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

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled in February of 2012. Poured into a small snifter glass.

Very dark reddish-brown to almost black. Drubbed up a half-inch of light khaki head. Seems fizzy. Coarse bubbles aren't lasting very long.

Bourbon and cherry in the nose. No surprise that it reminds me of Jim Beam Red Stag a little bit. Vinous notes are resonating. Not very burly with the roastiness, but the malts have some odorous weight. Slight lactic note is present; displaying minimal tartness. Not counting out possible infection.

Tart cherries and a very mild bourbon note. Very little wood at first, but resounds a bit in the finish. Hint of green apple tartness that might be obtrusive to the original intent. The roast bleed through with hints of breakfast coffee and light maple. Some sweetness that is quite pleasant. Tangy finish from a light souring component; possibly rogue bacteria from the spent barrels. Very mild vanilla with alcohol warmth, although the strength is sleeping under blankets. It just doesn't have enough of what I think it's supposed to be, which leads me to believe that this beer fell victim to the curse of Peruvian Morning. For a bourbon barrel-aged stout, it leaves some to be desired. As a cherry stout, it's pretty damn tasty.

More evidence in the thinner body for an Imperial Stout. A little sticky, but with ample carbonation. Not too much, mind you. The alcohol is never fully there, which makes this very drinkable.

Lacking depth for bourbon barrel-aging. I'm not looking for upfront whiskey intensity, just more wood and vanilla (or maybe coconut). The sour cherries are a delightful addition and serve this oddity nicely. It almost wants to be smoky, which I like, but the pesky flavor of infection is too near to discredit. I can still make out the framework of a quality beer that went a little awry somewhere along the way.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 03:55:49 | More by thecheapies

sukwonee

Washington

4.13/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Really really dark brown body with 2 finger head. Lots of lacing.

S: Roasted malt and cherries. It's weird that I got a lot of smell when I first opened the bottle. After a few minutes, I can't really smell much. I am rating it based on the first few sniffs of it. Not much bourbon noted though.

T: Cherry really comes through. Perhaps it offsets the bourbon taste a bit too much. Similar to the nose, not much bourbon noted. Chocolate, slight roasted malt, sour/tart cherry and very faint hops kicking in at the end. I like it. Alcohol is there, but not too boozy. I think this could have been a tad bit sweeter.

M: Kind of thin mouth feel, but not as thin as the normal BB stout from CW. Syrupy. Not much alcohol burn.

O: I enjoyed this one as well. Third straight tasty offering from CW.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 03:28:42 | More by sukwonee

nachos

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is like a good stout should be, but one can tell its a little on the thin side. smells of cherry and bourbon, a little coffee, little chocolate. I like the taste, it is not inauthentic at all, I enjoy the cherry flavor, not fake! With a good amount of bourbon too. The stout flavors are a bit in the background. A little heavy on the bourbon flavor, just like CW regular BB stout. I think this is better than what a lot of people are saying on here. Oh, and I do not get any alcohol burn at all for a beer with such high content. Pretty delicious, and at a great price.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 04:22:56 | More by nachos

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into snifter

Pours a deep blacked out color with a thick, frothy beige head resting on top. Nice retention with a heavy layering of lacing coating the glass.

Chocolate covered cherries in the nose with touches of tartness and fruit sweetness. Roasted malts and oak barrel character with some bourbon tones. A bit boozy and tart.

Slick and sweet up front on the tongue with a layering of soft chocolate and malty tones, followed by a slightly tart cherry splash. The bourbon barrel character is fairly mild, although the vanilla and oaky tones shine through occasionally. Roasted malts, chocolate, bread crust and nuts in the base. Finishes with tart dark cherry and oaky booze.

Fuller medium body, decent carbonation, slick and smooth on the tongue. This is decent, although the flavors are a bit muddled, leaving this the clear lesser of the CW barrel aged series.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 03:30:17 | More by xnicknj

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.55/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Split this with my wife while sitting around the campfire on the last night of our Vermont vacation.

The beer is dark amber hued with a dense beige head that measures nearly two inches thick, leaving a thick sheet of lacing on the glass. 

The aroma brings oak barrels, malt, fruit, a hint of cherry juice. 

No discernible roast character in either the flavor or aroma. Lots of oak, vanilla, and a general woody character throughout. A splash of cherries and sweet cherry juice. Vanilla finish with a touch of booze. Coconuts...took me a few minutes to identify, but definitely a present coconut flavor throughout. Subtle chocolate as well, creating a taste reminiscent of an Almond Joy candy bar.

