Dark Intrigue - Victory Brewing Company

JTSbeerislife

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

6/11/2012, notes taken when served.

25 oz bottle, Cork and Cage, purchased 12/2011, bottled 11/2011, poured into a large Duvel Tulip.

Pours a very nice frothy, 1” thick, tan colored head, which has decent longevity, but really no lace to speak of. The color is very deep black/brown.

The aroma is distinct, but there are no hops present that I could detect. There is however a wonderful, rich, distinct malt presence, roasted cocoa and caramel with dark unsweetened chocolate.
Hints of vanilla and wood though quite light.

Crisp, medium bitter, entry on the palate of very light hops, followed by distinct, rich malt, refined, roasted malt, cocoa, dark unsweetened chocolate and a hint of caramel. Really bitter chocolate.
The taste of Ale yeast is present. There is a mouth drying, faintly vanilla/wood sensation in the middle. The body is medium full and balanced, with a fine balanced carbonation. Rather dry.

Long finish of faintly bitter hops and quite rich malt, chocolately malt dominates.

A very good Ale. Age has helped this brew immensely as it seemed thin and unimpressive when first opened soon after its release. So glad I laid a few bottles back. Lable states “aged in used Bourbon barrels”. Well they must be very used as the impact of wood here is very light.
Still it’s quite rich now and drinking well. Delicious, really.
If you have aged any IMO now’s the time to drink.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 13:04:10 | More by JTSbeerislife

ehammond1

California

3.18/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle (2011)

Thanks for opening this with me, DarthKostrizer!

(Aged for 6+ months)

Nearly black throughout with a small brown head that leaves spots of lace down the glass. Unremarkable, though appropriate.

The aroma is somewhat hoppy for the style, with some pine aromas pushing through the bourbon, oak, and big roast character. Appropriate enough, but there are much, much better smelling bourbon barrel-aged imperial stouts.

The flavor is more reminiscent of a woody black IPA than a big, barrel-aged stout. There's decent amount of pine hop flavors, along with wood, roast, moderate bitterness, and some mild bourbon. The flavors don't come together particularly well.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

One of the poorer (non-infected) barrel-aged stouts I've had, though by no means a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 15:25:48 | More by ehammond1

UCLABrewN84

California

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to DarthKostrizer for sharing this one at NoSignsOfPain's birthday bottleshare hosted by mrbubbler.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a thin cap on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, herbal hops, wood, and slight bourbon aromas. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick and woody finish. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but nothing all that great in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 07:56:09 | More by UCLABrewN84

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml corked and cage bottle served in a snifter.
bottled: nov 29, 2011

pours a dark cola brown / deep mahogany tone... fairly aggressive pour yields almost 2" worth of frothy tan head, which fades with no great hurry into a thin cap, collar around the glass.

nose offers roasted malt, molasses, coffee, some chocolate, and some bourbon / booze characters. also some definite hoppy notes hanging in the background.

flavor delivers more of the same. more bourbon than i picked up in the nose (that said, the bourbon presence is relatively tame), and much more of a hops presence than i was expecting. some vanilla. medium-full bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation.

let me preface 'overall' by saying that this is a really good beer, quite flavorful. having said that, i think it falls short of my expectations, especially at its price point. personally i don't think there is a great deal of harmony between the hops and the bourbon. speaking of the bourbon, i could also use it to be dialed up a little. again, solid beer, tasty and enjoyable, just not up there with some of the barrel-aged greats that are out there.

(originally reviewed: 01-03-2012)

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 01:17:55 | More by BostonHops

asabreed

New York

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Caged and corked bottle into a Brooklyn tulip glass. Storm King, in recent years to me, has declined a bit, but it was one of my first beers that got me into beer, so when I saw this, I had to pick it up.

Appearance: As expected with pure darkness going on, and a dark mocha-colored head at first that sticks nicely to the sides of the glass, though it dissipates as it warms.

Smell: Classic Storm King aroma coupled with wood, vanilla, and burnt sugars. Some dark berries are in the mix also, along with some citrus. The bourbon-esque nose-hair singe goes on as it warms, and it's a good thing, as those bourbon flavors do really well with the dark berries and charred malt aromas from everything Storm King has to offer.

Taste: I wonder what this would do in the cellar, since I'm not sold on how this would get any better. I think what you get in this state is initial bourbon, vanilla, and wood sweetness, along with some kind of charred brown sugar flavors, mixing with the back-end charred malt. So there's a nice amalgam that's almost two waves here, and I like that about it -- in the sense that everything doesn't mesh together haphazardly. Finish is pretty nice, with lingering vanilla, sweetness, and some citrus hops and char and berries.

