Fourteen Fourteen - Central Waters Brewing Company

oline73

Maryland

4.2/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

I had this side by side with Fifteen. Poured from the bomber into a goblet.

The beer pours a mahogany color with a layer of tan head. The smell of this one is a bit hot with some dark fruit and bourbon, but it's not as rich as the Fifteen. The taste is not overly sweet but it has nice notes of vanilla, bourbon, dark fruit, and perhaps some cherry. The finish is slightly bitter. I was surprised how hot this beer was considering the age. The body is just on the thin side with aggressive carbonation and a dry finish.

I enjoyed this one quite a bit but I liked the Fifteen more. The main difference is the smell.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 04:02:14 | More by oline73

popery

California

4.2/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours dark brown. Looks a bit murky but it could just be the color. Light beige head. Small bubbles. Dissipating head. Lots of brown sugar, roast and chocolate in the nose. Well blended bourbon character. Lots more good barrel character in the taste. Starts sweet but dries out well as the wood comes in. Solid roast and chocolate flavors. Smooth mouthfeel. Very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 03:24:46 | More by popery

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.09/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

650 mL bottle poured into a snifter. Reviewed from notes.

Appearance - Not a lot of head, and what it has settles quickly. Not quite black. Collar of khaki foam.

Smell - Hot bourbon. Chocolate and molasses. Mostly bourbon from the barrel and less of a true barrel character.

Taste - Very intense bourbon. The barrel isn't as influential as the whiskey itself. Chocolate and a little less molasses than the nose implied. Hot finish and finally some oak appears in the back.

Mouthfeel - Barrel hot. Low carbonation. Thin for its size. Boozy, but it's barrel booze not so much beer booze.

Overall - It's good, but not as amazing as I'd hoped. Like many other Central Waters stouts, it comes off a bit thin.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 11:15:14 | More by Alieniloquium

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.41/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanks BeerFMAndy for this awesome "want!"

Served in a Port City snifter.

A: Black as night pour for sure, with a wispy, mocha head that stuck around like a bat out of hades.

S: I got fresh ground, high quality hot cocoa mix, with a bit of dog food kibble in there (being a dog person, I mean that as a compliment). Definitely a chocolatey brew.

T: A bit of booze warming, dark fruit-like quality in there, but overall, this a chocoholic's dream in a glass. Holy shit, this give Southern Tier's "Chokolat" a run for it's money in that category.

M: Nice prickle, yet the carbonation was appropriately low. Lots of wavy mocha bubble screens left on the glass. the bitterness was played pleasantly to a tea.

O: If Hershey and other chocolate makers ever decided to get into the beer biz, they should study this brew. It will be worth it....

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 07:04:00 | More by Chaney

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.69/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

22oz. bomber into a Brooklyn Brewery snifter. Satin Solstice was one of my favorite Imperial Stouts so this one seems really promising. Shared with schen9303.

Pours a .5 finger dark mocha head that dissipates quickly into a thick ring sitting atop a pitch black brew. Legs are viscous and oily with good stick. No lace though. Average.

Nose is crazy delicious and aromatic. I can smell it as I'm pouring. Notes of sweet soy sauce, plum, prunes, raisin, chocolate, fudge, cocoa, brownie and all things sweet and dark in the world, tied together by waves of mellow booziness. Doesn't get much better than this.

Sweet soy sauce, plum, booze, molasses, chocolate, fudge, cocoa, and the slightest bit of roasted malt. Real sweet, fruity and chocolatey. Booze is still present but its dropped off significantly enough to reveal the complexities present in this beer. Finishes sweet and boozy with a chocolate, molasses and roasted malt finish. One of the best I've had.

Medium to full bodied with moderate to low carbonation. Oily, smooth and warm in the mouth and goes down with a bit of heat. Messy finish with a sticky, long, lingering aftertaste. Awesome.

I had high hopes for this beer when I learned it was BA Satin Solstice. It doesn't disappoint. From the outstanding aroma to the great, balanced complexity to the perfect mouthfeel, this beer impresses in every way. Definitely a must try.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 01:45:03 | More by SpeedwayJim

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into HF glass split two ways.

