Berkshire Bourbon Barrel Scotch Ale - Berkshire Brewing Company Inc.

jrallen34

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -27.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottle shared by Alex into a tulip...Pours a really light and watery brown, pretty clear. Light watery head is gone right away...The aroma is super strong way to much scotch from start to finish, comes across as black sharpie as well. Scotch, wood, and ash. Too strong to smell often...The taste comes across slightly less alcoholic showing off some of the bourbon qualities bringing in nice oak and a little vanilla. The scotch is still way to strong to make this at all drinkable.

Not sure how this is an A beer, roundly disparged at our tasting.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2010 00:03:18 | More by jrallen34

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Crushinat0r's bottle from Julio's. Dark, ruby coloured. Off-white head, and lacey. Corny sweetness, its boozy, not so drinkable, there is a coffee bitterness,there is a caramelness, brown sugar,it is not balanced really and its mouthfeel is thinish. Didn't think the carbonation helped the experience.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2008 23:23:40 | More by northyorksammy

MasterSki

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I think I got this from Reagan1984, but I can't totally remember. Served in a Lost Abbey rastal teku.

A - Pours with a half-finger of foam that quickly dissipates to a thin ring and some big bubbles. Transparent caramel brown.

S - Barrel, wood, fusel alcohol, harsh bourbon, burnt sugar, and some light smoke and char. This is nostril-singing and hasn't mellowed out at all.

T - Caramel, vanilla, light diacetyl, cotton candy, brown sugar, and tons of barrel. Less harsh than the nose, but still somewhat cloying.

M - Smooth medium-full body, with some obvious alcohol heat. Low carbonation, with a tannic dry finish.

D - It was a struggle to get through 4oz of this stuff. Way too sweet and boozy for my tastes, and I generally like most bourbon-barrel aged beers. Apparently I'm in the minority on this one...

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2010 17:05:54 | More by MasterSki

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.58/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to sleepnbballrlife for hooking this up. 22oz brown glass pry-top bottle. No freshness date.

Appearance: Poured into a tulip. 1 finger of tan head atop a hazy mahogany/cherry-wood body.

Nose: Sweet oak, saccharine, banana peel, nuts, and some red wine-like aromas.

Palate: Medium- to full-bodied and sharp with alcohol. There's a lot of banana-like fermentation esters floating on top of sweet toasted oak, vanilla extract, roasted nuts, caramelized lactose, and there's a slight sourness to the finish.

Notes: Not as good as I remembered it, but still one of the best beers BBC makes. Not quite as good as the Drayman's, but quite good and worth a shot if you're at Julio's already.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2009 02:52:32 | More by SFLpunk

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

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.78/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was a very dark slighty cloudy brown with a thin head. Head left a ring around the glass with a small "island" in the middle. Aroma was clean, slightly sweet with a small touch of milk in it. Taste was grainy with a small bit of fruitiness, maybe melony?? with a touch of citrus. Felt outstanding in the mouth. Coated beautifully, just enough of a kick and bite to linger. I always wanted to take another sip to get more back in the mouth. Alcohol hit a little hard, but was pleasant to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2008 00:50:43 | More by mountdew1

brentk56

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a mahogany color with a decent cap that leaves plenty of squiggles and dots around the snifter

Smell: Clearly the strong point of this beer, with a nice bourbon/vanilla aroma, a caramel base and a boozy warmth

Taste: Opens with the caramel and that pushes into the bourbon/vanilla range but by mid-palate, a tartness appears that verges on the sour; perhaps this is the aging process taking over in a bad way but it persists through the aftertaste and I probably would have scored this lower if the beer were younger

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation and considerable warmth in the gullet

Drinkability: Too bad about the tart/sour flavors as everything else about the beer was very nice; perhaps it was much better in its youth - my fault for cellaring it for so long

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2010 01:40:55 | More by brentk56

alcstradamus

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Huge thanks to Jeff for the nice extra

Pours an effervescent brown with a finger of head. Aroma is sharp caramel maltiness and booze. Sweet and stinging. Some clove and a hefty amount of cardboard.

The flavor is quite rich, with a big sweet caramel and vanilla/oak kick followed by notes of oxidation and booze. The body is definitely too light for the style...not sure if the age or the barrel or a combination of the two thinned it out, but it isn't quite as full as I would like and the carbonation is a bit stingy.

