Bell's Bourbon Barrel Aged Batch 9000 - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had this on tap at mad mex in cranberry. Pour is opaque black with a moderate amount of light brown head. Beer is exactly what i would think, batch 9000 is there but the barrel is perfectly integrated, so it isn't as bad as batch 9000. The cloyingly sweet base beer of messy malt, sweet berry, caramel and toffee have the addition of a great bourbon flavor with subtle wood and vanilla nuances. Man I wish this was expedition stout and not batch 9000. The flavor gained the most in balance and is actually somewhat drinkable, where batch 9000 is not at all. The nose is still a hodge podge of too much sugar and malt. The barrel hasn't done enough there to improve much. The body is very thick, carbonation is a touch light, very dessert like with a chewy feel and rich chocolate notes coming in as it warms. I think bells is a top brewery, they show it here with their use of barrel, but have missed on there latest experimental big beers like batch 9000. Probably an attempt to appease those fans of underattenuated sugar malt bombs with huge flavor, too much sugar, and no integration (ie dark lord fans and the like).

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2012 18:24:19 | More by cpetrone84

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On Tap at Varga Bar in Philadelphia, PA

Batch 9000 in Bourbon Barrels looks pretty much the same regular 9000 looked, a droppy black color with some faint brown spots near the edge of the glass. Off the spout some minimal off white bubbles sprang up and dissipated very quick, leaving nothing up top and nothing notching on the glass. Barrel 9000 also smells pretty similar to original 9000 with the addition of wet oak/wood, bourbon scents and faint vanilla. The original scent of the 9000 is still strong with light chocolate, tootsie roll, cream, grain, and a minimal hop scent, I guess that died off during it's stay in the barrels. Either way it's a bold smell with more alcohol than before bringing out a English old ale quality to itself. This is BIG BEER, it was big when 9000 1st came through and reigns true today. Big hits of molasses, chocolate, a huge grain bill, vanilla/oak, licorice and some nice bourbon taste coming through in the end with some burn on the way down, this is about 15% after all. The body is thick and the carb is minimal off the tap which is surprising, but than again, this is 15% There is some heat and some sting on the way down, the heat is there and in scope, not hidden in the least bit. If you like boozy big beer, this one is for you. If you like small portions of boozy big beer(like me) this one is good for about 6oz or so and than losses it's luster. A Great beer, just not one I would be interested to make a session out of. If I could score a bottle of this, which is impossible after looking at the trade forums, I would share it with as many people I could find. 25oz's of this would be a chore and a suicide mission in one.

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2012 21:19:10 | More by onix1agr

homebrew311

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark brown appearance with a dense cocoa colored head. Nose is straight dark chocolate with heavy waves of cherry skin. Vanilla comes through strong with some caramel, molasses and oak at the finish. Taste is similar, very sweet with dark fruit and chocolate. The vanilla mellows out the sweetness and smooths out the flavor. Mellow carbonation and sticky body. Overall, the barrels have been nice to batch 9k.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2012 19:21:59 | More by homebrew311

wedge

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

@ Flying Saucer (Raleigh)

Very dark brown with a small, foamy, wispy head on top. Aromas of raisin, dark fruit, caramel, brown bread, vanilla, whisky, and wood. Huge, sticky-sweet malt flavor...bourbon, vanilla, molasses, purple fruit, chocolate, toast, and buttery smoothness. Thick, viscous, and warming. An intense drink...pretty tasty, but ten ounces is enough for me.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2013 01:15:31 | More by wedge

AlexFields

Tennessee

4.08/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Shared by Photekut at TN whales tasting 3/16/2013.

Pours a dark caramel brown, not much of a head. Not much to look at, fortunately it ain't the looking at that really concerns me.

Tons of bourbon barrel in the nose, caramel and oak, vanilla, this is obviously going to be a sweet as fuck malt/barrel bomb.

Taste is oak and bourbon forward, lots of caramel and vanilla, some booze, very rich and sweet as predicted.

Mouthfeel is syrupy and thick, it's still pretty hot and there's not a lot of carb, but that's to be expected in a beer like this and I'm not complaining.

Delicious. Probably not quite worth the hype, but still damn tasty.

8.4/10

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 17:02:23 | More by AlexFields

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.08/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Mike for this one. 750ml corked and caged bottle into a Utopias glass. Had at a tasting 5/18/13. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a deep, dark amber/ruby. Oily legs with spotty lace with decent stick. No head. Pretty average.

