Cherry Adam From The Wood - Hair of the Dog Brewing Company / Brewery and Tasting Room

PDXHops

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2009 vintage on tap in the tasting room in a tulip glass. Pours a mysterious reddish-tinged brown shade with a wispy light tan head. Fairly quickly this begins a lazy retreat, but a collar of foam sticks around til the end and leaves some crackly streaks of lacing behind.

One of those beers that's a treat just to smell, a whirlwind of chocolate covered cherries, bourbon, oak and the smoky, leathery goodness of regular Adam. I'm somewhat surprised that the cherry and bourbon flavors are so potent; they don't quite overpower the base beer, but then again, Adam in all its leathery, smoky glory is about as big and badass a base beer as you'll find. I've only had 2 vintages of Cherry Adam, but prefer the smoother integration the 2008. However, the 2009 is tasty stuff, with a luxuriously smooth and lingering finish. Highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2011 12:42:16 | More by PDXHops

Ryan011235

Ohio

4.6/5  rDev +6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

On tap in a tulip at the tasting room on 3/9/11

2011 vintage

Dark, dark, crimson brown. At times it looks dark enough to be a deep plum. 1/8th inch rose-hued head thins immediately to a collar. No retention or lace by mid-way through the glass.

Aromas of tart, dark cherries. Bourbon heat and hints of vanilla and wood. Malts offer impressive depth - chocolate, caramel and figs. Smells very good but also rather hot.

The flavors the beer imparts are all the more impressive. Distinct, yet not-too-tart, cherries lead off, enveloping the base beer. Smooth maltiness throughout with a subtle hop presence. Swaths of cherry, vanilla, chocolate, figs, charred oak and dark fruit notions. Toasted grains. Not too much bourbon but it is hot.

Full, slick, coating feel. Carbonation is low on the front end but fizzes up mid-swallow. Subtle graininess underneath. Long, full-flavor finish lingers.

Overall impression: so tasty and such a great sipper. Exceptionally done. I'm beyond tickled to have happened across this on the one night I was in Portland.

Serving type: on-tap

07-06-2011 00:24:36 | More by Ryan011235

Airyk12

Oregon

4.83/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a beautiful deep ruby brown with a thin brown head.

Smells of dried fruit and caramel, as well as some cherry and plenty of bourbon and oak.

Oh jeez. Crazy complex flavor; dried fruit, caramel, cherries, and bourbon. The alcohol brings plenty of heat, but not overwhelming.

Smooth as can be. Rich and creamy. A little bite from the alcohol, but never off-putting. A tiny bit of carbonation and lots of body.

Just a top notch beer. Really amazing. The flavors all compliment each other perfectly. Nothing overwhelms, only adds to the flavor. Hard to get, but worth the trip to the tasting room.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2011 04:20:48 | More by Airyk12

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.68/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at the Tasting room on 3.4.11.

A - Pours a deep mahogany-brown color with no head at all. It leaves fingers on the glass like a wine.

S - There is a lot here: Ripe fruit, cherries, smoke, and carmel.

T - Tastes are very similar to the smells. Very fruity and woody and smokey. Very complex, and it is hard for me to describe.

D - No carbonation. A touch sweet, but I still love it.

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2011 22:47:16 | More by HuskyinPDX

vkv822

Oregon

4.72/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz pour into tulip at the brewery.

Arrives black with beautiful ruby hues and a bubbly cherry colored head. Very nice looking.

The aroma and taste is of rich leathery, smoky bourbon with wonderful cherry and dark fruit towards the finish. There are also faint notes of vanilla oakiness.

The mouthfeel is full bodied, smooth and low carbonated.

This is an amazing beer, very complex and incredibly smooth, especially for being so fresh. The ABV is incredibly well hidden.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2011 04:53:38 | More by vkv822

oregonskibum

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

2011 release at the tasting room on 3/5. Served in a 3-oz HOTD tasting glass. Tasting notes from memory. Unfortunately I had a couple pints at lunch before stopping at HOTD, as I really wish I could have enjoyed a full 12oz pour.

A: Dark brown with obvious red or dark amber notes along the edges. Poured with almost no carbonation. Just a thin ring around the edge that disappeared almost immediately.

S: Bourbon hit first followed by some sweet, fruity aromas. And then more bourbon. The smell is intense.