Mouthfeel: Heavy-bodied and awesomely velvet-like and not cloying like I thought it may be.

Drinkability: I think the bottle was around $14, but the nice, mellow buzz after nearly three hours sipping on it was worth every penny. It's not going to make you not want to try others, but I really like what they did with what's already a pretty awesome brew. Check it out if you're down with what it's bringing to the table.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 04:28:38 | More by asabreed

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

2011 batch. Poured from a corked & caged bottle into a nonic

A- pours as black as night with a two finger tan head. Looks damn nice

S- lots of chocolate. Mild bourbon. Yum

T- chocolate. Hops are muted. Mild bourbon burn in the finish. A little too sweet at the end

M- chewy as hell. So thick. The sweetness makes that unappealing

O- I think Victory left this in a little long. Hoppiness + bourbon = sweet burning

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 21:03:20 | More by bigfnjoe

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Stone 15th Anniversary snifter on 6/6/12

Bottled on Nov. 10 2011

The beer is a scorched medium-dark brown that settles much darker in the glass. The sandy colored head of smooth foam crests at just under two fingers before slowly dissipating. Retention holds at close to 1/4th in for quite a while. Lace is thick but often slides down the glass.

The aroma has a heavy dose of roast; tangy and burnt. Scorched chocolate and faint strands of semi-sweet sugars. Barrel char accompanies the roast, making for a fairly ashy aroma overall. There isn't much outright bourbon, though. A tad earthy and hints of dark berries.

The flavor profile is the same in terms of the strong roast notes, but there there are both more sugars and barrel to back it up. Burnt coffee and sticky chocolate give way to a prominent charred barrel taste. Undertones of oak succumb to alcohol heat, though bourbon flavor is left to the peripheries. The mid-section has some burnt sugary sweetness.

The feel is between medium and full; the body is somewhat granular and sticky from the sugars. Carbonation is right around average, but it has a rolling feel that doesn't overpower the body. Burnt residuals with some lingering alcohol heat.

Overall, I prefer this more than the base beer. Worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 00:38:52 | More by Ryan011235

n2185

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: pours black with three fingers of tan head that fades into a thin cap with great lacing.

S: roasted malts with bitter chocolate aromas up front followed by strong smoke, char, and piny notes. There are some slight oak and vanilla aromas toward the finish.

T: again, roasted malts with bitter chocolate, smoke, and char dominate. There are also some piny flavors with vanilla, oak, and bourbon notes from the barrel.

M: thick body with medium carbonation, this beer is relatively highly carbonated for the style. I prefer thicker and creamier bodies, but this beer's body is far from bad.

O: a pretty solid beer overall. I'd like a little more presence from the barrel and a creamier body, but still it's good.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 00:21:25 | More by n2185

crag

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased a case on Black Wednesday 2011. I only have 2 bottles left and recently had one at a special occasion and it has mellowed a bit in the bottle. Noticeably the Boozy or Bourbon smell has backed off a bit. Not that is a desirable effect for me just something worth noting. I look forward to Thanksgiving 2012 when I finish off the last of the bottles. Although I am curious to see what would happen after 4-5 years in the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 20:52:27 | More by crag

JohnnyMc

Ohio

4.23/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Even better than the regular Storm King which is a great beer.

Pours out pitch black with a thick and creamy mocha colored head.

The aroma is bourbon, hints of caramel, toffee and dark coffee.

The taste is very well balanced between bitter and sweet. The dark chocolate, caramel and toffee fuse with the burnt malt, coffee and bourbon really well.

Pretty easy to drink even though the high ABV. Definitely try if you enjoy Victory's beers.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 18:22:47 | More by JohnnyMc

CaptDavyJones

New York

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours dark as night from a 750 mL corked bottle with ABV and 'best-by' date on the label.
One finger dark mocha colored head that dissipated fairly quickly to a thin film that stays.
Aroma has notes of bourbon, chocolate malts, and the characteristic Storm King hopped-stout aroma with some booze coming through. Very pleasing on the nose.
Taste upfront is of super-roasted malt bitterness, with hints of bourbon surfacing from start to finish. Slight wood (oak) notes towards the finish. After taste is slightly bitter, not overwhelming though. Pleasant tasting beer, and easy to drink. The alcohol is very well hidden.
Medium bodied stout, a little more body would have surely elevated it a notch.
Overall, this is a good barrel-aged RIS and another winner from Victory. Definitely worth a try and would surely recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 04:04:33 | More by CaptDavyJones

jjanega08

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on
Nov 10 2011
BT6

A= Pours a dark black color with a deep brown thick creamy head on it that holds great retention and lacing on the side of the glass.

