Damon (Blanton's Barrel Aged) - Hill Farmstead Brewery

womencantsail

California

4/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours black in color with a small tan head. Very roasty with plenty of dark chocolate. A mild vanilla note, some bourbon, and a bit of oak. The flavor is heavy on the roast and is mildly bitter. Some bourbon, oak, and vanilla. Dark chocolate, a bit of ash, maybe some dark fruit notes as well. Good, but not amazing.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 17:46:54 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Huge thanks to yourefragile for sharing this bottle. No Hill Farmstead tulip; damn my early packing. Bottle number 578/864.

Pours near black with a good tan head and some spotty, streaky lacing on the way down. The nose carries a great dose of bourbon and chocolate with some very mild roast in the background. Flavor has big bourbon and oak with some accompanying vanilla. Medium body with smooth carbonation. Über smooth. Really fantastic. Just a touch of booze for warmth. Fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 00:25:14 | More by Thorpe429

drabmuh

Maryland

4.55/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by yourefragile because he thinks I'm fragile, poured into a Hill Farmstead becher because that's the only HF glass I have and drank through a straw because there was a baby on my head at the time, all of this actually happened.

Beer is black with a nice tan head of small bubbles, moderate retnetion, low carbonation, some lacing, looks nice.

Aroma is interesting, not as bourbon forward as one might expect but excellent because I can smell both the bourbon and the yeast, mild roast, sweetness, chocolate perhaps?

Beer is medium in body, creamy, sweet, mildly oaky and bourbony, tastes nice, an interesting beer. I commented that it is slightly Black Albert like and people didn't disagree. I'd have it again, a very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 15:37:18 | More by drabmuh

mdfb79

New York

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

From 02/25/12 notes. Big, big thanks to yourefragile for sharing a bottle of this one. Had several pours of this on tap at EBF earlier in the month and it was one of my favorites of the fest. Bottle number 578/864.

a - Pours a dark brown, almost black color, with two inches of dark tan head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of sweet chocolate, bourbon, oak, roasted malts, vanilla, and a tiny bit of citrus. Really liking the mix of sweet chocolate, vanilla, and bourbon in the nose. Really great.

t - Tastes of sweet chocolate, roasted malts, bourbon, vanilla, wood/oak, toasted malts, coffee, light dark chocolate. More vanilla then the nose, and still nice and sweet. Awesome.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Very smooth and creamy with no heat at all. Easy to drink out of the bottle and easier to drink on tap.

o - Overall this is up there at one of Hill Farmstead's best beers in my opinion. I've loved some of their hoppy beers but it's really nice to see that they can do a great RIS as well. A little sweet (which I like), and nice bit of bourbon mixing with chocolate and vanilla, well worth checking out. One of my favorites from EBF and the other day.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 15:51:26 | More by mdfb79

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500 ml black wax topped bottle into a couple of snifters. Bottle # 178/864. Huge thanks go to Stakem for sharing this bottle with a couple of us.

Pours black as night in the glass, with a think bubbly head of dark mocha froth. This maintains some rich edges, which just coats the sides of the glass with spotty lacing and gooey brown oils. The aroma smells of burnt bourbon character up front, with is quickly followed by notes of chocolate cake, coffee, molasses, brown sugar and spicy alcohol. Man, this has a nice booze soaked sweetness to it in the nose.

The taste is chocolate fudge, roasted coffee, burnt molasses, brown sugars, and more spicy alcohol which leads into a charred bourbon finish. This is just so burnt, sticky and rich feeling on the palate. I’m in love. The mouthfeel is full bodied, with a thick and chewy carbonation that is undercut by a good amount of tannic slickness that helps this drink way smoother than it should considering the alcohol and assertive barrel character here.

This a great BA Imperial Stout from Hill Farmstead and I especially loved how it didn’t hide its brashness but instead complimented it with a host of delicious sticky sweetness that kept this accessible and a joy to sip on. I drank a bunch of this at the last EBF and it was a pleasure to be able to sit down with it again. Thanks again Adam!

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 13:54:22 | More by Kegatron

corby112

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to sideshowe for sharing. Bottle 281.

