Bronx Brewery Bourbon Barrel Aged Pale Ale - The Bronx Brewery

Chugs13

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -6.1%

02-03-2013 04:57:41 | More by Chugs13

Syracuse12

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +15.6%

04-21-2013 00:51:45 | More by Syracuse12

jbuddle

New York

2.25/5  rDev -35%

04-15-2013 19:59:36 | More by jbuddle

SFC21

New York

3.75/5  rDev +8.4%

02-15-2013 04:22:21 | More by SFC21

diddly

New York

4/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought a bomber a few months ago, poured into a tulip. Beer poured pretty flat, slowly built a slight off-white head up, but quick dissolving and thin.

Aroma is surprisingly mellow - very slight whiskey smell, but I was expecting more, and it seems as though it mellowed the hops more than adding to them. There is a pretty significant vanilla aroma. As the beer warmed, the bourbon came out a bit more, but still pretty mellow.

Taste is about the same - not a whole lot more flavor than the standard pale ale. Good bitterness, but not much actual hop flavor. Very slight hotness in the back, with a nice tinge of vanilla/whiskey flavor.

Mouthfeel was medium, but carbonation seemed way too low. Little bit of slickness to it as well.

Overall, I definitely prefer the standard version. I'm glad I tried it, but probably wouldn't buy it again. I think it either needs to age longer, or use fresher barrels - the character just isn't what I expect out of a barrel-aged beer.

EDIT - It should probably be noted that this beer really improves as it warms up - after an hour or two out of the fridge, the aroma picks up a bit of oak and the vanilla and hop aromas are definitely stronger, but the taste is totally different - almost like a small amount of whiskey in the glass. Flavor is still bitter without much actual hop flavor, but now with a much stronger whiskey character to it. I recommend letting this beer sit for a bit before enjoying; although the carbonation wasn't that good to begin with, the flavor and aroma make it worth it.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 01:47:48 | More by diddly

brystmar

New York

2.65/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks for sharing, Josh!

Pours a strange shade of brown, minimal head, looks oaky. Aroma is simply repulsive. Putrid oak meets rotten food byproducts, then blended and aged in bourbon barrels. Yuck.

Taste is strange but not *that* bad. Oaky, bourbony, some hops thrown in too. Finish actually approaches the pleasant threshold with bourbon lingering in my throat.

Definitely won't be purchasing this one for myself.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 00:40:33 | More by brystmar

brentk56

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours an amber color with an inch or two of foam; the retention was decent as was the lacing

Smell: The oaky Bourbon elements are not particularly pronounced on the nose; the caramel and fruit aspects are forward with the Bourbon providing an undertone

Taste: As in the aroma, the Bourbon takes a back seat in the flavor profile; starts out with caramel and fruit flavors complemented by an earthy hop element; the Bourbon, oak and vanilla all arrive in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: I approached this beer with some trepidation as I was worried that the Bourbon might be overwhelming but what I found was a beer where the Bourbon complemented rather than dominated the flavor profile; other brewers would do well to see how that has worked for this beer

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 23:54:36 | More by brentk56