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

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle - Bullock's Wine & Spirits in Marietta, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a very dark brown, near black body with a tall crown of tan-hued foam, receding at a steady clip, leaving little flecks of lace on the descent.

Smell: Sweet-scented bourbon notes dovetailed into the Barney Flats scent, with its touches of mild-blend coffee and chocolate-dipped oatmeal cookies.

Taste: Their BFOS presented a steady, sweet maltiness, with semi-sweet chocolate, lightly roasted coffee, and a smooth, creaminess from the oats and light dark fruitiness. Adding in the smooth vanilla, brown sugar, coconut, oak elements from bourbon barrels is just gravy. Smooth, sweet-sided finish with lingering aforementioned bourbony accents.

Mouthfeel: Medium, though nicely textured and wholly drinkable with decent amounts of carbonation.

Overall: It's a good bourbon barrel-aged beer. For the bourbon barrel-aged beer lover in us all.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 22:24:14 | More by ChainGangGuy

UCLABrewN84

California

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Instant Replay in Canoga Park, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, cookie dough, wood, and a mild bourbon aroma. Taste is much the same with a slight tartness to it. There is a mild roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but the barrel aged presence flavor wise is subdued.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2012 03:13:20 | More by UCLABrewN84

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.38/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The ever-classy Barney Flats gets a serious renovation! Without sacrificing the character of the original, it draws in key components from the Wild Turkey bourbon barrels that complement it perfectly!

With a dark, bark brown hue, the beer evades black coloration but only barely. Capped with a delicate lining of espresso-like creme, the beer takes on a stately cask ale-like appearance. Good retention and light brandy legging reaffirm the notions of quality even to the eye.

The aromas of chocolate, heavy toast, medium roast coffee, and heavy cream rise much in the same way as the original Barney Flats, but as the nose becomes accustomed to the scent, the warming beer invites aromas of coconut, vanilla, cherry alcohol, weathered oak, and unmistakable bourbon to act in complement.

The bittersweet chocolate, toasty-roasty coffee flavors stem from aroma with a consistent feed. But the beer seems wrapped in an envelope of soft bourbon taste without the burn. Vanilla, caramel, coconut, charred oak, and mild dark fruit give the beer a sultry elegance that really sets it apart. It seems that the early palate doesn't register the taste nearly as well as it resonates in finish.

Creamy and delightful, the beer's early marshmallow textures morph into a lush velvety texture of warmth and brandyish sweetness. Light wood tanning creates a powdery sensation that balances the sweetness in conjunction with the broad woody bitterness from hops.

The beer simply exudes class- both from the stout and bourbon standpoints. This new Barney Flats variation is much more than a bourbon barrel aged beer, its a collaboration of taste that dovetail together perfectly!

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2012 22:51:46 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Served in a snifter at Firkin.

The way I hear it, this is the only brewery allowed to age in Wild Turkey barrels. I'm not sure if this is entirely true, but it makes for a good story regardless. This stuff pours a straight obsidian topped by a finger of tan foam. The nose comprises whiskey, toasted oak, and dark chocolate. It's pretty simplistic, but pleasant nonetheless. The taste brings in more of the same, though now the oak character is lessened, the whiskey is consequently increased slightly (and it certainly tastes like Turkey at this point), and there is an addition of very light roasted malts and a hint of Guinness-style sourness near the finish. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fairly fluid feel. Overall, though a bit on the thin side and a touch too heavy with the whiskey at times, this is a pretty solid barrel-aged stout. Definitely worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2013 01:32:01 | More by TMoney2591

metter98

New York

3.83/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Beer Authority, New York, NY

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a thin tan head that took a long time to die down and left large patches of bubbles covering the surface and a ring around the edge of the glass.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of bourbon from the barrel aging in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the taste has bourbon but also flavors of the underlying stout.
M: It feels a little more than medium-bodied and somewhat smooth on the palate and has a low amount of carbonation.
O: This is a nice easy to drink bourbon barrel aged stout that has a pleasant aroma but lacks the complexity in the taste that some of the other barrel aged beers have.

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2012 18:11:44 | More by metter98

Halcyondays

California

3.46/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bomber, my bottle says 6.9%,

A: Pours black with a creamy tan head, spotty lace, solid head retention.

S: Definite notes bourbon with chocolate and coffee notes. Some roasted malt.

T: Dark malt though it's not particularly striking. The barrel character works well, but the base beer is too light to really make this idea work.

M: Light-bodied, a thin feel. Soft carbonation, easy drinking, a solid feel.