Light-medium in body, with abv hidden well. Easy to sip and savor.

While I was initially a bit disappointed in this beer for lacking the stout attributes I have grown to cherish, I must say that this was pretty tasty overall. I would definitely try this again.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 05:29:07 | More by Huhzubendah

abrand

Illinois

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

12 ounce bottle poured into pint glass. This was bottled about 6 months ago.

Pours a cola color with a quick fading dark head that leaves no retention. Not nearly as dark as most stouts. Aromas are mostly bourbon with some sweet undertones. Not overpowering. Didn't pick up an cherry on the nose. Taste is decent. Pretty easy drinking for the high ABV. Not nearly as complex as other bourbon barreled stouts. Pretty straight forward with malts, some sweetness, and a chocolate presence. Mouthfeel is medium bodied. Overall this was just alright. Not nearly what I was expecting.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 04:04:03 | More by abrand

homebrew311

Illinois

3.13/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is chocolate brown with red highlights and no head. Smell is light vanilla and cherry, pretty tame compare to its counterparts. Taste is light and sweet with cherry predominant. Not getting much in the way of chocolate or bourbon. Pretty thin tasting overall. The mouthfeel is light with high carbonation. Overall, I prefer the non fruited version. Would not seek this one out.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 22:48:58 | More by homebrew311

thebigredone

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up after getting to sample 1414 at a local liquor store. The owner of CW did the tasting, and let me say he was super cool. Allowed everyone several sample pours from the growler of 1414 he brought along, was very friendly, and overall made a fantastic impression. Can't wait to go and visit the brewery.

BBCS pours a deep black with a redish tint when held to light.

The smell nearly made me pitch a tent. Delicious bourbon with a sweet cherry nose. I like.

Taste is also great, starting with a strong cherry flavor that moves into the mild bourbon finish. It would be nice if the stout held it's own a little more, but I didn't really expect it to in a beer aged in bourbon barrels with 80lbs of cherries added to each barrel.

Overall, this is a fantastic beer. I don't understand the criticism of the cherry flavor. If you don't like cherry flavors, don't get a cherry stout. They use real cherries (AND LOTS OF THEM), so saying that it tastes fake is just plain dumb. This beer has simply strengthened by admiration for Central Waters.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2012 23:41:37 | More by thebigredone

gkunkle

Oregon

3.25/5  rDev -14%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a black body under a rocky tan foamy head. Te head retention isn't spectacular, it quickly becomes a slight ring around my wine glass. The aroma is slightly roasty with a touch of cherry and alcohol. The taste is smooth and sweet. I get sweet malt flavors in the first half of the taste, followed by some cherry as it crests the tongue along with a bit of the barrel flavor. Mouthfeel is medium, with mellow carbonation. Overall this is a decent beer, but among a field of cherry stouts I wouldn't pick this as my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 05:55:20 | More by gkunkle

rudzud

Massachusetts

2.73/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Received as an extra in a trade, poured into a Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a deep brown nearly black with a nice one finger mocha head that fades to leave a dense creamy blanket with some light side lacing. Nice for the ABV.

S - Hrm, fair chocolate notes with a very very light earthy bourbon. The cherry thats there smells almost fake.

T - Another hrm. The bourbon is there subtly along with the slight toasted coconut that can sometime come with barrel aging a stout. Chocolate isnt bad but this fake cherry cough syrup taste is really killing this for me. Just tastes very artificial.

M - Mouthfeel is nice for a stout of this ABV once you get past that sticky cough syrup cherry.

O - Overall yah, the cherry kills this for me big time. This is a huge let down but I kind of knew it realistically going in that the cherry would ruin this beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 02:35:22 | More by rudzud

TWStandley

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter.

Appeared a dark brown/slightly reddish color with a light brown head that disappeared quickly.

Smelled of faint cherries, some roasted malts, and a bit of chocolate.

Taste up front is tart cherries, almost reminds me of a kriek, followed by a very faint stout taste. Wish the stout was a bit more present, but still pretty good. Not detecting much of the barrel, however.

Mouthfeel is lacking body to me, but the beer hides the 10% ABV so well I had to bump it up a bit.

Overall not bad. Definitely one of the better cherry stouts I have had (though in general I am not a fan of cherry stouts).

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 00:40:19 | More by TWStandley

TATURBO

Illinois

3/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

2012 Version.
A: Brown with a minimal amount of head.

S: Slight sour cherry. Not picking up much else.

