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

Naters333

Illinois

3.81/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured into my snifter from a 12 oz bottle. 2012

A- Poured a strait black color with a medium tan head. Head maybe only a half inch and recedes quickly. Doesn't seem to thick. Leaves some decent lacing here as I drink

S-Unique smell for a Bourbon Barrel stout. Sweet, vanilla, very sweet chocolate. Very strong on the vanilla side. Roasted carmel if such a thing.

T-Sweet, vanilla, more roasted carmel. Chocolate.

M- Kind of thin for a Barrel aged stout, but if I take a bigger sip the alcohol really shines. I kind of like a BBA beer that you taste and feel the alcohol.

O- Not too bad. A tad sweet for me. Think this would be good to make a float with some good vanilla ice cream. Have to give it to this beer as being very unique. It stands alone as far as I can't compare it to any other BBA stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 08:07:23 | More by Naters333

Florida9

Illinois

4.06/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Very dark brown. Forms a minimal tan head. No lacing.

S: Mildly aromatic with notes of chocolate, roasted malts, bourbon and vanilla. Mildly sweet.

T: Starts with a good amount of dark malt. A bit of roasted malts. Then chocolate, lots of chocolate, before the bourbon kicks in with notes of oak and vanilla. There is a light sweetness. Finish is quick and boozy.

M: On the heavier side of medium, but feels a bit thin for the style. Lower carbonation with a noticeable alcoholic heat.

O: A good beer with a great drinkability for an Imperial stout. Bourbon adds a nice character to the beer without overdominating the beer. However, I do feel this one is a bit thin, in both the mouthfeel and the flavor, to be truly great.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 03:33:24 | More by Florida9

mdaschaf

Washington

4.16/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

2011 vintage. Thanks Joe!

A: Black in body with a small head that forms upon pouring but dissipates rather quickly leaving behind a very thin ring and no lacing.

S: Lots of caramel and vanilla upfront with some burnt sugar. A bit of oak comes forward as it warms.

T: A good bit of caramel and vanilla upfront with some chocolate and a little bourbon underneath. Faint oak flavors with a bit of molasses and brown sugar. As it warms there is a faint nutty flavor as well.

M: Medium to full bodied with lowish carbonation.

O: A really nice imperial stout here. Liked how present the barrel is even after 1+ years.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 03:23:27 | More by mdaschaf

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

4.19/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Central Waters 2012 Bourbon Barrel Stout.

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a CBS snifter. Served at cellar temperature.

A) Very dark brown. No light getting through this one. Nearly a finger of tan head. The head quickly settles to a collar. There was some lacing and alcohol legs noted.

S) The nose on this brew really stacks up nicely against any Barrel Aged Stout I've had the pleasure to consume. Wonderful aroma of vanilla and bourbon. Pleasantly woody with light coffee, dark roasted malt, and a little brown sugar.

T) While the flavor is certainly similar to many of the characteristics of the aroma, it falls off just a bit in my humble opinion. The nose was just so wonderfully sweet. The bourbon cuts through this a bit on the taste, and there is a slight alcohol tingle. I guess I wanted the vanilla to carry over to the flavor a bit more. The finish is alcohol swirling about with oak and earthy notes.

M) Medium body and lightly carbonated. I would have personally like this to be a little thicker. It was pretty sticky, and it had me smacking my gums. A slightly dry finish, with a nice aftertaste.

O) This is an excellent bourbon barrel stout, and I can certainly say I am thankful to have Central Waters so nearby. They brew some mighty fine beers. This one falls just a little short in the taste and mouthfeel department for it to reach the stratosphere that I personally place GI BCBS. Having said all of that, I would gladly recommend this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 03:27:15 | More by RoamingGnome

nickapalooza86

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

As I go through what has to be about my 4th case of this beer I have had in my lifetime it occurs to my why not review it, especially when it is by far the best it has ever been this year!

Pours a almost black, light shines the brown on the sides, looks great lets dig in!

Smell, very sweet for a barrel stout, Vanilla is number 1 for sure, followed by bourbon, caramel, dark fruit, smells great lets go a step further shall we....

taste is also dominated by vanilla, bourbon and caramel. A little roastyness from the satin solstice come through in the finish.

Mouthfeel here is where I disagree with most reviews, It coats my mouth, sure it has a semi dry finish but that just keeps me coming back for more! Silky and smoot, not thick but certainly not thin!

Well at 9.69/4pack if you see it get it!, I know it is more in other areas but still only a dollar or two.... You are not gonna top that value and well you pay that price for 4 bottles not one 22oz bomber! Lets support our breweries who recognize that beer like this belong in this format, now stop my reading my awesome review and drink it up you fools!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 03:55:52 | More by nickapalooza86

vonnegut21

New York

4.35/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a dark, slick black with little head. Lots of alcohol lacing.

