Bell's Black Note Stout - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

youngblood

Indiana

4.4/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Review #100

Pours super thick. Looks like liquid pavement. Very dark, dirty head that sat for a good 45 minutes before it disappeared. Leaves little lacing.

Smells... bourbony. Underneath the bourbon is some espresso. Extremely strong bourbon. Smells butter too. Almost like butterscotch. Gives me shivers.

The taste follows the nose pretty closely with lots of bourbon up front, there's an undercurrent of butteriness. Nice espresso aftertaste, slightly roasted. Oh jeez this is good. Feels very creamy. Super smooth. Slightly chewy. Small burn at the end from the 10.5%

Oh its drinkable, but two of these would put you to bed pretty quickly.

Serving type: on-tap

06-23-2009 12:21:02 | More by youngblood

brstls4drmrs

North Carolina

4.61/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Thanks MADpolo for this one. 12oz bottle.

A - pours a viscous black color with almost no head. The froth that does come is caramel in color and appears like a snowflake. Great lacing.

S - some booze with bourbon and a hint of licorice. Some nice malty aroma with hints of nut and chocolate (very small). Expressi in there too.

T - a malty bourbon delight with some nice caramel overtones going down. Very pleasing to the palate and dances around like silk.

M - very smooth and delightful with mild to medium carbonation.

O - an excellent stout. A must have.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 05:18:05 | More by brstls4drmrs

camil1mj

Michigan

4.53/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Detroit Fall Beer Fest. I had a good 8 oz pour as a buddy if mine who is not into BA stouts gave me his pour.

A: Dark as you would expect. Reddish/brown creamy, foam head.

S: Wonderful coffee, chocolate and bourbonntones.

T: Wonderfully balanced. Exactly as described. I can pick up the Expedition and the Double Cream....followed by wonderful barrel aged wonderfullness.

M: Creamy and smooth. Medium carbonation.

O: 2nd best of the day to BA Plead the 5th. Best Bell's I have ever had. Here's crossing my fingers I get a bottle or 2 when it is released.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2011 23:45:13 | More by camil1mj

brewtus

Ohio

4.83/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

12oz bottle poured into tulip. Obviously 2012

A- pours black with a half finger dark tan head the quickly disappears
S-milky, bourbon is very prevalent, dark fruit, chocolate, some subtle cinnamon
T-woah, dark chocolate that makes way for oak and bourbony warmth. Some faint vanilla, slight coffee flavors, amazing silky smooth texture, no burn.
O- wow I'm glad I spent so long trying to track this down, this beer is complex, smooth, and delicious. The bourbon isn't overpowering but it is balanced perfectly with the smooth creaminess of stout mixture. If you had the opportunity to get some, buy as much as you can, it's worth the price tag for sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 03:14:10 | More by brewtus

Stevedore

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2012 vintage 12oz bottle dated 12/28/2012, poured into a Bell's snifter today and quaffed 4/13/2013. This review is also based on the four times I've had this now- twice on tap, and twice in the bottle. This is the first time I've had a chance to sit down, relax and write a review. And I am thoroughly enjoying this just like all the other times.

Aroma: Smells delicious, like a dessert port. Decadent chocolate accompanied by vanilla, bourbon and oak. And it actually smells thick and creamy, like how I would imagine liquid Ritter Sport (German) chocolate would smell like. I mean, I've had my share of BA beers including the recent vintage of KBS and last year's BCBS and this definitely has them beat in the nose. (5)

Colour: Pours like a thick, viscous motor oil. Jet black body, illuminates with just a tiny hint of dark, dark cola brown at the surface. Not a ton of head, it pours with a brief, less than 1 cm dark brown head that is ephemeral. It leaves no traces, not even a collar. You get spots of lacing here and there but for the most part it's this viscous liquid dark chocolate. Nice. (5)

Flavour: Very, very complex and I really love this beer. Up front, and especially early on while it's still at cellar temperature, there is quite a bit of straight up bourbon, vanilla and oak wood. This quickly gives way to this pure chocolate sweetness, with a bit of molasses and fire-roasted marshmallows, just like the ones you make s'mores with. As the temperature warms up, I start to get a little bit of dark fruits- figs in particular, which actually reminded me of Expedition Stout the first time I had this beer before knowing what the components were. The finish is smooth and creamy, a little bit of espresso and cream like a cappuccino- but I want to say something more like macchiato- less cream, more bitter espresso yet smooth. This beer drinks like a dessert drink and there's nothing like this beer that I've had the privilege to drink. Even as it gets close to room temperature, the heat is pretty indistinct and covered up by all the complex flavours and smells of this beer. tl;dr- this is an incredibly complex beer that somehow melds all the flavours together well while hiding its 11.5% ABV very well. (5)

