Older Viscosity - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This bottle listed at 13.75% ABV. Despite tasting like a bourbon-aged RIS, it bourbon-aged Old Viscosity. And that difference dollar-wise: $60 bottle, tax, and tip at Beerbistro. And a 375 ml at that. Very dark, some creamy head, with aromas of wine and bourbon, coffee and roasted barley. Smooth, the bourbon had worked in to the taste profile and this reminded me of the 28-year old Kourage RIS I had last year, except less boozy in the nose.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2007 03:08:42 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.65/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pennzoil black and equally glossy. Absolutely no highlights are visible, not even with bright sunshine behind the glass. The upper half of the snifter is occupied by a wonderful looking crown of brown sugar colored foam that is surprisingly hearty given the ABV and the barrel aging. What a tremendous looking beer.

I'm confused about whether Older Viscosity is a true Imperial stout or not. Port says that *Old* Viscosity isn't brewed to any specific style and that it blurs the boundaries between porter, stout, old ale and barleywine. Twenty percent of that beer is aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels prior to bottling. That 20% is 100% *Older* Viscosity, if that makes any sense.

Having said that, OV certainly smells like a bourbon barrel-aged double stout. It also smells incredible! I love the fact that both base beer and bourbon are easily appreciated. There's an explosive amount of dark chocolate, caramelized sugar and vanilla, with very little oakiness. I also get a fair amount of oily coconut.

Simply put, Port Older Viscosity is beautiful beer. If you like Imperial stouts and bourbon like I do, you'll be gobsmacked as well. It seems like every craft brewery under the sun is releasing a bourbon barrel-aged stout. However, only a handful are doing them this well. I'd expect nothing less from the incomparable Tomme Arthur.

Actually, Russian Imperial stout is the most reasonable style, but this delicious ale doesn't taste *exactly* like an RIS. There are definitely some old ale or even English barleywine leanings. The flavor profile is astoundingly complex: dark chocolate, blackstrap molasses, dark brown sugar, black raspberries, vanilla beans and coconut shavings. Older is also vinous in a way that is reminiscent of tawny port. Whew!

The mouthfeel is the only (minor) letdown, but that's only because a beer with a name like this should be more... viscous. It fills out nicely as room temperature approaches, so all is not lost. Besides, carbonation is spot-on. Part of the lack of chewiness might be that this bottle is from the release prior to the latest one. Which probably makes it a 2007 vintage.

Although it didn't start out that way in the top half of the (much too small) bottle, I'm now tempted to grant the ultimate taste score to Older Viscosity. It's an outstanding, expertly crafted ale that is a near perfect combination of stout, old ale and bourbon. Thanks to Talisker for sending me yet another world-class beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2009 21:05:00 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This bottle was a 2006 Vintage 12.7oz corked and caged bottle, served at first pour at 50 degrees and allowed to warm up to 60 degrees by the second pour. Both pours were into a Middle Ages imperial pint glass.

A - Undid the cage and popped the cork and poured hard into the glass and was able to produce a thin chocolate tan colored head, maybe about half an inch high at the most, and even this quickly dropped back to just a thin veil of bubbles across the top after just a few minutes. Looked thick, syrup or oil like sitting in the glass with just a bare black liquid staring up at me. The color was a very deep dark chocolate brown, but I mean you could call this one essentially black and you wont have any problems pulling it off. It was as opaque as you can get with no light shining through at any angle. It really did resemble engine oil in every aspect so far, but I was sure there was going to be a lot more to it then that. Some very light, and I mean very light side glass lace formed as I made my way down the glass, but it was unremarkable in that context. The look was a far cry from the thick tan heads and tremendous lacing of some of its peers, but that will by no means influence the final judging of this one.