T: Light on the stout for sure. Dark Cherry flavor abound.

M: Pretty light overall for style. Definitely so for a BB Stout.

O: Mediocre. Glad I got a sample before buying. This is a style I'd jump on and get some quantity of if done right but this seriously left me disappointed. I love the regular BB Stout but the Cherry version just doesn't have it going on. I love most all of CW's Barrel aged stuff, Sadly not this one. If the recipe could be tweaked, I'd be all for it as with their other Barrel offerings, It could be great!

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 18:53:22 | More by TATURBO

pmarlowe

California

4.2/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2012 vintage. Tulip glass.

A: Pours essentially black, with a finger of light khaki head which recedes to a thick fluffy ring. Good retention and no lacing.

S: Cherry and toasted wood, vanilla, and some roastiness underneath.

T: Dry, tannic chocolate covered cherries, some vanilla and rostiness as well, and a touch of bourbony sweetness. Cherry is prominent but balanced with barrel. Long cherry on the finish.

M: Medium full body and medium light carbonation.

O: Very drinkable. I haven't found any cherry stouts that I've liked so far, but this is quite good. Everything comes together, the cherry doesn't taste artificial, and the barrel characteristics add a nice element. Far exceeded expectations.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 05:59:59 | More by pmarlowe

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.08/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle courtesy of FrankenBrew, this is the 2010 vintage. Lets see how 2.5 years in the cellar has done...pours a dark crimson color with a small, fast fading tan head. No lacing.

Oxidized malt is supported well by a rich, dark cherry aroma. Plenty of bourbon-soaked wood still in there. Smells big, boozy and rich.

The stout portion of the beer is not as sweet and chocolaty as it needs to be to support the fruit and alcohol. It is still hot, surprisingly and the bourbon still bold. The body feels thin, maybe partly because of the tart fruit...but I think mostly due to a lack of sweetness. Im not a big fan of this one, it was fun to try though!

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 01:55:27 | More by twiggamortis420

Duff27

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Fizzy half inch light mocha head on a dark brown/black body. Head doesn't stick around long.

S- Whiffs of tart cherries and some chocolate.

T- Equal parts bourbon and cherry, maybe more bourbon. Cherry just seems muddled. 10%abv is well hidden so I'll give it that.

M- Fizzy carbonation/somewhat thin mouthfeel for a stout it seems.

D/O- It's weird to be let down by a Central Waters BA beer, with Fourteen Fourteen, BB Stout, BB Barleywine all being great in my opinion. This one is worth a try but not going out of your way for.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 03:45:11 | More by Duff27

herman77

Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

2012 vintage

A: Dark dark brown with a small light tan head.

S: Tart cherries right away with chocolate, bourbon, vanilla. Kind of smells like an odd combination, but it works.

T: You defiantly get the tart cherries, but everything else is kind of muddled together and gets lost. You can taste bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, roasted malt and coffee, but I think it gets lost in the tartness of the cherries and the bourbon. No bad or off flavors at all though, just everything is a confusing mess of flavors.

M: Medium light body. Average carbonation. Thin for a imperial stout.

O: Pretty decent drinkability. ABV is hidden somewhat well, no real burn from the alcohol. I like the idea of this beer, but it just doesn't deliver like I wished it would. It's not bad, but I wish the flavors didn't mix together the way they did.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 19:23:15 | More by herman77

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.3/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark brown and black appearance, less in the way of head than the regular bourbon barrel stout had, so less lace, retention as well. Aroma, nice bitter cherries, its in there, milder bourbon aromas in the regular bourbon version are, well, even more mild here now that it is competing with the ample amount of cherries. Chocolate, wood round out the aroma department, vanilla, conspicuously missing, but thankfully comes back around in the mouthfeel.

Taste, wow, the bitter cherry really stands at the forefront here. The stout component is actually still pretty smooth, not a big bitterness from heavy roasting or whatnot, it seems solely derived from the cherry aspect. Some sweetness, not diabetic coma inducing by any means. The mouthfeel is a little thinner than what the imperial stout fanboys tend to prefer, and also probably contributes to the metallic bitter aspect that one can get from the beer.

You can't beat the price on such a barrel aged beer though. That counts.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 19:34:28 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Scotchboy

Idaho

4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle, 2012 vintage from a stellar trading partner (thanks man) poured into a Jackie O's tulip.

