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

assurbanipaul

Texas

4.03/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brown with a lighter-brown head that's tall and cascading. Aroma is lots of dark, roasty malts, some espresso, a touch of alcohol.

Taste is a ton of roasty malts. Lots of dark coffee, black patent malt, bitter sorghum and dark imported chocolate. Very rich, very bitter. A slight alcoholic sting and flavor that's not immediately noticeable but present. Some subtle whiskey flavors, probably the barrel-aging that I'm detecting. Aftertaste is of bitter, lingering black coffee.

Mouthfeel is thick and silky smooth with just a slight acrid bite. A wonderful stout but might benefit from just a smidge more sweetness to offset the powerful bitter profile.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2006 02:55:04 | More by assurbanipaul

MaltyGoodness

Pennsylvania

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

12oz. bottle thanks to nflmvp

Pours a dark black color with a small tan head that fades. Mild lacing on the glass.

Aroma of roasted malts, cocoa, espresso, and a slight oakiness. Booze becomes present as it warms.

Oak and vanilla flavors upfront, leading into a roasted malt flavor with some cocoa and espresso tones. Leads into a mild hop bitterness followed by a boozy flavor that increases as it warms.

Full body, mild carbonation.

Nice, bold stout. Quite drinkable considering the big body, and booze content. Lots of layers of complexity in this gem.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2006 04:49:28 | More by MaltyGoodness

DarkerTheBetter

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Faro and Jeffboo for this one in BIF 49.

This beer poured a dark black that was a gritty brown around the edges of my tulip. The head was a light tan film that left a little lace behind.

Smells of heavy cream and a touch of espresso that is blended well into an oaky bourbon.

The flavor starts with a prominent sweet bourbon and a slight sting on my tongue that picks up some porter-esque roasted malts and coffee but then picks up a sweeter peach flavor. Finishes with a little touch of charcoal.

The mouth feel is seemingly way too thin for what the flavor was delivering. The carbonation also seemed to get in the way of things.

Regardless of the mouthfeel, this one was still a welcome beer in my book.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2006 18:14:09 | More by DarkerTheBetter

CharlesDarwin

Rhode Island

3.48/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Originally reviewed on February 18, 2005. 12 Oz bottle. Dark brown black pour with a wine colored fringe and sticky lacing in tan. Weak aroma of vinous alcohol, with a hint of bourbon and berries. Flavor a weak sour cherries, vinous and charred oak. Some sweet and sour sauce, with a light bourbon cascade, over gentle roasted coffee and oak. Coffee is more pleasent and carries the roasted flavors, but this is pretty weak. Ridiculously thin for the style. Smack and finish are a hard bourbon and light oak. Here, there’s just too much barrel and not enough beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2006 04:35:05 | More by CharlesDarwin

amatuerbeerguy

Oklahoma

3.15/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured out a dark dark black. With some tan head not much

Aroma of bourbon and some smoke, and slight blueberry hint. Some vanilla is apparent

Flavor of chocolate, with some smoke and roast, toffee, some soy flavor also apparent.

Mouthfeel is smooth with low carbonation, with a harsh hop character.

Overall one to try but more than that you need to judge for yourself.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2006 03:22:13 | More by amatuerbeerguy

MuenchenerKindl

Germany

4.6/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle to a pint glass. The liquid is a dark brown/black, with ok carbonation. The head is one finger thick tan that fades to no lace.

The smell is of bourbon.

The taste is a stout washed in bourbon, the barrel must have had some liquid left in it. The strongest I have tasted. As this warms all kinds of good things happen. The BA comes out fading is the bourbon and i'm getting lost of chocolate and coffee notes. Wow What a treat!

The Mouthfeel is very mood this is a fine sipping beer.

