Bourbon Barrel Aged Fayston Maple Imperial Stout - Lawson's Finest Liquids

womencantsail

California

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

Thanks a lot for sharing this beer, Jeff.

A: The pour is just about black with a couple fingers of tan head perched on top. Surprising amount of head and retention.

S: Big time bourbon aroma to it which really stands out more than anything. A nice vanilla and oak smell, too. There is a smooth dark chocolate/cocoa smell in there and a little bit of roasted malts.

T: Slight boozy tang on the tongue, but otherwise all good. Big bourbon, oak, and vanilla flavors. The dark chocolate is quite prominent as well. There isn't much in the way of roast or coffee. A slight molasses sweetness in there as well.

M: Medium in body with a surprisingly lively carbonation.

O: This was really a good beer. Looking forward to trying the maple barrel one.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2011 04:27:40 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to imagineii for getting this bottle out my way. Thanks again right away, as I really wanted to try this one. Served in a Captain Lawrence tulip.

Pours a dark brown color with a pretty hefty creamy tan head and some really nice lacing on the way down. The nose brings forward a pretty strong amount of chocolate and roast plus some coffee. Good dosing of maple and bourbon there as well, with some oak in the background. The bourbon and maple play beautifully in the flavor as well, but there's not quite that kapow that the nose had. Good chocolate and stout in the background. Mouthfeel takes it back up to the next level with a creamy, full body and light carbonation. Really smooth and well done. Another big hit for Sean.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 01:24:27 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

4.4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to johndoe8 for sharing this one at MrHirschybar's place!

Pours an opaque black with a tan head that settles to a film on the top of the beer. Small dots of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, maple, bourbon, and wood. Taste is the same with a very woody aftertaste. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good stout with a very nice maple and bourbon barrel presence in the smell and taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 23:53:23 | More by UCLABrewN84

drabmuh

Maryland

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

Bottle shared by Thorpe thanks! Beer is dark brown with a nice tan head of small and medium bubbles. Some lacing.

Aroma is mildly sweet, I can smell the maple and some of the bourbon character but it is pretty mild liquor character.

The beer is medium in body and quite roasty. the bourbon is present but the beer is also mildly sweet and pretty good. I enjoy the midpalate flavors. A really nice porter overall.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 16:37:14 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a dark brown color with a tan head. The aroma is about what I expected, with a lot of roasted malt and chocolate, as well as some nice bourbon notes. The flavor is more of the same. The chocolate and roasted malts come through first, but there is some coffee and bourbon notes in the background, as well as some alcohol. Medium to thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Glad I got to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 03:45:59 | More by Mora2000

MasterSki

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Nip bottle shared by Chad. I'm pretty sure this is the most recent version that was aged in a Maker's Mark barrel. Served in a Portsmouth tulip.

A - Half-finger of tan foam that settles to a thick ring, film on tap, and some spotty lace. Very good retention for such a high-gravity beer. Black body that is a little brown at the fringes.

S - Alcohol, dark breads, caramel, some maple. There's an odd rubbery note as well. This is pretty hot and boozy - probably for the best that this comes in nips.

T - Taste is better. Dark roasted malts, char, smoke, and a little bit of maple sweetness in the finish. Alcohol is hidden significantly better, and there isn't as much overt hot bourbon.

M - Very spirit-like. Smooth texture, lower carbonation, warming alcohol, and a clean alcohol finish.

D - This is hot and not super palatable. I think it says on the bottle that this should be cellared 6-12 months minimum. Whoops.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 07:50:14 | More by MasterSki

mdfb79

New York

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

Big thanks to Thorpe429 for sharing this one. Poured into a tulip. Bottle #342 of 350.

a - Pours a dark brown, nearly black color, with less than an inch of tan head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of bourbon, chocolate, roasted malts, maple, oak, sweet vnaill and sugar, an sweet fruit. Lots of bourbon in the nose, as well as that sweet maple; smells fantastic.