S: Big bourbon notes. Lots of vanilla and oak. A really nice aroma on this one.

T: Nice bourbon and caramel flavor up front. Malt, bitter chocolate and vanilla follow.

M: Fair carbonation, a bit thin bodied actually. Very drinkable for the ABV.

O: A very nice bourbon barrel stout and fairly readily available. I could use a bit more mouthfeel, but I'd definitely seek this one out again.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 02:09:11 | More by vonnegut21

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

4.55/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - a bit of a jet black with some brown tinges towards the top near the bubbly head that dissipates quickly after a pour; surprisingly carbonated but that goes away quick; minimal lacing

S - roasted malts; bourbon; chocolate; burnt sugar; a touch of coffee; vanilla; a bit of coconut; some oak

T - vanilla chocolate bourbon glory; the roasted malts are present again; oak and earth; really tasty hints of maple syrup; roasted oats; caramel; maybe some raisin or plum; that subtle touch of coffee

M - it's a bit thin for sure given the complexity and style, but it still has that thick, boozy stout thing going for it; it's medium-heavy; exceptionally smooth but as it compares to BCBS, better be at only 9.5%; easy carbonation

O - the vanilla-chocolate flavors with the bourbon barrel aging are decadent and delicious; this is the kind of bourbon barrel stout that you can actually drink more than one of; I'm a big fan...this is smooth, easy-drinking, and downright delicious in flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 02:15:10 | More by SkeeterBoganski

rodkin

Missouri

3.63/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours almost pure black, with some red and brown hues at the edge. Tiny bit of head that fades pretty quickly, minimal lacing.

Smell is big sweet chocolate and roasty bitterness, some barrel, faint vanilla, hint of dark fruit.

Taste is dark bitter chocolate, coffee, some astringency, with sweetness coming through at the back end. Vanilla and caramel mostly. The barrel character doesn't seem very strong.

Mouth is medium thick, pretty heavy carbonation. I'd prefer it a bit thicker with slightly less carbonation.

It's a BA stout all right. Pretty good, nothing to write home about.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 04:55:51 | More by rodkin

KFBR392

Illinois

4.04/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: A very dark brown color, not pitch black. Poured easily, very light lacing that had a brown tint to it. Enjoyed out of a snifter.

Smell: A strong bourbon aroma. Not offensive, but very rounded. Pleasant vanilla undertones and some of the barrel aging can be detected.

Taste: Very smooth front to this beer. A lot of the vanilla, coffee, malt here. The body of this beer is a little light, but a very balanced bourbon flavor makes this a great brew. The bourbon sticks on the palette but in a much lighter fashion then other BB aged stouts.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is balanced and an easy drinker for this kind of beer. The bourbon gives a light tingle that makes you acknowledge its presence.

Overall: Very good. I figured this beer would be a light BB Stout and it was in some ways. Could have used some more body but at the same time this was a unique twist. Its lighter body balanced well with everything else going on in this beer. Definitely worth a buy.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 01:50:02 | More by KFBR392

Stevedore

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle with 2298 code (25 October 2012) poured into a stemless snifter. Drank yesterday, 9 January 2013 and going off notes from my trusty brew journal- note that I only score in whole numbers.

Aroma- Nose is chock full of vanilla and oak. Hints of bourbon which reminds me of my college days with Jack on the rocks. I very much enjoyed this one. (4)

Colour- Very dark brown, similar in appearance to Coca-Cola. Pours with a 1cm brown head that mostly dissipates within a minute. Not much in way of lacing. (3)

Flavour- Starts off with strong hints of sweet vanilla, some weaker hints of chocolate quickly transitioning to a dryness of bourbon and oak flavours which dominates the rest of the experience. Very mellow; not particularly sweet or bitter. But these flavours themselves are very strong. (4)

Mouthfeel- A thin, light-bodied stout; most stouts I've tasted have a thicker body. This bottle was well-carbonated with a little bit of fizz on the tongue during the first sip. A bit dry as expected from the nose and the aftertaste is mostly the bourbon. This is certainly a sipper as there is a bit of heat, plus the flavours hit the palate pretty hard. (4)

Overall- I enjoyed the nose the most. Ended up sipping this one throughout the evening after dinner. It's not a difficult BA stout to drink at all. Compared to bigger BA beers like BCBS, the mouthfeel is certainly lacking as the base stout must not have been very thick to begin with. But for what it is, if you're looking for a lighter-feeling BA stout with a good nose and some flavour that happens to be reasonably priced ($11.99 for a 4-pack), this is your beer. (4)

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 00:37:19 | More by Stevedore

wyatt13

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a 4-pack of this while I was home in Wisconsin over Winter Break and brought the extras back to college. Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a small snifter.