The Drinkability is a little slow from the bourbon but oh so good any how.. Many thanks to NFLMVP for sending me this one. Prosit MK

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2006 06:51:31 | More by MuenchenerKindl

maundythirsty

Wisconsin

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

This opaque beer is at that great stout spot where brown ends and black begins. Hard pour looses a huge khaki head, much of which hangs around and hangs around and hangs around... Surprisingly light lacing, though. Smells of rich chocolate, vanilla, a touch of espresso and a very mellow bourbon aroma playing a little peek-a-boo. Very nice, if short a little volume.

Tase is more of the same: Espresso beans covered in dark chocolate. Very authentic bourbon presence -- smooth and vanilla-tinged. Boozy without being overpowering. Medium-weight mouthfeel, and smooooth. Active alcohol vapor pushes beyond mouthfeel to sinusfeel, usefu in the Wisconsin winter.

Good thing I haven't seen this in six-packs, even though it isn't the ton of bricks I thought it would be. Wait ... yeah, it is. Maybe as close to souped-up stout perfection as I have run into.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2006 04:55:11 | More by maundythirsty

Goldorak

Quebec (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Hardtarget for setting me up with this one!

Appearance: Almost totally pitch black, just the slightest brownish hue when exposed to the light. Thin cocoa head with pretty good cling.

Smell: Oaky, vanilla and lots of fruity, blackberry notes. Boozy overtones reminiscent of a good Whiskey or even a Marc de Bourgogne. Reminds me of Magic Hat's Feast of Fools.

Taste: Weird, on that initial sip, the body felt weak for about half a second but then it totally glazed my tongue like honey on a ham. Just enough oak for my liking, a tiny bit of an acidic twang and some bitter chocolate, with a hot boozy finish. It might even make me want to rethink my misanthropic views about barrel aging just for the sake of barrel aging...If only for stouts!

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2006 00:11:04 | More by Goldorak

3Vandoo

Quebec (Canada)

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

Pitch black beer with a shy head retention.

Smell is of dark and burnt chocolate, candy like flavours followed by a toffee, roasted coffee and malt flavours.

taste is of sweet toffee then followed by hops which are quite mellow and a shy coffee sourness.

interesting beer

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2006 05:14:53 | More by 3Vandoo

IntriqKen

California

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

Poured almost black with a pretty tan head of soft bubbles that melts to top capping sticky tan lacing.
Aroma is immediately Bourbon....oh yeah, definately Boubon. A little vanilla. A little raisin or prunes. A lot of Bourbon.
Taste is soft dark candied fruits melting to a light bourbon then warm alcohol.
Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy then warm to hot alcohol as you swallow.
There is no hiding the 9 1/2% in here. It's there and you know it from the first scent to the last swallow and then beyond.
Wonderful evening sipper.
Thanks Steve for the opportunity.
****edit****
Through trades and the kindness of others I am able to enjoy another sampling of this brew.
My opinion hasn't changed.
This is a marvelous example of a boubon barrel stout.
I'm loving each drop.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2006 04:13:34 | More by IntriqKen

blackie

Virginia

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

appearance: The pour gives a 0.25" burgundy-mocha colored head. After it recedes, a small cap and a decent ring are left behind. The beer is a deep brown in color, nearing black.

smell: Bittersweet chocolate and pure cocoa at the forefront with medium roast and a moderate bourbon note. Light to moderate muddy hop aroma.

mouthfeel: The carbonation is on the border between medium and low, very smoth. The body is heavy, but not thick.

taste: Big roasts and cocoa upfront. This is quickly followed up by a touch of woody bourbon after the swallow, which is also when the malt sweetness disappears and the flavor turns gradually to the roasted side. Some hints of burnt marshmallow and more bourbon are then found. The hop flavor is muddied by all the rich malt. A moderate bitterness lingers into the finish with a dry roasted barley flavor.

drinkability: a good sippin' double stout

Bottle courtesy of dirtylou, smuggled back from WI.

2008: bottle sourced from msn during my new year's visit, highly roasted with a great barrel presence of bourbon saturated oak well blended into the other aromas and flavors, dry cocoa and dark chocolate, husky charred grain, on the drier side, smooth mouthfeel a touch on the thin side, leaving my scores the same

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2006 03:29:26 | More by blackie

Westsidethreat

California

4.38/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to JeffKrenner for this one.