Mouthfeel: Initially, I would have guessed they had to have some contribution from Double Cream Stout, because the mouthfeel reminds me a lot of that particular Bell's offering. It's a very thick bodied, very smooth and creamy beer that is actually well carbonated based on how my tongue perceives the beer. It fizzes quickly as I swish it around, coating my palate in a thick and viscous chocolatey heaven. The aftertaste is sweet, bitter and creamy all at once- like if I made a macchiato and put a block of dark Belgian chocolate in it. Simply sublime. (5)

Overall: I've just been so impressed with this beer. It's one for the ages. I say the same for BCBS, but in the realm of subjective preferences, I'm going to take Black Note over BCBS if I were ever offered the choice (which is probably going to be very rare). It's exceptionally smooth, creamy sweet and such a decadent pleasure to quaff. The heat, even when it gets close to room temperature, is relatively minimal. It's truly a joy to drink and I treasure each opportunity I have to be able to drink this beer. (5)

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 23:50:16 | More by Stevedore

WorldWideStout

Maryland

3.6/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had this during D.C. Beer Week at The Big Hunt.

A: It's a bit dark in the room, but I can tell there's the typical pitch-black body. What's unusual is that a wisp of a head stays around for several minutes, even after I take a few sips.

S: Mostly bourbon. There is a little bit of roast and biscuit in there as well.

T: The taste opens up with some toffee from the malts, and then ripe dark fruits make an appearance. Towards the middle the bourbon comes out in full force. It's not the sweet bourbon I'm used to in BA stouts - it's more rough and young. The end of each sip and aftertaste is fairly unpleasant - harsh booziness.

M: Nice velvety mouthfeel with the appropriate small amount of carbonation.

O: I was not terribly impressed by this beer. The barrel notes are too prominent, and it's pretty boozy. I'd try it again if it had been aged for a year plus, but I didn't find the draught version worth all the hype.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2012 03:49:55 | More by WorldWideStout

rodkin

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Got a pour at the STLhops anniversary party.

Looks like a stout. Black, smallish head. Poured into a tasting glass so I couldn't get a great sense, but it's nothing special.

Smell is vanilla, coffee, bit of chocolate, some oak, roasty bitterness, some dark fruits. It's pretty good, but it's a bit muddled. Not a lot of balance.

Taste gets better as it warms. Vanilla, coffee, bourbon, oak, caramel. Really rich, very tasty.

Mouthfeel was too thin and flat. I don't want it to be hypercarbonated, but more than it has would be good. It's also too watery. I like my stouts to be thick and chewy, which this was not.

This is a solid stout. However, the mouthfeel was really lacking, and it was a bit unbalanced. A bit disappointing. I'd like to try it again sometime, maybe get a better experience.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2012 04:15:13 | More by rodkin

MCain04

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Here we go, 12 oz bottle split with BostonRyan. poured into 10 oz snifter from the most recent vintage.

A: dark black, tan head. dissipates into a rim around the perimeter.

S: Bourbon heavy. some nice chocolate and vanilla notes are present with roasty malty, but bourbon dominates.

T: thankfully much less bourbon heavy taste. it had the girth and complexity of expedition with a smooth mellow creamy sweet note from the double cream. they complement each other beautifully. chocolate, vanilla, oak, and toffee flavors. the finish had a lot of Bourbon heat though. only drawbacks are the bourbon heavy finish and a little too sweet.

M: Perfection. thick and creamy and full with a nice feel throughout.

O: A real treat. Not heads and shoulders above the other BBA stouts but comes in close to the top. might not be worth all the hype and might be too bourbon heavy but still enjoyed thoroughly.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 23:24:54 | More by MCain04

silverking

Florida

4.65/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I felt compelled to try this when I saw it, so here it goes. It pours jet black with a thin mocha head. Lacing is nice enough. I gives forth sweet aromas of dark roasted malt, charred oak, licorice, cocoa, and dark fruits(cherry in particular). The taste is extraordinary. Now for the taste. Smooth vanilla fades softly into a smokey, woodsy dark chocolate flavor. Subtle hints of Plum, cherry, and licorice appear throughout. The finish shows strong notes of espresso. there is a slight warming alcohol note at the end as well, but it's gentle and enjoyable. The mouthfeel is rich and creamy. It coats the mouth and lingers on the palate. Overall, great. The alcohol is well hidden among the jungle of aromas and flavors. Buy some if you come across it.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 00:48:39 | More by silverking

