Big Sound Scotch Ale - Bourbon Barrel Aged - Cigar City Brewing

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear winner of our horizontal tasting, thanks Tom. Big brown coloured beer. The bourbon is there in the aroma and the taste and dominant, but it was well done. Fuller mouthfeel, caramel, . Woody, characteristics of Coconut and vanilla, a sipper in drinkability.Some smoke, good for the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 00:47:24 | More by northyorksammy

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

ich dark brown color coming forward right away. Nearly opaque with a small head of tan creeping up the sides throughout the session but eventually falling back down to earth. The aroma was wonderful with rich caramel and toffee notes that just exploded in the air. Hints of apricot and other light fruits bouncing around as well. Really the best flavor I could have imagined coming out of this one. Rich caramel and toffee flavors, hints of vanilla, pears and light tart flavors bouncing aorund. No alcohol at all, , it does not drink anywhere near this kind of strentght. Smooth, perfect carbonation with a drinkability that was off the charts. I just dont know what else I can say about this beer

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2011 02:02:24 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.1/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks for the bottle, Eddie.

Pours a murky brownish-amber color with a finger of off-white head. A nice bourbon and vanilla note to it on top of the rich caramel and toffee malt smells. The flavor is quite similar. Heavy bourbon, vanilla, and wood with a strong caramel malt flavor and some brown sugar. Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 17:05:35 | More by womencantsail

UCLABrewN84

California

3.96/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle pour at the bottle share held at Chloe's inside Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, CA.

Pours a clear super dark crimson-brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt, caramel, roasted nuts, and slight bourbon aromas. Taste is much the same with a fruity flavor on the finish. There is a slight alcohol kick with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with a solid barrel aged presence.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 05:38:13 | More by UCLABrewN84

brentk56

North Carolina

4.41/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Posts a root beer brown color with a modest head that leaves a smattering of lace behind

Smell: Rich aromatics of peat, bourbon, vanilla, caramel and coconut, with underlying fig and date

Taste: Opens with peated caramel flavors, followed by the dark fruit, vanilla and coconut; by mid-palate, the Bourbon flavors open, bringing a boozy warmth to the profile; the finish is slightly harsh, though the complexity shines through

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with low to moderate carbonation; considerable warmth in the gullet

Overall: One of the best of the Cigar City brews I have tried; the barrel treatment is pronounced but not dominant and complements the other flavors in the malt profile

Thanks, donttazemebro, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 01:14:04 | More by brentk56

Mora2000

Texas

4.23/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to llcooldave for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a dark brown to black color with a tan head. The aroma has some cedar notes, but what really comes through is the roasted malt and bourbon. I also get a hint of menthol in the aroma. The flavor is similar. The cedar is once again present, but it takes a back seat to the heavy oak, vanilla and maple notes. There is also a big whiskey character to the flavor, as well as some roasted malt and quite a bit of chocolate. Thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 18:51:00 | More by Mora2000

MasterSki

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle contributed by me. Served in a Hill Farmstead glass. 2011 vintage.

A - Quick-dissolving tan foam settles to pretty much nothing. A very dark brown, opaque, body with some chestnut highlights to it.

S - Oak, bourbon, caramel apples, burnt sugars, dark fruits, and a low amount of smoke and peat. Surprisingly boozy and barrel-forward for only 8.5% - I'm guessing this picked up some alcohol from the bourbon barrels.

T - Taste is largely similar, but with better-hidden alcohol. Caramel apples, toffee, bourbon, fruity yeast, with some oak presence to balance out the sweet flavors and keep things from getting too cloying or heavy.

M - Smooth, chewy, viscous, with a touch of alcohol warmth, and light residual burnt sugar stickiness. Medium-low carbonation is adequate and unobtrusive. Seems like a bigger beer than 8.5%.

D - This is quite good - I tend not to like Scotch Ales due to overwhelming sweetness, but this one has a nice balance of bourbon barrel and malt flavors. Very glad I managed to get this one over the rum version (which is what I initially wanted). Highly recommended if you're into this style.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 21:18:00 | More by MasterSki

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to josh for popping this one. Bottle 93/246...
Appears a brownish-red with a small, tan cap that quickly fades into a tiny collar. Spotty bits of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of cocoa, vanilla, booze, caramel, and toffee.
Taste is of the aromas with caramel coated apples, mild grapes, and ripe fruit pulling through.
Mouthfeel is chewy, medium bodied, boozy, with sticky, syrupy sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 02:51:10 | More by weeare138

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

First had: on tap at Cigar City, Tampa, FL

Definitely the highlight of my visit to Cigar City. I had no problem shelling out for a couple bottles to take home.