T: Just like the smell, the bourbon floods the senses on first taste. And then again on second taste. Once past the bourbon (and the beer warms a bit), the cherry flavors start to become more apparant mid to late in the taste. Other barrel notes (vanilla) are there, but only in the distance. This one needs some age.

M: Very thick and oily, almost to the point of being cloying. Little to no carbonation. I personally thing some minimal carbonation would have really helped here as well as with bottle aging.

D: Excellent. Smooth and rich. The bourbon is a little overpowering right now, but this should evolve into a wonderful beer over the next one to five years.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2011 02:25:21 | More by oregonskibum

hopsbreath

Oregon

4.78/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The twitter feed from Hair of the Dog read "Cherry Adam from the Wood is on tap, come and get it". From previous BeerAdvocate thread I knew that this was the only keg that Alan has on hand. TulipSnifter and I hopped in the car as soon as we could and made the drive. Pliny the Younger is making its appearance around town right now and kegs are kicking in about an hour when they're tapped. We got to HotD two hours after the tweet and I was expecting a mad house. Ten people were there and only three or four had a glass of something resembling Cherry Adam. I didn't care if a bar up the street tweeted that "PtY just went on tap" at that moment. I was getting Cherry Adam and kicking back in a low key setting to enjoy it. $8.50 a twelve ounce pour? "Bring a glass each for my wife and I 'cause I'm not sharing"! Black13 met up with us shortly there after. He enjoyed it so much he had to have a second glass.

A: Dark brownish/purple with lighter plum edges. This looks like venous blood in a glass. Its very still with only a fine bead of carbonation on the edge of the glass. Crazy legs! 5/5

S: Sweet fruity top shelf bourbon. Aged "for 20 months in Elijah Craig bourbon barrels" is how the descriptor on the menu describes it. Loads and loads of -bal are a delight to the olfactory's. Spice and vanilla accent the aroma in a delightful way. Simply superb. 5/5

T: Initially, sweet dark cocoa shows up with an abundance. As it warms, sweet cherry liqueur makes itself known. The bourbon soaked vanilla gang lent by the barrels kicks you in the teeth from the first sip and forms a circle around your taste buds withering from the attack to dish out more of its delicious assault. For being so recently drained from the barrels and possessing such a big ABV, this is so smooth and warming without the heat other beers of this strength beat you down with. The tobacco, leather, and smoke characteristics of regular Adam aren't anywhere to be found at this point. Hopefully with some time the bottled version will develop that depth. The knowledge that those flavors can develop at some point keeps me from giving the perfect score here. 4.5/5

M: Thick, coating, and syrupy come to mind. This is positively one of the two or three most viscous beers I've had to date. Zilch as far as carbonation goes on the palate. I personally embrace the fact that this beer is smooth as silk with no CO2 prickles to tickle the tongue. As an aperitif, this is flawless. Ports, sherrys, and cordials have long been the beverage of choice to pair with dessert or cap off a night among those who appreciate civilized living. None of those drinks are carbonated either. Cherry Adam doesn't even care if its not carbonated and gives the finger to those who suggest it should be. I on the other hand, suggest perfection. 5/5

D: A beer I look forward to drinking every time I have one in my glass. Turn off the TV, block out distractions, and give yourself time to purely enjoy a great brewing achievement. This is without a doubt one of those beers every beer geek should try before they die. In the world of "extreme beer" Cherry Adam defies the convential definition of what a beer should be. I've had the '08, '09, and now the '11. In my opinion, this is the best one yet. Next week when the bottles go on sale the $10 a bottle ($8.33 per if you buy a case) price tag will be the best deal in town. I plan to buy a case and see just how long I can keep from drinking the very last bottle. Its a daunting task but we all have our crosses to bear I suppose. 5/5

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2011 18:28:02 | More by hopsbreath

djbreezy

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On draft at Baileys Taproom in Portland, OR.

appearance - dark, no head, red notes, looks like a red wine

smell - roasty, oak, barrel, deep and rich

taste - complex big dark cherry, lots of wood notes

mouthfeel - creamy and oily, smooth, full bodied

drinkability - sipping grade awesomeness

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2010 06:23:13 | More by djbreezy

Elendinn

Oregon

4.68/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Bailey's Taproom, for their 3rd anniversary. Served in their snifter.

A - looked more or less like Adam: dark black, edges crimson in the light. No head or lacing to speak of.

