Lindley Park - Olde Hickory Brewery

scifan

North Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into a Jackie O's tulip. Pours pitch black with a light tan head that quickly settles into a wispy ring around the glass.
I could literally smell this as soon as I opened it. If I had to use just one word it would be decadent. Sweet dark chocolate dominates the nose. Bourbon, vanilla, and oak also make themselves known. Just a hint of tart raspberry and alcohol round things out.
Sweet chocolate kick things off with the first sip. Again the word decadent comes to mind, this would make a fine dessert beer. The barrel aging while very evident remains very much in balance. The nice tartness from the raspberry provides a nice contrast from the intial sweetness and keeps you coming back for another sip. Also has a phenomenal aftertaste.
Has a perfect mouthfeel. Smooth, rich, creamy, and coats the entire mouth.
One of the best beers I've had in awhile and reminds me why Olde Hickory is THE BEST brewery in NC.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 04:19:59 | More by scifan

bballmj2k

North Carolina

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

Drinking in celebration of Coach K's #903 victory.

A - Pitch black, not quite as viscous as I expected when it poured. Minimal mocha colored lacing with no head to speak of.

S - Whoah - immediately reminiscent of Olde Rabbit's Foot. Chocolate, coffee, roasted notes, bourbon, vanilla, and some coconut from the barrels all overtop of a hint of raspberry sweet/tart notes. Really unique and fantastic.

T - Follows the taste quite accurately. Sweetness up front with the chocolate notes. Middle fills out with the bourbon/barrel notes and ends with bitterness and some boozy character. Raspberry tartness - almost reminiscent of New Belgium's clutch with the sour ale - exists in the background and melds so well with the base beer.

M - Medium-bodied with about the same carbonation. Slightly sweet and boozy on the end but it works quite well.

O - Haven't had Olde Hickory's Event Horizon before but if this is any indication I look forward to its release soon. Great beer and Olde Hickory is quickly becoming a favorite local brewery for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 03:29:08 | More by bballmj2k

VaTechHopHead

California

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours viscous black with a dark tan head that fades semi-quickly but leaves a thin layer of bubbles on top.

S - Can smell this one as soon as the cap is popped with aromas of bourbon and light raspberry. Once the nose is buried in the tulip glass the raspberries are more pronounced and very ripe. The bourbon compliments the honey very well into a blend of nice sweetness.

T - Raspberries from the get go but then the bourbon and stout sweetness kick in right after. Once they blend it's a wonderful harmony of tart fruit, sweet honey, and toasted/roasted notes from the barrel. The flavors are still a little separated since this one is still fresh but it's still a homerun.

M - Full body with just the right amount of carbonation. No alcohol flavor or burn but the warmth is felt. Very smooth and velvety on the palate and finishes with an awesome raspberry aftertaste.

O - I brought this to the FFF XV Anniversary beer release and it was one of, if not the favorite beer, of the tasting group throughout the entire day. Enough said. Give it some time and I'm sure all the 4.5's will turn into 5.0's.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 02:46:08 | More by VaTechHopHead

ASUBeer

North Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a New Belgium snifter. The beer pours black with an oily look to it. A 1/2 inch brown head made up of fairly large bubbles. The head subsides but leaves nice residule bubbles around the outside of the glass with a little froth in the center.

The smell is phenomenal. Vanilla, oak, bourbon, raspberries, and molasses. The taste is also very complex. There is a nice bitter chocolate taste with a touch of honey, tart raspberries and a smooth oak- bourbon mixed in.

The mouthfeel is that of an oily stout with a thickness from the honey that coats your mouth. Light carbonation.

Overall this is a very good beer. Probably needs sometime to mellow and for all the flavors to completely gel but it is very good and very unique. No one flavor overpowers.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 02:29:24 | More by ASUBeer

brentk56

North Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a fudge brown color with garnet highlights; not much of a head, but the beer has legs

Smell: Rich, dark chocolate and fresh raspberry purée with a hint of honey and Bourbon

Taste: Dark chocolate and honey appear first, but it doesn't take long for the tart black and red raspberry flavors to assert themselves; after the swallow, the tart black raspberry and sweet red raspberry elements sway back and forth, though the chocolate, Bourbon and honey lingers underneath, throughout; puckerish tartness in the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low to moderate carbonation

Overall: Though I would prefer a slightly fuller mouthfeel, I am really impressed by this beer and am really enjoying the tart raspberry edge, the chocolate and the subtle Bourbon elements

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 02:30:40 | More by brentk56

Verecund

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bomber split two ways on November 9, 2011.

Pours black with a thin ring of tan head that recedes to a mere ring about the glass. Light lacing.

Luscious nose featuring dark chocolate, sweet-tart raspberries, and blackcurrant. I want to say bourbony oak, but it's hard to tell beneath the increasingly poignant berry fruitiness. Very light oxidation adds a later of richness.

A touch of berry fruit tartness on the very front of the palate, sweet dark maltiness which dries out on the mid and late palate (I assume from the honey), figgy dark fruit, and a touch of soy. Bitter chocolate and oak tannins on the [dry, lightly bitter] finish. Easy drinking and tasty.

Medium-thin in body, with medium carbonation; slightly thin in the mouth, unfortunately. Drinks at its ABV.