S= I can smell the barrels from the moment I opened it up. A nice rustic oak character with a vanilla note that is a little less than some other bourbon barrel beers. Nice chocolate and roasted malt character and a little bourbon. The barrel seems to take a less obvious role in the nose than some other barrel aged beers. It has a sort of brownie smell to it overall that is tasty smelling.

T= The taste matches the aroma perfectly. A nice roasty chocolaty character with a small amount of bourbon and vanilla with a touch of oak. Again it seems to be a little less than some other bourbon barrel aged beers while still remaining in character. The overall taste is again similar to that of a brownie. Nice chocolaty character to this one with vanilla complements.

M= A little light for an imperial stout but nothing too bad.

O= This is a little different than most bourbon barrel beers. The bourbon barrel plays less of a main role and more of a complementary role. It works for sure leaving a nice chocolate vanilla mix that works ever so well. This is a quality brew and worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 01:33:48 | More by jjanega08

fields336

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle
Served in victory tulip, side by side with storm king
A: Black as night, licorice color with 1 finger creamy brown/beige head. slight bubbles piercing the thick head. Lasts longer than SKS, but similar lacing.

S: bourbon first off, followed by similar flavors to SKS. Vanilla, chocolates, roastiness. similar complexity, but the bourbon is overriding some of the flavors. docking some points here bc of the overwhelming bourbon flavor.

T: Tastes like roasted, dark chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, mellow oak, burnt malts, alcohol burn, and slight hop presence, less hops than SKS.

M: slightly less carbonated, but similar mouthfeel to SKS. slight mellowness and also a bourbon mouthfeel (if that makes any sense) from the barrels but otherwise same mouthfeel.

O: My first bourbon barrel aged RIS, and as a bourbon lover as well as a craft beer lover, it piques my interest. Sad that they are not making this anymore, as it is a worthy and widely available BBARIS. Slightly less enjoyable than SKS but that in no way makes it a bad beer as SKS is one of the best I have ever had of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 03:29:58 | More by fields336

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Body is total blackness. No highlights at all. Billowing medium tan head, rapid collapse. Good stretchy lacing.

Aroma asserts itself from across the table. Plenty of oak, vanilla, and bourbon from the barrels. Little whiffs of coffee and chocolate.

Taste follows the nose. Vanilla, oak, bourbon, booze. Second tier of chocolate and coffee. Dark fruits floating along. Bit of an alcohol burn in he mouth.

Full smooth mouthfeel.

Would be better with a bit less barrel and a bit more Storm King, but a damn fine experience as it is.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 04:35:53 | More by RonfromJersey

TheSupremeAJ

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle intoa St Bernardus chalice. Dark chestnut color with a thin head. Aroma is of bubble gum- definitely a strong estery aroma. Taste is very dark, smokey, and fairly bitter. I liked Storn King a lot better. Mouthfeel is moderately thick with a nice aftertaste, a little burnt for my taste and I like BOLD Starbucks Coffe for Pete's sake.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 01:37:21 | More by TheSupremeAJ

SLeffler27

New York

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A creamy half-inch, dark chestnut head forms dense rings of lace over a jet-black beer that leaves legs on a Dogfish Head snifter.

The aroma has a strong sense of bourbon with equal parts chocolate and vanilla bean. Fudge and fruity notes can also be detected.

The flavor follows the nose with great roasted malt that is almost burnt with a bitter bite. There is a long, progressive finish. Dark Intrigue warms well with chocolate that ranges from bittersweet to rich fudge. The fruit tones are subdued. Bourbon and oak flavors do not overwhelm like they do in similar bourbon barrel beers.

A full to medium body that is not syrupy. Astringency is mild with alcohol above expectations, yet manageable. Carbonation is light and prickly.

Best with a steak but good on its own and would easily stand up to sipping while enjoying a cigar.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 21:30:14 | More by SLeffler27

rapidsequence

Virginia

3.6/5  rDev -7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750 ml bottle from Pints O'Plenty. $11.90. Bottled Nov 2011.

Appearance: Opaque, not the thickest motor oil, but big and black. Thick tan head with great retention and big curtains of sticky lace.