S - smelled like a particularly good vintage of port -- raisins and chocolate-covered cherries, with an unusual, lingering bitterness.

T - the taste matched the smell almost perfectly. It was like a delicious, carbonated port, with a slightly bitter finish that made the sweetness tolerable.

M - pretty thick and adequately carbonated, but, nevertheless, quite smooth.

D - vastly superior to the regular Adam, although I am an unabashed port lover. It's a bit viscous and strong, but I'd drink it all night, without reservation. The best of the night and easily an all-time favorite.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2010 03:05:11 | More by Elendinn

jdense

Oregon

4.43/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap (!) at HOTD Tasting Room, OBF Open House, 7.22.2-10 poured into my bitchen' new HOTD Snifter.

Minimal head, leaving a thin uneven layer of foam on top of deep red body with purplish notes, almost opaque, no visible carbonation with minimal lacing. Pretty nuanced nose, you can certainly smell the cherries but they are finely balanced by the complex Adam profile, with vanilla undertones from the barrel aging. Taste mirrors the nose in complexity, some oak and vanilla notes hide the smoke characteristics but brought into balance with the sweetness/tartness of the cherries, there is a lot going on here, and its all good. Medium mouthfeel, a bit viscous, slight stickiness but not too much. Insanely drinkable, the only beer I had two glasses of, and given the awesome tap list (fresh Blue Dot!), IMHO the star of the open house. Another incredible beer from Alan, and this tasting room is going to be one rockin' spot. I'm fortunate to be the first to review this tap version, and you'll be glad to venture to the Tasting Room so you can too. Very Highly Recommended.

EDIT- Enjoyed 2008 bottle (thanks John!) and 2009 tap version side by side. The 08 cherry notes had subsided and the beer had taken on a more Adam-like smokey character, while the 2009 version served on tap had a much more pronounced cherry body. Different? Yes. Both supreme? Absolutely.

EDIT- On tap last week 2/2012 at the Tap Room. The chocolate/cheery interplay is one of the most unique taste profiles in all of Beerdom. An absolute treat. This 2009 version is rockin!

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2010 01:21:50 | More by jdense

jvillefan

California

4/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A very dark but slightly transparent brown ruby tinged black. The head is a laced brown and lingers.

S: Two aromas jump out immediately, chocolate and cherries. Very interesting and unique.

T: Cherries on the front of the flavors. Toffee, caramel, vanilla, oak, and chocolate are next. It finished from the heat from the bourbon/ABV.

M: Very heavy body with some (maybe too little) carbonation.

O: Good not great. This beer IMO, is over-hyped.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 04:01:55 | More by jvillefan

scottfrie

California

3.74/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle into snifter. Thanks codewarrior! 2011 bottle.

A: Pours like a glass of red wine: deep maroon in color with no carbonation. No bubbles at all. Oh well.
S: Rich and sweet notes of black cherry juice, sherry, bourbon, damp wood, baking chocolate, maybe toffee and hints of leather.
T: Slick and greasy well integrated flavors of caramel syrup, bourbon barrel, sweet cherry, damp musty earth, chocolate and leather with hints of toffee, butterscotch, tobacco and leafy hops in the finish. Aftertaste is sweet with a hint of oak tannin and mild barrel spice.
M: Greasy thick and viscous mouth and body, heavy, buttery and greasy. Flat.
O: Really really good flavor. Flat in this case is ok, but a few bubbles would have been nice.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 23:07:24 | More by scottfrie

pschul4

Illinois

4.64/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to Libbey for helping me get this bottle!

A- Pours an equally dark brown to the regular Adam but has ruby tones around the edges

S- lots of cherry in the nose with the regular malt bill of an Adam

T- Beautiful! Lots of cherry and dark malts accompanied by a touch of alcohol

M- Smooth as a baby's bottom

O- If you can get your hands on this it is well worth your trouble

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 18:49:11 | More by pschul4

tectactoe

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to Jeff for breaking this one out - 2011 vintage. Pours a raspberry-ruby shade of red with a substantial opaqueness in the center. Barely any head on this one, even after a pour straight down to the center of the glass - looks like the carbonation has mostly evaded this one, though it probably wasn't heavily carbonated to begin with.

