Bourbon GBS (Gingerbread Stout) - Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

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BA SCORE
94
exceptional
-
103 Ratings

rAvg: 4.27
pDev: 11.48%
Reviews: 23
Hads: 80

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Brewed by:
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

Virginia, United States

Style | ABV
Milk / Sweet Stout | 10.60% ABV

Availability: Limited (brewed once). bottle (23).

Notes:
Hardywood Gingerbread Stout, described by BeerAdvocate as “freagin’ Christmas in a bottle,” is an imperial milk stout brewed with vanilla beans, cinnamon, fresh Casselmonte Farm baby ginger and Bearer Farms wildflower honey. Gingerbread Stout is then matured in Virginia bourbon barrels, where it adapts an incredibly mellow character with oak, caramel and bourbon undertones, and emerges 12 weeks later as Bourbon GBS. A festive blend of spice character laces this rich, chocolatey stout, which warms the palate and the soul.

55 IBU

View: Beers (23) | Reviews (0) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by zackcamp:

zackcamp

Virginia

4.5/5 rDev +5.4%

12-16-2012 16:09:06 | More by zackcamp

More User Reviews:

josephwa

Minnesota

4/5 rDev -6.3%

05-20-2013 15:11:20 | More by josephwa

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.5/5 rDev +5.4%

05-18-2013 22:18:01 | More by Photekut

mkirkland80

Virginia

4.75/5 rDev +11.2%

05-18-2013 02:19:53 | More by mkirkland80

beernads

Florida

4.5/5 rDev +5.4%

05-09-2013 06:14:24 | More by beernads

yamar68

Minnesota

4.44/5 rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to scalzo for this one!

Great looking stout. Dark chocolate brown body with minimal clarity. A fat pillow of khaki head retains well, creating a fresh set of lace after each sip.

All types of inviting aromas coming off the glass... sweet bourbon layered with chocolate, fresh ginger, a touch of nutmeg/cinnamon spice, fudge... as was the case with regz GBS, I'm amazed by how non-Christmas-y this stuff smells... which is awesome. It's not dominated by spice of ginger root. Everything is thoughtfully integrated... brown sugar and vanilla, maple syrup... very dynamic but still approachable.

The taste delivers as well. Rich, bittersweet milk chocolate, coffee and a touch of ginger. The sweet, mellow bourbon character makes for a delicious addition. The finish is probably my favorite thing about the whole beer. It's dry with a subtle sweetness that allows each flavor to evolve and mingle with the rest of the beer.

This is absolutely fantastic. My favorite offering from Hardywood to date.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 19:58:50 | More by yamar68

FullObs

Illinois

3/5 rDev -29.7%

04-30-2013 15:22:26 | More by FullObs

tobelerone

New Jersey

4/5 rDev -6.3%

04-28-2013 21:45:55 | More by tobelerone

dirtylou

Washington

4.09/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

750ml bottle, thanks @blackie

Was quite dissapointed by the standard version - upon popping the cork, you can immediately tell that overcarbonation wont' be an issue here. Not a particularly robust aroma - hints of ginger cookie, bourbon, spice. The flavor profile opens up a bit with clear defined notes of ginger, molasses, chocolate, coconut, bourbon and the like. To me, the intended flavor profile works a lot better in this version. Not without its flaws though - a bit thin, and 12 weeks in a barrel seems a little rushed.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 23:43:17 | More by dirtylou

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4/5 rDev -6.3%

04-25-2013 21:37:48 | More by starrdogg

mtrog313

Michigan

4.5/5 rDev +5.4%

04-21-2013 14:47:28 | More by mtrog313

drgonzo2k2

California

4.5/5 rDev +5.4%

04-21-2013 14:10:07 | More by drgonzo2k2

billab914

Virginia

4.25/5 rDev -0.5%

04-21-2013 00:49:06 | More by billab914

Beejay

Virginia

4.35/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

My 31st Birthday, birthday beer.

A: Deep brown as it pours, dark black in the glass. The head is rich, full and a beautiful medium tan in color.

S: Vanilla, oak and chocolate come out right away. The next bit smells like raisons that have been given a candy crust, with a hint of spice. Almost like the candy coated almonds. The second whiff and you get the ginger starting to come out, the 3rd smell and the ginger is in your face. It smells like chocolate, and ginger, and Christmas morning.

T: The bourbon and ginger fight each other in am epic battle, for what dominates the tongue.. followed closely by chocolate and dark malts. The ginger goes really well with the bourbon's vanilla and oak character.

M: Somewhat lighter than I would have expected, although certainly in the medium thick area.. Nice. Carbonation works for the brew.

O: Overall a damn fine brew.. I like the addition of the bourbon, and I like the subtlety of the bourbon as it plays with the ginger, and dances around the chocolate. Fine work.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 23:15:15 | More by Beejay

imperialking

Illinois

4.5/5 rDev +5.4%

04-11-2013 18:01:47 | More by imperialking

hoppymcgee

Pennsylvania

4/5 rDev -6.3%

04-11-2013 03:15:09 | More by hoppymcgee

2dogbrew

Virginia

4.25/5 rDev -0.5%

04-11-2013 02:20:36 | More by 2dogbrew

chrisp450

Minnesota

4.25/5 rDev -0.5%

04-08-2013 00:45:27 | More by chrisp450

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.25/5 rDev -0.5%

04-07-2013 20:29:07 | More by axeman9182

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.58/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to ncaudle for the bottle hookup!

Pours deep brown with a small beige head fading quickly, but leaving some good lacing.

Smells like a gingerbread cookie dipped in bourbon. Ginger, brown sugar, vanilla and a light bourbon presence in the aroma.

This one is a great sipper. Still maintains a good dose of the spices and milk sweetness from the base beer, but is amped up with a hefty dose of vanilla and a little oak and bourbon. Bourbon is well integrated and doesn't overpower the base beer, but does provide a nice kick at the end.

Full bodied stout. Alcohol is hidden fairly well and the bourbon is well integrated. It's present, but doesn't overpower or create and overly boozy sensation. Carbonation level is spot on and much lower than the base which was my biggest complaint with the regular Gingerbread Stout.

A very delightful beer. I enjoyed the base, but felt it was overcarbonated. This one hits on all counts. I could drink plenty of this one without getting tired of it.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 12:31:39 | More by jmarsh123