A - Definitely black, but I wouldn't say it's like the dead of the night. A little more head than I was expecting from a barrel aged stout, but I'm guessing that could be because it has a (relatively) lower ABV.

S - Boatloads of vanilla and coconut. Certainly some barrel character and roasted malts. Chocolate and caramel are in there too.

T - Jeez, better than I was expecting here. I'm a big fan of vanilla, and the taste of this was right up my alley. It had the creamy vanilla taste of ice cream almost, with a toasty coconut character. Minimal booze evident, if any. Really enjoyable.

M - A little bit thinner than your typical big stout, but certainly not bad.

O - Really great beer, it sounds like the extra 6 months in the barrel paid some serious dividends here. A really delicious barrel-aged stout, especially at the price. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 04:31:57 | More by wyatt13

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.58/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness chalice. 2012 Vintage bottle.

Appearance: Pours a dark oily black with a moderate amount of bubbles. About two fingers of tan head that quickly fade into a small thin patch. Leaves a decent amount of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A very rich, roasty, and bourbon soaked aroma. Big notes from the barrel up front with hints of bourbon whiskey, oak, vanilla, and wood. Sweet dark roasted malts with good hints of dark chocolate, coffee, toast, burnt caramel, toffee, oats, and biscuit. Molasses and maple syrup add some sweetness. Subtle undertones of dark cherry, raisins, fig, and plum. Also a light hint of anise spice. Hop presence is pretty subdued but there is a earthy scent. Really good BA stout aroma.

Taste: Rich, dark, sweet, and bourbon soaked like the taste. Big barrel taste upfront with notes of bourbon whiskey, oak, wood, and lots of vanilla. Dark bready roasted malts with a taste of dark chocolate, coffee, dark toasted bread, biscuit, burnt caramel, toffee, and oats. Sweet molasses and syrup add some more sweetness. Mild taste of anise spicing. Some nice undercurrents of dark fruits with notes of dark cherry, plum, raisin, and fig. Subtle earthy hop bitterness comes in towards the finish. A really good all around stout taste.

Mouthfeel: Fairly full and thick bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy, slick, and somewhat syrupy. Booze can be detected bu the heat is fairly mild.

Overall: A really great stout. Very good barrel flavors and good use of dark malts. Sweetness is well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 08:03:55 | More by MattyG85

sleuthdog

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2012 vintage poured into snifter

Pour: Dark brown-black with no head formation with a vigorous pour. A very still looking beer without any carbonation visible and reminds me of "flat" coke.

Smell: At the forefront is the bourbon and oak like scents. I do also pick up vanilla and some roast. There is a very mild coffee in the background but more roasted notes than coffee. This beer does smell quite sweet with some chocolate, caramel and a bit of coconut.

Taste: Well to be expected from the smell with bourbon and vanilla up first. It is a pretty sweet beer with the vanilla and chocolate shining through. There is a mild peat like taste mid palate and the roast in the aftertaste. The swallow also has some alcohol warming and the sweet bourbon again.

Mouthfeel: The feel on this is a little underwhelming being too thin for my liking for the style. It has that "flat" feeling without the true thick stout feel to me. The alcohol does not overwhelm the palate at all and seems smooth creating a highly drinkable barrel aged stout.

Overall: I like this beer but it just lacks and is not on the same level as my benchmark beer for this style, BCBS.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 02:14:57 | More by sleuthdog

Lognar

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2012 vintage

A - poured dark drown and the minuscule head dissipated in seconds leaving a khaki ring around the glass.

S - great nose on this one. sweetness, chocolate, caramel, and black licorice. you can really smell the sweetness in this brew.

T - that first sip was a real eye-opener as I looked from my glass to the bottle remarking "wow, that's good." Sweet, mild bourbon and vanilla (my two favorite flavors) are most prominent, so the label wasn't lying. :-) Cocoa and coffee roastiness are there too. Subtle when compared to BCBS, more subdued. As it warms the roastiness really comes through and takes center stage.

M - Smooth, quite smooth. No burn. The alcohol is hidden and blended well.

O - A great BA stout. Very balanced and sweet. Really mellows as it warms and blends together well.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 05:25:30 | More by Lognar

King_KongDCO93

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2012 bottle

A: Nice dark/motor oil appearance that you can't see through.

