Peg's G.O.O.D. Rare D.O.S. - Peg's Cantina & Brewpub / Cycle Brewing

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.7/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On-tap at Peg's on 3/8/13.

A- Pours pitch black, very thick and sticky, produces a tiny khaki head. Some spilled on my hand and quickly dried into a sticky, dark patch, damn intense.

S- Big chocolate fudge and cake aroma, really nice sweet, rich bourbon and oak aromas.

T- Similar to the aroma, if anything dialed up slightly. Loads of dark chocolate, cake, bourbon, oak, vanilla and a really delicious coconut flavor. Mild roasty flavors. All of these flavors are sweet, rich and blended together really nicely.

M- Full-bodied, low carbonation, thick, sticky, viscous, mild boozy finish.

O- An amazing beer, of all the variants on-tap today this was still probably my favorite, it really is a fantastic beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2013 02:49:36 | More by WillCarrera

AltBock

Ohio

4.63/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Reviewed from notes. On tap at Peg's Catina during their end of the world party on December 21st, 2012. I was lucky enough to get the last glass of this fine brew of the night. They served it to me in a Cycle Brewing Snifter.

This dark mysterious liquid poured a solid black leather color. Were you expecting any other color? Don't hold this beer up into the light or you'll go blind. Light will bounce off this beer's solid black color. On top was a 1/4 of an inch dark tan almost coffee colored head of foam. Good retention that left behind a string of foamy rings along the side and only a few blots of lace around the glass.

It had a very well balanced aroma. The first two aromas that came me was of course the bourbon and charred oak. The bourbon wasn't over powering. It was very pleasant. Quickly following the bourbon was the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans. After the coffee beans had their time in the sun, in comes the dark chocolate, roasted malt, black cherry, raisins, and a nice whiff of vanilla. Very nice aroma!

The taste was surprisingly not overpowering or boozy. It was very well balanced. The first taste was, you guessed it, the bourbon. The beer didn't let the bourbon run away with the taste. Following the bourbon was a some charred oak, roasted malt, roasted coffee beans, molasses, bitter dark chocolate, black cherry, and then the taste finishes up with a subtle taste of vanilla to send this beer off. Very nice roasted bourbon taste.

The mouthfeel was full bodied and a bit on the dry side. It had a nice full flavored sweet aftertaste of bourbon, charred oak, black cherry, dark chocolate, and vanilla. It completely masked the ABV %.

Another wonderful beer from Peg's that night. I wish that I could have got another glass of this super fine brew. It was a very well balanced bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout. It didn't let anything completely take over the beer. The only thing that was out of control in this beer was the beer's rich flavors and that's a good thing. Is it worth a shot? You bet your ass it is! 

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2013 03:36:33 | More by AltBock

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a growler into a snifter.

My pour of Rare D.O.S. looks like it may be a little bit light on the carbonation. The beer itself is pretty much black, with dark mahogany and ruby edges where a bit of light can sneak through. Just a tiny wisp of a mocha cap rests around the edges of the glass without the ability to leave lace.

The aroma comes on strong and smooth. Creamy chocolate, roasted malts, vanilla, and smooth bourbon.

From the first sip it is not hard to tell why this beer has received such high praise. Throughout each sip there is a smooth bourbon presence from start to finish that starts slow and never goes over the top. The Palm Ridge whiskey integrates itself well with each flavor component of the base beer. Creamy chocolate makes the beginning of each sip taste like fudge. The roasted malt has its own sweetness and brings some coconut, vanilla, and molasses. Toward the end of the sip, the growing oak presence combines with a bitterness in the base beer to create a slightly astringent flavor.

As expected, the carbonation is a little bit lighter than I suspect was intended. What carbonation is there is light and creamy, which allows the beer to really mellow on the tongue and lets me feel the full weight of the body with each sip. There is a sweet stickiness after each sip.

This is definitely on my list of beers to go back and have again, especially fresh, if it becomes available.