S - The first thing I noticed was a tremendous amount of bourbon in the smell. It was coming across very hot at first, but this was just the barrel aging, which to be honest, if it was this prevalent in the aroma, the flavor was setting up to be out of this world. A deep resonant smell of roasted coffee then followed, mixed in with what almost seemed to be to be like some kind rich burnt tobacco smell, quite unique and I cannot say that I have encountered anything like this one in recent memory. Letting it warm lets some of the bourbon smells work themselves out and starts to reveal some of the deeper ingredients lying well under the surface. There was some bit of sweetness in there, albeit small; however, it was there and gave off a caramelized sugar note of some sort, bitter dark chocolate mingling in now and really staring to battle it out with the bourbon. Notes of oak now hitting the stage, really giving it that earthy tone I was looking for, and being sweetened up just a little bit b a hint of vanilla floating around in there.

T -First sipped rolled through the mouth dragging a barrel full of bourbon with it, wow, this was coming across strong.Loads of bourbon as we previously discussed were the dominant tones early on in here, and it took a few to get past them, but once you did, it opened up very nicely. Rich dark chocolate notes were swirling around in here, mingling with everything that came there way, including a touch of sweet lactose, which tried to drag some light in here, but had really no luck at all, getting quickly shunned and tossed aside like yesterdays garbage, to be replaced with some deep roasted coffee grind like flavor, and again, that rich smoked tobacco that I picked up in the smell, not really sure what that is, but it adds great depth to it and really providing and interesting little hint. Rolling though there is now some oak starting to pull it together, really showing off the barrel character of it now. The aging on this went beautifully and really could be used as a textbook example of what can be done with this process. Some hints of vanilla starting to poke around, and then come some black licorice, hell yeah now we are talking. Letting it warm up now to around or close to room temperature, things are really starting to change a bit here. Gone is the strong bourbon barrel hotness, the alcohol all but faded away, and instead those subtle notes of sweetness are replacing it, really mellowing it out, letting the oak like earthy notes dominate and bring together the chocolate and the vanilla. The finish was intense. Hard really to say that it was hoppy, cause it really wasn't, however it was bitter, and lasted for a good while. The final notes of this were a long lasting barrel taste, with hints of licorice that really seemed to bring the whole thing together quite nicely. One of the most interesting and intriguing flavors I have ever seen and really in a class of its own.

M - It was not highly carbonated in anyway, having a very oil like feel to it, sort of slick, with some thickness to it though. Very smooth though, just not creamy. If I could have improved one thing on it, it would have been to add in more carbonation, and give it a little more body, but the flavor alone would bowl you over anyway.

D - This was a quintessential sipper. If for the alcohol content alone, there was just no conceivable way of getting this one to be anything but that. It was so rich and flavorful; every sip you took was one less you were going to have to enjoy later on. It became infinitely more drinkable the warmer it got, really letting the hotness fade and becoming an incredible dessert.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2008 11:22:22 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.1/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a bottle I swapped with Tomme after opening a couple flat ones.

A: The bottle opened with a slight pop and the pour was lowly carbonated, but did feature some bubbles. The beer itself is viscous and black with a minimal tan colored head.

S: The nose is very nice with notes of bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, and coffee. Perhaps a little bit of alcohol heat, but nothing overwhelming.

T: The great nose did not quite translate to the flavor. The flavor is very heavy on the bourbon, with the chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt flavors coming through more as the beer warms up. Unfortunately, so does the alcohol.

M: The body is full, and the carbonation is sufficient for the style, but could use some more bubbles.

D: This beer can be one of my absolute favorites, but this iteration of it is a bit disappointing. The alcohol comes through just a bit too much, unfortunately, but I would still recommend this beer and drink it any time.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2010 05:37:18 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a deep, dark black into my snifter. As expected given the vintage this is, there is absolutely no head at all with the hardest of all pours, and only a tiny bit of lacing is all I can muster with a long swirl of the glass.

S: Loads of coffee and espresso with heap after heap of bourbon as well. Some mild, dry sweetness coming alongside some bittersweet chocolate.

T: Some alcohol comes alongside the espresso, which ends up really bringing out the bourbon characteristics. Any chocolate and/or sweetness is quite subdued.

M: Again, almost zero carbonation. If it weren't for the style--i.e. if this were an IPA--the lack of carbonation would be a major buzzkill, but it's only a minor setback how it currently is. Loads of alcohol as well.