Pours a dark chestnut brown color that appears black and opaque in the glass.  Half finger dark mocha head that quickly settles into a lasting ring leaving spotty lacing behind.

Smokey, roasted malt aroma with subtle barrel integration.  Some toasted oak and subtle booziness with more of an oak and peaty scotch presence than sweet, boozy bourbon.  There a faint malt backbone with some smoke, dark chocolate, coffee bean and oatmeal but the oak and peat notes overpower things a bit.

Medium bodied with a nice smokey barrel presence that's nicely integrated into the dark malts of the base beer.  Smokey, peaty scotch flavor with toasted oak, ash, smoked meat and burnt malt along with subtle vanilla and dry oak.  This is countered by a balance of sweet and roasted dark malt flavors with hints of dark chocolate, toast, coffee bean and oatmeal.  Well balanced with a nicely integrated barrel presence, however, I'm getting more of a dry oak than bourbon flavor.  Complex with a well masked ABV that makes it easy to drink but there's something a touch off that i cant put mu finger on.  Still, an enjoyable beer that I'm glad to have tried.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 23:51:40 | More by corby112

HopHead84

California

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

4/12/2012

500ml bottle poured into a snifter. Bottle #165/864. Thanks for the opportunity to try this.

A: Flows like motor oil out of the body with much viscosity, yielding a finger of dark brown foam that gives way to scattered lacing.

S: A medley of dark chocolate, brown sugar, bourbon, and vanilla. I get a firm oak profile with a big dark malt presence, notes of dark fruit, and licorice. I detect the faintest essence of smoke with a whisper of maple. The bourbon is present but not overpowering, allowing the quality of the base beer to be showcased as well. The roastiness is tame, which is how I like it. Coffee is a shadow.

T: Lightly earth up front with an upper low bitterness and a dash of alcohol. Bourbon quickly takes the helm, guiding me into a tranquil sea of brown sugary dark chocolate and vanilla. This sea is inhabited by scattered colonies of blackstrap molasses and licorice. The beer has a big dark malt presence without any harh or overly roasted notes. The beer finishes with bourbonic oak, brown sugary vanilla dark chocolate, and an increased but not inappropriate level of alcohol.

M: The beer is full in body with a moderate level of carbonation. The mouthfeel is chewy, sticky, viscous, and silky, with notable palate warming. Really excellent feel for the style, and considering this is barrel aged I'm even more impressed.

Overall: An excellent beer all around. I raise my glass to Damon and think back on my beloved dog lost not long ago.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 03:09:47 | More by HopHead84

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the same bottle as the previous reviewer. (#178/864) Thanks to Deuane for the trade and to Kegatron for assisting in making an event out of opening up some Farmstead offerings. The brew poure black in color with a skimpy head. A few bubbles make their way to the surface and collapse quickly. When held to the light, some brown clarity is seen through the edges. Faint spotty lace sticks to the glass along with legs of alcohol.

The aromatics are straight up brownie batter: cocoa, fudge, vanilla and caramel all come together to formulate this rich sticky quality to the nose. Trace amounts of bourbon spiked alcohol emit from the glass as it warms up.

The taste is a bit more boozy than the aroma leads on. There is a spiit reinforcement of alcohol bite overtop of a plehora of barrel aging characteristics. Coconut, caramel, oak, vanilla and a bit boozy but it is masterfully integrated with a slight bitter roast inclusion across the back. The aftertaste is again a throwback to the aromatics: cocoa, coffee and fudgy with a hint of must.

This is a medium to fuller bodied brew with a very light hint of carbonation. This brew displays awesome barrel aging character and is a real treat to sip on almost more as a dessert than anything. I cant gloat about nothing but the good here... being nitpicky id say that just a slight bit more carbonation would have been nice but id certainly take it again in a heartbeat if offered.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 15:33:52 | More by stakem

largadeer

California

3.95/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Shared by dsgolovin. Thanks!

Appearance: Black as pitch with oily viscosity. A hard pour yields a finger of crusty brown foam that recedes slowly.

Smell: When cold, a lot of bourbon, oak and black licorice with milder notes of dark chocolate. Malt pops out more as it warms up, bringing chocolate to the forefront along with a good amount of molasses and tar. Smells pretty good, but I could do without the ashy, tar-like malt character.

