Bourbon Barrel Belgian Style Dubbel - Bluegrass Brewing Co. - East St. Matthew's

mcallister

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A clear, light toffee mahagony color with a very small spritz off white head that is now a light topper.

Plum, light raisin, date, fig, rose petal, bourbon, light oak and vanilla. Some spicy yeast aromas and baked bread.

Not overly complex but not a bad beer. Style wise its a bit off. Maybe some milk chocolate, hints of raisin, prune, rum, bourbon, vanilla, oak, nice woodsy notes on the finish. Some spicy yeast flavors, and Bready grains.

A bit light in body, moderate carbonation and a finish showing dry wood tannins.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 22:25:21 | More by mcallister

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ml bottle, 9.5%. Pours a clear chestnut color. Off white head disappears fairly quick.

Bourbon in the nose, with a nice amount of vanilla. Some hints of dark fruit and raisin. A faint whiff of belgian spice.

Darker malt, a hint of raisin and some earthy flavors. Bourbon comes in a bit strong, but not completely overwhelming. Nice vanilla towards the end. Dries at the finish with some woody tannins.

Lighter body, with a higher amount of carbonation. Seems a bit thin, and the bourbon seems to dominate a bit. Not bad, but I enjoyed the wee heavy better.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 22:24:33 | More by Bierguy5

ferrari29

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer poured from a bottle into Snifter glass

A - Beer poured with a dark copper hue and formed a small head which dissipated rather quickly; moderate amount of lacing formed on the side of the glass

S - Vanilla and bourbon notes come up immediately, but none more than usual; whiskey and oak

T - Bourbon and slight vanilla tastes; semi-sweet at the beginning but turns rather astringent as the taste of whiskey washes down the back of your tongue and down the hatch; some caramel notes and nut flavors; oak

M - Rough and slightly sour; thin consistency; slightly effervescent

D - Solid drink; very strong whiskey flavor; good for special occasions and meant to be sipped very easily

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2011 16:50:27 | More by ferrari29

claspada

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

UPDATE: Sampled 8/13/11 and the alcohol heat and burn has subsided tremendously and is waves and waves better than when I originally sampled. Still don't love the idea of Belgian beers being Bourbon barrel aged (just don't lend as well as stouts or barley wines), but not terrible like it was during my first review.

Pours a clear amber color with a small eggshell white head.
Aromas of straight bourbon and iodine. Some lighter caramel malts and toffee, with an underlying brown sugar.
The taste is slightly better beginning with caramel and toffee maltiness but the bourbon comes right back and smacks you in the face. Really not balanced at all. As it warms it becomes more palatable and the caramel/brown sugar sweetness helps to combat the alcohol/bourbon burn.
Medium to low-bodied, with low carbonation which once again hurts this style of beer. Belgian offerings needs the frothiness and bubbly carbonation that this lacks. This brewery is now 0-2 so far and have one chance to redeem themselves with their Imperial Porter but I am not holding my breath, especially because I don't intend to try it until the fall.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 22:47:10 | More by claspada