D: Fairly drinkable given some fairly obvious flaws. Fairly disappointing as the taste shows some promise, and I was expecting more knowing how good Old Viscosity is.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2009 02:26:48 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.55/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours a dark brown, near black body with a tiny tan head.

Smell: Robust, roasty aroma with the inviting bourbon notes of vanilla, wood, molasses, and brown sugar.

Taste: Starts roasty and chocolatey, then you get a jolt of rich caramel sweetness and bourbon along with all of its accompanying flavors. Hint of dark fruit along the way. Plenty more of the vanilla and wood for the warming finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Mild carbonation.

Drinkability: Some of these bourbon brews can really end up a slipshod, careless mess, but not this! Here, we can explore the rich complexities of a bourbon barrel job well done.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2008 04:01:59 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.7/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours a viscous (dare I say it) dark brown color with a modest tan head that, not surprisingly, fails to persist but does lead a pattern of dots and other shapes along the sides of the chalice

Smell: Rich, oaky bourbon (but without the sweetness of some other barrel aged beers); dark, dark chocolate; vanilla; charcoal; and some espresso

Taste: Roasted coconut, up front, and then it sits on your tongue like a dark chocolate bar, adding rum-soaked prune and licorice by mid-palate; after the swallow, the chocolate returns and is joined by the oaky, bourbon flavors that linger, smoothly, through the finish

Mouthfeel: Thick and viscous, with low carbonation

Drinkability: Is this ever impressive! Deserves all the accolades and then some (particularly in the bottlings that are properly carbonated, and I have had some that aren't)

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2008 22:59:12 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.15/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2010 vintage.

Pours an opaque black with a small 1/2 inch dark khaki head that fades to an oily film on the top of the beer. Random spotting and streaking of lace forms all over the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark fruits, wood, vanilla, bourbon, and slight soy sauce. Taste is of dark roasted malt, bourbon, vanilla, wood, and alcohol. There is a boozy burn in the back of the throat and a mild bitterness on the palate. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a thick and creamy mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer but you can definitely feel the 12% ABV while you are sipping on this one. A good beer to share with someone else for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2011 05:46:39 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of Bu11zeye: Poured a pitch-black color ale with a small foamy head with average retention and some lacing. Aroma of bourbon and oak with some notes of roasted malt. Taste is also dominated by some nice notes of bourbon with some light oak with some lightly sweet roasted malt notes. Texture is somewhat oily with average carbonation and full body. Alcohol is definitely not too apparent and bourbon is well balanced. Very good over all but I have to admit I was expecting more character from this beer, this is easily drinkable and I would have never guessed the 12% of ABV.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2008 17:49:44 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.58/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A tasty beer that bridges the gap between a Russian Imperial Stout and an English Olde Ale, except with bourbon barrel complexity and depth. Can you go wrong with that combination?

The beer pours an expectedly deep brown/black color with complete opaqueness. A thin yet froathy tanned head settles atop the beer and hold solid through the session. Lots of lacing along with light legging- the look certainly fits the bill.

Aromas display more fruit than malt up front. Deep berries, currants, grapes, plumbs and other rippened stone fruits set the stage while scorched toffee, deep toast and medium French Roast notes follow closely behind. A light twang of tannin, vinous, and booze also come into play late.

Flavors show a much more traditional Stout procession. Malt notes of strong coffee, toast, and toffee hit first with a deep and long linger into a grape, plumb, berry taste beyond mid palate. The woody, nutty, vinous notes show light sherry and soy sauce oxidation of melanoidins late and deliver more depth and complexity than off-flavors. This is a great tasting beer.

The body is deep, full, and robust. The carbonation, attenuation, and alcohol keeps the beer feeling lighter, air-ier, and more evaporative than actually is- this is a good thing as it keeps the entire weight of the beer from leaning on the tongue too much. Alcohols are present but seems balanced well against the intensity of flavors and gravity of the beer.

A very nice Stout that allows the vinous barrel-aged qualities to rival that of the Stout-like qualities. Thanks Mikesgrove!