This is a nice imperial stout. The raspberry adds a layer of richness, especially on the nose, but the beer still exhibits great balance. I don't think a fruited stout is the easiest thing to pull off, and this is fairly impressive within that niche.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 03:26:58 | More by Verecund

OSUBeerStudent

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle into a Duck Rabbit snifter. High hopes for this one.

Pours an opaque black with tiny, quickly nonexistent head except for a thin rim. Good appearance.

Smell is complex. Lots of chocolate and raspberry, with some floral honey (actual honey, not just sugar). A bit of currant and fig. The barrel is buried on the nose. Some booziness is present, but not overwhelming in any way.

Taste is where this one shines. Some tart raspberry up front with a backing of honey sweetness. Lots of cocoa in this one. The oak is present but subtle - not bourbony or overwhelming in any way. Fairly sweet as far as imperial stouts go but very balanced. Finish is dry and primarily oak with bitter chocolate. Subtle as far as big barrel-aged imperial stouts go but delicious.

Mouthfeel is a touch thin but still good. Carbonation is perfect, though. The alcohol is totally absent from the taste, only showing up in the nose, which is fairly impressive. Easy drinking for its power.

Overall this is a very, very good bal stout. Definitely worth seeking out and I'm very glad I have some more bottles of it. I think with a year or two on it this will be extremely good, with just that much more blending of flavors and less booze in the nose. Another great stout from Olde Hickory.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 22:56:42 | More by OSUBeerStudent

AppalachianVntnr

North Carolina

4.78/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Superb use of the fruit in this one. Aroma of fresh ripe raspberry, chocolate and honey. The palate is flush with the raspberry but of the fresh kind, thats slightly bitter with notes of the fleshy seeds, roasted coco nibs, toffee with a great weight to it all from the honey. A higher than usual level of carbonation and a slight brisk acidity really keeps it refreshing. Really long finish like a great wine. Again really nice use of the fruit in this stout, one of the better examples of an Impy fruit stout. I will also say that this needs some time and would benefit from some aging but would be perfect with Thanksgiving in a few weeks. Grab one before they are all gone.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 21:52:48 | More by AppalachianVntnr

lanamj

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

22oz with raspberry colored wax shared with Jonathan from Old Hickory at Duckworths. Glad you thought of this one.

A- Pours a nice silky black color with little head that dissipates to a small amount of lacing on the edge of the glass. Towards the edge of the glass a nice raspberry hue appears where light is able to penetrate.

S- Wow so good. Lots of chocolate and raspberry. I get a faint but nice amount of vanilla, bourbon and oak. I also get the honey from the base beer. Not hot at all for the ABV.

T- As good if not better then the nose. Like a desert this beer is. Lots of chocolate, raspberry, honey, bourbon and vanilla. They all come together very nicely. The chocolate and raspberry are the focal point here. Its like Event meets Imperial Stout meets Raspberries.

M- Very smooth and silky. It is exactly how it should be. The body is heavy but not to thick. It feels like chocolate milk going down!!

O- One of the best beers Old Hickory has to offer. A true stout that stands up to the best. This is the third bottle I've shared since it's release and i could share a million more. This is what a fruit stout should/needs to taste like.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 15:12:54 | More by lanamj

BrahnSolo

North Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle to Stone 15th Anniversary Glass

Pours jet black into the glass leaving no light to come through, dark brown around the edges. Nice tight dark khaki, frothy head leaves minimal lacing.

Nose comprises of strong bourbon, wood, and fresh raspberry up front, creamy, sweet dark chocolate, honey, and raisin. Some burn from the alcohol. Nose is worth the price of the bottle itself.

First and foremost, bourbon and wood shine, but quickly meld with the "tart" raspberry, dark chocolate, and honey sweetness. Sweet at first, then a nice light coffee, honey, and raisin come out with just a touch of coconut. Bourbon and raspberry dominate this beer, complimenting each other nicely, leaving a slight tart dry finish to the beer.

For the style, and in relation to the base beer, it is a relatively thin mouth feel, most likely due to the fruit present. Medium body and mouth feel with moderate carbonation, by no means too little though.

Olde Hickory has created another gem. Lindley is truly a treat and I look forward to tasting a bottle some time down the road to see how it develops. I feel that with some time on it, it will be a little more approachable, it is a very rich at the moment, so I'm anxious to see how it is in a year or so. Another more than solid stout from OHB.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 05:01:48 | More by BrahnSolo

GehenHerzog

North Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz waxed bottle, purchased at Brawleys, poured into the brand new Brawley's Snifter. Split with my pops

A- Pours a deep black with a very minimal tan head. No lacing to speak of on this one

S- Smells like those chewy chocolate raspberry candies. Strong chocolate and raspberry with subtle hints of coconut and bourbon.

T- This is where this beers really shines. Immediately there is a nice raspberry tartness followed by almost everything you get from Event Horizon. Chocolate, vanilla, bourbon and a little bit of coconut round this one off. A little heat comes off in the aftertaste

M- Medium thick beer. A little under carbonated but not enough to worry

D- this one tasted a little bigger than the alcohol % indicates but its a very smooth brew

Overall, I think I like the flavors of this one a little more than Event Horizon because I really like raspberries. But, all around I would say Event Horizon is a better beer. My dad isn't a huge fan of BA beers (or of Event horizon) but seemed to really enjoy this one. Another great BA offering from Olde Hickory.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 01:43:01 | More by GehenHerzog