Palate: Quite a bit of ashy, tar-like dark malt flavor. Bittersweet chocolate, molasses, a bit of dark fruit. The malt character reminds me quite a bit of Scandinavian imperial stouts. Bourbon and oak are nicely integrated, and blend well with the huge malt backbone. Mildly bitter with well masked alcohol, just a bit of heat in the finish. Mouthfeel is the highlight of the beer - it's full and viscous but not under-attenuated.

Overall: Very good, but I didn't like it as much as I was expecting to. Birth of Tragedy was more enjoyable to me.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 21:14:01 | More by largadeer

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4.43/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle shared by jedwards. Bottle 425/864. Pours an inky black with no head. Nose expresses bourbon, dark malts, buttery notes and ethanol towards the back. Taste expresses bourbon, but not too bold, with roasted malt and some sweetness. Mouthfeel is medium-light in body, slightly oily in consistency with some residual heat. This is an exceptional, incredibly tasty and well-balanced BA stout. If you are expecting a big bourbon bomb, you will not find it in Damon; however, the way this beer comes together is quite fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 21:13:48 | More by Jwale73

billab914

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to IrishColonial for sharing a 500ml bottle of this with us the other night. It poured close to black in color with a thin, frothy tan head to it. The head quickly dissipated down to a thin ring of bubbles concentrating around the edges of the glass.

The aroma shows a lot of roasted, smoky and slightly burnt malts to it right off the bat. The bourbon is pretty reserved in it, but adds a little complexity to the background. There is also a little bit of a fruity, almost wine like quality coming out as it warmed A decent amount of alcohol shows in it, but not too bad.

The taste also has some bold, bitter, roasted malts with a touch of burnt smokiness to them. Again, it's pretty light on the bourbon but it does give it a little warming alcohol presence. I get some creamy sweetness adding some good balance to the dark malts. A little bit of a fruity, wine like character lingers in the finish.

The mouthfeel is creamy and medium bodied with carbonation being moderate. Overall it was a very good beer. Great range of flavors to it and it comes together very well.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 18:21:54 | More by billab914

ehammond1

California

4.33/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2012)

Thanks for opening this one with me, Callemcoon!

(Aged for 1 year)

Bottle #8/864

Near black in color with a small, very dark brown head of small and moderately-sized bubbles. Leaves the glass oily and spotted on the way down. This looks moderately thick, though not quite as impressive in appearance as, say, a Speedway Stout or any stout from Cigar City. Pretty and appropriate.

Well-rounded, and balanced aroma of chocolate, mild roast character, complementary but not overpowering bourbon, and chocolate-covered cherry. What I'm calling cherry is most likely a bit of oxidation that's crept in over the last year. It all comes together quite nice, without being overpowering or overbearing.

This is unlike most big, bourbon-barrel aged stouts. This is a drinkable, well-rounded, well-executed, even delicate version of an often bold, expressive, in-your-face style. Well integrated layers of chocolate, mild bourbon, a bit of roast and oak, and again, just a tiny peek of a chocolate-covered cherry note. It all comes together quite nicely.

The hallmark of this beer, personally, is it's mouthfeel. Without being terribly thick, it's creamy, coating, and nearly full.

Excellent, and I'm very glad I had the opportunity to try it. Strangely...I prefer BCBS (fresh or aged).

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 06:48:16 | More by ehammond1

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

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

Sampled at EBF Saturday afternoon. Solid black color with an off white head. Aromas of bourbon, oak, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, and caramel. Flavor follows the aroma quite well with a bit of a dry finish. Light body and level of carbonation with a sweet slick mouthfeel. Smells wonderful tastes pretty good but is a bit thin and finishes kind of dry. I’m a bit disappointed with this one because the other Hill stuff I’ve had has been exceptional. Maybe I can revisit this after the bottles come out.
I was able to try this again out of a bottle on 5/11/2012, thanks Matt. Pours a solid black with a thinnish tan head. Smells a lot of bourbon with chocolate, oak, vanilla, coffee, roast, and a hint of smoke. Flavor is big and bold with the bourbon and the alcohol that comes with it. Roasty chocolate and coffee with hints of vanilla and oak in there. Medium to thick body with a light level of carbonation and a chewy sweet mouthfeel. I certainly enjoyed the sample I had out of the bottle much better than at the fest. This is a damn good stout and I do love me some stout. Its a shame these beers are so hard to come by. My rating reflects my impression of the bottle version.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 01:49:45 | More by johnnnniee