S: very vanilla upfront aroma. Some bourbon and roasted malts but mild

T: wow, really pleasant and sweet. really has a nice cocoa/mild coffee flavor. the bourbon is mild compared to to BCBS. This is more of a beer that people can enjoy if they find BCBS to strong. It is really smooth.

M: mellowed out. no booziness and tangy

O: Smooth and drinkable

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 22:14:30 | More by King_KongDCO93

FreshHawk

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Very dark walnut brown, almost black, with a small, bubbly, light, sticky, light cafe colored head. Disappears fairly fast leaving a patchy lacing.

S - Nice aroma with plenty of bourbon on the nose. Fudge along with notes of vanilla. Slightly charred oak and roasted malt. Hints of dark chocolate and dark espresso/coffee. The bourbon and oaky aroma dominates though.

T - Very bourbony flavors. Strong oak, nice vanilla kick, some charcoal flavor and a fair amount of burn on the finish. Charred malt and espresso along with some dark chocolate provide a backbone. After sipping on this for a while, the flavor mellows out a bit and more caramel, chocolate, and fudge come out and there is less burn. Really shined for the second half of the glass.

M - Medium body with below average carbonation. Feels slightly thin, but not overly troublesome. Smooth.

D - Strong bourbon and heat to start (especially given that it's only 9.5%) made it very much a sipper, but as it mellowed it became a very easy drinking bourbony treat. Very nice sipping beer for a cold night that kept me reaching for another sip.

Notes: At first I wasn't sure of this as the bourbon flavors were so overpowering (I enjoy bourbon and all, but if I want to drink bourbon, I'll drink bourbon). However, halfway through the bourbon mellowed just enough and the heat died down (not sure if it was due to warming, my tongue adjusting, or the alcohol making the heat less noticeable) that there was a great balance between the bourbon and the stout flavors. Quite enjoyable for the price if you enjoy bourbon.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 02:19:30 | More by FreshHawk

JamesShoemaker

New York

4.43/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle poured into two bar glasses.

A - much lighter than I expected. It pours light brown, like semi-strong coffee, and keeps its lightness in the glass. Dark in the middle, very light on the periphery. No head or lacing (in a clean glass).

S - a ton of chocolate immediately hits the nose. The sweeter notes from the bourbon are also present, but really it's just cream and cocoa.

T - pleasantly light with just a little touch of bourbon on the end. It tastes almost like a chocolate liqueur, but none of the syrupy action you get from most super high ABV BA stouts. I can definitely see why people compare this to BCBS.

M - nice and light. The alcohol really doesn't factor in, and the lack of carbonation allows the taste to come through nicely.

O - it's an interesting idea to barrel age a stout with such a low alcohol content. Central Waters continues to perform.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 00:14:40 | More by JamesShoemaker

UnderJoath

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

012 vintage poured from bottle into Pipeworks snifter. Smells of roasted malt and oak surrounded by a heavy bourbon. Pours a deep brown with a dark fizzy head that dissipates quickly. Tastes of a nicely balanced sweet vanilla, malt, with a nice bourbon overtone that ends in a slight burn. My only wish was it be a bit thicker in body but at the price they sell for, I can’t complain one bit. Love this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 05:05:25 | More by UnderJoath

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Not sure how it is that I have never reviewed this beer. 12 oz. bottle with the snazzy new label of the 2012 edition. Thought I might be dead at this point, or at least have some Mayan return from the dead and punch me in nuts laughing told-you-so, but neither seem to have happened yet. Fingers crossed!

Dark brown with a thin skim atop. Some ruby along the edges allows light to pass through.

Toasted marshmallow, iced creamed light coffee, healthy dose of bittersweet dark chocolate, and and moderate vanilla. This certainly smells better than any previous vintage.

This version showcases the vanilla in a big way along with a roasted cola vibe that is likely partially due to the popping carbonation. Bourbon heat throughout the middle lingers throughout the finish. Bitter hops and sharp dark chocolate spike round things out.

Feel is boozy, light/medium bodied, and on the high end of moderately carbonated.

Well, this is a step up from previous incantations. Supposedly this was aged for a longer period of time in the barrels (I believe a year compared to six months for other vintages). The result is a richer bourbon presence and more flavors imparted from the barrel. I always felt previous years tasted too strongly of cheap barrels. What still remains an issue is that the base beer isn't a very sturdy stout to begin with, so the result of barrel aging seems to take an already thin base and thin it out even further. It's not a mess, or Kate Moss thin - damn did I date myself there - but it's just doesn't quite stand up to the better beers in the field. It is, however, a step up in its personal development....CW BB Stout got her pubes.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 02:48:32 | More by BarrytheBear

martyl1000

Wisconsin

4.98/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I'm not sure how much my Wisconson partiality is involved in this score. But I'm just as impressed with this as I am BCBS or Mikkeler Black Hole or Founders Imperial Stout. It puts into perspective Tier 1 vs. Tier 2 imperial stouts. Now relegated to Tier 2 are: Stone Imperial Russian Stout, Founders Breakfast Stout, Southern Tier Mokah/Jahva/Creme Brulee, Weyerbacher Tiny, and Goose Island Big John.

