Lindley Park - Olde Hickory Brewery

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a snifter. Thanks to RC0032 for bringing this over.

The beer itself has a nearly black mahogany color with dark ruby edges. Not much light makes it through anywhere in the glass. A small tan head forms initially and fades pretty quickly.

The aroma and flavor are fairly consistent. There is a little bit of honey in the aroma, not as much in the flavor. Some milk chocolate, some dark, bitter chocolate, slightly tart raspberries all work very well together. a little bit of booze tingles the tongue and warms the stomach. The carbonation is on the light and creamy side, working well with the chocolate covered raspberry flavor and full body.

As someone who has a soft spot for raspberries, the chocolate covered raspberry flavor is pretty dead on accurate and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 00:52:33 | More by KickInTheChalice

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -8.7%

05-19-2013 14:51:47 | More by mikeincharleston

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

05-19-2013 01:11:47 | More by Photekut

hsaye

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

05-17-2013 18:30:17 | More by hsaye

GRG1313

California

4/5  rDev -8.7%

05-15-2013 03:49:30 | More by GRG1313

Quackus

New York

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

05-14-2013 17:54:05 | More by Quackus

Hopbully

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

05-12-2013 05:57:05 | More by Hopbully

jsanford

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev -3%

05-12-2013 01:15:17 | More by jsanford

bryang002

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -3%

05-10-2013 03:12:10 | More by bryang002

Heavenisbeer

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

05-08-2013 04:17:41 | More by Heavenisbeer

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +8.4%

05-08-2013 00:01:43 | More by cadaugherty

Holland

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -8.7%

05-07-2013 02:34:05 | More by Holland

leftstagebrew

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

05-04-2013 18:45:46 | More by leftstagebrew

KevinmusPrime

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

05-03-2013 18:12:16 | More by KevinmusPrime

HopsMatt

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

04-28-2013 04:43:02 | More by HopsMatt

ADTaber

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

04-26-2013 02:51:11 | More by ADTaber

UCLABrewN84

California

4.11/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to Rado for sharing this one at Wowcoolman's tasting.

Pours an almost opaque super dark brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, and berry aromas. Taste is much the same with cocoa and raspberry flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer some great flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 01:25:10 | More by UCLABrewN84

drewone

California

4.25/5  rDev -3%

04-22-2013 00:54:40 | More by drewone

Bluecane

North Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -37.2%

04-21-2013 02:43:16 | More by Bluecane

Valleyview06

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +14.2%

04-19-2013 19:27:12 | More by Valleyview06

FUwolfpacker

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

04-16-2013 03:54:00 | More by FUwolfpacker

juliusseizure

New York

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

04-15-2013 01:22:19 | More by juliusseizure

mrebeka

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +8.4%

04-13-2013 19:29:46 | More by mrebeka

tectactoe

Michigan

4.56/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Mike for splitting his bottle with me - been trying for this one for a while now. Side by side with Pipeworks' Raspberry Truffle Abduction; I had a hunch that this one would be better, I guess we'll see. It pours dark as hell - pitch black, completely opaque. Barely any head formation after a straight-down pour, though swirling the glass brings to life one of the darkest tan heads I've ever seen; thick, frothy, and quick to recede back into nothing.

One whiff of this and you're off and running in barrel-land. Big-time barrel aromas - tons of oak, moderate vanilla, and silky smooth bourbon. The bourbon is pretty powerful, yet tamed well and not abrasive to my nostrils. Malty as hell with a ton of thick, brown sugar, molasses, and roasted cocoa beans.

The raspberry is actually a little quiet at first, not peeking its head out until I take a few more successive whiffs. Once it finally comes out, though, it's wonderful. Lightly sweet raspberry jam; deep, pure, and extremely inviting. Some moderate honey sweetness in the tail end, though I could just be imagining that since the bottle says "honey" on it. Wonderful execution of "stout + barrel + raspberry" without leaning out of kilter towards any given side.

The only thing left to do is taste this one... and the first sip is simply magical. Leading the way is a surge of thick molasses coupled with a generous helping of juicy, raspberry jam. Bourbon and oak flavors outline the edges constantly, along with a mild vanilla flavor that works perfectly in the small doses it's given in. The raspberry flavor starts off strong and within a second or two, a delicate tartness comes out and then quickly transcends into a sweet bit-part between the rest of the flavors.

I love this beer because the raspberry flavor is integrated in a neigh perfect manner. It's got a bunch of sweetness and even a mild tartness to it, while still remaining "dark" or "deep" enough to blend well with a barrel-aged stout (which is executed beautifully on its own). The finish is pretty sweet; raspberries, other mixed berries, figs, oak, and mild bourbon. Lots of sticky brown sugar left on the palate once the beer is gone, too. Big, heavy body with low-medium carbonation. Mildly sticky mouth feel, chewy and thick as hell.

So glad I got to try this one. I would definitely like to seek out more bottles of this. I love raspberry and I love stouts. Barrel-aging doesn't hurt, either. I feel like if this beer were just a barrel-aged stout without raspberries, it would be great. Adding raspberries to an already delicious barrel-aged stout is a risky move, but Olde Hickory pulled it off with flying colors.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 16:45:48 | More by tectactoe

Jeffo

Netherlands

4.03/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Been wanting to try this beer for a long time, so a big shout out to jbeatty for hooking me up with this one. Cheers!

From a bomber into a snifter
Vintage: 2012
Brewed with honey, raspberries and aged in oak barrels

APPEARANCE: A thick, black, sludgy pour yields a two finger, medium looking, dark tan head with good retention. Jet black body with medium levels of carbonation evident. Head slowly fades to a full foam cap, then recedes to a half wisp. A ring remains until the end and leaves touches of lacing down the glass. Great looking, thick black beer.

SMELL: Lots of roasted and chocolate notes here. Pure baker's chocolate, some oak in there, with light vanilla and cream, but the pure chocolate is more prevalent. Honey and light raspberries are noticeable, though I might not have noticed had they not said anything. Pretty well done actually. Light toffee notes as well. This is a really wonderful merger of aromas between the base chocolatey stout and the oak barrels lending some nice vanilla and sweet notes. Great stuff.

TASTE: Raspberries some out much more in the flavor, while the chocolate is in the back a little bit. Roasted flavors and red fruits up front, then some dark, pure chocolate, roasted notes, a touch of toffee and more raspberries at the swallow. A bold and lingering finish is fruity with hints of bitter chocolate and roasted grain under it, as well as some mild oak and whisky flavor. A good mix between whisky barrel and raspberries, though it use more chocolatey base beer to compete with the fruit. A little more fruit dominante compared to the nose, but still very enjoyable.

PALATE: Medium body and medium levels of carbonation. Semi-creamy on the palate, goes down alright and finishes quite sticky. No bite or burn.

OVERALL: The look was great and the nose excellent, but the taste was a little too fruit forward to really make this as good as it wanted to be. A more balanced flavor profile that matches the nose would make this outsanding. Moreover, the feel would need to be a little fuller and creamier for top marks. Still, this is a top class beer that I would gladly drink again. Thanks again jbeatty!

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 19:48:45 | More by Jeffo