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

pour is pitch black with a dark brown head and some large bubbles in the middle. Nose has a fair amount of wood and some sweet bourbon notes. Chocolate cake is rich with a faint ashy, roast coffee bean note. The taste is very big, a bit sweet but not sugary with notes of vanilla and chocolate, the wood isn't as strong but the bourbon seems to add a very nice balance and some heat in the finish. The body is thick, soft, and smooth. Semi dry finish that lingers for a bit as more rich chocolate continues to stay on the palate.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 17:45:11 | More by cpetrone84

Arbitrator

California

4.4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Lightly chilled bottle into a glass. Split with Nanoslug.

Thanks!

A: Pours pitch black in the center, with some edge translucence. The body has a small mocha-colored head.

S: Fudgy brownies, vanilla, caramel, smoke, bourbon. While this is clearly barrel-aged, the bourbon and oak presence is relatively muted (compared to something like Bourbon County), and the smoke is an interesting touch.

T: Brown sugar, fudge/chocolate, vanilla, caramel -- this is an imperial stout first and barrel-aged second. Smoke, bourbon, oak, and dark cherries accentuate the flavor in the mid-taste, with the oak pulling into the finish for a slightly tannic, as well as boozy, finish. Smoke carries into the exhalation. Quite nice.

M: Medium-plus bodied; this doesn't have the full richness of something like Black Tuesday or Bourbon County, and I don't necessarily want that. I think Hill Farmstead angles for beers that are more balanced and ready to drink out of the gate, and that is reflected here. The one drawback is that it's slightly boozy.

O: Another entry in my series of "Why is Hill Farmstead ruining my grading average?" series. I had a sip of this once, a long time ago, and it didn't make an impression. Sampling a bottle in a quieter setting over an hour was a much more enjoyable experience. This is outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 05:06:22 | More by Arbitrator

Sean9689

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared at Perennial.

A - Pours black, mocha-colored head, wisps, thin collar.

S - This is a Blanton's/bourbon bomb straight away! After the huge booze, there's roasted malts, chocolate, light bread, caramel, oak, very subtle hops, and burnt sugars. The booze flairs my nostrils...woah.

T - I think this beer needs to additional cellar time to lose some of the booze. The palate offers lots of bourbon, oak, chocolate, light vanilla, caramel, and toasted malts. The alcohol is very noticeable, which detracts from the rest of the beer. Finish is chocolate and booze with light oak. Really more like 3.75 here.

M - Medium to full body, good carbonation, rich, creamy finish.

O - While I like this beer, I want to like it more. I think another 6 months to a year of additional cellar time will do this beer some good. I will revisit then and update when I have it again. Right now, I suggest holding your bottles unless you really want a bunch of alcohol with your RIS (which some people prefer).

In summary, good now but is destined to be great in the future.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 17:04:35 | More by Sean9689

scottfrie

California

4.05/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle, #419/864. Thanks a ton for sending this, SneezyAchew.

A: Pours black with raisin highlights around the edges. The head is thin and deep brown.
S: Licorice comes through along with nutty and smoky notes. Caramel, roasted malts and toasted coconut come out as it warms.
T: Rich chocolate, black licorice, toasted grains, slight caramel and toffee with smoke and a bit of warming booze in the finish. Bourbon and some chocolate fudge sweetness fill the aftertaste, which lingers long after the swallow.
M: Super smooth mouthfeel, velvety carbonation that bubbles up in the finish. Full body, smooth warming booze that isn’t too hot or distracting.
O: An extremely rich sipper. One of the richest and longest lasting aftertastes I’ve had. Definitely split with some friends. Thanks again, Michael!