Poured a dark brownish amber, opaque, with a small creamy tan head that retained as a thick ringlet and left soapy lacing on the glass. Nice aroma, sweet with dark sugars, vanilla, bourbon-soaked wood. Though it's a different style, this conjured memories of Mother of All Storms and King Henry. The taste reflected the aroma, all the toffee, brown sugar and caramel goodness, vanilla, smooth bourbon, subtle oak, notes of raisin, fig, papaya, and a dash of cocoa. Great. Heavy-medium body, meh, might as well call it full-bodied, smooth and creamy, chewy with not too much of a boozy bite to it. A good sipper. So glad this was in bottles when I was down there.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2012 02:07:10 | More by Rifugium

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark amber/chestnut brown color with a 1.5 finger beige head that slowly fades into a lasting ring.  Streaks of spotty lacing left behind.

Nice barrel presence in the nose with dry oak, toasted coconut, vanilla and spicy bourbon.  Doesn't overpower the base beer allowing sweet and roasted malt notes to come through.  Hints of caramel, toffee, hazelnut and chocolate.  Slightly smokey but not acrid or burnt smelling.  Smells great!

Medium bodied with a strong barrel character that adds another layer of flavor to the base beer.  Some dry oak along with silky vanilla, toasted coconut and a delicious spicy bourbon character.  Although the barrel flavors are strong, they are perfectly integrated into the flavor without overpowering the base beer.   Lots of excellent bourbon flavor but barely any heat making it deceptively drinkable.  Underneath the barrel, there is a nice combination of sweet and roasted malt notes.  Slightly smokey with hints of dark chocolate, toffee, caramel and oatmeal lingering into a somewhat dry finish.  Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 02:08:03 | More by corby112

HopHead84

California

4.48/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4/27/2012

Thanks!

A: Deep reddish brown with a finger of light brown froth.

S: Huge candied granny smith caramel apple aroma with a strong bourbon presence. Toffee blends with vanilla and brown sugar. Killer nose.

T: Sweet caramel and toffee with strong brown sugar and candied notes. Red apple carries through with lots of bourbon and lesser notes of vanilla. Alcohol is mild near the finish.

M: Lower full body with matching carbonation. The mouthefeel is silky and sticky.

Overall: An awesome beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 19:29:11 | More by HopHead84

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a beige head. Color is a copper amber.

Aroma: Phenomenal. Bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, oak. Sweetness. Rich. Caramel. Hoppy. Dark fruits show with plums. The bourbon, oak, and vanilla is spot on.

Taste: Much like the nose. Raisins, plums, dark fruits. Vanilla, oak, and bourbon. The bourbon is just awesome. Caramel with some smokiness.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy, and warming. Medium to full bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends a little dry.

Overall, this was a great beer. Very well done. Very easy to drink. I could have a lot of this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2011 00:38:24 | More by mothman

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A massive thanks goes out to bross242 for bringing this one out during cmrillo’s 40 Beers* @ 40 Birthday Bash! Served from bottle into a Cigar City snifter. Poured dark brown with a minimal tan head that subsided to basically none quickly. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, vanilla, wood, sweet alcohol, and dark chocolate. The flavor was of sweet malt, vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, and sweet alcohol. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. I was really put back by the aroma on this one as it was really well balanced and intense. I wish this would have carried over to the flavor, but the flavor was still quite good though. Definitely glad I got the chance to try this one and I suggest you do the same.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 12:13:12 | More by thagr81us

gford217

Georgia

4.18/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750mL bottle courtesy of a very, very generous Tampa BA, poured into a snifter.

Pours dark brown in the glass with some mahogany hues coming through around the edges. There is a very small tan head that recedes very quickly, leaving a small collar and a swirl of bubbles along the top.

Much like the regular version, I'm not overly impressed with the nose as it's fairly faint and mostly sweet caramel malts and brown sugar. The bourbon is present but definitely not overpowering.

The taste is markedly better than the aroma for me as the malts take on a more smoked peat character in addition to the caramel sweetness. There are dark fruits, raisins and figs, in the middle before the bourbon makes an appearance in the finish leaving a nice burn going down.