Overall this is a very tasty beer. A bit messy, but in small doses it works well. I would be interested to try it a bit fresher and compare the two.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2010 04:14:05 | More by alcstradamus

IBUnit63

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Snagged at Julio's during their Spring Fest. Poured into a Portsmouth snifter. Am guessing it's the 2009 vintage but no indications at first glance.

It's a bit more turbid than I expected. More like a cloudy Dunkel actually. Not quite, though - then again, it kicks off a perfect deep bourbon hue. Ginger-colored head is pretty damn nonexistent on first pour though. Carbonation is relatively...almost completely...still.

Oh yeah, there's a $#!+load of oak here. And vanilla. And a bit of butter. But there's some nice bourbony perfume with some pininess. It needs to warm quite a bit in my estimation. Slight leather/tanning soap notes. There's a little complexity here. Not entirely synergistic but interesting. Dark fruits come around with the bourbon - maybe some stewy fermenting plums, among other things.

And, they're off...vanilla is in there...buttery but not too sweet. Bourbon is huge. This is huskier in taste than on the nose. Dark fruits become incredibly austere and recede into maybe not deep background but into the backbone of it all. Hops? Sure - a bit of pine here juxtaposed with strong dark roasted malts. No hint of tannins. Alcohol is more astringent than desired for the weight class. Density is much more thin than expected. Borderline clammy when cold. Still, the taste profile is quite enjoyable.

For all the flavor profile it brings to the table, it's pretty dry. And light-bodied. I want this to have a lot more weight than it does. Husky malt and pine on the hops lingers in the back of the throat alongside a slightly astringent bourbon-vanilla finish. It's like the wicked cold, numbing sensation after knocking back a shot of Maker's. With a little butter in there. Looking for something heavier. But it's good.

I miss the deeper molasses-like maltiness of some of the Scotch ales I've tried on this one. Hate to be a yenta about it all but I shouldn't have to wait an hour for the maltiness to show. The flavor profile has a lot going on but it's quite thin for a Scotch Ale. There's nothing heavy about it. But it drinks pretty well and it is quite enjoyable, so that counts for something. But not nearly as much as it should. All in all, go get it and draw your own conclusion. The vanilla in the bourbon oak salvages this from lack of depth. I like it quite a bit but I should like it even more.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2009 01:00:20 | More by IBUnit63

beachbum1975

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Banditbrewingco was to blame for this recent trade - Kidding - thanks, Alan! Shared with DrewOSU and newtonty.

Pours a super sexy, rust brown with great white lacing and a 1/2 inch head.

Hate to say it, but like many barrel-aged beers, the first whiff I take reminds me of nail polish remover. After that, I start getting vanilla, molasses and raisins...

Onto the taste... I get the bourbon up front. Lots of vanilla, heat, sweet malts and the charateristic scotch flavors... High carbonation on the mouthfeel, with a smooth medium body.

This is a big sipper - quite nice, but I think this needs some time to mellow out and get a bit more complex.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2009 19:54:22 | More by beachbum1975

illidurit

California

3.85/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared at Woodshop 5.0. Pours a deep brown/amber color with a big foamy tan head. Fruity smokey aroma with dark caramel. Warming bourbon flavors with caramel and a nice, even smokiness. Carbonation on the high side, detracts from the richness.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2010 03:21:50 | More by illidurit

damienblack

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a thin rubyish color. Small head that quickly dissipates. Leave a little swirl in the center of the glass. Some decent lacing, though. Smell is huge boubony blast with a bit of malty fruit, kind of like a quad. Taste... like a lite scotch-ale, combined with a bourbon blast. Kind of syrupy to the tongue. First, kind of weak (but not in a watery way) sweet malt, and then a sharp bourbon kick. A lot less in the taste than on the scent, though. The bourbonyness leaves an alcoholic spiciness on the palate, which is the lingering sensation here. Mouthfeel is adequate, carbonation is appropriate, and everything is sufficiently cloying. Drinkability takes a slight hit from the overwhelmingness of the bourbon, but it takes a smaller hit than it could have. Overall, a pleasant enough nightcap, but I was expecting a lot more from this beer. Definitely not something I could (or would) drink regularly.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2009 04:26:05 | More by damienblack

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Excellent head with impressive ring lace after each sip. Dark amber in color and slightly cloudy.