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 19:57:36 | More by scottfrie

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Waited in line for a few hours outside of Hill Farmstead to get this beer. Was the first person in line. Few in the cellar and one to crack now, the day before Kate Day. Poured into my Duvel tulip. Bottle 799/864

A - Pours a deep, rich almost oily black colour. Definately is clear, I could see that in the stream, but as it collects in the tulip it is inpenitrable by light. There was a half finger deep dark mocha head but that disappeared rather quickly to leave a very, very thin halo.

S - Aroma is very rich and inviting. Some sweet malts, nice chocolate roast. Lots of rich mellow bourbon on this one. Clearly a good bourbon with some nice earthy vanilla wood. There is some slight alcohol burn on the end.

T - Very smooth and mellow. Nice roasted malts and chocolate. Dark chocolate. Dark chocolate that is wonderfully intermixed with smooth good quality bourbon. Nice bourbon and oak along with some vanilla. There is a very slight warm booze bourbon finish to it.

M - Mouthfeel is very nice. Rich, creamy, thick and silky smooth. Practically no bourbon heat at all on the finish but all the nice bourbon qualities.

O - Overall, yet another excellent limited release from Hill Farmstead. Their stuff is well worth seeking out. Delicious beer that will only improve even more with age.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 01:50:34 | More by rudzud

yourefragile

District of Columbia

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

2011 black waxed 500 mL bottle. 578/864. Thanks to Ashley and Tucker for hooking us up with this gem.

Pours a viscous dark chocolate with a large, frothy yellowish light tan head. Excellent retention, fading to a collar and spotty film. Thin streaks and dots of lacing.

Smooth, subtle aroma of roast malt, black licorice, coffee, vanilla, and bourbon in the finish.

Flavor is sweet and smooth with a subtle blend of black licorice, bourbon, mild oak and vanilla. Incredibly balance and blend between the base stout and the barrel and well restrained alcohol presence.

Medium thick, smooth body with light carbonation and an everlasting chewy, licrorice finish.

Wow, Genealogy was amazing and Damon is as well. Both are distinct from most other stouts in their malt profile and while HF has not released many stouts yet, they are going to destroy this style just as they have IPAs. Boom!

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 00:46:25 | More by yourefragile

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Second bottle I have consumed, getting the review in.

A- Poured into both Hill Farmstead stemware glasses, mine being the snifter looking one. Pitch black all the way with a nice dark mocha tan head. The cap forms to a finger in size with a bubbly texture, retention is good for barrel aged. A few legs and lace spots.

S- The nose is somewhat dissimilar from the flavor, which will obviously come later. Aroma mostly consists of the great whiskey barrel: smoothed out Bourbon whiskey, great vanilla and toasty oak. Some cocoa and alcohol to finish.

T- Cocoa really steps up to the plate, like luxury chocolate melting on the taste buds with some great dark cherries thrown in by the yeast. The cocoa and fruits are well off with the barrels they resided in. Notes of whiskey, vanilla, caramel and oak wood balance it all out with just a tad of alcohol.

MF- Lower end carbonation but that is very appropriate for a 10% bourbon barrel stout. The body is rich, thick and somewhat creamy. A nice alcohol warmth supports the flavor well.

The flavor ends up reminding me of a brownie made with bourbon soaked cherries. The cocoa presence is rich and really works well with the bourbon flavor present.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 02:15:28 | More by cbutova

Jeffo

Netherlands

4.85/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Was lucky enough to get a couple bottles of this, one from jedwards and the othe from jbeatty. Thanks heaps gents. I thought I'd take the HF challenge and drink them both on the same night. What a treat / mistake that was...

From a 500ml bottle into a snifter.
Vintage 2011
Bottle 451 of 864

APPEARANCE: A sludgy black, thick pour yields a small, tight, tan head with very good retention. Head fades to a good wisp and ring. Pitch black in color with no carbonation evident. A swirling wisp and ring remain until the end and leaves dots of lacing down the glass. Thick and nasty looking. This is a black, black, thick, evil looking stout beer.

SMELL: Big nose on this one for sure. Roasted malts, dark chocolate and lots of bourbon barrel. Oak, vanilla and milk chocolate in there, as well as touches of toffee and molasses. This is phenomenal, though perhaps a touch more base beer is needed for a perfect score.

