Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout - Marble Brewery

thebigredone

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -12.8%

01-31-2013 00:08:12 | More by thebigredone

jeonseh

Indiana

3.19/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A - Dark chocolate beer with small mocha foam layer and small bubbles on the sides

S - Milk chocolate, vanilla, light caramel, slight sweet cream and light roasted malt

T - Roasted malt with a ton if booze and bourbon. Slight bourbon sweetness but there is lots of alcoholic bite that really over takes the rest of the beer and becomes the only thing I could taste. Good amount of oak near the finish.

M - Medium thick body with an astringent finish from the booze

O - Boozy stout with too much barrel that overwhelms the base stout. The strong alcoholic presence gives it a slight kick and makes it astringent overall

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 14:52:06 | More by jeonseh

rboinski

California

4.01/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into a red wine glass

Appearance: Pours a deep black with a dark tan had, which fades to an tiny offwhite ring.

Smell: Smell is predominately of bourbon, with barrel notes of vanilla on the finish. Not really smelling any of the typical stout flavors.

Taste: Taste again is mostly of bourbon. Not getting too much subtlety, but a good bourbon taste none the less.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is a little good, but I would appreciate more of a creamy flavor.

Overall: A good bourbon foreword beer, but I was hoping for more complexity.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 18:29:32 | More by rboinski

shagens

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-01-2013 21:58:13 | More by shagens

FTowne

Missouri

4/5  rDev -7%

04-29-2013 00:27:01 | More by FTowne

Auraan

Arizona

4.58/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a jet black with a two finger tan head that stuck around. Scents of chocolate, roast malt and dark coffee. The usual IS scent profile. Flavor followed this chocolate, dark chocolate, black coffee and a slight tinge of alcohol with a bit of malt sweetness and a bit of roast malt. Some barrel character, but not a whole lot. Mouthfeel is thick, sticky and heavy, with low carbonation. Quite easy to drink. Very true to style. A good Imperial Stout out of New Mexico, well worth trying if you get the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2013 09:31:30 | More by Auraan

Treebs

Illinois

3.79/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

22 oz. waxed bottle served in a Jester King chalice. Thanks to eorwar for the share!

A: Pours a dark black color with a light tan head forming on the pour. Dissipates to a thin film that leaves some soapy looking lace down the glass.

S: Pretty barrel heavy with some notes of bourbon, coconut and tootsie roll. Very sweet initially on the smell.

T: Same as the nose. Very barrel forward. Bourbon with a heavy roasted malt bill. Light vanilla and coconut with some caramel sweetness. Heavy fudge with some tootsie roll sweetness. A little hot, but nothing out of line with 11% ABV.

M: Medium bodied with a medium carbonation level. A little oily as well. Smooth and sweet finish.

O: A little rough around the edges, but still a very solid beer. A think this needs some time to integrate a little more. I'm interested to try the Marble Reserve at this point.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 15:15:41 | More by Treebs

nzerbe

New York

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

03-11-2013 08:47:59 | More by nzerbe

largadeer

California

4.34/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Batch 1. Bottle from GHB. Thanks!

Dark brown bordering on black, topped by two fingers of tan foam. Great nose, lot of toasted coconut, dark chocolate, licorice, caramel and bourbon. Very integrated, balanced aroma with plenty of richness. Palate is similarly excellent; there's a ton of chocolate and caramel, big bourbon notes, some heat from the barrel. Slight coconut and oak tannins, a little vanilla toward the finish. Oaky and drying on the back end with a full, silky body. This is surprisingly excellent, I'd gladly drink this any time.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 23:20:09 | More by largadeer

AnotherImperial

Arizona

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

02-17-2013 20:19:56 | More by AnotherImperial

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.68/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Shout to egadbananas for sending me this. Dark black color, appearance is easy. Aroma is a bit of malt chocolate milk balls, whoppers yo. Flavor was oddly not heavy barrel, mostly imperial stout with a bit of wood at the finish. I like a subtle beer and I liked it when bourbon barrel beers are not dominated by booze but this was too subtle. More barrel please. I actually think the Marble Reserve was much better and had a better barrel character.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 06:28:27 | More by ArrogantB

tourdot

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

01-27-2013 20:45:14 | More by tourdot

JOrtt

California

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

01-03-2013 22:37:54 | More by JOrtt

maximum12

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to GHB for this bottle, the final survivor of another good trade box. If it's as good as the other brews from Marble, I'll be well pleased. 22 oz. bottle split with my wife.

Pours is dark, dead black with only sparks of frizzy life. Nose, well, is there something wrong with my nose tonight? Not getting much. Sweetness, gentle barrel. OK, my wife concurs, I haven't suffered any nasal trauma. Whew.

