades to nice sweet Bourbon with hints of vanilla and oak. There is light chocolate with this and not quite as roasty or malty as I figured it would be. Not quite as sweet either. Pretty tasty.

M - Mouthfeel is just awesome for such a high ABV. Alcohol creeps upon you though!

O - Overall I felt this was an excellent rye beer with very nice smoke notes and light bourbon. Incredibly drinkable for such a high ABV. Glad I have another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 22:14:04 | More by rudzud

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

reviewed from notes taken 6/16/12.

poured into snifter; drank side by side with Rye Smoken Wood.

Appearance: dark brown bodied beer with 2 fingers of tan to mocha colored head with moderate lacing.

Smell: Nice smokey malts that smell like bacon and peat moss with a little splash of bourbon.

Taste: This beer is both smokey and sweet. The smoke taste really nice; bacony, briny, earthy and peat. The bourbon is super mellow and so rediculously well integrated. Nothing is overpowering or overbearing everything works really well together.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. Super smooth; creamy and silky beer. Not a hint of booze from this 13% beer.

Overall: Enjoyed the Bourbon Smoking Wood much better than the Rye Smoken Wood. The Bourbon is so well balanced and flavorful. Its like a dessert beer with smoke! This is one of the best smoke beer that I have drank aside from Surly Smoke! Thanks for bring this to your Birthday Bruery Tasting Kent!

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 01:47:43 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

FosterJM

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1222nd Review on BA
Draft to Libbey footed goblet

@The Bruery Provisions

App- A very dark brown. Really I could call it black but I wont. Nice small 1 finger dark brown head with good traces of lace and cling. Slid very well and looked good.

Smell- This has a lot more going on than the first variant. Much less prickly but adds a certain sweetness of the bourbon and vanilla. Still had the meaty malts and smokiness.

Taste- I enjoyed this so much more. More smooth, vibrant and layered. The bourbon adds huge sweet vanilla and still retains a pork meaty malty flavor.

Mouth- A large and medium body with a creamy vanilla sweet malty meaty carbonation. The residual vanilla is a welcome balance.

Drink- A better treatment this go around. Smoother, creamier and tastier. The bourbon was the right choice for these ingredients. Id like this one again.

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2012 05:01:47 | More by FosterJM

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.23/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle opened on 8.6.12.

A - Pours a motor oil brown with a one inch brown head made of large bubbles.

S - Bourbon, smokey sweetness.

T - Sweet bourbon with a strong smoke finish.

D - Good carbonation with a medium body. A very strong smoke finish.

O - Sweet and smokey. Not my favorite style, but this one somehow works. Jerky?

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 06:07:36 | More by HuskyinPDX

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a pitch black with a small amount of foam that quickly settles to a layer of fine tan bubbles
S - The smell mainly consists of smoke and bacon with just a touch of sweet bourbon. Very nice aroma, makes me hungry for breakfast.
T - Very nice flavor. The amount of smoke, which i am not the biggest fan of, is evenly matched by the rich malts and bourbon. Very well balanced and the taste is outstanding. Well done with this one.
M - Rich, thick and creamy. This is a beer you want to chew through. Slight carbonation makes this beer silky smooth to drink and releases all of the flavor.
D - Drinkability has to be low based on the abv, but based on flavor, this is a winner. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 04:10:07 | More by mikereaser

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

So glad I joined the RS, and get access to beers like this! Shared with Rudzud.

Pours with a light creamy super dark head light lacing, pitch black with thick legs, nice head retention for the abv, and long thick slow rolling legs!

Nose is like pure darkness, tons of dark malts, roast, chocolate, coffee, light charred malt, some campfire smoke, lots of dark and bakers chocolate and some oats, roast gets slightly briny and soy sauce like but not much, light chalky powdered chocolate, and even a slight peaty smoke but more oak some. bourbon is there some as well, light toasted oak barrel, and a bit of a boozy aroma, and a hint of applewood smoked bacon.

Taste is still very complex but much more smokey and chalky. Powdered cocoa, lots of applewood smoke with smoked bacon and ribs taste, light campfire and light peat like. Then roasted malt, light coffee and light briny char but not much. Chocolate is more background with light bakers and powered chalky cocoa. Bourbon is more background as well, light bourbon taste but it does have more of a smokey scotch taste. Wood barrel is there, light toasty and plenty of vanilla, then a light creamy milky taste later. Booze is hidden pretty well, just a light warmth. Finish is slightly dry but light syrupy, long lingering choc, some smoke and very light briny taste. Long lingering smoke.