O: It's hard to make a bourbon barrel beer work in a smaller beer, and while this beer has it's moments, it's just OK in the end. The bomber price at $9.79 is crazy.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 06:52:37 | More by Halcyondays

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

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

A 20oz pint @theunderground in Edmonton. At least the bartender knew that this was actually on tap, plain and clear, unlike buddy there last week. Gah.

This beer appears a very, very dark brown, verging on black colour, with prominent basal cola highlights, and two skinny fingers of tightly foamy, and somewhat creamy beige head, which leaves a barely pockmarked wall of painted lace around the glass as it slowly ebbs away.

It smells of sweet, boozy, woody vanilla, caramel malt, powdered cocoa, mild coffee, a bit of black licorice, and faint earthy, leafy hops. Like a shot of bourbon sitting next to a chocolate stout. The taste is more restrained on the Kentucky brown spirit front, with stronger chocolate and dry coffee, the caramel malt gaining some crystallized toffee character, subtle licorice root, and slowing burgeoning astringent Bourbon-soaked oakiness.

The carbonation is a bit peppy, but settles down soon enough, the body a decent medium weight, and a tad clammy in its smoothness - perhaps a casualty of the barrel perception. It finishes on the sweet side, all that chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and other sundry whisky notes hardly able to be anything else.

If Wild Turkey was indeed the barrel for this particular aging project, that would go a long way in explaining the big up-front Bourbon essence, followed by the drop-off, which here, at least, is picked up by the heady malt of the base stout. Sans beer, that effect is typically unpleasant as a hungry croc, as Wild Turkey is rather unappealing on its own. Nice to see it actually used for good.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2013 22:10:01 | More by biboergosum

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had a pint at Idle Hands in NYC. I haven't had many non-imperial stouts aged with bourbon that had a good balance, but damn this is fine beer. The smooth, toast and vanilla liquor notes play off the roasted barley with touches of coffee, sweet chocolate, and oats. It's a medium-weight stout, just big enough to carry all the flavors. Overall, it's a wonderfully complex beer and I went back to the bar for a second.

Serving type: on-tap

10-27-2012 17:42:16 | More by tempest

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.1/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Poured black with a nice tan cap, which reseds quickly leaving some brown bubbles and a light brown ring stickingto the glass

S: An initial aroma of bourbon and some roastiness but thats about it.

T: Soft burbon notes with a weak underlying body of what was once a stout. I get some oats, roast and light chocolate. The finish is a bit boring with a lingering, light bourbon note

M: Medium bodied, a bit thin for my liking, the stout base there leaving noites of chocolate and roast on the palate. Perhaps a tad overcarbed or bubbly for this style

O: Not exactly why Anderson Valley would take a medium bodied base stout which cant hold up to a barrel and throw it in a barrel? Not enough body on this and really not all that great

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2013 17:51:58 | More by barleywinefiend

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

I do love a good bourbon barrel aged almost anything, Wild Turkey should be interesting... but it's really interesting clocking in only at 6.9%abv...

Pours a darker colored slightly creamy but with big fizzy bubbles of a 1 finger head that fades semi slowly with nice high water mark lacing, a just about pitch black beer with no real light getting through.

Nose starts with a bit of roasted malt, smoked malt, and a little black patent, that quickly turns to vanilla bourbon barrel, lots of buttery oak, vanilla, and some bourbon to go with it, a light smoked meat aroma with some light roast, otherwise the roasted malt and black patent disappears quickly and I can't find it again, nice caramel, fluffy nougat, and hint of cocoa.

Taste starts again with darker malts but again almost instantly dissolves to buttery oak, and vanilla bourbon barrel. The malts bring a hint of smoke, very light coffee and roast, as well as a light chalky charred black malt and some barrel char. Light bitterness from the roast and a light earthy hop character. It also seems to have a light creamy flaked oat feel. Mild sweetness brings a hint of booze too. Finish is drier but not really much so, a little creamy oats, light char and black malt lingering, some earthy hop bitterness and faint charred barrel with more buttery oak and vanilla barrel, but bourbon is on the very light side overall.

Mouth is a bit heavier bdied, somewhat creamy, lighter but decent carb.

Overall it's not bad, but nothing great. Good to try once, but not much more, and it won't age at all. The buttery vanilla oak is nice, but lack of bourbon leaves a bit to be desired, and lack of overall malt profile as it disappears to the barrel also leaves something to be desired, oh and also lack of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 23:59:09 | More by jlindros

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.28/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Any beer with "Bourbon Barrel Stout" on the label is going to pique my interest. Then, I was surprised to see that this is a relatively low-ABV version, and I was interested to see where this went: in the past my experience with bourbon stouts has almost certainly been limited to Imperial version. 22oz bomber purchased from BevMo in Sunnyvale, CA.