Smell: Hot, vanilla-y bourbon. Its enough to sting the nose a little bit. There's bittersweet chocolate and a significant burnt roastiness.

Taste: As expected, lots of hot bourbon and bitter, burnt roast. There's still a bitter, grassy and citrusy hops bite too. Hidden amongst the harsher flavors is caramel and dark chocolate.

Mouthfeel: Reasonably thick feeling with soft, creamy carbonation. The alcohol gives a very drying finish.

Overall: Its not as good as the regular Storm King. Its just harsh bourbon and burnt roast. Maybe some extended aging would smooth and meld things.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 01:20:51 | More by rapidsequence

Dope

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Pours black with a large and very dense light brown head. Fades slowly leaving big lines of lacing. Excellent retention.

S: Strong, stinging bourbon and oak with some decent roasted malt hiding behind it. Boozy.

T: Very strong bourbon flavor. Loaded with toffee, caramel, molasses and oak. LOTS of oak. Entirely bourbon until about midway through when it starts to fade a little, revealing just a little bit of that stout character. Once it warms fully you get more roasted malt character along with chocolate and a touch of coffee, but it's mostly still buried compared to the bourbon.

M: Fairly heavy, relatively smooth.

O: Shame, Storm King is such a great RIS, this barrel treatment actually makes it worse. It's still not bad, but what's the point? Might as well get regular storm king which is cheaper, easier to procure and tastes better. Barrel treatments are supposed to improve a beer, that's why I dropped the score in this category so much, even though it's a decent beer still. An aged version might be nicer, will have to revisit someday.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 03:35:42 | More by Dope

TheHoppiest

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 oz bottle bearing a bottled-on date of November 10, 2011 into an oversized snifter. Pours a deep dark brown, almost balck color, with a 1/2" frothy head that reduces quite slowly, leaving spotty froth bubbles like little foam islands.

Has a fair amount alcohol in the nose, like bourbon or whiskey, which is likley from the barrel aging this goes through. Vanilla, doughy bread, yeast, and coffee aromas are all present as well.

Taste is sharper than I would typically expect of a brew like this; alcohol, dark chocolate, black coffee, and other bitter black things combine to fill the palate after the initial heat of the sip. Finishes bitter, but not hoppy; has more of a lemon pith than a hop bitterness to it.

Mouthfeel is sharp, hot, and heavy; there's a fair amount of carbonation in this that, when combined with the alcohol, does not give it the most pleasant mouthfeel.

Overall, I'm slightly disappointed by this one. I don't know if I had it too soon, and should have let it age longer, or if this is how it presents. I had this a few years ago, and don't remember it quite being like this; rather, I thought it to be a boozy but decent stout. This bottle's more boozy and carbonated, less full-bodied. If you've got one of these at home, I'd let it sit a while before opening.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 20:22:55 | More by TheHoppiest

musicforairports

New York

3.93/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black, with a nice head and better lacing than I've seen in most bourbon-barrel beers.

Smells of bourbon, burnt malt, light orange notes.

Tastes has notes of chocolate, coffee, vanilla, bourbon, citrus hops. ABV is noticeable. The bourbon barrel seems to give it more heat than real barrel character, but bourbon notes are definitely evident. You can definitely tell this is Storm King.

Medium-thick mouthfeel, medium-high carbonation. Lacks the light body of some barrel-aged beers, but has a bit more carbonation than some.

Overall this tastes a lot like Storm King, with decent bourbon flavors. It's not exactly complex and dense, but it's tasty.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 02:33:32 | More by musicforairports

Mora2000

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a black color with a tan head. The aroma is full pf piney hops with some roasted malt. Not surprisingly, the beer smells a lot like Storm King, or in other words, like a hoppy Black IPA. The flavor is where the barrel aging is very apparent. I get a lot of bourbon notes, as well as some chocolate. The hops are present and add some pine to the flavor, but they are much more hidden than in the aroma. Medium to thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 01:56:13 | More by Mora2000

Thickfreakness

New York

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

200th review... congrats to my liver!

A- Pours a licorice stick black into my Bruery Tulip. Three fingers of dark brown head that floats and sticks all over the glass. Has a nice, thin pool of tan creamy head that keeps floating and perculating on the surface.

S- Citrusy and charred. Nice notes of orange, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, and licorice. Has a nice bit of alcohol in the nose that complements and highlights the flavors. I really like the depth that the bourbon has added to the base nose of Storm King. It subdues some of the piney citrus while adding creamy vanilla/marshmallow tones.