The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with soft carbonation and very smooth. Though the smoked peat lends a slight dryness to the finish, it's still a sweet, sugary feel on the palate.

This is a step up from the regular Big Sound for me as the bourbon brings an extra complexity to the taste without being the dominant component. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2009 01:22:57 | More by gford217

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

drgonzo3705 brought this to a tasting in Akron(thanks Paul!). This was bottle 83/246 from 2009.

This poured a dark brown and nearly opaque color, noticeably murkier in the later pours. Very strong peat character in the nose, some sweet malts too, very nice.

It tastes primarily sweet, with a lasting smoky flavor that's really addictive. A hint of ethanol in there too, or it could be that this evokes a scotch whiskey memory from the peat.

Relatively thick bodied, this was a serious bruiser of a beer start to finish. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 23:53:34 | More by TurdFurgison

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750ml green waxed bottle 2012, poured into tulip 4/6/13 big cheers to MasterSki and Sean9689 for the bottle

A reddish dark cola when held to the light with enough clarity to almost see the other side of the glass, two fingers of tan foam leaves just a few random patches of lace

S the nose has a fair bit going for it, lots of dried fruit, raisins, prunes, cherries, is the peat just in my mind? either way the smokes very faint, vanilla, oak, bourbon and ju-jubes, there's some booze in there with loads of hard toffee, soft caramels and brown sugar, smells amazing

T more wood and booze, everything from the nose is still there in one form or another but just slightly toned down, there's a little spice I can't place and I want to say nutmeg or cinnamon but I just can't quite grasp it, excellent flavor but the nose was a hard act to follow

M tannins and booze give it almost a numbing effect, slightly syrupy and sticky on the lips and slick on the gums, leaning towards full and it warms my chest, lingering finish of candied raisin bourbon

O oh man if the smell carried through this would be one of the best brews ever, great job with the barrel complexity in what I can only assume was a great base

I should've sat on this one for a while, a long while, booze popping up here and there is my only real complaint. I could smell this all day but I drank well before midnight, great stuff that will be even better down the road

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2013 03:43:48 | More by wordemupg

tpd975

Florida

4.08/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Missed the release but thanks to the CCB boys for taking care of me! Bottle 75/246

A: Pours a very dark amber hue, more brown than red. Nice tall creamy tan head that rises to a full finger. Excellent retention with tons of thick sticky lace. CCB beers really are beautiful in the glass.

S: Wonderful aromas. Lots of toffee, brown sugar, loads of caramel malt. Lots of barrel as well. Old oak, vanilla, and hints of booze.

T: Pretty damn drinkable for a BA brew. Lots of malt sweetness. Toffee forward, brown sugar, and sweet molasses. Hints of apple and dark fruit in the middle. The finish is about the barrel. Not over the top at all, just subtle oak, vanilla, and a touch of booze which compliments the base beer nicely.

M: Medium in body, smooth mouthfeel.

D: Pretty good actually. Not the best barrel aged CCB brew, but the barrel did improve an already solid base brew!

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2009 18:09:13 | More by tpd975

FosterJM

California

4.28/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

1141st Review on BA
Draft to Taster

@Cigar City

App- Medium soda colored brown with some lighter edges. No head and very smooth. Mix of chocolate and flat soda.

Smell- Big malty scotch ale notes come in 1st and thin citrus with the big bourbon vanilla and oak coming next. Small sting from the booze.

Taste- Very well layered with small sugary malts and then the bourbon behind it. The flavors give a sweet note and a punchy candy treat flavor with vanilla.

Mouth- A lighter medium body and almost creamy with a medium body and lots of bourbon remain.

Drink- This was a good beer. Layered, sweet, sticky and lots of bourbon and vanilla come out as well.

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2012 17:19:05 | More by FosterJM

oline73

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this at the Fluff bottle share before the Jackie O's release. Poured into a goblet.

Appearance: Pours a dark mahogany color with a small amount of off white head that fades quickly.

Smell: This smells really good. Initially I'm thinking sweet bourbon candy. Caramel and vanilla go really well with the malt. There is some dark fruit and bourbon too.

Taste: Thank goodness it is just like the smell. Very sweet with a strong bourbon presence. Brown sugar and vanilla notes with a warm bourbon burn in the finish.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the thick side of medium with hardly any carbonation and a slick finish.