Serving type: growler

08-05-2012 00:46:43 | More by KickInTheChalice

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.45/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had as a pre-game to the 2nd Annual Redneck Racin’ & Tastin’! Big thanks goes out to BRoss242 for this one! HOLY CRAP! I can’t believe I’m finally getting to tick this one! Served from growler into an Ommegang Three Philosophers chalice. Poured pitch black with a minimal light brown head. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, dark chocolate, wood, and milk chocolate. The flavor was of sweet malt, dark chocolate, wood, dark fruit, milk chocolate, and subtle sweet alcohol. It had a heavy feel on the palate with mild carbonation. Overall this was a fairly great brew. I still can’t believe I got to tick this one after such a long time! This was a really well balanced and enjoyable brew. The chocolate note I got on this one was really the star of it for me while adding a nice vanilla note. The same could be said for the aroma as well to help out. Definitely one of the better brews I’ve had this year. A MUST try!

Serving type: growler

06-12-2012 13:06:05 | More by thagr81us

DmanGTR

New York

4.7/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes. Thanks to Aaron and co for convincing me to come out instead of studying.

Poured oily black with only a few streaks of white lace on top. Huge on the roastiness, mocha, roasted coffee beans, burnt toast, and the bourbon. Oh my, the bourbon is everywhere! Vanilla, milk chocolate, complex layers of oak, dark fruits, and toffee. Could use a bit more body, but other than that, I'm sold. This was quite a treat.

Serving type: on-tap

05-31-2012 16:27:20 | More by DmanGTR

tarheels86

California

4.28/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tap at Peg's for Berliner Bash. Near ink pour with rich, reverse cascade mocha head. Not too much lace. Nose is tawny, black pepper, bourbon richness, melted fudge. Taste is quite rich and on style- buttery bourbon, melted dark chocolate fudge, vanilla. Spicy wood finish. A bit dry through the end. Still, quite delicious. Really like the palate on this one. Doesn’t really improve as it warms.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2012 18:18:05 | More by tarheels86

macrosmatic

Florida

4.83/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes. Had on-tap at Peg's, poured into a snifter.

A: This thing is dark dark, with only a bit of foam at the top. Appears quite opaque.

S: Coffee, chocolate aromas dominate.

T: Wow, this is good. Smooth, round chocolate & coffee malt flavors. Just a bit of spiciness, with a nice vanilla presence.

M: Creamy smooth mouthfeel, and finishes with a cacao sweetness. The hang is a bit dry.

O: Really really good. My first time having this one, and I would definitely have it again when it's around. Maybe a bit similar to CCB's Hunahpu, but no pepper bite and not nearly the molasses. Neither of those things detract from the overall impression of this beer, however. It certainly lived up to the hype.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2012 23:18:32 | More by macrosmatic

seeswo

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cam rules! Enjoyed side-by-side with Rarer DOS and for f's sake, it was blind!

Pours a very dark brownish color with a cocoa head. The nose is a bit confusing, as (blind) it was hard to identify whether a barrel was involved. Mild, but sweet with roasted chocolate malts. The taste came off as candied sweetness up front and then what I thought was a bit of charred chocolate malt, but must have actually been the tannic quality from the barrel. A bit boozy in the middle. Once revealed, i was suprised i didnt get any of the coconut i had read was in the beer. Medium body and carbonation - has a good, not over the top mouthfeel. No doubt, this is a good beer, however it is clearly too sweet rot up front and a bit overly tannic in the finish. For that matter, it is not clear to me that whiskey barrels are the best choice for this beer. I am being picky and part of it is how unfair it is to compare this beer to rarer DOS because this is a very good beer.

Serving type: growler

04-10-2012 19:06:31 | More by seeswo

Urbancaver

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark reddish brown with a nice light brown head... Looks very solid. A gorgeous beer... Smells sweet and candied. Chocolate malts and a touch of roast with whiskey underneath. A really nice aroma. Tastes sweet and chocolatey. Nice taste. Starts a bit bitter... Booze coming in the middle. Decent amount of vanilla whiskey in the middle too. Finishes a bit tanic. Moutfeel is solid... Well carbonated, thick and maybe a touch syrupy but not too thick, overall very nice

Serving type: growler

04-06-2012 20:09:15 | More by Urbancaver

CaptCleveland

Ohio

4.93/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

In town for CCB Huna day and to my surprise it's also Tampa Beer Week. Doug, son of Peg and brewer at Peg's and asst brewer at CCB, was an excellent host for this most awesome release, 3/9/2012.

Pitch black elixir into snifter, brown-tan 3mm head, thick lacing, nice.

Coffee, chocolate, burnt malt, whiskey, well blended. Really took my time, with the nose buried into the snifter enjoying each pull.