A- Pours a dark brown that appears a pretty much opaque jet black in the glass with a thin mocha brown head that recedes to pretty much no head and doesn't leave a ton of lacing.

S- Lots of oak, some chocolate, and a hint of booze. Definitely a lot of oak dominating the nose and letting the barrel-aged presence known. Slightly above average aroma strength.

T- Again lots of oak, smooth chocolate that balances well with the oak, light lingering chocolate and oak on the finish. Overall a decent stout with some nice oak flavors that come out from the barrel.

M- Nice medium body, decent carbonation, fairly smooth, very drinkable.

O- This was a nice barrel-aged stout, however I was expecting a lot more from it. The base beer stout was decent and the barrel-aging gave it a nice oaky flavor however overall it wasn't anything that really blew me away. It was a nice BA stout that I enjoyed drinking, but I didn't get that much complexity out of it. I think I actually enjoyed the CW BB stout more since the bourbon gave it a little bit more sweetness and overall flavor. Overall I definitely enjoyed this and I would recommend trying it if given the chance but I would definitely not recommend giving up a lot to obtain it. The HF Genealogy of Morals we had before this was significantly better.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 04:12:38 | More by jaasen64

BasterdInABasket

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. bottle poured into Tulip glass
A- Body is Jet black, opaque, head is a light tan, maybe half finger thick, retention only on sides of glass, a little lacing
S- Oak, bourbon, vanilla sweetness, chocolate, slightly roasted, slightly boozy
T- Similar to nose, oaky, some sweetness, but more chocolate, oakiness lingers for a little but surprisingly great milk chocolate flavor takes over on the finish
M- Pretty diverse, Big, not huge body to start, some carbonation and alcohol, very smooth milk chocolate/slight bourbon finish, kind of wish there was a bigger feel/lingering flavor
O- Oak and bourbon taste doesn't blast you in the mouth like some BA Stouts but the flavors are delicious, especially the chocolate, great beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 02:55:21 | More by BasterdInABasket

sweemzander

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz. bottle poured into a snifter. Major thanks to Andy for snagging me a bottle!

(A)- Pours a deep pitch black color. Some good tan froth and surprising lace.

(S)- A nice chocolatey raisin and subtle caramel, bark, and nice vanilla oak component.

(T)- Similar to the smell mostly. A bit chocolatey and with a subtle oaky caramel this time. Bits of raisin and vanilla too.

(M)- A good carbonation level. Its actually a touch thin in the mouthfeel for the style, but it helps its drinkability all the same.

(O)- A really good stout from a great, under-rated brewery. Well-balanced with a very harmonious taste and aroma despite a slightly thinner feel. Not ridiculously complex, but just an awesome stout that showcases the barrel aging very well.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 14:16:09 | More by sweemzander

jegross2

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewing the Fourteen Fourteen from Central Waters Brewing Company.
Score: 97

Tap pour served in a snifter glass and enjoyed on 03/24/12 at the Central Waters tap takeover at the Local Option during Chicago craft beer week.

Appearance: The beer is a black color with a thick caramel-colored strip atop the glass when held up to light. Served with a thin beige-colored head that settles to a bubbly ring around glass. Minimal lacing and retention. 4/5

Smell: Rich bourbon-soaked raisins and milk chocolate. Sweet fig, molasses, and a hint of vanilla extract. 4.5/5

Taste: Complex! A lot more bourbon flavor upfront than the nose led on, but it's not really "boozy" -- just warming on the tongue. Behind the bourbon is sweet milk chocolate covered raisins, fudge and a smooth molasses-y backbone with brown sugar flavor in the finish. A little dry whiskey spice in the throat off the swallow. Marshmallow and a hint of almond on the midpalate. Hint of burnt oak too. There's a faint hoppiness in the finish. I love these kind of beers that are loaded with complex bourbon and stout flavors without the bourbon bite from the barrel-aging. 4.75/5

Mouthfeel: Usually Central Waters' great downfall has been the mouthfeel of their barrel-aged beers, which are notoriously thin-bodied -- but not this one! Full bodied, low carbonation. This beer is dry and modestly sweet. 5/5

Overall: A knockout barrel-aged beer from Central Waters that does not let down in the mouthfeel department. Central Waters should seriously consider re-brewing this, packaging it in four-packs and then distributing it. It is easily Central Waters' best beer, and comparable in quality to Hill Farmstead's Damon in my opinion.