t - Taste of bourbon, light maple, vanilla, oak, roasted malts, fruit, alcohol, and molasses. Bourbon isn't quite as strong, nor is the maple, but it's still very nice.

m - Full body and moderate carbonation. Thick and smooth, very nice.

o - Overall another really nice beer from Lawson's. I loved the nose as the maple and bourbon came through a lot, and the body was ncie and smooth. Would love to try it again sometime.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2011 20:22:52 | More by mdfb79

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.41/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

750ml corked & caged bottle into a couple of glasses. Rare batch 185 Bottle # 69/350. Black with a milk chocolate colored head. This maintains rich edges with robust lacing. Smells of maple, chocolate and dark roasty malts. Just the right amount of bourbon twang resides on the edges of the nose. The taste has an immediate bold sweetness up front of maple, chocolate and brown sugar. This is tempered quickly however by deep burnt roast and char from the barrel. Dry with a burnt woody feel on the finish. Mouthfeel is firm and chewy with some light sharpness to the carbonation in spots. Like the base, the alcohol is very smooth in this despite the barrel presence. This was probably my favorite over the Maple Barrel version, as it just had a nice balance to it and those base Stout flavors really worked well with that rich bourbon tanginess. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 15:36:14 | More by Kegatron

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.65/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Another thanks to jh1982 for breaking this out a few weeks back. Sturdy dark brown pour, not much head to it. Smells indeed of maple syrup. Neat.

Taste, chewy, amazed how the alcohol is barely even noticeable. Great low sugar sweetness, more of it from the viscous body of the beer. No hopping evident. Just a smooth ass beer. Mild accent of vanilla and oak. Strong notes of chocolate. Bourbon stays in the background, thereby allowing the smoothness without the alcohol heat.

Carbonation was just right, allowing the beer to not resonate too heavily. Love how it did all the standard barrel things just right, and then threw in its own little niche (maple) done oh so well. I'll add the bottle # before I shoot it up high on Beer Mountain.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 20:42:13 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: bottle at Waitsfield Farmers Market, Waitsfield, VT

(Replacing old review)

I'm officially willing to say that my first tasting of this was a bogus bottle. I recently sampled this, poured by Sean Lawson himself, into a Lawson's signature plastic cup. Dark brown-black color (thank you), with a small mocha head that retains well. A sharp hit of booze in the nose up front, dark malts, caramel, moderately roasty. Similar taste, dark roasty malts, dark chocolate, smoke, woody bourbon (more smooth than strong), with a touch of maple sweetness that just barely comes through. The alcohol heat is welcome. On the fuller side of medium-bodied, and quite nice overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 15:20:41 | More by Rifugium

HopHead84

California

3.68/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

10/8/2011

Bottled in January of 2011. Snifter.

A: Flows out of the bottle like motor oil. The head is an inch of dark brown froth that lingers for a few minutes before forming a thin collar. Lacing clings to the glass.

S: The beer has a pronounced dark chocolate presence that blends with molasses and an upper moderate roast. I get some licorice and a good deal of oak. There's some vanilla and the bourbon is subtle. There's a little brown sugar and maybe a whisper of maple. Actually, I'm not convinced that I smell maple. I get a touch of smoke.

T: Bold oak notes accompany molasses and dark chocolate. Malt is roasted with a little char, and the bourbon is very mellow. There's a moderate earthy bitterness, as well as licorice. The finish is roasted, with lots of oak and dark chocolate. I taste a little maple, I think.

M: Full body with upper moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is sticky and viscous.

Overall: A solid beer, but the barrel aging didn't add much depth. I wouldn't recommend seeking this out, but try it if someone offers you a pour.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 01:11:16 | More by HopHead84

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Kegatron for sharing these Fayston brews with me. 750ml bottle numbered 69 of 350. Sampled immediately after the base brew, this pours black in color with a dark tan head. A thin penline of lace collects around the rim and spots of lace stick to the glass. A swirl revives a finger of froth back to the surface.