Pours a dark, murky black, browning at the edges. Head forms a very fine, silky ring after settling out quickly. Some very fine but quite minimal lacing around the edges of the glass. Carbonation is fine enough, but it moves through the body quickly. Overall, it looks decent enough.

Nose certainly picks up some bourbon: and oddly, more bourbon than oak, with a definite corn character coming through, and a spicy booze note, without a lot of smooth oaky characters. Certainly there's no oaky vanilla, coconut or rounded wood notes. What's there is that sweet corn character, laced with some darkness that comes through as a compacted vegemite character above some slightly overdone toast. Together, it's almost reminiscent of an acidity. It's weird, and I can't say I love it all that much.

Taste is also not all that great, but for quite different reasons. Here the lack of body is sorely evident, and it's what's missing the most from the beer. Thin entry, backed with lashings of sickly bourbon characters that drop out quickly. What's left is a bready, grainy character that lingers long efter everyone else has disappeared trying to avoid it. Finish has a slight kick of sweetness, again possibly the bourbon: but this has an almost butterscotch cloy to it. Feel is very light, but with enough stickiness to keep some of those flavours around for too long.

Nope, this doesn't work for me. In fact, this beer probably explains why my experience with bourbon barrel stouts has to date been only Imperial versions. The bourbon doesn't do anything for this beer, and in fact probably harms it. It takes over the stout, without providing much good characters itself. The flavours are assertive, but they just don't work for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 03:57:29 | More by lacqueredmouse

kojevergas

California

3.79/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I chose this listing because the ABV on my bottle is indeed 6.9%. That said, the title seems to be simply "Bourbon Barrel Stout." The subtitle mentions Wild Turkey as the bourbon, but it doesn't appear to be part of the actual title. Acquired for $9.00 at a local SoCal beer store. 22 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard branded pressure cap served into a Mitchells of Lancaster flared stemtulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are high given the brewery.

Served cold, straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger gorgeous tan colour head. Frothy, creamy, and of good thickness. The 3 minute retention is nice as well. Leaves even light lacing as it recedes. Body colour is a solid nontransparent opaque black. Not quite a jet black, but dark. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. To be nitpicky, the head could be darker and richer and the body could be more vibrant. But there are no overt flaws. At this low an ABV relative to the style and barrel aging, you'd think the head would retain for longer.

Sm: Delighfully subtle vanilla and oak notes. The bourbon is definitely there, and it's well integrated with no boozy or hot alcohol notes. Love the bourbon here, but I don't get any toasty notes. Dark malts, cream, chocolate malt. Coconut is a nice touch, and mixes well with the vanilla. Delightfully executed. No yeast character or alcohol is detectable. Really looking forward to trying this one. A complex, subtle aroma of moderate strength. Damn good for a bourbon barrel aged stout.

T: Hm. The taste is nowhere near as balanced as the aroma. Sweet vanilla up front which bleeds through the finish. Little oak, and even then no toasted oak. Light bourbon character is a highlight. Sweet coconut adds to the sweetness - which is a bit overdone but the coconut flavour itself is nice. Dark malts form the body. Chocolate malt. The beer seems to be overwhelmed by the bourbon flavour - like the foundation/base beer can't handle the additional complexity. The beer suffers under the weight of the bourbon here; this is not seamless integration. No alcohol comes through. No yeast or hop character comes through. Light caramel. In spite of its slightly overcooked sweetness, it's nicely balanced. And the more I'm drinking it, the more I'm acclimating to that sweet vanilla and coconut. I quite like it.

Mf: Smooth and creamy. Perfect carbonation. Good presence on the palate. Good body, if a bit weak. Complements the flavour profile very well. Good execution.

Dr: It's shockingly drinkable for a bourbon barrel aged stout; I'll have little trouble killing this by meself. The subtlety and complexity of superior beers in the style isn't here, but it's nice to have a bourbon barrel stout I can take down comfortably alone. Drinkability is a highlight of this beer considering the style. I'd definitely have it again on-draught, and I'd love to see how it ages. There's a lot of potential in this beer. It'd make a great starter beer for newcomers to heavy barrel aged stouts - and it'd make a great reminder beer for those of who've had too many heavy imperial stouts that drinkability doesn't have to be restrained in a good stout. Solid stuff from Anderson Valley, but it is a biteen pricey for what it is. I'd love to see this in six pack format. I'd happily kill a 6er of this in a night. Great stuff.