Overall: I'm really glad I was able to try this beer. The bourbon went really well with the other flavors from the beer. I would definitely have another if given the chance.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 02:25:18 | More by oline73

maximum12

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I never tire of thanking moose3285 for continuing to truck great brews northward. And now it's my birthday, so this is my designated brew for the night. Thanks Mike!

This is one I've particularly looked forward to since the base, Big Sound, is the best Scotch Ale I've ever had, & thinking of it in a barrel made my mouth water & my lobes quiver. Pours just like it's non-BA namesake, almost black, with red highlights along the edges. Smell is subtle, but in this case it's a compliment. Sweet malts & bourbon are born upwards by the air currents.

Barrel Aged Big Sound, you are always welcome in my house. The BA portion of the program is very well-executed, not too heavy, not too light, to paraphrase a fine Bud Light commercial of the moment. Beneath the bourbon is the base beer of sweet candy, just a pat of smokiness, & the vanilla that always seems to follow bourbon around.

Not much carbonation here, & that might be its only weakness, this is one big, bruising, heavy, alley-brawler of a beer. I have to come up for air after even a smallish sip. But it could beat me up & I'd still be happy.

My first taste of a barrel-aged Cigar City brew, & it's excellent. In all honesty, I prefer the non-BA version - but that was so good, it's like I'm complaining about the use of lighting in the Mona Lisa. Wonderful brew. If readily available, this & the non-BA version would be go-to beers in my fridge every night.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2010 03:17:07 | More by maximum12

ehammond1

California

4.4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle

Thanks for sharing, womencantsail!

Dark murky brown throughout with a thin light brown head. This doesn't have a lot of visible carbonation, but does leaves some cling on the glass.

This a wonderfully aromatic beer. The bourbon barreling process has left this beer with an incredible vanilla, coconut, and oak aroma that is almost as good as any.

The flavor is no slacker either, and it follows in the same vein as the aroma. The bourbon character throughout this beer is a marvelous example of the transformation beer can possess after barreling. A low to moderate level of bitterness accompanies the mild bread and caramel notes mixed in with the bourbon.

Medium to thick bodied with low carbonation. Incredibly drinkable.

A wonderful treat, and I'm so glad at the opportunity to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 21:22:24 | More by ehammond1

cjgator3

Florida

4.55/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.75

On-tap at Redlight Redlight. I am a huge fan of the regular Big Sound but the bourbon barrel aging puts it over the top. Fantastic brew! Big and malty with huge bourbon notes from the barrel aging. Overall, fantastic brew from CCB! I hope to see this beer again!

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2013 22:16:02 | More by cjgator3

Sean9689

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown, light tan head, thin collar, wisps on top. Nose is coconut, bourbon, oak, burnt sugars, caramel. Flavor is coconut and bourbon, some oak, bourbon alcohol hotness that's toned down quite a bit since last time I had this. Caramel, burnt sugars, vanilla on the finish. Body is medium to full, good carbonation, creamy sweet finish.

This is aging nicely, but I think it has another 6 months to a year left...I have one bottle left so I'll report back next time I visit this one. Right now, drinking great, lots of sweetness and the booze is slightly hot. Recommend.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 00:08:23 | More by Sean9689

cosmicevan

New York

4.3/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

big thanks to brewbetter for lending a hand with this one! enjoyed from a ccb snifter.

a - brew poured a deep ruby purple that settled in the glass as black. at first there was a thin grey bubbly head, but that didn't last long, leaving nothing more than some scattered bubbles around the edge of the surface.

s - chocolate plums. figgy and with decadent woody booziness.

t - much like the nose, but leads with decadent woody booze soaked chocolate with some dark fruit tossed into the mix. nice caramel notes set this off into the scotch ale realm as opposed to giving a BSDA vibe.

m - boozy sting for certain. the alcohol really works with this beer. much more smooth than say a backwoods and more full bodied and chewy as well.

o - overall, a very nice barrel aged scotch ale. on the boozy side, but it works. the barrels impart nice chocolate notes along with the bourbon and the wood. there is no mistaking this as a barrel aged brew. VERY enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 03:47:26 | More by cosmicevan

homebrew311

Illinois

4.06/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is cloudy brown with thin head. Smell is syrupy with notes of vanilla, maple, oak, and a touch of smokey malt. Taste is smooth and mellow with nice vanilla malts paired with sweet malts. A touch of smoke. Mouthfeel is heavy with light carbonation. Overall, nice integration of the barrel.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2013 17:51:30 | More by homebrew311