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2010 03:45:18 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a snifter at Durty Nellie's.

Take that, high bottle prices: on-tap does just fine. Boosh. It pours a deep pitch topped by over a finger of tan foam. The nose is mostly barrel, as though I'm sniffing the handiwork of a very talented Yankee Candle-type cooper: oak, vanilla, whiskey, a hint of smoke, and maple syrup. Some roasted malts in the background assure me that this is indeed a beer in my glass. The taste is more straight-forwardly beer, with notes of roasted malts (lighter than in the smell), chocolate, oak, whiskey, vanilla, and a drop or two of what seems to be honey. The body is pretty hefty, with a light moderate carbonation and a fairly chewy feel. Overall, a very nice stout, though I am unsure whether or not it really lives up to the hype. Either way, it's pretty damn tasty, but a bit much for a regular sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2010 15:17:54 | More by TMoney2591

drabmuh

Maryland

4/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle dated 2009 into a Singha glass. Beer is black and forms almost no head, there is apparently no carbonation and no head. There were a few bubbles that were most likely the result of a rather violent pour that form some lacing. I guess I'm an unlucky victim of an uncarbonated Older Viscosity / Lost Abbey SNAFU. Thanks. It will affect my review since THEY are the ones that fucked up.

Aroma is like bourbon. Very sweet, very boozy, smells like a lot of bourbon barrel aged beers. Smells good.

Beer is medium bodied, feels good in the mouth. Very strong from an alcohol point of view. Very sweet, some chocolate based bitterness. Overall its pretty smooth for this sort of beer. A nice blend all together.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 03:58:06 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.3/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Kaiser81 for sending me this bottle. 2010 vintage.

The beer pours a dark brown to black color with a brown head. Glad to see this batch was carbonated after hearing about other batches of Older Viscosity that had carbonation issues.

The aroma is bourbon, roasted malt and chocolate. The beer smells very inviting.

The flavor is better than the aroma and is very complex. I get a lot of oak, maple and vanilla, as well as a healthy does of chocolate and roasted malt. With all of these secondary flavors, I get a large amount of bourbon and some hot, warming alcohol.

Full, creamy mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

I love Old Viscosity and this beer was everything I hoped it would be. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2010 03:06:16 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 bottle - consumed on 12/2/2010

A - Poured out an opaque, jet black color with no head to speak of at all. There was some light brown sudsy residue left on the sides of the glass.

S - Smelled of booze, roasted malt, toffee and burnt molasses. Slight floral hop presence.

T - Leads off with roasty malt, chocolate, molasses and toffee. Good bitter bite to match the sweetness. Boozy flavor builds as it warms.

M - It was smooth and soft. A medium bodied beer with a chewy mouthfeel.

D - This is a really good beer. I feel it was a little flat but stil delicious.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 16:47:00 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

4.43/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is jet black in color and poured with an eighth of a finger high dark tan head that quickly died down, leaving only some bits of lacing on the surface and a thin collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are moderate to strong aromas of bourbon from the barrel aging in the nose. These become stronger as the beer warms up.
T: Like the smell, the taste has lots of flavors of bourbon long with notes of oaky vanilla. There are some hints of chocolate from the underlying malts.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied on the palate and has a a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: Apart from the bourbon, I don't get any taste of alcohol in this beer. As such, it hides its alcohol exceptionally well considering the strength. I love the taste of this beer and could sip it all night long.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 00:58:58 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Sampled at the Sixth Annual Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer.

A - Pitch black, quick-dissipating mocha-colored head with big bubbles. This brew looks thick and imposing.

S - Whiskey, oak, toffee & coffee, dark chocolate, roasted malt. A terrific balance of bitter and sweet flavors.

T - Hits you strong with the whiskey to start, then morphs into the woody oak flavor. Finishes with dark chocolate, coffee, and light touch of sweetness (vanilla? dark fruit?). Bourbon aftertaste.

M - Nice tingle, viscous and creamy. Warms you up the same way good whiskeys do.

D - It's strong (although I'd have guessed 9%), and I'd likely only have one (or even share a bottle with friends). Delicious & smooth to drink though!