The nose is immediately differentiated from the base with a pleasant tangy inclusion of bourbon. Some soft notes of caramel and vanilla creep in before suggeations of raw oakiness. The alcohol is noted but that tangy whiskey aspect provides a nice change of pace. A mild spicy character exists across the back almost reminescent of burnt incense.

The flavors are dry, bitter and roasty with a fairly solid presence of somethin similar to strong, earthy coffee. A mild tangy bourbon barrel inclusion tempers the alcohol character that tries to impart a solvent feel to this. The aftertaste is nice and dry with an aggressive roasted earthiness. Fans of the RIS style will bask in how glorious this brew is on its own but the bourbon brings a nice complexity to the table.

This is a medium to lighter bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. Fayston in its own right its a bold brew with lots of flavor and complexity. Upon first sip, you know it would lend itself nicely to some barrel treatments. This one did not disappoint and I was happy to see much of the base brews character still intact with the barrel treatment bein a stubtle addition. If you like Fayston, this is even better. Thank you for sharing Heath!

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 13:51:45 | More by stakem

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out to beeruser for sharing this one at a past Random Sunday Tasting! Sampled side-by-side with the base beer! Served from bottle into a SweetWater 15th Anniversary snifter. Poured pitch black with a minimal brown head. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, spice, wood, sweet alcohol, vanilla, dark fruit, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and smoke. The flavor was of sweet malt, roasted malt, spice, wood, sweet alcohol, vanilla, coffee, molasses, dark fruit, dark chocolate, and smoke. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a very good brew. Wow! The amount of complexity that this beer has going on was nothing short of insane. This fell true for both the flavor and the aroma as it seemed to be firing on all cylinders. Even with all of this going on it still managed to be very well balanced and was able to blow your palate away with everything that was going on in it. A really well done brew that I would not hesitate to trade for in the future to have a chance to try it again. Well done guys, well done.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 11:59:51 | More by thagr81us

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by Thorpe429. Thanks Mike!

Bottle 342 of 350

The beer appears a deep, dark brown, nearing black. The head is long lasting and tan / mocha in color, standing in at about a half inch. The aroma is light, but certainly pleasant. The flavor brings a beautiful mix of bourbon, oak, roast, brown sugar. The maple sweetness is really well done, and never becomes cloying or overly assertive. Alcohol presence is really tame, and at 11%, I could definitely sip on a bottle of this for a couple of hours. The feel is pretty full bodied, with moderate carbonation and a creamy finish. Overall, I thought this was really well done. I would definitely recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 03:34:50 | More by Huhzubendah

jrallen34

Illinois

4/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

6oz bottle shared by Chad, drank from a Cigar City snifter... A light black body with some brown. A medium tan head rises quickly, ok retention, not much lace... A hot nose of alcohol, maple, and molasses. Not bad... The taste is still a hot but totally tolerable because its pretty sweet. Lots of maple, which is good, some smoke and caramel too...

This is pretty good, would enjoy this again in the future with some more age.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 23:46:48 | More by jrallen34

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I didn't expect to have the opportunity to enjoy this, thanks to FooFaa for sharing! enjoyed from the 750 in a tulip.

The color is black oily sludge with a shiny black opaque color and thick medium tan cap rides it with a tight bead. This has a great amount of retention for the strength and just looks great as it is poured with a viscous thick look. The smell wafts up in a way I was not prepared for with a potent pungent maple and bourbon combination -the maple is so intense you get the distinct impression this is a meaty beer with some smoke and wood joining in.The mild vanilla character from the bourbon barrel brings a lot with some cocoa tagging along for good measure. All in all it has so much pleasant sweet yet still has a substantial solid malt base to work as the canvas for the maple and bourbon goodness to adhere to. The feel is thick and viscous not subtle with the strength of a bourbon aged beer apparent yet it all falls in place with some creamy and slight sweet tinges backing with mild woody tannin and drying elements from the booze, but all in all a meal in a glass with chewiness very few can rival.