Wow, this hits it. Complex and I mean balanced, flavors of whiskey, coffee, chocolate, nut, malt, sweat vanilla come through, Nice bitterness lingers. Well made.

Full bodied, smooth, thick but not cloying.

Few brews equal the hype and this is one.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2012 04:46:55 | More by CaptCleveland

Ohsaycanyoubeer

Florida

4.88/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had this boy on tap at Peg's for the BA release on March 9, 2012. Poured a jet back into a 12oz snifter. Sweet aroma, vanilla, cocoa, and sticky sweet alcohol. While it was still cold it makes for a little underwhelming... LET IT WARM. As it warms there is a great balance of chocolate, vanilla, and oak. Very smooth and wonderfully balanced. This was quite delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2012 20:27:14 | More by Ohsaycanyoubeer

zac16125

South Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured on draught at the brewpub during barrel aged day, into a snifter
From notes taken 3/9/12

A: pitch black with some Browning on the edges,light mocha head that's just an outer rim by the time its served to me, leaves a trace amount of lacing

S: big bourbon aroma, some dark fruits, raisin and fig, a hint of milk chocolate, some booze , very inviting

T: big milk chocolate character, nice rich bourbon , dark fruits of raisin and plum, bourbon character is good but not overwhelming by any means, dark bitter chocolate on the finish, the coconut flavor comes out about halfway through the glass, great lingering aftertaste of chocolate, black coffee, and a touch of dark fruit sweetness,  really fantastic.  

M/D: incredibly smooth, coats the palate wonderfully, thick and chewy Mouthfeel, full bodied, appropriately low carbonation.  Good drinkability.  Perfect Mouthfeel here

O: .  Lived up to the hype.  One of the smoothest, easiest drinkinh stouts I've had, with a terrific flavor profile.  One of the best beers I have ever had the pleasure of drinking. World class.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2012 17:31:50 | More by zac16125

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.48/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

6oz into a snifter

A: Pours pitch black with a half finger of off white head. Settles quickly to a ring.

S: Dark chocolate, sweet toffee, a touch of roasted malt, and strong bourbon and booze.

T: Surprisingly balanced, not nearly as sweet as the aroma. Equal parts roast, toffee, dark fruit, and bourbon. Light coconut in the background. So complex, yet not overwhelming.

M: Thick, creamy, and perfectly carbonated.

O: Very well balanced sweetness and roast, very enjoyable. Certainly on the sweeter side of stouts, but this beer is phenomenal.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 01:00:21 | More by coreyfmcdonald

TheFightfan1

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

High gravity night at Peg's. A nice chill in the air as my wife and I sat outside on the deck. Perfect for a nice warming beer.

Poured into a snifter. Opague black nice coffee colored creamy heading. Did settle out to a thin lace and left some nice globs throughout the tasting.

Smell is very intense. Heavy mocha, A slight touch of oak with a decent booziness in the backend.

The taste of this beer is absolutely amazing. Starts off with that heavy one-two of chocolate and coffee. A hot booze flashes across the palate giving you a nice vanilla oak middle. The darker fruits are there in the backend Raisin,plum,etc.

Mouth is silky smooth a touch of hot alcohol to keep it interesting but the texture is out of this world. (Just think velvet and peanut butter). Full bodied and well balanced for heavy stout.

A very complex beer.

Just look at the stats here. This is not favoritism this is the real deal. Bar-none the best stout I have had to date in my short beer tasting journey.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2011 17:41:35 | More by TheFightfan1

Mposha

Florida

4.88/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had on tap, 11-11-11 high gravity night at peg's cantina.
A: Pitch black with a light tan head. Starts a perfect 1 finger and slowly dissipates into a consistent tan rim.
S: Chocolate covered cherries galore! A bit woody with lots of bourbon in this batch. Dark fruit with hints of vanilla and coffee.
T: lots of well blended bourbon, mingling with chocolate and vanilla silk. Creamy full flavored, with excellent wood notes. Pretty outstanding. After taste of tootsie roll and smokey bourbon and bittersweet chocolate.
M: Silky smooth, on the middle end of big bodied. Very wet with huge lingering after taste.
O: What a treat! Just too delicious for the gravity. Can't put this one down for a second.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2011 02:40:50 | More by Mposha