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2008 16:29:16 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.8/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

2008 Vintage; Sampled May 2009
Very well carbonated, overly so even, as a careful pour produces a long lasting, two-finger thick, nicely browned tan colored head. The beer is quite black and opaque in color. This has a nice bourbon induced fruitiness and vanilla note to it in the nose. Dark chocolate mixes with concentrated sweet fig notes as well as some nice, distinct raisin notes and some toasted grain notes. Despite the dark color there is not a whole lot of dark, roasted grain notes; there is perhaps a touch espresso like roast sharpness, some burnt nutty notes. There is a nice, toasted coconut aroma here as well that ties the barrel and base beer notes together quite well.

The beer has a peppery, spritzy carbonation that is a bit too much for a beer like this. Fortunately some vigorous swirling of my glass is all it takes to release the excess carbonation; this really helps to smooth out the body. The beer finish has an acidic edge to it and a sharpness that is a bit too harsh for the creamy up front malt to drown it out; other notes of burnt broccoli and some heat and spiciness from the bourbon influence also pepper the finish. There are other, smoother, tastier, roast grain notes of toasted dark chocolate and nicely browned whole-grain bread. The coconut note from the aroma is here in the flavor as well.

Not bad, but wasn't quite as good as I was hoping. This is better than the original, almost flat batch that I first had and in all truthfulness is enjoyable, but I was expecting a bit more from this batch due to the recent buzz.

Sampled May 2007 @ Stone Bistro
The beer is quite still; it shows browned sherry colored notes around an otherwise blackened dark chocolate body and has absolutely no head. The nose has a very prominent bourbon-like aroma; notes of liquor soaked figs & cherries as well as notes of oak, vanillin, buttery wood and a smooth bourbon character are all part of the aroma. Despite how well this smells at this point after having a full meal, I can't quite help but think 'where are the beer aromatics.'

The beer is quite still tasting / feeling as is expected after it visibly not having any carbonation. Still it has a thick enough body to feel viscous and the carbonation is not missed to much. Rich bourbon flavors dominate the flavor profile as do flavors of buttery oak (which are quite big here) and a touch of vanilla. Somehow, despite the dominance, the barrel / whiskey character is not too over the top for this beer.

This beer is much smoother than the regular version, which at times seemed on the verge of unbalanced; this instead is a great after dinner sipping brew. The oak flavors in this brew integrate really well with the bourbon notes; it is hard to tell at times which is which (considering bourbon is oak flavored this makes sense); spicy oak notes, buttery wood and vanillin may all contribute to the perception of bourbon overtones.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2007 22:39:09 | More by Gueuzedude

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This pours out as a very dark looking black color. The light can barely get through on this one. The head wasn't very big but it did leave a light lacing. The smell of the beer is heavily roasted, a little smokey, some bourbon, vanilla and a bit of earth. The taste is strong with some booze, molasses, bourbon, chocolate, and some earthy burnt malts. The mouthfeel is pretty thick, very nice body on this beer. Overall I found this beer to be very good all around.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 01:34:58 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.3/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Got this from errantnight, 2009 bottle opens with no evidence of carbonation, pours mahogany with a trace of tan head that fades fast. Traces of lacing & head retention

S: Plummyness, dark fruit, a touch of cherry & figs

T: Follows the nose with dark chocolate, booze bite & oakyness, & Bourbon notes. Dark chocolate, raisins, plums, plus booze bite as this warms, just a bit of leafy hops too. Finishes warming, dry & fruitty with a bit of carob & a kiss of Bourbon. Almost pulled a 5.0

MF: Warming, chewy more carbonation than the appearance lets on, a touch of oilyness is there once warm

Drinks a tad slow due some hotness, but I enjoyed this & would love to have access to this one. Having said that the little brother (old vis ) I probably like a bit more, will have to verify by looking at my rating,,, Yep the extra 2% abv didn't really do as much for me as the "smaller" version...