The aroma may be the star, here, though how could one choose any awesome feature over any other? It pours an opaque black, rivaling the darkest brown head I've ever seen. Perma-lacing sticks to the tulip glass like meringue.

Christy loves the bourbon booziness. I feel like I'm having another 16% fume-bomb, like Hebrew Jewbilation 16--but in the best way. The sweet malt mingles with the bourbon spice so well it creates the mirage of Neopolitan ice cream (chocolate and vanilla at once), w/o the strawberry of course.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 06:39:28 | More by martyl1000

jdkitchi

Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2012 - This just became available in my area.

Poured into a snifter, black with a thin head, slight lacing.

I really get the bourbon, wood and alcohol on the nose with the sweet dark malts. The taste is strong, bitter-sweet with noticeable bourbon, charred wood, alcohol, vanilla, chocolate. This beer is a little hot but pretty awesome even though it is so fresh.

The availability of this is very limited. I hope I bought enough to cellar some for awhile. It's really warming on cold winter nights.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 03:42:51 | More by jdkitchi

Keyportnick

Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2012 vintage poured into a 12oz snifter

A- pours a deep black with a think brown head that finds the edge of the glass quickly.

S- deep rich fig and plum. The oak and bourbon come out nicely around the aromas of the beer.

T-rich and sweet tastes of dark fruits chocolate and a sweetness of marshmallows. Oak and notes of bourbon are there but not over powering like some high anv ba'ed bombs.

M- medium heavy body, light carbonation. Smooth finish

0- The 2012 release is now barreled for a year vs previous vintages that spent 6-8 months in the barrel. It's mended the flavors very well between the barrel and the beer. Excited to see what this beer is going to do in the years to come.

Bottled vintage dec 2010

A- pours a pitch black with a thin mocha head that rims the glass.

S- sweet dark fruits raisin, figs, deep vanilla, hints off sweetness, alcohol, and oak. This beer rounded out tremendously.

T- sweet, vanilla, chocolate, roasted malts/light coffee, oak barrel and hints of bourbon.

M- medium body stout, light carbonation, smooth finish that coats the throat

O- 2 yrs on this bottle lets a great beer shine. I really enjoy the balance between the beer and the barrel. I have some 2011, and 2012 comes out in weeks. Very excited to try them in a vertical tasting. Very good beer and worth buying a case to stick away for those cold winter nights.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 02:55:49 | More by Keyportnick

josephwa

Minnesota

4.98/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2011 served in a snifter.

A - medium brown, with thin light brown head.

S - bourbon, chocolate, caramel, simple syrup. Wonderful.

T - chocolate bourbon, sweetness, a nice blend of maltiness and hoppyness. The bourbon lingers really nicely. Fantastic after taste. Has the sweetness of simple syrup.

M - no burn on this one. Although it was aged. Well carbonated, great mouthfeel.

O - I can't recommend this enough. Best bang for the buck I've seen. I highly recommend aging this beer as well.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 02:06:33 | More by josephwa

Thedaver4220

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2011 vintage poured into a New Belgium snifter
Thanks to Airmike for this one

Bourbon barrel stout pours pitch black with a thin line of tan/mocha colored head. The nose is bourbon first with some vanilla on the back end. It drinks with Malty sweetness with a touch heat on the back end. It's pretty smooth as well and pretty easy to drink. This was my first central waters offering and I hope others by them are this good.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 05:52:09 | More by Thedaver4220

oline73

Maryland

4.43/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this on-tap at Capone's during the Black Friday event. Served in a tasting snifter.

Appearance: The beer pours a very dark brown color with a layer of light tan head. The head fades to a ring around the pour.

Smell: Smooth roasted malt up front with a slight sweetness. I'm getting some dark chocolate and a mild caramel note.

Taste: This is an incredibly smooth beer. I'm getting some mild bourbon and carmel along with a stronger dark chocolate note. The sweet flavors come together and star in the finish. There is also a nice roast component in the finish.

Mouthfeel: The body is medium to thick with smooth carbonation and a finish that is a bit dry.

Overall: This is an incredibly easy to drink beer. I love the sweet desert like flavors. I would definitely have more in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2012 03:03:29 | More by oline73