Recommendation: If you ever see this tapped again, run -- don't walk -- to the brewpub and order a couple of glasses.

Pairings: Filet Mignon.

Cost: $7 for a 10 oz snifter pour at the bar, or $10 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2012 03:50:21 | More by jegross2

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.68/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I drank this at Matt's birthday tasting last night. Thanks for sharing this, CJ! I didn't think I'd see this

Very dark brown with reddish brown highlights, this looks nice. The nose is great. Coffee liqueur, chocolate liqueur, a big bourbon, oak and vanilla note and even a little bit of a raw oak aroma. The base stout isn't particularly roasty, but that seems to be a Central Waters characteristic, as neither their Satin Solstice or -bal imperial stout is particularly roasty. A mild booze character is present

The palate opens with a blend of chocolate, coffee and booze. Mildly flabby, mildly dull and muddled, this is yeasty, fruity, mildly vinous, especially in the way that the tannins and alcohol play off each other. Medium-full in body, medium-low in carbonation. Mildly roasty and boozy on the finish, this is decent stuff.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 16:16:30 | More by DefenCorps

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.1/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared by Chris. Thanks buddy.

The beer appears dark brown with a thin, light tan head. The aroma is buttery, with notes of oak, bourbon, roast. Smooth feel, but perhaps a bit flabby, per se. Different aspects of this beer lack harmony and continuity. Still, a solid beer and quite tasty. Alcohol presence is tree, but generally unobtrusive. Overall, pretty tasty, but nothing extraordinary.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 01:56:07 | More by Huhzubendah

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.05/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Chris for sharing this one.

Beer pours a dark brown/nearly black with a tiny off-white head. Aroma is rather impressive, bourbon, oak, vanilla and a bit of roasty coffee all mix together nicely. The only thing keeping it from being a 5 is that there's a bit of alcohol in there. Flavor isn't quite as impressive as the nose however. It's a nice mix of bourbon, chocolate, oak and roast, but nothing really stands out here. It's a nice bourbon barrel stout, but not the best I've had. Mouthfeel is a bit thin for the style, but full bodied and nicely carbonated. Overall, this is a good beer, but doesn't really stand out among other similar beers. I like it, don't love it.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 01:46:37 | More by starrdogg

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Chris for this nice rare beer!

It pours a nice very dark brown color with just a ring of head and not much lacing. The smell has a bunch of powdered cocoa, deep dark malt that is semi roasty, some great bourbon cask in there as well. Some nice dark fruits in the nose and the taste as well. A little coffee in the taste along with the bourbon, malt, molasses, brown sugar, etc. the flavor lingers such a long time, it's quite remarkable! The mouthfeel is great and smooth, not much alcohol at all, and great long finish. Overall, a very nice beer!

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 01:37:28 | More by Dreadnaught33

dtmets84

New York

3.53/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks! rom a long awaiting tell me how you feel about the brew aka mediocre

very thinL ight roasted malt presence with strong bourbon aromatics. wishing for more

Overall: Really nice. Reminds me of a barrel of something i i wish i could have been..

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 01:03:55 | More by dtmets84

HopHead84

California

4.48/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

7/28/2012

Thanks! Snifter.

A: Brown bordering on black with a deep reddish tinge near the edges. The head is half an inch of beige froth.

S: Nutty dark toffee in the nose with dark chocolate and vanilla. Cocoa and a little coconut with brown sugar and oak. Light roasted malt presence with strong bourbon aromatics. Smells a lot like a Barleywine.