A: Dark, chocolaty brown with a medium viscosity. Nice dark beige head fell quickly but left some nice stray clouds around the top with a decent ring around the glass.

S: Smells a lot like a smore. Charred marshmallow, biscuity graham cracker and oily bakers chocolate. Some reclusive vanilla and port characteristics.

T: Yummy. Vanilla is the first impression the beer makes. This mixes enticingly with some low roasted chocolate malts to make a sublime butterscotch hybrid. The smell represents this beer quite well, as smore flavors linger thru after the vanilla subsides a bit. Finishes with lovely vanilla and marshmallow with some low level bitterness and a quaint hint of bourbon.

M: Medium body, thinner than I would have imagined. Carbonation a bit fuzzy on the palate.

D: Much more vanilla tones than straight up bourbon in this ale. Quite dilectable and easy to drink. Too bad this one is difficult to get.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2006 03:32:36 | More by Westsidethreat

hopsaplenty

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz brown bottle, no date information.

Solid black core with just the thinnest edge of cordovan. Towering head of densely packed tiny espresso crema bubbles. The head settles slowly, from the bottom up and left no lacing, but maintained a thick cap of foam all the way down. Rich, sweet aromas of bourbon, chocolate, coconut, and a touch of vanilla. This smells like it should be served a la mode. The alcohol aromas are well masked behind the fudgey sweetened coconut. The bourbon is prominently placed front and center, middle, and end in the taste. It is warming across the tongue and the chocolate roast is dominated by the prickly alcohol heat. The finish is warm and bourbon filled that sticks to the tongue. I found most of the stout character completely dominated by the bourbon, as if I were drinking a shot of bourbon kissed with a hint of stout, rather than the opposite. Medium-full body with restrained carbonation, this has a warm and slightly slick mouthfeel. The tongue holds onto the bourbon and maintains its steady warmth. The aromas were enjoyable, but I found the bourbon to far outweigh the stout in the taste department. I’m sure this was intended, but I found it difficult to appreciate the stout. Perhaps the heat will have diminished in future batches with the same barrels.

Thanks to Stonecrusher for adding this into an already overflowing box.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2006 15:22:13 | More by hopsaplenty

Brian700

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to nflmvp for hooking me up with an awesome package today. I had never heard of this brewery until today. He gave me a 6 pack of this beer.

It pours dark black with a creamy mocha colored thead that leaves lacing like a hot cocoa.

The aroma is of butter rum, burbon, vanilla, chocolate, coffee. It is pretty intoxicating.

The flavor is chocolate, coffee, vanilla, burbon, with a nice alcohol warming. This is a damn good beer and I am glad I have 5 more to hang onto for a while.

The mouthfeel is not as chewy as a lot of stouts I have had but it has a nice creaminess to it. It is medium to full bodied with light carbonation. It has just enough carbonation to bring out the flavor to its fullest potential while giving it a nice creaminess.

This is a pretty drinkable beer but look out cause it'll get ya.

I highly recommend this one if you are ever in the Junction City, WI area it would be well worth it to stop and pick up some of this. I do believe it is limited from what it says on the label.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2006 04:29:06 | More by Brian700

weeare138

Pennsylvania

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

Much thanks to hopdog for this one in a trade...
Appears a black with a dark caramel hue around the edges. A nice, 2 finger tan head slowly fades out into a gentle cap. Scattered spots of lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of oak, bourbon, vanilla, caramel, cocoa, and sweet, warmed, brown sugar.
Taste is of the same aromas highlighted by the oak, bourbon, vanilla, caramel, and cocoa flavors that is a blend that's certainly worthy of any beer/bourbon lover's time.
Mouthfeel is creamy, bourbony bite, chocolate sweet, and perhaps just a shade of sourness that is buried far in the background and not noticeable enough to penalize.
If anyone has any more bourbon aged brews that they would like to trade, or sell...please let me know. These always seem to be a sure fire winner in my book.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2006 02:01:17 | More by weeare138