tarheels86

California

4.53/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Tap at Churchkey. Pours ink with a medium tan head leaving webby reddish lace. Nose is rich buttery bourbon with tropical notes like dried pineapple and dried papaya. Toasted coconut. Let it decant to cinnamon ganache and very subtle meat/umami character. Soft booziness, coffee liquor. So many rich subtleties makes this an incredible experience. Taste is similar to normal and Rare Bourbon County Stout. Super creamy, rich coconut oil mouthfeel. Feels less sharply bitter than normal Expy. Softer and easier to love than normal Expy. Superlative soft mouthfeel. Nice bitterness comes through to cut initial sweetness. Great mouthfeel- mild heat reminds of soft bourbon aging but softness is unreal. Roasty bitterness and coffee character hints that this is not BCS but something else. Very beautiful. Complexities are easier to fall in love with than normal Expedition which can be too aggressive and powerful at times. Had this on tap now four separate times- always delicious and silky. Not sure what's up with that bottle picture, since that is not what the bottled version of this beer looks like. 12/6/2011 9/4/9/5/18=4.5

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2012 19:50:38 | More by tarheels86

marksto

Florida

4.68/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Featured on tap at the Indiana Brewer's Guild Festival in Indianapolis. Many thanks to Bell's for making this excellent beer available this year.

Pours black with a slightly dark head that lasts. Has big, bold whisky bourbon in the nose, along with a honey-like malt sweetness - very nice. Silky on the palate, with caramel, oak, whisky, alcohol, coffee, and chocolate all interplaying with nice complexity. Seductive, delicious, and a real treat.

Very thankful to have had the opportunity to sample ths one, and I made several trips for refills. Given the chance, you will too - highly recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

07-22-2007 03:32:29 | More by marksto

BuckyFresh

Michigan

4.7/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a tulip glass at 7 Monks in Traverse City. Enjoyed in the company of zoso1967 and TCHopCraver.

Appearance: Pours about as black as they come, with some mocha accents sneaking through around the edges of the glass. A bubbly, tan one-finger head tops things off, with pretty spectacular lacing crawling up the sides of the tulip. Surprisingly good retention. You can just tell by looking at this one that it's going to be a beast.

Smell: Very sweet up front in the nose. Lots of molasses, brown sugar, vanilla, dark chocolate, coffee, and licorice. Some oak and bourbon are discernible as well. The more bitter notes are lingering in the background, but provide a nice backdrop for the sweeter elements and really add to the depth and complexity of the aroma.

Taste: I think the taste trumps the aroma of this beer as far as balance and complexity go. Very creamy and delightfully smooth, with the sweeter elements up front again. As you finish a sip, the roasty oak, bourbon, and bitter coffee/chocolate take over and leave you with a pleasantly dry finish, given how much malt punch there is on the front end. So balanced and smooth; I never would have guessed the ABV was higher than 11%.

Mouthfeel: Medium/Full bodied, creamy and smooth, with minimal carbonation. While quite sweet at first, the beer finishes surprisingly dry. As such, it is not all that taxing on the palate, even with an ABV of 11.5%.

Overall: This beer certainly lived up to my expectations and was an incredibly complex, balanced, and delicious example of the style. Very drinkable for the ABV and stands toe-to-toe with the best imperials out there.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2012 14:19:05 | More by BuckyFresh

abecall98

California

4.68/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thank you ScottFrie for this 100th review.

A - pours a pitch black with a nice Lacey tan head. It's what you expect from a barrel aged imperial stout, only the head dues off pretty quickly.

S - a little muted. Deep sniffs show signs of choloate, vanilla, and slightly oakiness.

T - flavors of intense chocolate, followed by caramel and vanilla. The finish is slightly sweet with a tiny alcoholic burn. Damn, this is Hella good.

M - top notch for a barrel aged stout. It is perfectly carbonated, with a feel of a nice creamy stout. Very sweet and sticky flavors linger as the mouthfeel doesn't seem to fade as you finish the beer. Very nice.

O - damn good beer. I wish the aroma was a little better, other than that, damn solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 03:39:05 | More by abecall98

jimmy82063

Connecticut

4.51/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Finally received the elusive Black Note - Poured into a Bell's Snifter

A - Jet Black with a thin brownish head. Minimal lacing.

S - Outstanding - bourbon comes right through.

T - Bourbon of course, coffee, chocolate and some nice drak fruit. There is a real nice semi sweet chocolate finish at the end. A bit of the oak and burnt sugar are noted as well.