T: A blend of toffee, dark chocolate, and caramel with a lower moderate bitterness. Bourbon is well integrated and there's a pretty great vanilla profile. Nutty notes blend with oak and roasted grains. Well hidden alcohol in the flavor.

M: Upper medium to lower full body with upper medium carbonation. The mouthfeel soft, silky, and creamy with alcohol warming.

Overall: Really nice. Reminds me of a barrel aged blend of Barleywine and Imperial Stout. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 05:50:44 | More by HopHead84

brystmar

New York

3.95/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Been looking forward to this one for awhile. Body is dark brown and pours a little watery. Medium-ish tan head, still lacking for a stout.

Good aroma with bourbon melting smoothly into the stout base. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the taste as the bourbon barrel character overwhelms the base stout. This fault seems to improve as it warms, though the bourbon is still overpowering overall. Wish the barrel was more an accent on the base than the predominant flavor.

Body suffers from CWS (Central Waters Syndrome): thin, weak, and watery. A decent stout, but still falls quite short of my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 00:00:36 | More by brystmar

silentjay

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

pitch black with a smallish dark mocha head that is perfect for the style that laces extremely well as it recedes to a thin film.

lots of sweet dark malts and bourbon. a nice bourbon heat, molasses, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, mocha coffee, cacoa nibs, charred oak. complex and balanced aroma. could sniff this one all night.

bourbon first and foremost, but its well integrated into the sweet and dark roast stout flavors. some chocolate, hazelnut liqueur, a good amount of wood character brings in some earthiness and a lot of sweet molasses, caramel, and brown sugar. a lot of dark fruit as it warms with raisins, dates, dried candied fruits... excellent.

One qualm I've had with the couple CW barrel aged beers I've tried is their thin mouthfeel. This one does not suffer from that AT ALL. very thick and sticky mouthfeel with a nice lingering bourbon heat and sweetness.

tremendous. One of the best stouts I've had in quite some time. Would love for this to be readily available, but I'm just glad to have the opportunity to enjoy this on my birthday. very complex, balanced, and tasty. a monster of a beer and one that puts many of the "BIG BOYS" to shame.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 04:54:39 | More by silentjay

tewaris

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Have to thank Yulles, dc55110 and Mista for the tip. Enjoyed on tap at Muddy Waters.

Black! With good head and retention. The aroma reminded me of The Abyss in several ways in its charred, burnt character. Whiskey by the campfire?

There is plenty of vanilla later but not with a BCBS like silkiness... quite creamy and smooth nonetheless. Char and firm bitterness with mellow sweetness and booze. Woody.

Very warming but with some solvent like notes.

I am not sure on the mouthfeel... on one hand I want it to be bigger, thicker while on the other hand I want it to be thinner and more liquor like (Dark Knight is a good example).

Overall there are so many options now that this one doesn't seem to be worth the trouble of going after a bottle, especially because it reminds me of The Abyss that I like better and is relatively much easier to come by.

That said, it's a damn fine beer!

4, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2012 12:29:09 | More by tewaris

olympuszymurgus

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Muddy Waters, a decently prices pour too.

Deep brown, small head, a nice looking beer with a good aroma of bourbon, fruit, oak, vanilla, all the good stuff. Taste begins with a little butterscotch, roast, and follows with all that smooth bourbon and oak. The barrel really chimes like a BCBS, but less roast and with some more English character. Smooth as all hell too.

My only issue is the butterscotch problem. It wasn't offensive, but it also wasn't appreciated.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2012 20:07:44 | More by olympuszymurgus

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A massive thanks goes out to StayWhatYouAre2 for sharing this one during his own Bachelor Tasting a few days before his wedding! Congrats buddy! Served from bottle into a Boulevard Smokestack tulip. Poured a massively dark brown with a half finger tan head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, dark fruit, vanilla, sweet alcohol, and coffee. The flavor was of sweet malt, dark chocolate, vanilla, sweet alcohol, wood, and coffee. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. The aroma on this one really stood out to me as it was very well balanced and had just the right amount of intensity. The flavor had the same amount of balance, but just didn’t have the intensity in all the right places. Definitely glad I got the chance to try this one. I suggest you do the same!