baconbourbon

Florida

4.95/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: This beer is jet black with a light brown head that persists throughout. The abundance of lacing lets me know that that this beer means business.
Smell: An extremely potent aroma of bourbon with hints of coffee and chocolate. All of the necessary elements in creating an excellent stout.
Taste: The complexity of the flavors is nothing like I've ever tasted before. A wonderful mixture of coffee bourbon and chocolate where each sip is better than the next.
Mouthfeel: Sticky. Smooth. Drinkable.
Overall: Absolutely ridiculous. This beer is so well balanced it's scary. Who would win in a fight, Doug the brewer, or God? Trick question, Doug the brewer is God.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2011 02:16:15 | More by baconbourbon

callmemickey

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This is the real deal and plenty deserving of the hype.

A: Pitch black body with a medium sized khaki cap (about 3/4 of an inch). Spotty, soapy lacing.

S: Whiskey, coconut, vanilla, chocolate, dark lightly roasted malts, a bit caramel and slightest bit of generic boozeyness.

T: Much like the nose with strong, assertive notes that were well integrated yet distinct and discernable. The coconut almost gives this a "tropical" imperial stout feel.

M: Smooth, medium-full bodied. Perfectly carbonated allowing this beer to coat the tongue but move allowing each flavor to impact the senses.

O: Just about perfect... on tap and not out of the growler might have helped the nose enough to push this thing over the top.

Serving type: growler

09-09-2011 16:04:59 | More by callmemickey

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.43/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Bucketboy for this one. Full 6oz. pour from a 64oz. growler into a TJ’s snifter. Had at a tasting on 9/4/11.

.5 finger mocha head with low retention. Beer is opaque black. Spotty lace with great stick and nice legs.

Nose is molasses, chocolate, brownie, very subtle sweet soy sauce and booze. Aromatic and very much to style. Some vanilla creaminess too.

Opens sweet molasses. Vanilla, chocolate, mocha, and coconut on the back end. More chocolate and some creamy hop bitterness towards the middle-end. End is milk chocolate and vanilla. Aftertaste is coconut bits and more vanilla.

Medium bodied with low retention. Smooth and silky in the mouth and some slight bubbles going down. Smooths out intensely as it warms. Rich finish with a subtle lingering aftertaste.

I’m not a slave to hype and I think that for the most part, my reviews reflect that stance. That being said, this beer is the real deal. Incredible mouthfeel and a wonderfully complex flavor profile that reflects everything good about the imperial stout style. Worth the acclaim and worth tracking down for sure.

Serving type: growler

09-05-2011 22:26:48 | More by SpeedwayJim

drowland

Florida

4.22/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12/7/10. Pumped straight from the keg at the brewpub very kindly by Christina! Niiice black pour with a small brown head that laces a ton. Huuuuge BA aroma on this cat! Tons of vanilla, coconut, butter, and more with a definite whiskey burn. Sweet imperial stout flavor loaded with BA coconut, vanilla, and more. Finishes with nice roasted coffee and dusty dark chocolate... Quite delicious!

Serving type: on-tap

07-25-2011 15:04:26 | More by drowland

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.55/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

In town for a Cigar City release, I read that Peg's was tapping this guy on Sunday at noon. We arrived at 11:55 and Eric, the excellent barkeep, told us it would be a few minutes. Within moments, before us were the first glasses of Rare D.O.S. and I was prepared to be disappointed. There's no way it's as good as everyone says, right?

On tap into a Cigar City snifter.

Appearance - Jet black body with an ample chocolate head. It dies down a little quickly to a brown ring around the top. Wisps of lace on the surface and as I swirl it around, staining the inside of the glass. Nice.

Smell - Bourbon, oh my. A second whiff reveals some coconut and strong dark chocolate. More bourbon ensues. Wow.

Taste - Much like the aroma, only richer. Bourbon with coconut and chocolate at first. A nice, caramel midrange flavor (with bourbon) followed by a rich, dark chocolate creaminess (with bourbon) and a coffee bitterness in the finish (with some bourbon). Loads of bourbon, but somehow it never overwhelms the other flavors.

Mouthfeel - Great body. Thick and chewy, but it isn't sweet. Hardly any alcohol burn. Perfect for a stout of this caliber.

Overall - Nearly perfect in every way. One of the best bourbon stouts I've ever had. I'm stunned. I was prepared to drink a beer that had been overhyped, but it is delicious. If you're in the area when this is tapped, make your way over. Friendly staff, good food, and a tour by Doug the brewer made this quite the Sunday lunch event.