Nose is fig, prunes, molasses, and booze. Aromatic with a nice, alcohol bite. Solid.

Opens sweet prunes, roast, and a slightly burnt bitterness. Molasses and dark fruit in the middle with a creamy hop bitterness that lingers in the background. Vanilla, leather and oak too. Sweet soy sauce in the finish and a fruity sweet aftertaste. Great complexity that's well executed.

Medium to full bodied with low carbonation. Oily and slick in the mouth and boozy and hot going down. Messy finish with a sticky, filmy aftertaste. Very appropriate.

A very good beer overall but I'm not sure where the huge upgrade from the regular version comes from. The base beer was always a complex offering and barrel aging has added layers of flavor. However, its also given this beer an undesired harsh booziness that doesn't help the experience. Worth trying but this isn't as good as the overall score suggests.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 15:47:47 | More by SpeedwayJim

dirtylou

Washington

4.1/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on-tap, duckworths over christmas

I really liked Batch 9000 fresh (according to my review, apparently) despite its fierceness. The barrel-aged version is a real chore to drink. I cant even fathom drinking more of 12oz of this at any given time without dying. Huge boozy body, molasses, bourbon, fudge, bourbon, molasses, you get the picture. This is almost too much for me - a decadent sipper with bold flavor around every corner but damn near impossible to drink. Having this on tap was a treat - i have no desire to track down a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2013 01:41:22 | More by dirtylou

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

thanks to TATURBO for the share! Thanks Chris!

poured into tulip glass.

bottle 1153 of 1502.

Appearance: black bodied beer with thin cap of light brown head. drops down to no head.

Smell: bourbon, molasses. black licorice, brown sugar.

Taste: very bourbon forward. black licorice, molasses, tobacco. Dark chocolates, oak, and roasty notes.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. warming booze, but not really harsh.

Overall: really nice barrel aged beer from bells! This is a big improvement from the regular batch 9,000!

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 06:47:24 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

Bung

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Draft at Duckworths Park rd. Dark mohoghanny pour, layer of cream head.

Aroma, molasses, brown sugar, vanilla, oak.

Taste, bigger version if the aroma. Malty toffee, caramel. Molasses and brown sugar. Hops are pretty much gone. Vanilla and a peaty woodiness. Actually has a nice chocolate component. Booze...

Pretty full body, carbonation keeps this from being too sticky. Real nice body wise, but wow is it warm. Barrels jacked the abv way up from the original. The biggest sipper I've had in a while.

I like the original and this is an improvement in taste, but man is it warmer than the original. Probably should try it if you have a chance though. Still a few Bells I'd put ahead of this.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2012 02:18:34 | More by Bung

tectactoe

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Despite living in Michigan where multiple bars surrounding my neighborhood have had Bourbon Barrel Batch 9000 on tap a few times, it's always eluded me and I've never been able to make it to these bars in time. Finally I'll be enjoying it, hand bottled from the tap at the Oak Cafe, many thanks to Jeff for the crack. Certainly a big one to finally check off the list.

BB Batch 9000 pours black-hole black with a small, deep-tan head. It's probably more appropriate to call it a skin than a head, as even after an aggressive pour, it barely reaches a millimeter in height. I'm sure the seemingly low carbonation may be due to the hand-bottle, but I have a feeling the carb on this one was towards the lower end of the spectrum anyway, so hopefully that wont impede things too much. Obviously no lacing was present, but heavy alcohol legging certainly was.

Whoosh! I dip my nose to the glass and a huge wave of bourbon flies over me immediately. Beyond the initial booze, there's a plethora of flavors crashing and colliding - molasses, oak, caramel malts, deep, bitter cocoa, faint vanilla, and some touches of black licorice and anise. The bourbon is certainly at the forefront, leading the plunge through your senses. The aroma is a bit "lighter" than you'd expect at first glace... It doesn't have the bitter coffee or heavily roasted malts of many stouts - namely because this ISN'T a stout, although its appearance may lead you to believe otherwise.

Holy mole! The aroma was heavy. But the flavor is even heavier and so much more potent. Deep chocolate, sweet brown sugar, heavy and thick molasses, tons of up-front bourbon, dry oak and wood, mild nuts... This beer is complex beyond belief. So many things going on, and warmth only opens up the portfolio even further. Dark dates and figs, light anise, dry cocoa powder, sticky and syrupy maple notes, barrel-induced vanilla - all, of course, dancing on your palate to the tune of warm, boozy bourbon.

