Daniel Boone - Olde Hickory Brewery

mechamifune

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a deep mahonany brown with the slightest of off white head. Almost no sense of carbonation or lacing. Looks sticky in the glass though the body looks thin.

Smell is tons of bourbon upfront, with notes of vanilla, oak, caramel. A nice enough smell though the bourbon really dominates.

Taste is sweet upfront with the bourbon dominating at first but then settling in with the rest of the flavors. As you get through the glass all the notes seem to blend together nicely. A nice bourbon forward beer without feeling hot at all.

Mouthfeel is the low point for me. Almost "angel's share" level of carbonation. I know this style shouldn't be loaded with cabonation, but the body is just a little too thin for the size of the flavor here. Just needs a bit more cabonation, and I think this could become a great beer.

Overall, this is an interesting beer that I'm glad I tried. Feels more like an old ale than a brown ale (given the abv, i guess this is more an "imperial" brown ale), but I suppose that's really semantics at this point. It will be interesting to see how it ages and how the flavors develop. As it is now, it is one of the better taste profiles I've had in a bourbon forward beer. The body just ultimately makes it a little hard to get through for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 12:37:35 | More by mechamifune

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

05-19-2013 14:51:12 | More by mikeincharleston

JeffreyJDavis

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

05-18-2013 03:18:01 | More by JeffreyJDavis

tclang

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -18.9%

05-11-2013 14:34:58 | More by tclang

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

3.94/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Many thanks to Onenote81 for sending this beer up the East Coast to my doorstep.

A - Pours a dark burgundy mahogany color with very little carbonation and a toffee colored lacing ring, looks thick in the glass. The lacing eventually dies down to absolutely nothing.

S - Toffee, caramel, bourbon, vanilla, figs, brown sugar, molasses; aroma is soft and not overly strong. This beer smells more like a barleywine than a brown ale.

T - Bourbon is up front and it's not shy followed a wave of oak, followed by caramel toffee, vanilla, subtle brown sugar, before morphing back into an oak bourbon finish.

M - Thick and full bodied, viscous, and sticky.

O - This beer is a bourbon bomb and tastes way bigger than 8.5%. IMO, this beer is far better than the overall score.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 01:51:06 | More by jzeilinger

nrbw23

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -12.2%

05-04-2013 15:40:47 | More by nrbw23

buckyp

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

04-28-2013 23:35:21 | More by buckyp

tsauce2

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%

04-26-2013 21:38:46 | More by tsauce2

Jason

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

04-23-2013 17:11:07 | More by Jason

Todd

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%

04-23-2013 17:10:11 | More by Todd

Axnjxn

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +8.1%

04-16-2013 02:02:45 | More by Axnjxn

jsteele

North Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -25.7%

04-14-2013 18:36:13 | More by jsteele

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.96/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

22oz, bottled on 3/13
Unmarked tulip

A: Pours a murky deep orange, brown color. Didn't get a ton of head. Basically turned into nothing but a collar of light tan around edges. There is carbonation but not a ton.

S: Getting a nose of more of barleywine. Smell that barrel for sure. Soft vanilla. Toffee. Some caramel. Some dark fruits: raisin and fig for sure.

T: Really mild bitterness on tip of the tongue. Sweet malts in that mid-palate. Taste that delicious bourbon aging. Also those dark fruits. Not overly tannic. Lingering sweetness. A touch of warmth down the throat, but not hot at all.

M: Big medium, but not overly chewy and thick.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 14:46:45 | More by inlimbo77

Chaney

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The wife muled this one back from Raleigh for me this past weekend. Win!

Served in an Olde Hickory glass.

A: Poured a fairly murky, red-brown color. Not much head, but I guess this is a bourbon barrel-aged beer.

S: Nice. I got the standard coconut bill commonly associated with this style as well as some hazelnuts.

T: Fairly one-dimensional, yet still quite tasty and the brewer's (s') intent on this was most evident. The bourbon kill the brown sugar and graininess I usually don't like in this style.

M: Low carbonation and lacing. This was a very sweet brew, but it was more of the candy variety.

O: I'd drink this again. Hell, at about $7-8 per bomber, I'd definitely drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 02:47:39 | More by Chaney

dvmin98

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +14.9%

04-08-2013 21:38:07 | More by dvmin98

sommersb

Tennessee

2.74/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

Tasted On: 03-08-2013
Freshness: Bottled 05-2012
Packaging: 22 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Wellington
Purchased: Single from Duckworth's, Charlotte

Pours a clear and dark brown color capped by a small tan head that fades fast. Lacing on the glass is good.

Aromas have sweet malts and woodiness, but then I get smells of sour cherries and vinegar.

The taste confirms the idea that this beer has some sort of infection problem. The sweet caramel malts are countered by a vinegar-like sour aspect. I really don't get any kind of bourbon or whiskey elements either. The taste isn't bad, but seems far off from the intended style/mark.