M) - This is so smooth and in regards to other style offerings this is where this stands out. Absolutely no harshness!

O) An outstanding beer, very easy to drink - this will cause a commotion if it ever hits the New York area.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 20:57:56 | More by jimmy82063

AJacob81

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Promoted as a sideshow to the Hopslam firkin tapping at Hackney's, this of course was the first keg to blow. Glad I got some.

A - Pitch black, with a tightly packed cappuccino-colored head of about a finger that was retained surprisingly well, albeit without any significant lacing.

S - The bourbon asserts itself up front, but there are strong supporting RIS notes of roast, dark fruit, some chocolate and coffee. The bouquet opens up nicely as the beer warms, drawing you back pleasantly for each sip.

T - The nose is inverted, with the flavors of Expedition Stout hitting first, followed up nicely by the warming charred oak and booze of the bourbon barrel. Perfectly balanced, with a hint of sweetness in the finish that enhances rather than distracts.

M - Exquisitely smooth and velvety, the brilliant addition of Double Cream Stout shines through here. Soft and creamy, yet medium to full in body, this stout isn't as viscuous and chewy as some of its peers, but it sits on the palate wonderfully.

This is a beast of a bourbon barrel stout. Its various elements are in awesome harmony, and while it won't kick you in the face the way some of its ilk will (not that there's anything wrong with that), it makes a delightful late-winter companion, even in a ridiculously crowded bar.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2012 19:46:02 | More by AJacob81

33nickadams

Michigan

4.66/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Completely black, opaque, and beige head sticks to the sides of the snifter. First smell I get is of dark dried fruits, which I find interesting since it's bourbon barrel aged. Of course you get the bourbon on the nose, but also you can smell sweetness. Alcohol is also evident in the nose. Tastes of coffee, dark dried fruits, chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, oakiness. Very well balanced and smooth. Not harsh at all, especially for being 11.5%. Nice aftertaste of vanilla that lingers in the mouth. Mouthfeel is full-bodied, velvety smooth and lightly carbonated. A world class beer from a world class brewery. I'm not sure that this could improve any more than it already is. Unless its better with age. I think I may keep some around for that.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 01:33:24 | More by 33nickadams

crewfan16

Minnesota

4.31/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12oz 2012 bottle into a central waters snifter.

a- looks like a barrel aged stout should. pitch black with no light shining through. dark khaki foam rises and falls quickly leaving just a light tan ring around the outside of the glass.

s- bourbon notes are the first thing that hits me, but lots of chocolate, vanilla, oak, slight dark fruit. smells complex and delicous

t- obvious bourbon and barrel notes. lots of chocolate sweetness, but not cloyingly so. roasted malt and dark fruit similar to the nose. a bit of booze at the end, but not overly harsh. nice complex flavor profile

m- nice viscocity, but not overly thick like some of the other big barrel aged stouts. nice lingering flavors with just a bit of boozy tingle.

overall a very nice beer once again from bells. im not willing to put it above some of the other heavy hitters like bcbs, but it is well above average. im glad I have a couple to cellar for a year or two and see how this beer changes and mellows a bit.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 06:54:34 | More by crewfan16

dlello2

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Black. Viscous. Good couple of fingers of head. Lingers longer than I'd have thought.

S - Smell is nice. Chocolate and bourbon dominate. Maybe a bit of coffee.

T - Wow. Very good, I get sweetness and heat to start. This one is strong! Bourbon, some chocolate, coffee, a touch of cinnamon? Like the strength, but will see what happens as it warms.

M - Really good mouthfeel. Thick and mouth-coating. Great balance with the carbonation.

O - Enjoying this one a lot. Didn't expect it to be quite so pleasant after all the anti-hype. Still a bit too hot to be perfect but I'd love to taste this one in a year.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2012 20:51:07 | More by dlello2

Hophead717

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on tap at St Stephens Green as part of Philly Beer Week. Poured into a GI tulip glass.

A: Black, no head, with a bit of lacing along the glass, but not much.

S: Bourbon-heavy, with a light semi-sweet roastiness. Overall, a very sweet nose.

T: Very sweet also. Bourbon dominates throughout, beginning with the early sip. Mild roastiness provides the canvass for this great masterpiece of a beer.The double cream stout's influence is noticeable, as the base-beer is vaguely sweet. Semi-sweet chocolate also comes across mid-sip. The finish is mainly of bourbon, with light undertones of semi-sweet roastiness.

M: Medium-bodied. Not heavy or thick at all, which was unexpected. I perhaps would have liked this to be a touch thicker, but that's largely splitting hairs. Well carbonated.