TASTE: This is a perfect score. Period. Roasted and caramel malt up front, with lots of bourbon barrel at the swallow. Bourbon, oak, vanilla and milk choclate with some bitter dark chocolate and toffee sweetness as well. Big, bold and lingering aftertaste of bourbon barrel, bitter dark chocolate, sweet molasses and roasted flavors just doesn't quit. This is phenomenally ballanced and absolutely decadent. Love it.

PALATE: Full body, thick and heavy on the palate, with lower levels of carbonation. Creamy on the palate, goes down fine with a bit of a bite at the swallow, though well measured, and finishes slightly sticky. Some heat lingers. Could be a touch smoother, but it's full, heavy, and plenty dominating.

OVERALL: Well, I hate to say it, but this is perhaps the best barrel aged imperial stout to have ever crossed my lips. I can't imagine it getting any closer to perfection than this. A massive, evil look, a wonderfully bold and balanced nose, flavors to write home to your mom about, and a heavy and meanacing palate to boot, this is just a nasty beer that every BA stout lover should get to try. Actually, since I would love to get more of it, forget everything I just said about it. Nevermind. It sucks. Thanks again gents! Send more asap. I am thirsty.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 20:12:58 | More by Jeffo

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.08/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500 mL bottle poured into a Hunahpu snifter. Bottle # 723/864.

Appearance - Small khaki head. Not quite inky. Wispy lacing.

Smell - Tons of black patent malt. Light bourbon. A big oaky presence, more than the bourbon and vanilla.

Taste - Lots more barrel blends into the flavor. Bourbon is still light, but vanilla and caramel come out. Dark fruit flavor right at the front, which might be a byproduct of the alcohol and black patent malt. Lots of molasses. Gives it a bitter flavor in the back.

Mouthfeel - Bitter. Not really chewy, but easy to drink at this ABV. The molasses gives it a sweet flavor that implies viscosity, without it actually being there.

Overall - Second time having this it was significantly better than the first. I was also smashed the first time. It would be really good with more barrel presence.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 01:59:50 | More by Alieniloquium

Urbancaver

Ohio

4.7/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Jesus this is an amazing beer. Tried it only a few days after RARE DOS from Peg's... the most similar beer to RARE DOS I've ever had. Amazing mouthfeel. The aroma and flavour can only be described as perfect. A masterpiece from Shaun and one I'm looking forward to having again

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 15:15:24 | More by Urbancaver

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Pours almost pitch black with a small tan head that fades into a wisp.

Smells of sweet bourbon, chocolate, vanilla and coconut. No one aroma overpowers the others.

Taste is similar. Starts out chocolately before showing some of the barrel characteristics. Coconut and vanilla especially come to the forefront and increase as it warms. Bourbon adds just a kiss of a boozy flavor to it, but isn't the main feature.

Fairly thick and viscous mouthfeel, something HF always nails on their IPA's and does so again on this.

Overall this is a very good beer, but hardly the mind blowing experience many others made me expect. I feel it could use some coffee or some other bitter roasted malt to balance it out more. There are lots of good flavors, but they are all on the sweeter side. Still good, but would probably shoot to being one of my favorite with a touch of balance.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 14:18:24 | More by jmarsh123

brystmar

New York

3.83/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by a generous BA at our tasting last weekend.

Aroma boasts dark, strongly roasted malts (almost burnt) with subtle notes of bourbon. Hints of chocolate in the background too.

Starts off roasty but gets immediately blindsided by booze and, to a lesser extent, bourbon. Chocolate tries to save the day towards the end, but the alcohol prevents it from finishing cleanly. A touch ashy overall too.

Truly surprised at how messy this stout was. If memory serves, my two pours of it on draft at EBF were considerably better and more balanced. Booze character then wasn't the sore thumb it's become in the bottle. *Generously* rating it 4.0 on taste because 1) I recall my EBF pours being quite good, and 2) time might smooth these rough edges.

Our 9-person group's opinion on Damon was (surprisingly) unanimous: this is a hot mess. Bourbon isn't integrated well, nor is the booze character. A tremendous disappointment.

Still, Damon's a decent RIS overall, though it falls far short of my expectations from Hill Farmstead. Founders Imperial Stout truly is a better beer right now, but that could easily change in a year or so.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 19:47:47 | More by brystmar