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 12:33:56 | More by thagr81us

largadeer

California

4.48/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks, Jason.

Appearance: Dark brown, not opaque by any means - looks more like a big brown ale. Pours with a half-inch of tan foam that recedes to a collar.

Smell: Brown sugar and chocolate chip cookies. Oatmeal, vanilla, molasses, a touch of coffee and bourbon. Wonderfully rich, with an integrated bourbon character that melds perfectly with the base beer.

Palate: Molasses and licorice, oatmeal chocolate cookies, raisin an a touch of red wine, plenty of bourbon but not a ton of booze. Body is medium-full, not overly viscous, but not thin. Sweet, but never cloying. The finish is sweet and rich with cocoa and cookie dough.

Overall: This is damn good.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 04:37:24 | More by largadeer

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a beige head. Color is a deep brown.

Aroma: Bourbon, oak, and vanilla up front. Lots of chocolate and caramel. Some coffee roast as well.

Taste: Warming bourbon with notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak. Chocolate and cocoa blend together. It is a bit roasty with some coffee in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Warming and smooth. A tad roasty. Medium to full bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends dry.

Overall, I thought this was a decent -bal aged stout, but nothing as the reviews suggest. Pretty drinkable, but it kind of blends in with the rest of them. A bit too roasty for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 23:02:11 | More by mothman

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to someone for sharing this in line at Dark Lord Day 2012. Served in a taster glass. Pours near-black with a nice mocha head and some spots of lacing as it falls to a thin collar. The nose is unbelievable with loads of fresh vanilla and a bit of oak alongside smooth bourbon and a bit of chocolate. The flavor falls off from there with the bourbon taking over alongside a fair amount of booze. Heavy body with low carbonation. Nose was killer.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 17:26:22 | More by Thorpe429

MasterSki

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to bauermj for sharing this one. Served in a Närke snifter. Apparently this was aged in Buffalo Trace barrels.

A - Thin tan foam settles to a collar, some wispy patches of haze, and a few splotches of lace. Near-black body.

S - Massive whiskey presence here - tons of overt bourbon and barrel presence. Coconut, vanilla, toasted almonds, and charry oak mingle with intensely roasted grains, dark chocolate, and a hint of marshmallow. Definitely a punch to the face, and perhaps a tad boozy for my tastes.

T - The taste is a bit friendlier, as the massive bourbon bite has been tamed a bit by the base beer's chocolate, roasted malts, and dark fruit flavors. Still, a hefty dose of earthy bourbon, marshmallow, and toasted coconut fill out the flavor profile. Quite excellent.

M - Smooth, medium body, mildly chewy, medium-low carbonation, and minimal alcohol warmth for the listed 11%. Dry, tannic finish, but surprisingly clean otherwise - not much residual stickiness at all.

D - I'm not sure how a 7.5% base beer (Satin Solstice) ends up at 11% after 14 months in a bourbon barrel. Perhaps they made an extra-hefty batch for this specific release, or perhaps they regularly dilute Satin Solstice - who knows? In any case, I enjoyed this quite a bit more than Central Waters' Bourbon Barrel Stout and would recommend seeking it out if you like a lot of whiskey in your beer. Looking forward to drinking the bottle joshuaseresse sent me - think I still owe him some beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 12:39:31 | More by MasterSki

derkfromwi

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into Duvel glass

A: One-inch mocha head that dissipates to a nice ring around edges of glass, jet black color, decent carbonation for an Imperial Stout, little bit of lacing

S: Bourbon, dark chocolate, molasses, nice blend of malts, dark fruits and a bit of tobacco as it warms

T: Sweet caramel, bourbon, chocolates, roasted malts, oak, spicy bitterness from barrel and hops, slight earthiness, complex

M: Smooth and silky, good carbonation, medium-full to full bodied, warming, bit of a dry finish

O: Very good Imperial Stout, aged 14 months in 14-year-old barrels, this will be the last beer of the night for sure

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 03:24:53 | More by derkfromwi