Serving type: on-tap

07-25-2011 00:08:37 | More by Alieniloquium

dboon

Florida

4.28/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the LCBS 10. Black pour with a big brown head. Sweet bourbon and roasted malt aromas. The taste was sweet and smooth. Loaded with bourbon, vanilla, caramel malt, chocolate, and just a hint of coffee. Dak was spot on at the tasting and on his rating. This stout does taste a lot like Older Viscosity...

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2011 01:00:33 | More by dboon

Chetlemon

California

4.97/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Mucho Thanks to brother-in-law RudyLaw for overtrading for this phenomenal offering. I have been waiting for a beer worthy for my first review, and ALAS this barrel aged beauty was the one.

Drank in Darkness snifters from bottle. First appearance was black pour with perfect viscosity, and 1cm of natural perfect effervescence on top. The first whiff was sweet chocolate, allspice and whiskey, unbelievable nose. As this beer warmed up the warmer accents came to the top and the nose changed to malty, coconutty goodness.

All I can say about the taste is layers and waves of great dark chocolate, coconut, malt, bourbon, and the longer it sat the creamer it got. The natural carbonation forced every flavor into every tastebud. I am shocked this keg filled bottle hung on for this long, but boy was it worth it. I am super stoked I got to drink half of this bottle with RudyLaw and not just settle for a few ounces, every sip was better than the last.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2011 16:03:42 | More by Chetlemon

tpd975

Florida

4.9/5  rDev +4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Have had this one several times and I am glad to see it getting the respect it deserves.

A: It pours a nice deep dark black hue with a tall mocha head. Wonderful retention and tons of lace.

S: Aromas are rich and roasty. Tons of chocolate, vanilla, and coconut. The wood from the barrel is there with a touch of booze.

T: The flavor is where this one really shines. You could put an average beer in a Palm Ridge barrel and get a great result. Make no mistake about it though the base beer in this one is more than just good. Loads of Roasted Chocolate, and bold bold coconut, like a Mounds bar. Hints of vanilla and oak. Subtle coffee notes to round things out. Really is a great great beer.

M: Full in body, bold, rich, smooth.

D: Could drink it until I pass out.

Doug I have a Fresh Palm Ridge barrel could I twist your arm into making me a keg? :)

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2011 15:37:41 | More by tpd975

rudylaw

Illinois

4.93/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Huge thanks to tpd975 for the 22 bottom-filled "growler." Shared with my bro-in-law last night.

Dark black pour that has plenty of carbonation and a moderate head upon initial viewing. I should say this has held up like a champion for 9 months out of the keg.

Fudgy brownie and bourbon in the nose. Such a decadent whiff that only gets more intoxicating as it warms. Plenty of vanilla tossed in as well. Just superlative!

This tastes even better than it smells. The bourbon is prominent in the way that it's so smoothing. I've never had Palm Ridge before but I'm signing up for their newsletter going forward! While there is plenty of whiskey in the upfront, it seems more subtle than previous reviews. For whatever the reason, this is exactly what I was hoping for. Coconut, brown sugar, chocolate syrup, a slight roastiness and hints of maple creme all reveal themselves at different times. This seems like it could be a hybrid between Berserker and Kate.

I really can't add much more than that. It's a crime that this isn't available to the masses. Barrel-aging at it's best to a base beer that is simply remarkable.

Serving type: growler

06-24-2011 15:49:35 | More by rudylaw

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

enjoyed on my most recent trip to florida, i had no idea this thing would reach the epicness that it has. says alot for the crazy traders out there for sure! on tap into a 10 ounce glass

black as night oil like liquid which had a huge tan head that really very slowly faded leaving behind lots of gooey sticky brown lace.

chocolate mixed in and a strong alcohol presence. Lots of sweet vanilla and almost a mocha smell as well, very sweet overall.It was smooth, with not alot of carbonation. Huge bourbon whiskey type taste hit me right away as did the alcohol, this was not something to be messed with for sure. Very creamy thick feel and very strong alcohol presentation. Hints at french vanilla and a touch of chocolate rounded out the back side and added a bit of sweetness.

an amazing stout, if they keep brewing beers like this we are all in trouble!

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2011 15:56:16 | More by mikesgroove