T- Really punchy citrus flavors of grapefruit and orange zest. Huge charred chocolate malts, dark roasted coffee, and hints of licorice. Nice balance of vanilla, charred wood, and piney citrus. More like a HUGE Imperial Black IPA/Cascadian Ale than a traditional bourbon barrel aged stout.

M- Really all about the citrus and the char. Medium thickness. Wishing it had more bourbon and vanilla tones in the taste, not just the nose. Lots of citrus, alcohol, and charred wood.

O- Basically Storm King with some undertones of vanilla and perhaps a touch thicker. This one is still on the verge of being an Imperial Black IPA. Really nice brew. I wanna grab a couple more and open them at various times over the next few years to see how it develops, mellows, and what it becomes.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 02:53:11 | More by Thickfreakness

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

3.15/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Presentation: Picked up this corked and caged 750 mL bottle about a week ago. Poured in my Kate the Great tulip glass at around cellar temperature.

Appearance: Almost completely black in color with a nice, creamy medium brown head. Recedes into a nice lacing. Really nice retention for a barrel aged stout.

Aroma: The hop aromas are still pretty aggressive here even though this has been aged in barrels. The pine and citrus notes blend nicely with the chocolate notes of the stout. Some vanilla and caramel, maybe even a touch of bourbon, but it is mostly hidden beneath the hops and heavy alcohol.

Taste: Big, bitter pine notes from the hops are really the first thing to hit. The barrel doesn't really provide the smooth, sweet notes I would hope. Instead this is pretty harsh and medicinal tasting. The booze is not well hidden at all considering it is not high at all for the style. There is some vanilla, caramel and bourbon beneath the hops and alcohol, but it is really overpowered. The barrel really doesn't add anything other than a harsh alcohol note.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied, with a bit higher than average carbonation.

Overall, the barrel aging treatment here just doesn't add anything great to this beer. It's not even that this is a bad beer, it is just that it is not as good as the base beer. The hops and bourbon barrel do not meld at all. A dissappointment for sure, especiialy considering how good the base beer is.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 01:49:46 | More by Gosox8787

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.55/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The ever-delicious Victory Storm King undergoes a bourbon barreled face lift. It seems that every time that a world class Imperial Stout meets a bourbon barrel that the end result is miraculously better than the original. Does Storm King yield the same benefits?

Pouring a volumnous froathy pour of dark, dark brown (maybe black) and with a foamy tan head, the beer nearly billows with assertive carbonation. Stubborn carbonation and confident lace are hallmarks of a well made Stout.

Sharp aromas of grain and hops deliver an aggressive attack on the nose in the forms of burnt grain, coffee grounds, weedy hops, scorched caramel, and booze. The balance is superb as to never allow one element command the others.

Roasted malts demand early attention to the taste buds as the flavors of strong coffee, cocoa powder, scorched toffee, and burnt embers. Low lying sweetness keeps the beer's flavor focused on roasty elements. The counter of hops deliver a sharp and spicy flavor of grasses, weeds, and pine sap. Without the bridge of malt sweetness to connect the roast to the hops, the beer's roast and hop flavors seem to battle for attention in much conflicting demeanor.

Roasty dry and full bodied, the abundance of carbonation gives a fuller-than-expected and airy feel. The beer makes quick work of its champagne-like carbonation and quickly ushers in an arid and ashy-dry finish of astringency derived from both grain and vegetation. The boozy burn extends from warmth and into harshness in the finish. A linger of coffee and pine lasts deep into aftertaste.

In the end, the bourbon barrel aging attributes more harshness than benefit. The tannin and woody vegetation causes too much astringency, and the added alcohol fails to deliver the more gentlemanly caramel, vanilla, and mature oak flavors that make bourbon so wonderful.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 04:13:50 | More by BEERchitect

JayS2629

Alabama

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a beautiful, dark black with a huge tan head. Great retention and big rings of chunky lace.

The aroma is heavy on rich bourbon and oak with dark chocolate, earth, and roasted malts.

Huge boozy bourbon up front throws the balance off. I have to compare this with other bourbon barrelled stouts, and it isn't balanced well. Nice underneath flavors of chocolate, coffee, roasted malts and bitter hops to balance....but too much roast and boourbon.

Very warming, thick, full bodied

Overall a little aggressive. Definitely a sipper. Pehaps will improve with some cellar aging.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 02:10:04 | More by JayS2629