Anderson Valley Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout - Anderson Valley Brewing Company

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.99/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured on-tap and served in a tulip, the beer is a dark-brown coloring with ruby highlights and a tall, dense, foamy, light tan head. The nose is layered, with grainy sweet aromas highlighted by a boozey, spicy, bourbon scent. Flavors of vanilla and spice, with an oaky overtone and a slow build of bourbon characteristics. There is a roasty and coffee backbone throughout. Rye and boozey aftertaste with a low profile that keeps the drinkability up. Smooth, toasty finish. Very strong brew with building characteristics. As a fan of bourbon and beer, I am digging on this brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2013 03:11:40 | More by GarthDanielson

Mantooth

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -20.8%

05-22-2013 22:21:14 | More by Mantooth

alex021224

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -14.2%

05-22-2013 03:07:20 | More by alex021224

wtkphoto

Texas

4/5  rDev +5.5%

05-22-2013 02:48:46 | More by wtkphoto

WizzardOfHops

California

4/5  rDev +5.5%

05-21-2013 22:44:30 | More by WizzardOfHops

neophilus

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Dark pour with ruby highlights. In the light the brew takes a rich brown hue, not quite black. Decent head at first with some lacing.

Rustic, earthy aroma like freshly turned soil. Wood notes flow in, baker's chocolate and tobacco leaf on the nose. Rich chocolate flavor up front with vanilla highlights. Tastes like bittersweet chocolate. The finish is semi sweet with lingering vanilla and cocoa nibs. No bourbon to be found in here.

Mouthfeel has a thick and velvety body like an well made cream soda.

When the label says "Bourbon Barrel Stout" I am looking for some serious flavors but this did not deliver in that regard. Closer to a brown ale than a stout IMO and had no bourbon to be found anywhere. Still this could make an excellent desert beer or a beer for a lighter palate who doesn't like a lot of roast or bourbon in their beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 21:36:37 | More by neophilus

Scotchboy

Idaho

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle split with my brother - my portion into a Deschutes tulip...

A: Dark brown/black body with a thin head and some lacing.

S: Mild spirit aromas, whiskey, vanilla, chocolate and malt/bourbon sweetness. Stout character seems subdued - overall the nose is a bit muted in general.

T: Follows the nose, thin-tasting whiskey and spirit flavors, vanilla sweetness, mild char and roasted malt. Flash of milk chocolate.

MF: Medium bodied with a thinner mouthfeel than I would hope form though with the lower ABV maybe I'm expecting too much? Carbonation is decent.

O: Even for a >7% abv bourbon barrel stout, I expected this one to be more pronounced and 'full' in smell, taste and feel. A bit disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 13:44:18 | More by Scotchboy

BigBarley

Texas

4/5  rDev +5.5%

05-20-2013 09:22:54 | More by BigBarley

bbfc

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

05-20-2013 04:45:31 | More by bbfc

craftbrew502

Kentucky

2.75/5  rDev -27.4%

05-20-2013 00:35:37 | More by craftbrew502

shehateme

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +5.5%

05-19-2013 20:04:33 | More by shehateme

nzerbe

New York

3/5  rDev -20.8%

05-19-2013 16:36:57 | More by nzerbe

hopkrid

Florida

4/5  rDev +5.5%

05-19-2013 16:11:35 | More by hopkrid

KiMiRaiK

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +18.7%

05-19-2013 03:48:39 | More by KiMiRaiK

Gmann

New York

3.61/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a near black color with a dense creamy tan head that settles into a solid cap.

The aroma is subtle but has a nice aroma of chocolate and sweet whiskey. Mild vanilla notes as well.

The flavor is of a powdery chocolate, smooth caramel and a hint of vanilla. Not much from the whiskey. There is a light booze flavor nothing really specific

The feel is moderate with soft carbonation. Sweet on the palate but not syrupy.

A rather boring barrel aged brew but it drinks nice and has a nice flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 02:45:15 | More by Gmann

DangerDawg

Ohio

4/5  rDev +5.5%

05-19-2013 02:35:26 | More by DangerDawg

nyrblue2

New York

4/5  rDev +5.5%

05-19-2013 01:30:18 | More by nyrblue2

acurtis

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -14.2%

05-18-2013 23:11:43 | More by acurtis

djrn2

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -20.8%

05-18-2013 22:51:18 | More by djrn2

Kreko7

California

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

05-18-2013 17:25:02 | More by Kreko7

argock

Virginia

3.11/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 22 oz brown bomber into a clear glass snifter. No freshness date evident. Purchased at Wine Warehouse (Charlottesville, VA).

A: Not quite opaque dark brown with 1 finger of light-beige head with below-average retention and minimal lacing.

S: The aroma is not strong with only some hints of whiskey and nothing that really resembles Wild Turkey. The stout base is not very characterful with some caramel malt notes.

T: The flavor is a big letdown with some caramel malt sweetness. There are some dark malt qualities, but they are weak. The body is so light that it seems like the flavors are diluted. The bourbon whiskey flavor is there but very muted. A big disappointment.

M: The mouthfeel is all wrong for a bourbon barrel aged stout -- too thin.

O: This was one of the more boring beers I have had in the last couple of years. One of AV's poorer beers -- I think this is an attempt to lighten up a beer that I don't think really can be light -- it needs the big imperial stout dark maltiness to work with the whiskey character. Without it, they both feel off. I would definitely skip this one, especially at the unbelievable price point.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 03:21:41 | More by argock

brotherloco

California

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

05-18-2013 00:44:22 | More by brotherloco

Greywulfken

New York

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Not real sure about the details of this brewer or this beer - I just saw "bourbon barrel" and "stout" and figured it'd be my cup o' tea. Apparently, the base stout is an oatmeal stout, and the bourbon barrel is of the Wild Turkey sort. So let's give it a go.

A: not quite pitch black, finger of beige head that slimmed into some wispiness, faint mote traces inside my snifter

S: got some bourbon, dry style, and some dark maltiness reminiscent of cocoa powder and iced coffee

T: dry-tasting chocolate and dark malts, tones of Wild Turkey - not particularly complex or rich; slight smokiness

M: thin on the palate - not what I expected, smooth, though, with a mellow bitterness

O: guess I expected more than what I got - a little too thin feeling and not a very strongly flavored beer - felt closer to a porter than a stout - and the bourbon barrel aging dried it out a bit too much for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 23:46:27 | More by Greywulfken

AOShabaz

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

05-17-2013 23:17:40 | More by AOShabaz

AlexChillton

Arizona

4/5  rDev +5.5%

05-17-2013 23:05:19 | More by AlexChillton