The Bourbon Barrel Aged Fayston Maple Imperial Stout is everything I expected and more with rich roasted creamy and sweet chocolate malt blended with ample maple syrup flavor. The wood presence is deep with plenty of Bourbon making it particularly obvious what kind of barrel treatment the stout underwent. The great thing is that doesn't hold back any of the other elements which are very apparent -cocoa, toffee, coffee, vanilla and some mild earthy flavors which accent the wood and bourbon. The mild caramel in the background adds to the flavor providing some sweetness and balancing the drying and taste of alcohol. The maple presence is huge in this, so if you don't like the flavor of Maple syrup you probably won't be as into it as I am. I like the toasted flavors which blend and the combination of maple and bourbon is a match made in Heaven in my opinion. Overall possibly one of the best Stouts I have had with so much bourbon character and more maple than I though possible while still retaining the flavor of a seriously great base stout, One of the best maple/bourbon beers out there, thanks again Dan!

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2011 16:15:08 | More by Slatetank

FosterJM

California

4.2/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1060th Review on BA
Bottle to Snifter
750 Ml

2011

Thanks to Johndoe8 for sharing
Shared at MrHirschybars tasting

App- Dark brown, almost black on the pour. A good amount of head that was a bit dark brown in color. Had about a 1/4” of head and then fell to a small pond layer of foam. Not much in terms of cling or lace either.

Smell- A very deep roasted note opens and then moves into a layer of vanilla, dark chocolate and finally the oaky bourbon. Very upfront of the booze and still smells a bit hot to me.

Taste- A good hot stout. The bourbon was very upfront as it was on the smell but the maple was very hidden. The chocolate and vanilla notes were a bit small in the middle and the wood notes came out on the end of the taste..

Mouth- A good bit of a medium body behind this one with a medium carbonation. Left behind a good amount bourbon, wood, vanilla and sweet.

Drink- Rich, You brought your A game at the tasting. I cant say thanks enough for the chance to try this one. This was a very good stout with a lot going on and it all seemed to work together but I did miss most of the maple I thought would come out.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 16:59:03 | More by FosterJM

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.45/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle, courtesy of RPStevens, into a La Chouffe tulip. Sampled at the Batch 3 Rosso release. Thanks!

A: Thick, black, and intimidating, with a solid 1/2" head of dense brown foam. Great.

S: Sweet and piquant, with maple, caramel, vanilla, and grass. Intense, intoxicating, and just weird enough to stand out.

T: Maple jumps out, followed by chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and booze. Not too much bourbon, but tasty nonetheless.

M: Slick medium body with light, soft carbonation. Nice.

O: Another winner from Lawson's, but not quite as good as the Maple Liquor barrel version. I really wish the bourbon had come through more clearly, but the maple, malt, and oak all played really well together.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 13:48:40 | More by woosterbill

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.45/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to jedwards for sharing this one to round out the Vermont trifecta. Pours an inky black with no head. Nose starts out a bit rubbery, then artificial sweetener comes out. Some maple syrup comes forth as the brew warms. Taste is smokey, rubbery and becomes a bit acrid as it warms. There's also dark roasted malt and baker's chocolate in the flavor profile. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with a slightly oily consistency and a light carbonation. The mouthfeel rounds out with a dry finish and some residual heat. An interesting brew, but it really didn't come together for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2011 01:04:31 | More by Jwale73

oline73

Maryland

4.41/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a snifter. I was lucky enough to try this along with the other three versions, and this one was my favorite.

The beer pours a dark brown color, almost black with a nice layer of off white head. The smell is full of sweet alcohol with some dark fruit and a mild maple syrup note. The flavor is quite smooth. I'm getting the bourbon with a mild maple note. There is some roast, but it mainly shows up in the finish. I'm also getting some bourbon and maple syrup in the finish. There was a pleasant oaky note throughout the sip.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 03:13:15 | More by oline73

ehammond1

California

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

Bottle (2012)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, AdamJackson!

Black throughout with very dark ruby edges along with a surprisingly large 2-finger's worth of dark brown, small-bubbled head. Leaves the glass dotted with stick. Pretty and appropriate.

