Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout - Central Waters Brewing Company

angelmonster

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewing the 2010 vintage.

Pours a pitch black body, head is khaki colored. Head retention and lacing were both good.

First smells are of chocolate, and whiskey. Next come figs and raisins mixed with burnt malts and caramel. Vanilla becomes apparent as beer warms. Hops aren't present, this beers' aroma is all about whiskey soaked charred oak contrasted by some sugary sweetness. Pretty complex and layered, but subtle.

Taste is big on whiskey almost as if someone tossed a shot of booze in the beer. Underneath the big punch of alcohol there's some roasted malts, coffee, and chocolate covered raisins. There is an aftertaste of bitterness which I assume is from the hops since there was no mention of coffee as an ingredient. Too bad the bourbon overshadows all the other flavors in the beer.

Mouthfeel had some body to it but wasnt too syrupy. Well carbonated for a barrel aged stout. Head added some texture to the beer briefly but not as long as I hoped. Alcohol left some heat in the mouth and throat.

Overall this was a good sipping beer. This beer was complex but the bourbon was abit too much and prevented this beer from reaching the elite status of stouts like barrel aged yeti and The Event Horizon. Would like to revisit this beer in a year or so and see if aging smoothed out any bumps in this flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2011 10:11:03 | More by angelmonster

everettsbeerguy

Illinois

4/5  rDev -5%

05-19-2013 18:36:37 | More by everettsbeerguy

jakeox

Illinois

4/5  rDev -5%

05-18-2013 23:50:52 | More by jakeox

barrelofbastard

California

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-18-2013 20:27:26 | More by barrelofbastard

EROCK75

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

05-17-2013 16:57:34 | More by EROCK75

BarrelAgedBrian

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -5%

05-17-2013 04:04:14 | More by BarrelAgedBrian

Pelican5

California

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

05-16-2013 07:20:14 | More by Pelican5

illy0sis

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

05-14-2013 22:19:01 | More by illy0sis

lookrider

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-14-2013 14:29:14 | More by lookrider

jgluck

California

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-13-2013 20:26:28 | More by jgluck

BMart

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-13-2013 17:03:43 | More by BMart

ajzy

Wisconsin

2.5/5  rDev -40.6%

05-12-2013 21:53:15 | More by ajzy

nrs207

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-12-2013 19:45:56 | More by nrs207

ANTHONYJAY

Michigan

5/5  rDev +18.8%

05-12-2013 19:15:01 | More by ANTHONYJAY

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

05-12-2013 16:50:53 | More by mikeburd1128

BYOFB

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

05-11-2013 21:26:35 | More by BYOFB

jakea

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

05-11-2013 16:15:42 | More by jakea

tclang

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

05-11-2013 14:32:01 | More by tclang

gumballhead1

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-11-2013 06:51:57 | More by gumballhead1

verndenherder

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

05-11-2013 03:08:15 | More by verndenherder

PolloVagabundo

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-10-2013 19:07:38 | More by PolloVagabundo

leprechaunandfatman

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

05-10-2013 09:00:55 | More by leprechaunandfatman

leedorham

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

05-10-2013 02:09:19 | More by leedorham

bum732

Maryland

4/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

S: Very rich breadiness, almost a yeastiness, sweet bourbon with some dark chocolate, medium high bourbon on the nose.

L: Very dark brown bordering on black. Light tan head that dissipates. Good lacing.

T: Rich breadiness up front with the bourbon sweetness following. Medium low bitterness with chocolate sweetness complementing the sweet bourbon. A big wave of breadiness hits before finishing.

M: Medium thin body, medium carbonation.

Pretty tasty, body was definitely on the thinner side. Not necessarily a bad thing. Nice balance of the bready malt with the bourbon.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 02:11:48 | More by bum732

DMBTattoo

Illinois

5/5  rDev +18.8%

05-08-2013 22:23:18 | More by DMBTattoo