There's no doubt that this beer is very bourbon-forward and quite warm, approaching "hot" territory, especially in the finish, but Bourbon Barrel Batch 9000 still retains much of the high, sticky sweetness that was evident in the base beer. It's definitely more manageable here, though, as the barrel-aging has allowed it to mellow out, and help cut through what's left of it. It's got an even heavier and thicker body, smooth mouth feel, chewy and oily with low carbonation - again, most likely due to the hand-bottling. I feel as though it wasn't detrimental to my experience of the beer at all.

This beer is damn good, although I'm not quite in LOVE with it like many people. Why? It's still just a little too sweet for me, although I think sending this batch to the barrels was a great idea, and it has certainly improved the beer by quite a bit. A slow sipper to say the least, and a nice, savory treat that should be respected and babied throughout the evening. Thanks again to Jeff for cracking his bottle, I was beginning to think I'd never get the chance to try this one.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2013 03:21:19 | More by tectactoe

mdaschaf

Washington

4.28/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Bells, review from notes.

A: Pours a dark brown color with purple highlights with a small tan head on top. Minimal head retention with thin lacing.

S: A little bit of bourbon, some caramel, and vanilla with some dark stone fruit and some molasses.

T: Similar to the aroma with more dark fruit, some plum and fig, with caramel, molasses, some bourbon, vanilla, toffee, and a slight nuttiness.

M: Medium to full bodied with medium carbonation. On the creamy side, and rather smooth. Just a bit of warmth as it goes down.

O: Liked the this version much more than the unbarreled version, surprisingly easy drinking for such a big beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2012 14:52:07 | More by mdaschaf

HopHead84

California

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

12/07/2012

Bottle shared by Javier at Strong Ale, thanks!

A: Brown bordering on black with a substantial brown head. Thick alcohol collar yields a cascading string of pearls.

S: Pronounced molasses, brown sugar, and bourbon. Notes of vanilla blend with lightly roasted grains and alcohol.

T: Incredibly decadent. Reminds me of a big Bruery beer, with monstrous brown sugar, bourbon, and molasses notes. There's some licorice in there, as well as fudge, vanilla, and a bit of soy.

M: Big body with medium carbonation. Chewy and sticky mouthfeel. Numbing alcohol sensation on the palate.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 04:51:56 | More by HopHead84

kylehay2004

Florida

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

Halg finger tan head on a near jet black oily body. Aroma of bourbon, syrup, roasted malt, dark fruits and dark chocolate. Flavors are similar but stronger with dark chocolate, bourbon, molasses, brown sugar, Creme brule and hint of licorice. Thick body and moderate carbonation with oily coating of the palate. This one gets better and better as its enjoyed. The sweetness is balanced nicely and the booze though strong at first levels out eventually.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2012 19:40:36 | More by kylehay2004

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.34/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Type: 10 oz pour on tap
Glass: Stange
From: Ashley's in Ann Arbor
Price: $6.50

Appearance: a slightly brownish black. a small tan head that faded to nothing.

Smell: Bourbon, sweetness, a little oak, occasionally some alcohol

Taste: strong bourbon kick that is sweet due to caramel and vanilla. oak flavor and a nice alcoholic finish.

Mouthfeel: heavy, sticky. finishes nice and warm

Overall: glad i got to try this one. Its a good bourbon beer. nice and heavy sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2013 15:55:45 | More by SportsandJorts

Immortale25

Florida

4.34/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Served in a snifter at World of Beer Dadeland.

A- Pours a totall opaque black color with a 1/4 inch tan head that doesn't retain long before becoming a thick ring around the edge of the glass and bubbly surface foam surrounding. Thin streaks of lacing slide down the glass.

S- Sweet and malty with a ton of maple, brown sugar and bourbon notes. Moderately strong alcohol fume given the big ABV.

T- Sugary sweet with notes of molasses, chocolate and caramel. Pretty boozy but not overly so. The bourbon kick is substantial and welcome.

M- A bit hot from the booze and slightly sticky. Medium-low carbonation and a medium-heavy body for a stout.

O- It's no BCBS but it's another great stout from Bell's.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2013 00:17:49 | More by Immortale25

Duff27

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle 1153 of 1502

Short lived mocha head leaves a small collar. Dark brown colored body with red hues around the edges.