Highlights in this beer are the vanilla, the coconut, and the drinkability.

Main flaws are a relative lack of complexity, the price point, and the lackluster malty core.

Low B+

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 03:41:03 | More by kojevergas

mactrail

California

3.53/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Very black in the small tulip. Not much head in the glass and nothing special to look at. Fairly thin body.

On the plus side, this has a really good bourbon flavor. The aroma is good hooch with some vanilla. The stout itself is nothing to brag about, but it makes a good combination and lets the barrel flavors through. It's not really sweet, and it's a fairly thin beer. Lots of charred flavors which are nicely toned down by the boozy taste.

Altogether an interesting drink, and a good example of how to improve an average stout. On tap at Pizza Port in Ocean Beach.

01/22/2013 update: Had this on tap at Rogue in San Francisco. Lots of vanilla, fruity with hints of mango and pineapple. Warm, rich, and seriously drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2012 03:22:02 | More by mactrail

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.15/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

22 picked up tonight at the COOP for a pricey $8ish... poured into my slim tulip produces a black brew with no light escaping even on the stem end of my glass... the head is dark brown and dies back quickly but still leaves nice sheets of lace.

Light roasty notes... a bit of raisin combines with light vanilla/whiskey notes. Really I was expecting more... more stout qualities... more whiskey qualities... really light across the board.

Flavors are again pretty light.. a deep raisin element moves mid palate to the finish.. whiskey notes are light.... this is a decent porter, but not a stout IMO.

The body is medium with a creamy effervescent carbonation.

Okay at best... I had super high hopes for this one. I will not buy again.

4/3/3/3.5/3.25

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 03:52:34 | More by JohnGalt1

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 4

LOOK: Pours a deep brown with amber hues. Off white head forms and leaves a sheet of lace.

SMELL: Whiskey and oak, possessing a chocolatey malt background. You can really pull in alot of the Wild Turkey.

TASTE: Reminds me of eating s'mores by the campfire, taking sips of turkey periodically. Vanilla and roast, touch of coffee. Whiskey shows up mid palate with a smooth sweet grain alcohol flavor, but really no heat. Hops are leafy and alittle citrusy. Really Good. Not as strong or boozy as some, this is just flavorful.

FEEL: Medium to full bodied, smooth feel, soft carbonation. A bit thin which hurts the score. Very light sticky dryness.

OVERALL: Tasty brew, really like what the barrel did to this one. Subtlety works in this genre, let the barrel shine. I must admit, I really enjoy Wild Turkey, so this beer delivered a great 2 in 1.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2013 23:32:27 | More by Stinkypuss

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this at Federal Taphouse -served chilled in a tulip allowed to gradually warm to cellar temp.

The color is darkest brown bordering on black with a thin cream cap with tight bead and lace clings in a stringy pattern on the glass. The smell is fruity and very bourbon influenced with an aroma reminiscent of raisins soaked in bourbon with a mild chocolate malt note and light hint of vanilla from the wood. The feel is good with plenty of smooth malt and moderate carbonation allows the bourbon to accent yet not overwhelm the palate with a slight yeast creamy quality and semi-dry finish with subtle tannin from the barrel.

The taste is great with the aforementioned raisiny yeast fruitiness and slight cocoa blending with the bourbon's sweet and woody elements that have a mild dark malt synergy and subtle toasted taste. Overall I enjoyed this a lot, it was enjoyable and I am glad I got the chance to try it. I would order it again because the original oatmeal stout is one of my favorites and the barrel definitely is an improvement adding to the complexity of the flavor profile in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2013 15:45:57 | More by Slatetank

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.56/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 ounce bottle. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch frothy tan head that stayed around for a while. There's also a decent amount of lacing. The brew smells like roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, bourbon, vanilla and a bit of dark fruit. It tastes like roasted/charred malt, bittersweet and milk chocolate, coffee, vanilla and bourbon. The bourbon character in both the aroma and taste is light, but still noticeable. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it's thin for a stout. It has moderate carbonation, and goes down easy enough. I'm a little disappointed that the bourbon in this brew isn't stronger, but it's still a decent beer overall. With that being said, I wouldn't pay $11.99 a bottle for this again.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 21:30:13 | More by bluejacket74

FosterJM

California

3.41/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

1724th Review on BA
Draft to Cervoise
16oz

@Yardhouse, Chino Hills, CA

App- When this came to the table. I was actually really impressed with the pour. Even in the late hours of 1AM, the darkness of the lighting of the restaurant, this beer shined. It was a dark black with a solid 2 fingers of a creme looking head that fall semi fast with a great amount of thick gobby cling down the sides.

