Berkshire Bourbon Barrel Scotch Ale - Berkshire Brewing Company Inc.

aasher

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Rempo (Mark) just left this in my fridge because he saw it on my Wants list. What an incredibly generous individual!

This one pours a full bodied, dark and dirty, muddy creek brown in color with a slight off white lacing around the glass. The nose is big, rich, and malty with notes of vanilla, butterscotch, oak, bourbon, molasses, and caramel. Wowzers! It's uber complex. The flavors are spectacular as well. It is very rich and flavorful. There is a lot of vanilla, sorghum, and molasses with nice levels of oak and bourbon. The bourbon character is just right and I'm glad there is that much character left. It drinks large and full in body with a nice, resonating aftertaste. This one is a gem. I'm eternally grateful for this bottle. Thanks again Mark!

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 01:12:34 | More by aasher

GRG1313

California

4/5  rDev -7%

05-20-2013 04:45:15 | More by GRG1313

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

05-19-2013 16:20:53 | More by Photekut

beast464

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

01-03-2013 03:46:13 | More by beast464

EvanWilliams

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7%

12-23-2012 05:36:09 | More by EvanWilliams

FreshmanPour77

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

09-10-2012 17:49:23 | More by FreshmanPour77

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.55/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Jon for sharing this long-time Want.

Pours a nice reddish-brown with a thin white head and minimal lacing. Smell is very interesting, a mix of bourbon, dark fruit and heavy malt, maybe a little bit of tartness too. Wow, this flavor is awesome and unique. The bourbon and oak are very prominent, but they mix nearly perfectly with the fruity, malty and almost vinous scotch ale base. I've never had a beer that tastes quite like this, but I'm really impressed. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with nice carbonation. Overall this is a really fantastic scotch ale, right up there with the Bourbon Big Sound as my favorite of the style, but in a very different way. Very happy to have gotten to try this one.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2012 01:56:53 | More by starrdogg

bsuedekum

Missouri

3/5  rDev -30.2%

03-21-2012 02:08:40 | More by bsuedekum

Pencible

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

02-11-2012 19:11:58 | More by Pencible

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -18.6%

01-30-2012 07:09:35 | More by ygtbsm94

bamadog

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I got this in one of my earliest trades a couple of years ago, and just now getting around to cracking it. I figured that much time shouldn't hurt anything this big with some time in barrels on it either. Review is from notes taken on 1/27/2012 and poured from the bottle to a snifter.

Appearance: Pour looks like murky home made apple cider; starts with a one finger creamy light tan head that fades relatively quickly to a thin and uneven skim with a creamy/foamy ring around the surface; as mentioned, body is murky and really can't be seen into, but on the sides you can quick streams of tiny bubbles; a swath and patchy lacing is left behind.

Smell: Quite nice, and there is still a bit of bourbon kick to the nose as well; plenty of caramel maltiness and a touch of smokey peat; alcohol rings through clearly and there is a sweet vanilla presence as well; nose is quite robust and doesn't disappoint.

Taste: Also very good, and there is a bit of an acidic apple-like flavor, not quite sure where it comes from; touch of oak; bourbon-like alcohol is there as well as the nose alluded to; caramel malts and the vanilla rolls in, likely from the barrel.

Mouthfeel: Body is of medium weight, and a touch slick; carbonation is present and soft, keeps the body smooth enough; a thick, oily and sticky coating is left all over the palate; belly is left especially warm.

Overall: Definitely a sipper, but one I wouldn't mind getting through a couple times of years; a nice set of flavors, and while it's not the biggest beer I've sat through, the presence of alcohol keeps me sipping in moderation.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 03:39:58 | More by bamadog

Brew33

Ohio

4/5  rDev -7%

01-26-2012 13:25:34 | More by Brew33

jophish17

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -18.6%

12-31-2011 03:49:18 | More by jophish17

OBIrish24

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +16.3%

12-27-2011 01:30:20 | More by OBIrish24

nmann08

Maryland

4/5  rDev -7%

12-22-2011 18:15:44 | More by nmann08

mschofield

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +16.3%

12-09-2011 21:21:18 | More by mschofield

celeriac

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +16.3%

12-07-2011 20:46:11 | More by celeriac

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

5/5  rDev +16.3%

12-02-2011 18:17:27 | More by Rochefort10nh

jh1982

Nevada

5/5  rDev +16.3%

11-26-2011 22:15:39 | More by jh1982

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +16.3%

11-18-2011 18:58:19 | More by mgbickel

thebouch01

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +16.3%

11-15-2011 01:15:38 | More by thebouch01

AgentZero

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I wish people would stop making these beers so I could stop drinking them. Barrel Aged Scotch Ale, braced for yuck.

A - Caramel/amber colored beer with a bit of a beige head that faded to a fairly consistent cap and left some lace down the sides.

S - Thankfully not as peaty as a lot of these, I just can't get into the peatiness of the Scotch Ale for whatever reason, although I always liked peaty scotch, go figure. Some bourbon, little caramel and vanilla, molasses, and a hint of butter.

T - Tastes about like the nose, with the bourbon coming a little bit stronger than expected. Some decent caramel, vanilla, oak, barrel, molasses, butter. All mixed in there without getting too terribly sweet.

M - Fairly smooth with lower carbonation.

O - Not a bad beer, pretty easy to get down actually given that it's not a style I care for. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 20:58:47 | More by AgentZero

levifunk

Wisconsin

4.83/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I was planning on opening this bottle for my birthday. Invited a few friends over, and what do you know Chris (seeswo) brought over a bottle as a gift. Cheers man!

Poured into a thistle glass. Gotta do it right!

s - this beer smells amazing. Oak and vanilla are there from the bourbon barrel, but it isn't overpowering. Caramel sweetness and ester.

t - I've had most every Bourbon Barrel aged Scotch Ale out there and this is by far the most balanced. Scotch ales are so sweet and high in ABV to begin with that the bourbon barrel aging tends to be too much. This has certainly benefited from age, but also the bourbon isn't overpowering....although is definitely predominant. The Scotch ale underneath is very good as well. Caramel sweetness, dark fruits, and a healthy amount of roasted malts.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 19:59:47 | More by levifunk

mdfb79

New York

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 03/27/11 notes. Shared at a local DC tasting.

a - Pours a mahogany brown color with an inch of off white head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells light bourbon, oak vanilla, caramel malts, and some sugar or molasses. Smells a bit sweet.

t - Tastes of bourbon, oak, vanilla, caramel malts, molasses, toasted malts. More bourbon than the nose but not as sweet, a slight step up in my opinion.

m - Medium body and light to moderate carbonation.

d - Overall a very nice scotch ale. WOuld like to have again sometime.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 14:10:27 | More by mdfb79

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap at the Berkshire Brewing Co. in a plastic sample cup.

A: Poured a dark, mahogany brown color with a sudsy head of tan foam. Light brown and ruby highlights are shown off the brew.

S: Smells rich with a sweet phenol aroma. Like bourbon aged in wooden barrels.

T: A deep blend of rich, roasted caramel and toffee malts come through at first, with a slightly bitter malt and alcoholic flavor towards the middle. Lavish flavors of smoky, barrel-aged malts are the showcase of this robust wee heavy. A fine sipper indeed.

M: Mouthfeel is full bodied and quite smooth, despite a noticeable pinch from the alcohol.

D: A very fine sippin' brew and one that would make a great bomber to share as a dessert beer. Heavy handed malt profile with loads of smoky, liquor-like flavors and an ABV nearing 10% ensure a good investment for a beer worth relaxing with.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2011 23:27:26 | More by Gambrinus1184