Stanks of heavy/rich bourbon. Thick roasty wafts.

Special integration of black roast and bourbon barrel notes. Significant oakiness. For 14+%abv, this isn't hot at all.

Thicker mouthfeel, smooth. Lower end of carbonation.

Yeah it's good!! Being a fan of the 9000 I eagerly anticipated trying this guy. Worth it if you can get your hands on it. Thanks a ton TATURBO!

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 01:47:10 | More by Duff27

MasterSki

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to mishuggah for sharing this one. Served in a taster pint glass at Todd's birthday bash.

A - Tan foam settles to a collar, wisps, and specks of lacing. Very dark brown body with lighter glints at the edges of the glass. Looks a lot like Batch 9000 did.

S - Huge bourbon of the more earthy variety. Plenty of anise, dark chocolate, yeasty dark bread, caramel and vanilla in there too, but this is pretty bourbon-forward.

T - The taste is similar, with with a bit more of the base beer: anise and dark bread in particular. Roasty, mildly bitter, but gets sweeter as it warms with chocolate fudge and caramel coming out more. Bourbon and oak are still quite present, but don't overpower in the same manner as the aroma.

M - Medium-full body, with moderate-to-low carbonation, and a lightly oaky and tannic texture. Mild sticky in the finish, with some mild alcohol warmth.

D - It's boozy, but it's quite excellent. The texture and alcohol hit are evocative of Bourbon County Stout, so pace yourself. Also a huge improvement over the base beer, as the barrel-aging blunts the overpowering anise and makes it a more complementary flavor. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 16:07:27 | More by MasterSki

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Not pitch black, but dark with tan head.

Reminds me of a bruery barrel aged beer. Lots of smooth and warming bourbon. Vanilla, molasses, chocolate, and roasted malts. The licorice still shows. Always been a fan of that part. It's thick and ends with a little dryness.

I really enjoyed this beer and it was a step up from 9000. Very easy to drink! Worth a try!

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2012 18:30:05 | More by mothman

warnerry

Michigan

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

On tap at the Eccentric Cafe; surprised this hasn't been added before now.

A – Pours a clear dark reddish brown with virtually no head other than a very thin collar.

S – Surprisingly, the bourbon aromas are able to outpace the significant anise aroma to really dominate the smell, which is also quite boozy overall. Nice vanilla and oak notes, with quite a bit of caramel and anise as well.

T – Caramel leads off the taste profile, quickly supplemented with vanilla, anise and oak. A decent amount of dark fruits come through. Finish is a bit boozy with a comforting warming.

M – Full mouthfeel that is a bit sticky. Quite a bit of numbing alcohol on the finish, provides a warming feeling.

O – I know the base beer is somewhat divisive, but I enjoy it and think it has been drinking very well for the last year and a half. This is a nice complement to the base beer with added complexity in the flavor. Wish it were a bit less boozy, but at 14.9% that is asking a lot. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2012 02:53:48 | More by warnerry

claaark13

Indiana

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

Thanks for opening a bottle of this Scott, much appreciated. Odd to be so excited about a somewhat poor base beer tossed into a barrel. I guess it isn't the first time....

A - Pours deep brown, borderline black. Light tan, like an off-white head. Good lacing retention. 4.25.

S - Caramelized wood with candied dark fruits...and a slight heat. Candied plums, maybe a little more like a candied dried fruit (prunes). Very potent.

T - Candied raisins, caramel, light head in the middle, nice woody finish. Well balanced. I didn't find much of the sweet, malty black licorice mess that I recall from regular Batch 9000. I think the barrel turned that into the candied dark fruits, which I greatly appreciate.

M - Not as great as it could be. Lighter than expected, medium. 3.75.

O - Hard to judge. Very good beer, incredible compared to the base. Among the better of the style that I've had.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 04:54:58 | More by claaark13

UCLABrewN84

California

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

Thanks to AndrewK for sharing this one at drewone's tasting.

Batch # 11590. Bottle # 1003/1502.

Pours a clear dark brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, dark fruits, cookie dough, bourbon, and wood. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick and a woody finish. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel and a bit of heat in the throat after each sip. Overall, this is a very good beer with a great barrel aged presence in the aroma and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 00:16:17 | More by UCLABrewN84

iadler

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes. Had on tap at Bryant Lake Bowl as part of their Bell's tap takeover.

A- Pours a dark brown with a thin off white head that leaves a few lines of lacing.