My favorite aspect of this beer is its aroma. While there's plenty of roast, dark chocolate, and enough bourbon, the maple syrup and oak steal the show, interjecting a very rich, sweet, earthy wood and sweet syrup component. It all comes together extraordinarily well, especially as the beer warms.

The flavor, unfortunately, just isn't quite as good as the aroma. The flavor, however, is a lovely combination of chocolates, roast, mild coffee, and distinct bourbon and maple syrup. Very nice. I just wish the bourbon and maple were even more expressive.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Love this beer, though I don't see it going anywhere good with age. Will open my next bottle asap.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 05:03:48 | More by ehammond1

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

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

Sampled at the Vermont Brewers Festival.

A - Black with a small amount of medium brown head.

S - Bourbon up front with maple syrup, oak and vanilla. Fairly sweet with some noticeable alcohol

T - Roasted malts, maple syrup, bourbon, oak, and a big sweet vanilla kick. Good balance overall

M - Medium body. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 01:21:53 | More by TheSevenDuffs

claspada

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled the Oak-Aged Fayston Maple, Original Maple and Bourbon Barrel Aged versions simultaneously.

Pours a black color with a thin tan head and some small bubbles that recede to leave some moderate lacing.

Aromas begin with a majority of chocolate and roast, light earthy bitterness and honey sweetness from the maple. As it warms you get a little more oak, sweeter milk chocolate and vanilla sweetness from the barrel.

The tastes follow the nose with some dark chocolate maltiness up front and oak, molasses, lightly roasted malt and light maple in the background, plus a bit of vanilla and milk chocolate as it warms.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium to low carbonation. Finish is a decent mix between roasty and sweet.

Overall this the best varient of the 3 sampled back to back to back but still wasn't an amazing beer. The barrel aging added the necessary sweetness to balance the dry, roasted malts and bitter molasses flavors but once again for the rarity and straight-forward flavor profile, I won't be seeking this out anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 16:17:11 | More by claspada

Arbitrator

California

3.75/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Chilled bottle into a glass. Courtesy of lurchingbeast. Thanks, Frank!

A: Pours a pitch black body with a finger of tan head that retains fairly well for an imperial stout. No lace is left, but the beer maintains a small collar during the duration of my drink.

S: Bourbon and roast are the dominant flavors here. This reminds me immediately of Parabola, which is why I'll make some comparisons in this review. Unlike Parabola, this isn't very hoppy; but it has some of the brash barrel similarities and a small heat in the nose. Oak, vanilla, even borderline char. If this beer is made with maple, it's not apparent in the nose.

T: Bourbon-forward, but the barrel character isn't overwhelming. The base beer contributes a roasted grain flavor with some milk chocolate and a touch of caramel. The barrel comes up again in the finish, bringing vanilla and mild oak to the party, as well as a small heat. The finish is lingering and sticky, with roast and caramel clinging to the palate.

M: Medium-plus bodied, with low carbonation. There is a mild heat that doesn't overwhelm the flavors of the beer, but it contributes some stinging sensation to the back end.

O: I was surprised by this one; I didn't expect a lot from it, but I wound up savoring the bottle. I enjoy this more than Parabola.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 05:53:47 | More by Arbitrator

scottfrie

California

4.22/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks goes to ipa247 for sharing this one. Batch 185. Thanks Jeff.

A: Pours black with a dark brown head that receded into a good long lasting collar.
S: Big notes of bourbon on the nose with a kind of sweet, smoky maple scent that was reminiscent to bacon. Rich, malty and smoky.
T: Big bourbon taste followed by sweet malts, fresh maple, and smoke in the finish. Something in there still reminds me of bacon or breakfast.
M: Ample carbonation with a warming alcoholic mouthfeel and thick body.
O: Unique maple flavors. The maple and bourbon went well together. This is another great beer from Lawson’s, and I thank you Jeff for sharing.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 03:57:16 | More by scottfrie