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2010 04:31:16 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

4.1/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12.7 oz. bottle, 2009 version,

A: Pours a murky dark, dark brown with some tan bubbles and a little lace, the head is pretty much nonexistent. Looks like motor oil.

S: Bourbon, wood, bark, chocolate, vanilla, very enjoyable.

T: The taste heavily centers around deep, dark chocolate, a little mocha as my cousin picked up on. The bourbon is evident, but it's in the background for the most part, but does lend a real nice vanilla note. Ethanol is noticable, the beer can be a tad hot at times, but it melds well with the whiskey character and the other flavour components.

M: Smooth, full-bodied, but the lack of carbonation makes it a bit watery, the booze can stand out at times.

D: This is certainly a tasty beer, but it is very expensive, and at the end of the day I prefer regular Old Viscosity more, especially with it's nicer carbonation, body, and the fact that it is considerably cheaper.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2009 17:27:11 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: pours a black color with a short 1/4" head that breaks down quickly.

Smell: loads of roasted malts, dark chocolate, and bourbon comes through to the nose.

Taste: loads of malt, dark chocolate, some hints of licorice, light vanilla, some bourbon, oak, and warming alcohol creates a well balanced flavor profile. Bitterness nicely cuts the sweetness.

Mouthfeel: heavy in body. Smooth throughout with a velvety finish. Long flavorful aftertaste.

Overall: this is great slow drinking beer that is loaded with flavor. Everyone should try this one at least once.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 20:25:26 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.45/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to jcwattsrugger for bringing this back from CA:

Cork-caged 12.7 oz. bottle:

Pours black with a thin, light brown head that lasts. Nice retention for the style/abv.

The smell is of chocolate, licorice, some tar/acidity, dark fruit, oak, bourbon, caramel - one complex aroma, here - and an awesome one, to boot! Strong.

The taste is chocolate - more bitter than in the aroma. Compexities just as present in the taste as in the aroma, but with a sweeter, boozier touch. Bourbon-barrel adds a nice vanilla touch.

Slightly understated carbonation, a bit of a swishy feel. Full-bodied.

Dangerously drinkable - this is complex and delicious, despite the alcohol making itself known. A wonderful brew!

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2008 02:23:42 | More by jwc215

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A tulip glass at Al's of Hampden.

A: Pitch black, this stout comes with a wispy white head. No lacing or head retention here.

S: The nose is bourbon sweet amongst the dark entrails of a stout. Roasted malts, a thick presence amongst the bourbon, are not the main attraction. The barrel aging accentuates the bourbon's vanilla anc booze.

T: Bourbon is the centerpiece, having pushed its way into all aspects of the ale. Vanilla, wood, and coconut all take their time coming through, getting stronger as the ale warms. The stout body, while heavy, is an afterthought, serving a supporting role to the barrel. The bourbon improves as the ale warms, blooming into a rich sweetness that isn't weighed down by booziness.

M: Mouthfeel? You mean how does a stout feel after it's been laid down in bourbon barrels for an inhuman amount of time? I'll tell ya. It tastes like nothing you can imagine.

O: On tap? Really? What can I say, I get lucky sometimes.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2011 18:48:08 | More by akorsak

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bottle at Abe's Cold Beer in Bethlehem and split it with a buddy. It poured thick and black into my glass with a short light brown head.

I'm not usually impressed by huge stouts like this, but damn, this was a heck of a beer. Instead of having all the different flavors melting together, there's a clear beginning, middle, and end. There's the bourbon, oak, and vanilla up front which is followed by smooth dark and milk chocolate notes and a caramel, toffee finish.

Half a bottle was enough for me, but the beer was balanced and relatively drinkable for the strength. While the bourbon barrel is nicely integrated, the dark malt notes are also fantastic and I wouldn't mind trying a non-barrel version. Check this out if you can.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2010 19:04:56 | More by tempest

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

So thick and so smooth. Lots of vanilla and wood on this one. Very mildly boozy, but it all comes together and works. Love the complexities; love the burn. It just works so beautifully. Ends up being one of those beers I just want to sip and not worry about taking notes on.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2012 23:19:38 | More by RblWthACoz