hoppymeal

Michigan

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

Pours black with a tan head, appears to not be bottle conditioned. Sweet and sugary smell with bourbon and caramel aromas, some chocolate and some twangy roastiness. A little sweet chocolate up front gives way to the vanilla-cola bourbon barrel taste. Very smooth and creamy as it rolls on the tongue. The finish shows a warm bite of alcohol. Really an outstanding beer , a great example of a bourbon ba beer. If I had to ask for more it would probably be in the body of the beer as I like them as thick and chewy as possible and thought this one was to the heavy side of medium in body. Nevertheless I highly enjoyed this beer and will look for more from Central Waters.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2006 22:51:36 | More by hoppymeal

beerinator

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle courtesy of brewcrew76.

Appearance: The color is as expected. A tan head left nice lacing on the glass.

Aroma: First whiff gives me chocolate covered bourbon. There is a bit of coffee-ish roastyness. But primarily the aromas are of bourbon, vanilla and chocolate. Smells pretty good to me.

Taste: The first sip starts out with a bit of roasted character, followed by some chocolate notes blended with a bouron flavor. The finish leaves bitterness similar to coffee grounds mixed with vanilla and bourbon notes. The mouthfeel is a bit thinner than expected based on the complexity of the flavors and aroma.

Notes: I enjoyed this one. I will hope to see it again in the future. I was a bit suprised at how chocolatey the aroma was. But it made the beer a bit tastyier in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2006 00:05:21 | More by beerinator

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

4.6/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

thanks again to nflmvp for this bottle

A - thie stout pours inky black with a lazy tan lacy head

S - wow, what a complex aroma, very enticing, i can distinguish chocolate, cherry, bourbon, and vanilla aromas, you know, this aroma really reminds me of a new frozen drink im addicted to from a coffee shop called It's A Grind, the drink is called a Triple Chocolate Mocha, very similar smell

T - wicked smooth stout, chocolate and vanilla aromas persist to the flavors and are accompanied by toffee as well, and bourbon taste too, which i am taking my roommates word on since i have never had bourbon, but he says its there

M&D - smooth and savory, an amazing stout, super high quality, great tastes, great mouthfeel, super good, thanks a million times over to nflmvp what a beer

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2006 01:59:59 | More by sinstaineddemon

Solomon420

California

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

Got this 12 ozer from DirtyLou in a trade. Thank you mane!

Eyes: black, black with some more black! The head rolled up the glass, similar in a way to Guinness. After finally settling in, it held at around 2 fingers until the first few swigs where it felt to a gentle dancing lace.

Nose: just from the pour I could smell the woody notes, then when I stuffed my nose into the imperial pint I could really smell the bouqet of burned wood, coffee, sweet maple syrup, maybe some soy sauce and definately the Bourban alcohol smell.

Tongue: The first attack was an aggressive whisky flavour, followed by some burned smoke nots and some sweetish flavours. The late notes were definately the bourban, almost like I had taken a shot of Wild Turkey after my swig of beer. Not bad, just different and surprising.

Heavy hearted beer, full flavoured for sure. The alcohol aftertaste was a tad too much and took away from this beer, however still a treat to sample and I may look for more. I think aging will mellow this bad boy out some. However I do have to say that I let the last 1/3 of the pint sit for about 15 min and the taste was much more subdued and melded better with itself. Definately worth a try for anyone looking to have a full bodied, strong stout.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2006 02:01:41 | More by Solomon420

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle, no freshness date. Poured very thick into a snifter, immediately releasing the aroma of bourbon through the entire room. This beer is black, no other shades of anthing, pure black. Thin tan head disappears very quickly. Strong bourbon aroma, along with oak, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, and coconut. Nice roasty malt flavor loses quickly in the battle to the onslought of bourbon. Slightly boozy and warming, oaky with more coconut flavors. Low, soft carbonation fits this well. I felt that the bourbon completely took over, and was a bit overwhelming. In short, this needed a bit more stout, and a little less bourbon.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2006 21:08:32 | More by Bierguy5

expatsteve

Wisconsin

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

Appearance: Inky mahogany color, with honey hues. Big 1 1/2 inch head, that settled into a thick sudsy amber sludge on top of the glass. Low visibility and low/medium viscosity.