Mouth is huge, semi thick and syrupy, lighter carb.

Overall awesome, although bourbon was a bit lighter than I expected, but really nice smoke, booze hidden well, nice malts, nice oak and barrel, drinkable not too briny either, my only gripe would be a bit more bourbon overall as I love the stuff.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 16:59:38 | More by jlindros

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

2012 Vintage poured in to Bruery tulip.

A - Black with a thin layer of medium brown head that quickly reduced to a ring around the edges of the glass.

S - A big smoke aroma up front, as expected. Lighter bourbon and chocolate aromas on the background.

T - Much more balanced than the nose indicated. Smoke, bourbon, toasted oak, chocolate and a hint of vanilla. Some roast and spiciness form the rye in the background. A really nice balance of the base beer and the barrel.

M - Medium, almost full body. Chewy. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 01:46:24 | More by TheSevenDuffs

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color porter with a medium size dark brown foamy head with average retention and minimal lacing. Aroma of vanilla and bourbon with medium smokey notes and some roasted malt with some residual sugar. Taste is a complex and well balanced mix between some bourbon and vanilla notes with some medium smokey notes and some residual sugar with light dry roasted malt. Body is full with an oily texture and some medium to low carbonation. I really like the balanced between the flavours and the fact that the smokey notes don’t overshadows the other flavours. A bit rich to drink a whole bottle by yourself though.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 20:44:09 | More by Phyl21ca

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a snifter. Reviewed from notes.

Appearance - Black, but not inky. No real head. A small collar of foam.

Smell - Bourbon and smoke. Meaty smoke. Chocolate. A little sulfuric.

Taste - Awesome blend of smoke, chocolate, bourbon, and vanilla. Strong smoke. Intense alcohol, but no surprise there. The vanilla really is what makes this work.

Mouthfeel - Low carbonation and very boozy. Heavy. It's more of a barrel booze than a beer booze.

Overall - Much better than the Rye version. Delicious. Hefty booze, but a great smoked beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 21:31:59 | More by Alieniloquium

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle, poured into my Duvel tulip. Thanks to JRSD for being my trustee for the Reserve Society.

Bourbon Barrel Smoking Wood pours a complete black, with maybe two fingers of mocha foam. Head retenton is alright, and lacing is fairly spotty. The nose is fairly intoxicating (in a good way), with loads of chocolate and smooth bourbon. Smoke and a light spiciness show up as well as complementary notes. The flavor profile follows similarly. Big roasty chocolate and bourbon notes dominate, as in a solidly brewed barrel aged imperial stout. The smoky, almost bacon like flavor that comes in along with some spicy rye notes on the back end are what give this beer a relatively unique twist. There's just a little bit of boozy heat in the finish that keeps the beer from being truly special. The mouthfeel is fantastic, nice and full bodied with a bit of creaminess and chewiness, along with a subdued carbonation. Bourbon Barrel Smoking Wood is drinking nicely right now, but I think a little bit of time could turn this beer into something special.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 05:48:11 | More by axeman9182

UCLABrewN84

California

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Bruery Reserve Society initiation party at The Phoenix Club in Anaheim, CA.

Pours an opaque super dark brown/black with a dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of smoked malt, smoked meats, wood, and bourbon aromas. Taste is of smoked malt, wood, and bourbon with a smoked meat aftertaste. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer but I prefer the rye barrel aged version much more.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2012 00:00:24 | More by UCLABrewN84

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes from The Bruery tasting I hosted Saturday night.

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a Alesmith Horny Devil snifter.

A- Pours black with a 1" dark tan head. Suttle lacing that resides quickly.

S- Big smoke notes and big amount of bourbon, but not too overpowering.

T- Slight smoke, roasted malts, and nice bourbon flavors.

M- Medium body and carbonation. Very smooth for 13%.

O- Liked the flavor and smoothness of the bourbon slightly more than the rye.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 13:47:03 | More by kawilliams81

Etan

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml into a snifter.

A: Pours a thick brownish-black with a big dark chocolate head.

S: Thick smoke and chocolate, a bit of roasted malt and sweet alcohol.

T: Booze-laced hard oak, burnt grain, subtle smoked meat, chewy chocolate and heavy bitter roast. Sweet caramel and vanilla from the barrel smooth out the harsh alcohol and roast a bit. More whiskey-soaked wood in the finish.

M: Thick and chewy.

O: The booze and wood are a bit heavy, but the beer is tasty and has a great mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 01:23:33 | More by Etan