Cherry Adam has that sweet and recognizable barleywine-like smell. Though it technically is an "old ale", what is the real difference between that and a barleywine? Not much. Sticky brown sugar aromas cloud the air; molasses, oak, and some light deep fruit. The cherries aren't nearly as heavy or easily-identifiable as I was expecting, though after a while they start to pop out a but more. Light cherries and mild booze, all with an underlying sweetness.

The taste is even more sweet than the aroma cares to show. The cherries? Yeah, what was lost in the aroma is more than compensated for in the flavor. Heavy black cherries, sweet plums, and a nice mix of berries. Fruity and delicate. The barrel aging is apparent - woody, oaky, and boozy throughout. Certainly a caramel malt bomb - lots of caramel, sticky toffee, and syrupy molasses. The black cherry sweetness shows its face more and more as this one goes on. The finish is much more woody and wet than the start, leaving an aftertaste full of oak, vanilla, booze, and a dying cherry sweetness. Silky and smooth mouth feel leaving a sticky coating on the mouth, medium-heavy bodied.

Very nice old ale... Robust and powerful with quite a presence. Though the cherries didn't "pop" in the aroma, they certainly came through on the palate. Sweet and surprisingly drinkable given the high ABV tag. A very nice transformation.

EDIT: 2012 vintage

Thanks to Tim for opening this for us. The '12 vintage had a much more smokey character than the '11, a little abrasive up front with less sweetness overall, even with the same, big cherry flavors. The booze was also a bit heavier in the '12 and had a solid whiskey-like presence. Overall, I think I liked the '11 better. Smoother and more easily drinking. These could honestly have been two different beers, but they were still both very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 20:25:26 | More by tectactoe

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.65/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz, Fall 2012
Riedel tulip

***800th BA Review, special thanks to Exitmusic00 for this one***

A: Pours a really deep dark black color. No light getting through here. Initially about a half finger of tight bubbles bottle conditioned head. It's a light tan color. There was actually a light hint of pinkish red in the head. Head did linger and leave a nice collar. Some alcohol feet. Not a lot of lacing sheeting.

S: Awesome nose here. Cherries. Tobacco. Leather. Vanilla. Oak. Musky basement. Some complex.

T: Hints if cherry up front, right in the tip if the tongue you get that tartness. Then you push into the malt bill. Pulling hints of tobacco and leather. Sweetness too, possibly still from cherries. There is some really soft vanilla from the barrel aging. Hints of dark chocolate. Dark fruits. Long finish. Like other HotD brews, so much going on!

M: Full bodied. But the carbonation that's there help clear the palate. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 14:13:13 | More by inlimbo77

Jeffo

Netherlands

2.93/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Got bottles of the 2012 and 2011 as a surprise from Claaark13. You were right. This HotD night wouldn't have been complete without these. Cheers man!

From a bottle into a snifter
Vintage: 2012
Drank the 2012 and 2011 back to back. Review is for the 2012 with comparisons to the 2011. Had also had a regular Adam and Adam from the Wood in the same session.

APPEARANCE: Pours out transparent brown and produces a small, medium looking, tan head with decent retention. Head fades rather quickly to a bubbly ring. Sits dark brown in the glass, almost black, with lower levels of carbonation evident. A muddy seal brown is perhaps the most accurate color description. A faint ring remain until the end, leaving some dots of lacing down the glass. Head is a little less impressive than the regular Adam, but body is much the same.

SMELL: Cherry heavy for sure. Some bourbon and oak in there, but the cherry is definitely the start of the show. Adam from the Wood had a touch of cherry in there already, so this is a couple steps beyond that. The 2011 had less cherry and more of the oak and bourbon, making for a better balanced and more interesting nose.

TASTE: Lots of cherry with some barrel flavors as well. This is bourbon barrel + cherry for sure. Milder but lingering finish of cherry, vanilla, coconut and oak from the bourbon barrels, as well as some light leather notes. A little more interesting than the nose. The 2011, much like the nose, had very little cherry flavor and, thus, a much stronger bourbon barrel presence.

PALATE: Similar to Adam from the Wood, though lighter on the palate. Medium body, not quite as much weight as expected, and slightly lower levels of carbonation. Nice and creamy on the palate, goes down smooth with a slight bit of heat and burn after the swallow. Finishes somewhat mouth coating. Decent, but could use some more weight. The 2011 must have had some carbonation issues as it was almost flat.