O: Incredible beer and one that I am so glad I got to try. I wouldn't trade the farm for a bottle of this, but I definitely plan to seek it out every time it is on tap in the area.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2012 00:23:00 | More by Hophead717

screamking

Ohio

4.79/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

12oz bottle poured into snifter.

Appearance-pours black with a small light brown head, head is gone quickly, nice lacing around glass. 4.25

Aroma-oak, roasted coffee, vanilla, plum, toffee, butterscotch, hint of dark chocolate, black cherry. 4.5

Taste-dark chocolate covered raisins, creamy toffee, oak, roasted coffee is hiding but there, alcohol is present, vanilla. 5

Feel-full bodied, thick with mild carbonation, coats mouth very well, a little blast of heat at the end. 4.75

Overall- great bourbon profile! This is how to age beer in a barrel. One of the best bourbon beers I've had. Too bad I was only able to get my hands on one bottle. Hopefully they increase production of this next year. Being a bourbon guy, beer doesn't get much better than this. 4.75

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 02:54:19 | More by screamking

s1ckboy

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2012 bottle. About 8 months of age since release.

A - Black body, 1-2 fingers of tan head.

S - Oak, bourbon, dark fruit.

T - Tons of dark fruits, dried plums, dates, fig?, bourbon, oak, bit of chocolate, touch of sweetness.

M - Medium carbonation, very smooth.

Awesome stout, glad to have been able to try it.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 17:19:48 | More by s1ckboy

Jaycase

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 release 12 oz bottle

a: black as night. Thin mocha colored head which recedes quickly. no lacing to speak of.

s: Bourbon presence but not overbearingly so. licorice, slight chocolate.

t: chocolate, coffee, vanilla filtered through a bourbon lense.

m: smooth, creamy. low to medium carbonation.

o: A very nice, well balanced BBA stout. The bourbon here is not in your face like other BBA stouts where it's all about the bourbon kicking ass and taking names later. It's there but it seems a bit bashful at times - almost a boubon tease it is. And I want to get teased again and again and again...

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 03:52:01 | More by Jaycase

hippityhops85

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Devils Den for their 'Bells Darkest Day' Event.

Poured into a cervoise glass.

Pours a pitch black with next-to-no head.

Lots of bourbon, vanilla, a huge molasses presence, along with the strong, toasty malt backbone.

Taste is similar: vanilla leading to molasses and then finished with the semi-sweet malt. This beer is SUPER balanced for a BA stout. Really impressed.

The mouthfeel is spot on with light carbonation that lifts the bourbon and vanilla flavors off of the palate.

I really hope bells decides to bottle this and distribute it. It's definitely up there with the best ba stouts but it doesn't trump them all. A fantastic job by Bells.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2011 17:14:18 | More by hippityhops85

codysjb

Florida

4.85/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bells Black Note
Poured from a growler into my CCB sniffer.
A: Black as motor oil, low viscosity unlike BCBS. Very good lacing, small head when poured.
S: Chocolate, molasses and coffee notes with an overall bourbon smell.
T:Thick, lots of coffee up front that leaves a nice bourbon flavor on the end.
M: An overall bourbon flavor that coats the mouth.
O: An excellent beer. I think I prefer BCBS (especially when its been aged out a bit and its much easier to get than Bells BN), but pretty amazing.

Serving type: growler

01-08-2013 05:13:44 | More by codysjb

JamesShoemaker

New York

4.51/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle poured into my snifter. First batch of 2012, I think. Bottled on 12/28/12. My Mom picked up three bottles of this for me in Michigan while I was away in New York. Thanks Mom!

A - not terribly impressive. Pours like an RIS, black with a little head, dark brown, recedes abnormally quickly. Not bad, but nothing super notable.

S - pretty delicious. A lot of bourbon on the nose, similar to Backwoods Bastard, if I had to compare it to anything else. A little sourness; I assume it's got a subdued hop profile. Malt forward, and very rich.

T - great, one of the most BBA-forward beers I've ever had. Lots of sweet, sticky whiskey with just a little malt on the end. An almost truly complete profile, delicious. Very negligible points off for the wood notes dominating the base.

M - smooth, smooth, smooth. Alcohol and carbonation are incredibly balanced; drinks dangerously easily. Sweetness sticks to the cheeks in a very pleasant way. I wish I had three hundred bottles of this instead of just three (now two).

O - excellent beer, one of my favorite BBA stouts. This is my first bottle; I look forward to getting some year in and year out, or at least asking my Mom to!

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 08:12:42 | More by JamesShoemaker