S- Tons of barrel characteristics with bourbon, wood, coconut and vanilla followed by dark chocolate, molasses, brown sugar, burnt toast and a hint of licorice.

T- Barrels shine in the taste as well. Bourbon, wood, coconut and vanilla as well as raisins, black cherry, dark chocolate, molasses, toast and licorice.

M- Thick and chewy mouthfeel with lower carbonation and some heat at the finish. I couldn't help but compare the mouthfeel between this and the Black Note I was drinking next to BA 9000. This makes Black Note have a watered down consistency.

O- Simply put, this is a big ass beer. The best BA offering I've had from Bell's. The high abv prevents you from drinking more than 10 oz, but a great sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2013 02:24:57 | More by iadler

khiasmus

South Carolina

4.44/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

To John, the night I discovered he made the worst decision of his life.

A questionable decision, this. The tower is off-limits, not to mention terrifyingly tall over the dark, murky brown water, that just has some brown froth around any agitation spots, but generally gives off the effect of used oil.
We drink, a lot, to calm the nerves. Anyone that would take the plunge has to be either idiotic or numb... the state of most American hearts, it turns out.
An aroma of deep oaken barrels, bourbon, soy sauce, anise, brown sugar, and age. Depth. Wisdom. But it is all a farce. The murk still calls, and we still foolishly threaten with our own pride burning more brightly than our imagined brilliance as we flirt with disaster while pretending to be entirely in control of our own lives, and defying anyone to prove us otherwise or talk us out of our mad rush towards disaster. But be soft, we do not truly know what comes, whether we be the rash young mind thrusting towards insanity or the sage (or angry) older vessel with scars to prove that the lustful path of reckless youth has its own consequences.
And we drink.
The complex cornucopia of bourbon, chocolate, wood, almond, soy sauce, alcohol, leather, and that indefinable characteristic of love, depth of effort, an intangible of outrageous gravity, that one cannot simply describe. Age. And experience. There is much to be said for it, yet little to be heard.
A dense, oily and black body coats our mouth as we continue to shoot the strong, spicy, woody, leathery bourbon, hoping that it will give us liquid courage and help us to manifest ourselves as strong among average, albeit sophomoric among wise, as they spend their days apart from our lavish excitement in drab reality and never realize such reckless abandon... we scoff at their efforts to become leaders of the free world, and subscribe to the philosophy that only the strong survive, yet apparently to be proven strong one must exhibit foolishness.
You cannot, apparently, save the foolish through self-sacrifice, but only through wisdom. And wisdom itself is not foisted, but incrementally entered into through enlightenment. Therefore to teach someone else from your own wrongs is a fool's errand. he that is guided by emotions must purely by emotions be led, as wisdom shall prove insufficient. I hope to one day review this review with humor and wisecracks, rather than aches, regrets and pain.

Life tramples on...

Serving type: growler

02-10-2013 03:00:16 | More by khiasmus

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.44/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Churchkey in DC, served in a snifter.

A- Pours black and viscous with a finger of mocha head, nice retention and thick lacing.

S- Very sweet, fruity aroma, lots of figs, prunes, molasses and caramel, as well as notes of bourbon, oak, maybe some anise and vanilla.

T- Similar to the aroma, lots of dark fruit, molasses and caramel, but also a more pronounced roasty, bready malt, accents of bourbon, oak, vanilla, and a mild anise (which is done just right because when anise is any stronger than this is quickly becomes horrible) round things out, but the sweet, sugary fruitiness is the most prominent.

M- Full-bodied, low carbonation with a sticky feel, moderate boozy warmth.

O- A very delicious beer, great complexity and flavor, I had this on tap and with a smaller (~8 oz pour) was happy with it, the flavors are very rich so if you have a big bottle definitely share with friends. Well worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2013 22:13:27 | More by WillCarrera

Etan

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at FoBAB, from notes. Normally don't review small pours but a couple beers there warranted note-taking.

A: Pours a straightforward murky brown with a small light tan head.

S: Very rich and sweet. Melted caramel, coconut, thick chocolate, maple, vanilla, candied figs, slight waft of alcohol.

T: Heavy with sweet tannins and maple. Cooked sugar, toffee, lots of maple, oak and vanilla, butterscotch, warming booze.

M: Thick-bodied with light carbonation.

O: The barrel's influence on this beer is phenomenal, enhancing the sweetness without putting it over the top.

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2012 02:08:36 | More by Etan