Sweet with a great deal of caramel aroma from darker malts. Seemingly strong alcohol.

Unexpectedly thin body for the color and head. Good carbonation. Strong alcohol warmth. Very sweet, maybe overly so--even for the style.

This is not my style, but I am warming up to it as I consume it.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2008 02:53:37 | More by smcolw

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brought this beer up from the beer cellar for last Friday night. Poured into a stemmed glass. Caramel in color with an average sized head. Nice lacing on the glass. The smell of bourbon is right up front, and it's potent. Very nice. Taste was excellent, tons of oak and bourbon on the palette. On the down side, it's was a bit overpowering. Would have enjoyed this beer a bit more if it was a little more mellow. But, this is one of the best special releases I've had in a while. I'd love to see BBC make this a yearly special. Thanks to joshman for the hook up.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2008 02:52:50 | More by morebeergood

tai4ji2x

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bomber. from the new 2009 batch, although i can't find any actual indication on the bottle itself. tasted in early/mid may 2009. poured into tulip.

dark ruby brown. clear (decant properly). 1-finger off-white head fades to wisps and ring. moderate lacing, though splotchy at times.

aroma: unripe tropical fruit (guava?), oaky vanilla and trace of coconut (although a touch artificial and not naturally nutty/toasty), as bourbon notes start to come in. faint maltiness makes a presence, but i wanted more from a scotch ale.

taste: bourbon seems to be the focus - not too boozy, but it comes slightly at the expense of the malty scotch ale character. vanilla-laden oak, trace of wet tobacco, touch of toasted coconut. slightest hint of cherries. mild to moderate bitterness and a mild acidity round things out, but malt remains a touch watery.

medium body, almost syrupy. touch of acidic or astringent character in the finish. carbonation has a tingle and helps with body and with lifting up the flavors.

i think if they upped the maltiness on this, it would match even better with the bourbon. as such, it is a nice showcase for the bourbon barrel aging, but it's just not the richest of scotch ales.

NOTE: drinkability score should be a 4.0 while taste should be something like 3.8

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2009 18:49:57 | More by tai4ji2x

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

No surprise that I got this bomber at Julio's.

A brown body with some ruby hues mixed in there. About two fingers of tan head that doesn't leave me a ton of lacing and lacks impressive lacing.

I smell lots of bourbon with some dark fruits mixed in there.

Bourbon is definitely what comes out in the beginning, with some oak and vanilla flavors. I lost the dark fruits that were in the aroma, but some caramel and very slightly chocolately flavors do come through.

Pretty full mouthfeel here.

Good drinkability, especially considering the high ABV. Sefinitely a pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2009 14:18:13 | More by Hojaminbag

JoeMayo

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours dark brown with a quickly dissipating light tan head.

S- Sweet and yeasty. Notes of brown sugar, cherry and honey. A sweet alcohol aroma is there too...I wouldn't be able to identify it as bourbon based on the smell though.

T- A bit of a letdown based on how good it smells, but still good. Sweet and malty with hints of honey. The bourbon is more distinct in the taste, but very mild and well-balanced. No alcohol heat.

M- Heavy and sticky, but not overly so.

D- Sip at it from a snifter.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2009 13:19:03 | More by JoeMayo

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

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

Been sitting on this since a fall 09' trade with BTPete. Thanks Pete!

Bomber split with a friend.Cloudy murky pour into a snifter. Ruby highlights evident when held to the light.

Planting the beak into the glass yields vaporous alcohol and a heavy avalanche of sweet vanilla

Pralines and cream and vanilla, sweet vanilla. Chris says he could pour this over ice cream as a topping. Dessert sweetness, mellowed bourbon up front, loads of prickly sweetness on the finish. Have I mentioned the sweetness?

Medium bodied and carbonation, rather silky

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2010 23:07:25 | More by BarrytheBear

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

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

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

v2009 - not as much head, seems even boozier, Doesn't seem to quite come together as well as the last version. Alcohol power knocks its rating down a notch pretty much across the board.