Smell- I am a fan of Anderson Valley and generally like the Oatmeal Stout. I am curious WTF happened to this beer. The original beer is layered with malty, flaky oats and a bit of chocolate. This has none of that. It was grainy, boozy, unbalanced and pure Wild Turkey.

Taste- I can handle my beers that are barrel aged. I enjoy the burn, I like the vanilla and oak and bigger flavors. I couldnt do this beer. I only drank 1/2 the glass and couldnt handle the lack of unbalance behind it. This lacked refinement with the oatmeal, the malts and the booze being tied into one unit. Just needed more behind it to balance it all out.

Mouth- A solid medium body with a medium creamy carbonation. A huge amount of roast and malts behind this without balance. The barrel just adds way too much booze instead of complimenting the base beer, it takes over.

Drink- I wanted to love this, sadly I didnt Nothing but mess and lack of balance behind it. No vanilla, no oak and no balance. Sadly, I wont come back to this one.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2013 01:36:29 | More by FosterJM

tdm168

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Bottlemixx

A - black with a huge, dense, thick, brown head that has great retention

S - huge chocolate notes and huge whiskey notes, woody, roasty

T - chocolate, roasted malts, woody, bourbon, vanilla, some booze; a rather overall mild flavor

M - medium bodied, well carbonated

This is a nice beer, but it seems that the barrels imparted a far bigger flavor than the base beer. If I had to rate each flavor separately I'd give the Wild Turkey an A and the base stout a B. The base beer just needs a bolder flavor to stand up to the barrel aging. Overall, though this is definitely a good stout and one that is well worth trying.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2013 21:43:13 | More by tdm168

Gmann

New York

3.61/5  rDev -5%
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

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Served on-tap at Busy Bee in Raleigh, NC

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with some moderate amounts of visible carbonation near the surface of the beer and some dark brown and dark amber highlights at the edges of the glass. The beer has a finger tall dense foamy dark tan head that slowly reduces to a thin film covering about half of the surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of roasted malts with some stronger aromas of chocolate, bourbon, and vanilla. Lighter notes of oak, licorice, and just a touch of nuttiness.

T: Upfront there are some light to moderate flavors of roasted malts that quickly give way to the flavors from the bourbon including some vanilla. Behind the bourbon there are light to moderate notes of chocolate, oak, and anise. Light amounts of bitterness with a touch of alcohol in the finish.

M: Medium to full bodied with light to moderate amounts of carbonation. Moderate amounts of dryness with a touch of alcohol warmth.

O: This beer feels much bigger than it actually is and makes you want to sip it very slowly, having only a small serving - impressive to have the depth of flavor and bourbon-ness without huge ABV.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2013 03:16:53 | More by dbrauneis

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.99/5  rDev +5%
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

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.81/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: black in color, 3/4 inch head, low carbonation, opaque

Smell: light chocolate and roasted malt

Taste: oak, chocolate, toffee, cocoa--a bit of Tootsie Roll taste

Mouthfeel: moderate carbonation, heavy body, sweet with oakiness

Overall: I was impressed with the oakiness of this beer at first, but unfortunately the taste did not carry all the way through this beer. It was still strong enough, but I wish the flavor was a bit stronger. Still I would get this one again if I saw it on tap. Not quite what I would call good, but certainly one of the better brews from Anderdon Valley.

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2013 14:27:05 | More by tigg924

argock

Virginia

3.11/5  rDev -18.2%
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

scottfrie

California

3.11/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

22oz bottle into snifter.

A: Pours a near black cola color with a finger of soft dense head light brown head that faded into a thin fluffy film that left tons of soapy spotty lace down the glass.
S: Sweet and mild nose with notes of raisin, caramel, brown sugar, a hint of roast, a hint of bourbon, and sticky maple.
T: Mild like the nose. Medium roast, faint chocolate, raisin, caramel, maple, brown sugar, and a hint of toast. Bourbon is low and smooth with no warmth. Falls off in finish, needs something more - more complexity. Hint of vanilla in aftertaste.
M: Falls short. Needs more body and maybe more carb. Watery slick mouthfeel, medium body, low frothy carbonation.
O: Would be much better if thicker, but still definitely enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 01:47:26 | More by scottfrie