OVERALL: This was my least favorite of the night. I found the cherry a little too dominant in the 2012 bottle, which somewhat overwhelmed my palate. I actually preferred the more balanced and bourbon barrel forward 2011 version, though I'm not sure if that was a batch difference, a result of aging, or a combination of both. However, the relatively flat feel of the 2011 kind of ruined that one for me as well. In the end, I was happy to try these, especially side-by-side, but it's not one I'd go after again. Much preferred the regular Adam and Adam from the Wood. Cheers again for all the stuff Claaark13. This was a piss load of fun!

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 12:27:01 | More by Jeffo

thegoon55

South Carolina

4.09/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

2012 vintage.

A- pours black with a red tint, light tan head.

S- cherry up front, smells funky, different than any beer I've ever had. Smells complex, but not a big fan.

T- cherry up front, followed by a hint of bourbon and vanilla, tasty. Alcohol is very well hidden. Impressed by the taste.

M- average, medium body, good carbonation

O- interesting beer, one I was glad too try.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 21:48:58 | More by thegoon55

AndyAvalanche

Massachusetts

4.34/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. bottle poured into a Duvel Tulip Style Glass. A hard pour gave it a nice dark tan colored head that came almost all the way to the top of the glass. The liquid itself is dark brown with nice amber highlights. Little bits of lacing on the edge of the glass, but nothing too crazy.

Smell is great, pretty complex. Sweet grains, cherries, molasses, brown sugar, definitely some dates/raisin aromas, finished off with some hints of vanilla and wood.

Taste is a slight step up, all of the aroma characteristics, but everything is slightly intensified. Grain, brown sugar, date/raisin flavors in particular jump out a little stronger. Starts off super sweet from the brown sugar. The sweetness continues from the cherries, but then the cherries provide the slightest tart flavor too. Nice sweetness from the vanilla at the end.

The mouthfeel is really good, full bodied, great carbonation level and super clean. Smooth the whole way through. Complex and so flavorful that the 10% alcohol is very well hidden. Stoaked to have been able to have a bottle of this all on my own.... Super delicious!

Thanks Greg, you're the man!

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 02:52:49 | More by AndyAvalanche

jegross2

Illinois

4.46/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewing the Cherry Adam From The Wood from Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company out of Portland, Oregon. Cherry Adam is Hair Of The Dog's Adam old ale aged with black cherries in Bourbon and Sherry casks for 15 months.
Score: 96

Fall 2012 vintage bottle served in a Surly Darkness snifter and enjoyed on 02/08/13. A major thanks and shout out to Kevin Fujii for hooking me up with this long time want!

Appearance: Pours a very dark reddish brown color with a thin layer of tan head with a reddish hue that settles to a thin ring around the glass. Poor lacing and retention. The color on this beer is quite intriguing. 3.75/5

Smell: The cherry and sherry qualities really shine in the nose, as does a prune-like smell. There is also a much more subtle and "balanced" bourbon aroma present as well, imparting vanilla, molasses, cocoa/chocolate, oak and a little toffee and faint dark fruit too. If your nose approaches the glass as just the right angle, these bourbon-based complexities really shine. There is also an extremely faint "smoke" quality in the aroma -- in substantially lesser quantum than what was present in Adam or Adam From The Wood. The mixture of the bourbon, sherry, cherry and prune in the nose make for a wonderfully complex experience. You could smell this beer all day and be continuously dazzled by how dynamic the aroma can be based on temperature and where your nose is positioned relative to the glass. As it warms up, the bourbon characters become more prominent and there cherry gets a little more "medicinal" -- but akin to the aroma of Deschutes' The Dissident or New Glarus' Belgian Red, as opposed to New Glarus' Thumbprint Cherry Stout. Maybe medicinal is not the proper term, as it carries such a negative connotation, and the cherry aroma here really works. 4.5/5

Taste: Initially, the bourbon flavors shine more than anticipated in light of the nose. Molasses, vanilla, cherry and prune. There's some slightly tannic sweetness and alcoholic warmth on the palate in the finish. There is substantially more dark fruit on the palate than the nose led on as well. The beer is sweet on the tongue, but it does not finish sweet -- lending to drinkability. As it warms up, a "bourbon-infused cherry" flavor with a nice subtle vanilla backbone grows. Some toffee flavor is present too. The bourbon-based flavors (molasses, etc) and a little bit of dark fruit and sherry defines the finish. There is a nice red grapey sherry flavor throughout. I am not detecting any smokiness whatsoever. This beer is admittedly a little hot fresh, but it is still so darn tasty! The finish is pretty crisp, with only a faint, non-sweet pruney-cherry flavor lingering for more than a second or two after the swallow. I am frankly shocked by how balanced the beer finishes in light of it's sweet qualities. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with minimal carbonation. This one has a real nice viscosity. A little sweet on the palate, but the sweetness totally dissipates with the swallow. Slightly creamy, slightly sticky on the palate. 4.5/5