Aroma: Balanced blend of espresso, caramel, vanilla and bourbon. Rich nose completely lacking the thin alcoholic edge of other bourbon barrel beers.

Taste: This beer really is a pleasure to drink. The vanilla and bourbon notes settle into the background, and support a front palate of cocoa and espresso. Balanced, lacking much astringency. Thick, creamy finish balances the bourbon in the middle palate. Nice assertive espresso notes in the aftertaste. Booze is well masked.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, thick, with low carbonation. The subtle bitters are refreshing and pleasant.

Drinkability: While I'm not the biggest fan of CW beers, this one was definitely drinkable and one I would seek out in the future. The price might not commend this over the Satin Solstice, but this is one of the nicer bourbon barrel beers I've tried. There are times when I felt like everything going on in the one beer made this a little heavy on the palate, but this might be sessionable for stout or bourbon barrel fan.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2006 03:14:34 | More by expatsteve

mcallister

Ohio

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

Pour is black like midnight on halloween. Seriously it is damn dark brown if not black. No light penetrates any area of the snifter. A tan head was quick to dissipate leaving little lacing behind.

Thick layered smokey bourbon aromas, cappuccino, heavy cream, anise, and creme de cassis smells overwhelm the smell sensors.

Smokey, oaky, bourbon flavors. Some alcohol shows through in the chest as well, burnt malt flavors, with some hop presence. Cappuccino flavors don't come through as well as in the nose but there is still the hints of anise.

Good thick creamy mouthfeel but some alcohol burn hurts both the mouthfeel and drinkability of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2006 20:08:25 | More by mcallister

nflmvp

Wisconsin

4.93/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured a nice thick two inch head of mocha foam which left a sticy lace as it subsided. Pitch black in the glass.

Smell: HEAVENLY.... smoky bourbon, coffee, molasses, dark chocolate.

Taste: WOW. Homerun! Again, bourbon, coffee, etc.

Moutfeel: Amazingly smooth for the higer than average ABV. Thick and coating...even creamy. Very light alcohol tingle. I find this stuff to be amazing.

Drinkabilty: Simply outstanding. I can't seem to get enough of this amazingly smooth, yet complex BBS. Likely the highest rating I've given to any beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2006 03:57:00 | More by nflmvp

aforbes10

Iowa

4.22/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark, not quite opaque with a small head on it. Looks fine and dandy. You can smell the bourbon on the nose along with the expected dark fruits and roasty malts. Tasty beer...deep roasted malt flavor with a sweet bourbon finish. nice and thick. drinkable for sure. one of the better bourbon aged beers....a lot of the time it bourbon takes over and sometimes even makes the beer detestable. not so with this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2006 15:26:02 | More by aforbes10

battlekow

Wisconsin

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

Bourbon barrel stouts are kind of a one-trick pony usually. You get the huge vanilla & bourbon flavors but not much...stout. Central Waters' version certainly has those, but it tones it down so that the stout underneath can peak through and provide some welcome roasted coffee notes. The barrels also lend some nice toasty oakness that is more enjoyable when not drowning in bourbon. All of this combines for a toffee-like experience. There's a slight alcoholic, mellow-harshing bite that detracts from the otherwise enjoyable mouthfeel. Nonpareil drinkability among the subclass of bourbon barrel stouts, most of which quickly result in gut rot.

Big beer but with a delicate touch. Can I keep him, Ma?

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2006 01:26:45 | More by battlekow