A: Pours a nearly opaque dark brown with light showing through on the edges of the glass. The head was initially a good two fingers of tightly bubbled creamy light tan foam, but it fades relatively quickly; between the abv, bourbon barrels and cherries I would expect that.

S: Real nice; bourbon, caramel, oak are all prominent on the nose...faint bitterness from a roasted component, hints of vanilla and faint, faint cherry...really no alcohol to speak of except for a very slight bourbon booziness.

T: Cherry comes through more here as the beer warms, mixing with the bourbon, notes of caramel and vanilla...pleasant alcohol notes, no real burn though...definite sweetness, with a touch of tart cherry...hints of charred oak, burnt caramel, faint coffee, chocolate, and licorice.

MF: Fairly viscous medium mouthfeel, creamy, light carbonation, dry body.

O: I liked this one a lot, enjoyable and unique..definitely has Central Waters signature BA profile, with a unique cherry component that blends well and isn't off-putting.

Thanks Aaron!

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 18:09:04 | More by Scotchboy

jegross2

Illinois

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

Reviewing the 2012 vintage of the Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout from Central Waters Brewing Company. I have never met a "cherry stout" I liked, but friends assure me that if I will ever like one, it will be this one. Thank you Kendra for handing this one over as an extra. Thank you even more for not giving me the one with the screwed up label.
Score: 85

2012 vintage bottle with the February month ticked on the side of the label. Served in a Great Lakes snifter and enjoyed on 04/24/12.

Appearance: Pour a deep black color with a thick layer of caramel color at the top when held up to light. Less than half a finger of creamy khaki colored head at pour settles into a ring around the glass. Decent lacing with decent, but inconsistent, lacing. 4/5

Smell: Primarily fudge, but there's a light amount of coffee, some dark chocolate and a light amount of cherry in the aroma too. Hint of vanilla. A real nice blend and balance of stout aromatics with a light cherry twist here. 4/5

Taste: There's some complexity here, but those complexities do not blend well together. There's a little tart cherry sweetness, bready malt and a little caramel upfront. Then creamy chocolate and a modest amount of vanilla on the midpalate. The finish is slightly oaky chocolate with residual sweetness from the cherry. Honestly, that cherry is almost like a backbone in the beer and it's too contrasting without any real sense of belonging with the rest of the flavors. There's honestly no bourbon flavor here whatsoever. Growing cherry flavor as the beer warms/layers -- especially on the midpalate and in the linger. The residual aftertaste is a real nice chocolate-covered cherry flavor that you wish the rest of the beer tasted like. No real booziness to the beer at all. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied, medium-plus carbonation. Honestly a little too much carbonation here. Or maybe I'm mistaking the prickly tartness from the cherry for carbonation. Either way, the mouthfeel is too thin and bubbly on the palate for an imperial stout. Has a slightly syrupy mouthfeel. 3.5/5

Overall: This beer certainly has potential, and it has the flavor components needed to be pretty good, but as crafted is a bit of a sloppy mess. The flavor components are too "individualized" and blend about as well as oil and water on the palate.

Recommendation: Give this one a try if you get a chance, but do not go out of your way to find it.

Pairings: Chocolate cake.

Cost: $3.49 for a single bottle or $11.99 for a four pack.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 07:03:53 | More by jegross2

afausser

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I've had this one cellared for about 2 on top of the age it came with. About to move cross country so clearing a lot of great stuff out of the cellar.

Appearance: Pours an opaque dark chocolate color, impossible to see light through but not as pitch black as a lot of dark beers can be. Has about a finger of mocha head that quickly recedes into a ring of uneven foamy off-white bubbles around the edge of the glass. Carbonation streams feed slowly into the remaining head here and there, and there's a pretty pattern across the top of the glass.

Smell: Smells great. reminds me a lot of the oak aged version without cherry. Heavy vanilla notes blend with nice oaky notes. Smells nice and cool. As it sits and warms for a bit, and when agitated, there are some sour but not biting cherry notes that are apparent. As I remember, the non-cherry version had some nice cherry notes as well. There are some more traditional stout notes in the background, particularly dark chocolate sweet notes.

Taste: The cherry notes are way stronger in the taste, to the point where it tastes more like a mix of a sour and a fruit beer than a stout. I like sours and it's delicious, but I don't think I can rate this with full marks since I'm doing this to style. Slight bitter notes in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Decent. A little foamy in the finish but otherwise pretty good.

Drinkability: Definitely more of a sipper than the other stouts due to the sour cherry notes. Still have yet to have a Central Waters brew that's disappointed--and super excited to be driving through WI in a month so I can get some more great beer!