Marble Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout is a brew that needs some serious warming. Cold out of the fridge this is routine, but opens like a Paula Abdul video as it warms. Nicely roasted that treads the edge of coffee territory, before the vanilla sweetness & malt eases into the snapshot. Caramel. oak that dries out the after-image. Thick & lovely, but I won 't have any problem putting my half down to rest.

This is the kind of beer that one could easily overlook. Not in your face, just a good, solid beer that's had a subtle shiv of barrel tagged on. I like. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 04:01:40 | More by maximum12

rodlavers

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tap at the brew pub in Santa Fe

Pours virtually all black with absolutely no head. There are some tinges of red, but not terribly noticeable. Looks a bit thin.

Smells rich in coffee, chocolate and roast, but light on the bourbon and vanilla, which is completely fine. Molasses flavors as well.

Taste is similar to smell, but much sweeter, and more boozy, served ice cold needs to warm and improves as such.

Mouthfeel is smooth and light, not super thick, but a bit hoppy. ABV is not particularly well-hidden, rendering the beer very warming.

Overall this is an excellent surprise. Had no idea I'd find this gem in Santa Fe. It's not my favorite BBA Imperial Stout, but it's very good, as I am partial to the style. Must try for those in the area looking for good beer. Cheers.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2012 01:47:20 | More by rodlavers

BobZ

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Jet black with a nice frothy bright tan head of about 1” which quickly recedes to about a ¼”. Very nice lacing.

Smell: Big chocolate with some roasted malt and a “hint” of bourbon, the bourbon aroma seems to unlock as the beer warms.

Taste: Nice cold but this beer is at its best when it warms. Really excellent combination of chocolate and vanilla from the bourbon. The oaky vanilla is extremely subtle as are all of the bourbon characteristics. Personally, I find it refreshing to have a bourbon barrel beer that is not “up front” with the bourbon. The flavor is woven into the beer as just another element of complexity. I only was able to pick up some coffee flavor as the chocolate is really dominant (in a good way) with this beer.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy yet clean on the finish.

Overall: Really delicious example of a Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, definitely one worth trying if you get the chance.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 17:14:35 | More by BobZ

oldp0rt

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

11-25-2012 17:33:13 | More by oldp0rt

Itoclown

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

11-09-2012 15:23:38 | More by Itoclown

djmichaelk

Florida

4/5  rDev -7%

10-26-2012 00:42:26 | More by djmichaelk

cestlavie

Yukon (Canada)

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

10-15-2012 04:12:30 | More by cestlavie

CheapBeerBuzz

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

09-28-2012 22:20:53 | More by CheapBeerBuzz

Arbitrator

California

4.18/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Chilled bottle into a glass. Thanks, Chris.

A: Pours a dark, oily black with imposing dark mocha head. Retention is slight; the beer maintains just the smallest ring of bubbles around the edge after all is said and done.

S: When the beer was just out of the fridge -- cold but not too chilled -- no one except Chris could pick up any bourbon barrel notes (and even then, only because he read the label, I think). I still couldn't detect them while knowing to look for them, until the beer warmed up for 20-30 minutes. Then the subtlety of the barrel-aging became obvious. The base beer brings anise, molasses, and chocolate to the table; bourbon lends a lesser caramel-vanilla aroma on the back end. It is well-integrated, and those who don't want a bourbon-forward imperial stout will find a lot to appreciate here.

T: Same pattern when cold: no bourbon detectable. Given how most popular barrel-aged stouts are trending toward the barrel-forward direction, this is definitely an oddball -- but a good one. The base beer itself is a solid imperial stout; more chocolate- and anise-forward than roasted grains or coffee (though both are found), with a sweet molasses presence at times. As it warms, bourbon emerges slowly and contributes a back-end caramel and vanilla sweetness. It's never very tannic in the finish, but it finishes cleanly enough that it doesn't really need it.

M: Full-bodied; while thick and chewy, the beer isn't very sticky, making for a clean finish. The ABV is pretty well masked.

O: A surprise stunner.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 17:59:46 | More by Arbitrator

Beerontwowheels

Maryland

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

Bomber shared by WorldWideStout. Split between two oversized red wine glasses.

A: Very nice dark, dark appearance. No light passes through and there is practically no lacing, About a finger worth of head after an aggressive pour.

S: Smells fantastic. Nicely balanced, with the bourbon being pretty obvious, but not overly boozy.Bourbon, caramel, chocolate all upfront in the nose.

T: A touch of vanilla and smoke, but mostly notes of chocolate, bourbon and caramel come through.

M: Medium mouthfeel, very much appropriate. Nice carbonation to the beer and I have no complaints in this regard.

O: First thoughts...honestly, this could be a quick stand in for BCBS for those who are out of market. Really solid BA Imperial Stout. I would certainly trade for this again and will be on the look out for this underrated beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 03:43:32 | More by Beerontwowheels

beenitty

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

08-07-2012 00:36:40 | More by beenitty

bhir

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

07-27-2012 00:56:19 | More by bhir