6/10/08 - this one's still holding nicely...

11/18/07 - 5/4.5/4.5/4.5/4.5
22oz bottle purchased as part of a case from Julio's, Marlboro, MA.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 3/4" tan head over the cloudy reddish brown brew. Head is dense, thick, and not going anywhere fast, with heavy lasting lace. Aroma is dominated by vanilla and bourbon. Taste is rich dark malt sweetness upfront, a light fruitiness in the middle, and plenty of bourbon and vanilla character at the close. Mouthfeel is velvety smooth, and drinkability is excellent for a brew whose flavor is as defined by alcohol as this one is. Good stuff, glad it's local.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2009 00:44:08 | More by ppoitras

Overlord

California

4.08/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

A truly interesting and engaging beer.

Pours a ruddy amber color with a minimal off white head. Some lacing in the glass.

The smell is ... bourbon with a tingle of malty sweetness. The bourbon character of this beer levels you with the first sniff and doesn't let go. It's a sipper, no doubt. Mouthfeel is appropriately thick and chewy.

Taste has some vanilla, oaky characteristics, and a nice malt backbone to go with ... gigantic bourbon characteristics. A nice combination, by all means, but I almost wish I was splitting the bottle with someone. I'm going to have mark this beer down for drinkability, but other than that it's a wonderfully flavorful concoction.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2007 10:17:17 | More by Overlord

younger35

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Received this brew from YonderWanderer in a fairly recent trade. This will most definitely be my first tasty treat from Berkshire. Drank from my Stone India Pale Ale flute.

Appearance- Pours a dark reddish brown with a large two finger light tan head. A very nice cap and collar are maintained throughout along with a fair amount of lacing.
Smell- The bourbon is very upfront on this one! Loads of that bourbon barrel goodness that I think I've only smelled in the Bourbon Angels Share. Loads of vanilla and caramel that are really brought to the fore front by the barrel aging. Slightly sweet malt with a very light touch of peated smoke.
Taste- Like the nose, the brew starts slightly sweet with a burst of bourbon, vanilla and caramel. The big barrel-e-ness that I got from the nose doesn't quite translate to the taste but it's most definitely still there. The vanilla is definitely the most prevalent part of the taste with a bit of malty sweetness (almost cloying, but not quite), overly cooked brown sugar and Tootsie Rolls. Lightly plump raisons and plum are hiding in the background and show a bit more as it warms. Light alcohol in the finish with a nutty caramel aftertaste.
Mouthfeel- Slightly thin body with a lightly creamy feel and very crisp, barrel aged carbonation. A bit of light warming is present as well.
Drinkability- This is a really tasty brew that showcases the power of barrel aging! It can be semi cloying at times but for the most part it stays in check. It's basically a more drinkable Angels Share (in my own head anyways). Big thanks to Dave for sending this terrific brew!

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2008 03:30:44 | More by younger35

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.1/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a couple bottles at Julio's

Pours a deep dark ruby with a modest two finger off white head that dissipates quickly leaving some lace on the sides. The smell is all bourbon with a faint malt smell as it warms. Taste is a malty scotch ale with some fig and lots of bourbon. Mouthfeel is sweet and sticky. I love bourbon so I scored this one high. Its a great little sipping beer, very well done.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2007 01:52:47 | More by johnnnniee

HopHead84

California

4.1/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks jleblanc!

The beer appears dark, dark ruby with a frothy beige head. Retention is good.

The aroma is interesting. There's a strong note of ripe granny smith apples that is quite pervasive. I do get some bourbon, but I get more of a Scotch whisky character. It smells damn good, but doesn't seem to be primarily bourbon. Some maple syrup is evident, along with brown sugar. The bourbon becomes more noticeable with warming, as well as some toffee.

Those granny smith apples are back again, and they're ripe again too. The malt is sweet, with notes of toffee, brown sugar, maple syrup. Again, Scotch whisky is evident, but the bourbon is a bit more apparent in the flavor. The finish is mellow with a low level of alcohol accompanied by ripe apples and toffee.

The beer is medium bodied with low-medium carbonation with a sticky, creamy mouthfeel.

This is an enjoyable and unique scotch ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2009 10:07:26 | More by HopHead84