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 22:37:33 | More by afausser

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a translucent black with red highlights and some aggressive carbonation. A good 3 fingers of head rapidly dissipates.

N: Dark chocolate, sweet bourbon, vanilla, fudge and a light maraschino cherry essence. Nice!

T: Right upfront is some slightly tart maraschino cherry and a hint of metal. Mid-palate brings in some subtle roasty notes suggesting chocolate, coffee and overripe plum. There's a subtle hint of bourbon. Finishes with cherry, earthy oak, candy sugar and faint vanilla.

M: Medium bodied, smooth and somewhat silky.

O: The cherry flavor really takes over. The bourbon is not that noticeable in the flavor profile. The Imperial Stout characteristics are minimal and the body is too thin. Where this beer wins is that there is no alcohol presence and it is rather tasty and easy drinking. Tastes more like a Belgian Dark Strong Ale with cherries added though.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 15:52:45 | More by justintcoons

jjanega08

Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2012 Bottled on notch between Feb and march

A= Pours a black color but more of a deep brown based on the look coming out of the bottle. The head rises to a finger high and holds some pretty decent retention with some solid lacing and steady retention.

S= Smells like bourbon and cherries. I've found that imperial stouts and central waters don't really get along. They always seem very weak and watery. The main character in their barrel aged series is the barrel and added ingredients. This is no exception. The nose is deep vanilla and cherries with great wood character. The stout is weak and falls behind the additions. The cherries add a sort of tart smell to it that makes my taste buds water.

T= The taste is no exception for the rule. Bourbon and cherries up front with something sort of reminiscent of a stout falling behind. The wood and vanilla take the for front and the slightly tart cherries follow quickly behind. There is a slight roast from the stout but not much. The barrel is excellent and the cherries are a great addition so I don't really know how to do this. The additions are great but the stout base is very clearly weak.

M= Way to weak for an imperial stout. Light and effervescent.

O= This is a quality beer for sure. A quality imperial stout? No not at all. A quality barrel aged beer? yes for sure among the best. A quality beer with cherries added? Oh yeah the cherries are awesome. So how do you call this? Is it a great beer? I think so. Is it something that fits to the imperial stout style? No it's a horrible imperial stout. Among the worst I've had. But as a beer itself It's awesome. Really hard to rate. I'm gonna rate it to style but boost the overall score because it's a good beer. A very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 03:20:17 | More by jjanega08

oline73

Maryland

3.2/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from the bottle into a Chimay goblet.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown color with some light coming through it. There is a finger of light tan head that fades to a layer on top of the pour.

Smell: Peppery bourbon and oak hit your nose up front. There is some smooth roast and a mild sweetness as well. Only getting a very faint cherry note.

Taste: You can pick up the cherries here, but they still don't dominate. This is a good use of cherries in a beer. The peppery oak and bourbon show up here as well. I never would have guessed the abv is as high as it is listed.

Mouthfeel: The body is really thin given the style. Smooth, fluffy carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: I can't say that I loved this beer. The bourbon and cherries were nice, but it just didn't come together for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 00:56:56 | More by oline73

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.55/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle.

Pours a dark, cola brown with a thin light tan head. Little lace or retention. Nose is cherry syrup and oak, with some light roast malt. Dry, mildly tart cherries dominate the flavor with a nearly equally strong vanilla and bourbon oak presence. Little malt flavor in the body as the treatment dominates the base beer. Medium thick, low carbonation and a slightly watery finish. Alcohol is well hidden but this is a little too rich to drink much of a bottle. Still prefer this to Peruvian Morning or the Barrel Aged Stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 14:19:18 | More by yourefragile

Phelps

Arizona

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brew’s made with 80 pounds of tart Door County Cherries in each oak barrel, then aged 6 months. Shared by ottovon and poured into a small snifter.

Deep maroon. Not quite opaque, but pretty close. A thin top layer of sandy tan quickly fades to a very thin ring.

The nose: tart cherries, vanilla, oak, buttery. Some caramel as well. Cherries get sweeter as it warms.

A little chocolate, bourbon, toffee, a hint of tart cherry. Vanilla, oak. A nice, smooth blend.

Medium-light body, a little thin. Medium-light, pinching carbonation. A little numbness on the tongue and a touch of tartness on the sides.

The brew’s not bad, but it’s not crazy-good either. Tartness seems hard to blend well with bourbon. It displays sweetness at some times, tartness at others.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 02:52:28 | More by Phelps