Bourbon Hoplar - Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

stereosforgeeks

Virginia

4.21/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

On tap 1/9/13 at Hardywood poured into a plastic cup. This last keg has been aging for 5 months now and is aged in Abraham Bowman 18yo Bourbon Barrels.

Appearance: Dark amber mostly with a little cloudiness. 1 finger tan head.

Smell: I am intimately familiar with Abraham Bowman 18 yo Bourbon and so that is the first thing I notice. A lot of oak on the nose. The hops have mellowed due to the aging in bourbon and then aging further in the keg, but you can still smell the floral piney hops. Some nice vanilla in with the caramelly malt.

Taste: I love this bourbon so having the big bourbon taste is my cup of tea. Having the 18yo compared to the regular bourbon barrels makes a huge difference in the taste. The hops have subsided due to the aging but there is still enough there to play with the bourbon nicely. This is not a big hoppy beer though.

Mouthfeel: I tend to prefer a bit more carbonation but after the barrel aging this is what we are left with. Some nice stickiness in your mouth.

Overall: I am glad I got to try the 18yo version because it really highlighted the best attributes of the bourbon and mingled with the caramel sweetness and hops well. Those looking for something hoppy look elsewhere.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2012 22:51:30 | More by stereosforgeeks

n2185

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: pours a hazy dark orange with with three fingers of beige head that recedes into a frothy layer with good lacing.

S: candied citrus aromas up front with lots of vanilla and oak with bourbon bringing up the finish.

T: lots of vanilla up front with oak and bourbon as well. There are some slight pine and sweet citrus from the hops toward the finish with a small alcohol presence and light bitterness.

M: medium-thick body with lowish carbonation, this beer manages to be surprisingly creamy and smooth.

O: a good beer overall. It's interesting, and far more similar to a barrel-aged barleywine or old ale than DIPA, but still tasty and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 22:37:59 | More by n2185

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From tap to plastic cup at HPB on 7/7/12
*From notes

A: Sorry guys, but this looks like ass. The cloudiest of cloudy pumpkin flesh in hue. If I'm getting a quarter finger head, I'd feel lucky. No rentention or lacing to speak of.

S: All bourbon, which I will in no ways complain about. I'm also getting some toasted coconut. Some pine-like hops show themselves as it warms.

T: Herbaceous bourbon. Plenty of Belgian style hops and east coast pine resin. I'm digging the yeasty edge, but I feel it's kept in check by the bourbon barrel. Well done here.

M: Decent. A bit more bubbly then I'd prefer, but not overly so. Medium to full body for a DIPA.

O: Very tasty to say the least. I really hope that HPB continues to expand their barrel program, as this (and literally every BA beer HPB has produced) is rock star.

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2012 06:34:43 | More by Rhettroactive