Overall: Hot fresh, but complex and delicious. Loaded with bold, boozy flavors here. Can't wait to revisit this batch in a year!

Recommendation: Seek a couple of bottles of this out; it's awesome.

Cost: $12 for a 12 oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 00:52:42 | More by jegross2

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.71/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured in to snifter.

A -Poured black with a very small amount of medium brown head. Carbonation appears low.

S - Bourbon, oak and vanilla up front with plenty of sweet cocoa, molasses and smoke. There is a very light tart cherry aroma in the background.

T - Bourbon, toasted oak and vanilla come through from the barrels. The mid palate adds sweet cocoa, molasses and smoke. The finish is slightly tart with chocolate covered cherry flavours. A hint of tobacco is present as well. Great integration of the base beer and the barrel.

M - Medium body with a huge chew. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 23:32:15 | More by TheSevenDuffs

mfavoino

Washington

4.6/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 bottle shared with other BAs at the HotD Tasting Room on 19 Jan 13. Poured into a tulip.

A: Pours a dark brown with nice plum colored highlights. A small head recedes immediately.

S: Cherry sweetness is on the forefront and the barrel really shines through as well. Oak and caramel malts add the the complexity. Very attractive aroma.

T: Cherry forward with the barrel perfectly complimenting the sweetness. Natural cherry flavor is perfect and the oak, caramel malt, and vanilla all come together for a well-balanced beer. Smooth bourbon as it finishes.

M: Adequate carbonation for a HotD beer, medium-bodied, smooth.

O: Takes Adam to another level. Each flavor compliments the others and make this a must have.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 19:23:25 | More by mfavoino

rlee1390

Indiana

4.23/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-Clear amber when pouring, black in the glass, one finger deep tan head that doesn't last.

S-Oak, bourbon, cherries and dark fruits.

T-Starts with bourbon and oak notes, followed by tart cherries and interesting combination. Caramel and molasses, wee bit of chocolate.

M-Medium bodied, tad syrupy, not much carbonation.

O-The combination of cherries and bourbon was cool, liked it but didn't blow me away.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 17:36:41 | More by rlee1390

s1ckboy

Massachusetts

4.31/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2012 bottle. 3 months of age.

A - cola colored, some deep red on edges. 1 finger of brown/ reddish head.

S - bourbon, raisins/dark fruits, cherry.

T - bourbon, cherry, oak, dried prunes. Very sweet.

M - moderate carb., good for the style. Medium mouthfeel.

Much better than the last bottle I had (zero carbonation). Will hold on to my 2nd one for a year or so.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 01:18:17 | More by s1ckboy

Gobzilla

California

4.35/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured dark brown in color with a brown ring sitting on top with a very thin head and left very small bubbles of lacing sticking to the glass. Plenty of sweetness consisting of molasses, toffee hints of caramel a little booze underlying cherries and signs of vanilla. The cherries were more prominent on the palate with great molasses toffee sweetness, a little caramel, some dark fruit and a little booze. The brew was medium in body with a low amount of carbonation which had a sweet, fruity, boozy and semi chewy finish. Great beer glad I finally tried it.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 20:56:09 | More by Gobzilla

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.7/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Simply put, an amazing beer. Pours a near opaque black cherry color with a very small head the color of cherry flesh. Deep aroma packed with cherry, bourbon, vanilla, oak, fudge, raisins and figs.

So tasty; plenty of sweet malt, Chocolate fudge, various dark fruits. Plentiful barrel character; vivid bourbon, vanilla, and oak that never overpowers any of the other flavor notes and never feels hot or boozy.

Medium-full body, moderate carbonation, smooth, creamy, coating and slightly sticky mouthfeel.

This is just crazy good, delicious, and so much fun to drink. Thanks to trystero for a great trade.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 22:44:29 | More by tobelerone