High carbonation and medium-bodied in the mouthfeel, with a finish that is semi-dry and malty, but also has more vinegar tartness.

If this was sold as a wild ale it would seem appropriate and I'd give it better marks. It's not bad per se, but does fall flat as a bourbon-barrel aged imperial brown ale. Granted my bottle is 10 months old, but I don't think that would be the cause for an infection.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 04:00:18 | More by sommersb

brentk56

North Carolina

3.04/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: Pours a cloudy ice tea brown color with a modest cap on top; a few strands of lace hang around

Smell: Caramel, vanilla, oak and Bourbon, offset slightly by a sour tone

Taste: Oaky caramel, up front, with the Bourbon competing with a sourness that winds up dominating the finish

Mouthfeel: The body is thinner than expected with higher levels of carbonation; I think this may have been caused by the slight infection

Overall: This had the makings of a nice beer but the infection, though it adds an interesting dimension (for those who like sours) , leaves this beer far from what the brewer intended

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 00:16:54 | More by brentk56

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.48/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Found this review tonight... from about 6 months ago.

Received this as an awesome extra in a already great trade from
Commis.... Thanks Matt!!

Poured into a standard pint... Tannish head with lackluster lacing...
decent cap... the brew is clear walnut brown... No real head or lacing
to speak of.

The nose is thick with brown malt... and pretty much straight
bourbon... not really any wood or expected complexities... brown sugar
and hot caramel with warmth..

Flavor is interesting ... great malt notes are accentuated by vanilla
and the barrel presence.... tons of toasty malt.. nutty notes and a
very light cocoa.... a bunch of bourbon doesn't really jive with all
the maltiness... but I still dig it.. too assertive bourbon and barrel
on the finish.

Body is surprisingly light for such a big ABV brew... not a bad thing.
Carbonation and bubbles are cool...

If I had this one available locally, I would certainly buy it often if
it was in the $7-8 area... While it is interesting as for me as a
one-off, I find it a bit boring in the long run.

3/3.5/3.5/3.5/3.5

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 03:50:57 | More by JohnGalt1

Mantooth

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +14.9%

11-18-2012 18:56:25 | More by Mantooth

jsanford

Georgia

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Pours dark mahogany with a soapy white head that fades to a slight ring with lots of sheets of lacing. Malty aromas of caramel and toffee, Bourbon, dark berry, and a touch of sour infection. Damnit. More infection in the taste, touch of berry and vinegar with more bourbon, dark malt, and roasted nut. Not bad, but I wish I could have this as it was meant to be. Smooth mouthfeel, with a medium-full body and decent carbonation. Not bad, but not what it was supposed to be.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 01:44:16 | More by jsanford

KajII

North Carolina

3.33/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

[Suggested Glassware: Dimpled Mug]

The pour was a murky medium chestnut brown with an average (1-2 finger) light brown creamy head that was mostly diminishing, reducing down to a thin puddled film and medium collar which produced only fair streaky lacing.

It had an aroma that was of toasted sweet dark bread malts and an earthy leathery yeast with notes of chocolate, vanilla, caramel, bourbon and a slight nutty/woody scent.

As for the taste it was sweet and malty with a hint of caramel and a touch of chocolate pretty much throughout, with the finish having a strong vanilla presence and a slightly nutty alcohol ending. The flavor lingered for an average duration proceeding the swallow with a boozy, sweet, nutty, cask taste settling nicely on the taste buds.

Mouthfeel was medium in body and a bit dry in texture with a soft mild carbonation.

Overall this brew screams booze and vanilla towards the end, with the middle having a light chocolate-caramel sweetness and a nice dark roastiness...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 16:33:06 | More by KajII

ButtonBeer

South Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I tasted what I thought was caramelized honey. At first, I found this disagreeable. After a few swigs, I found it excellent and finished that way. I also detected the bourbon. As a lover of bourbon and an owner of many Pappy Van Winkle issues, I am curious as to what bourbon these casks belonged.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 21:36:05 | More by ButtonBeer

koopa

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle received as a gift from beenity thanks!

Appearance: Pours a lightly hazed garnet tinged brown with a 2 finger white crown that displays some retention and lace.

Smell: Vanilla takes center stage with bourbon, figs, mild oak, and a slight soap quality.

Taste: Same as the nose but the bourbon drives it and the soap is nowhere to be tasted. Small hint of solvent like alcohol in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Thin side of medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Needs more body IMHO.

Overall: Fairly sessionable for an 8.5% bourbon brown but lacks complexity and mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 22:10:23 | More by koopa

brewdude1982

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +21.6%

08-24-2012 21:12:05 | More by brewdude1982

Rempo

Indiana

3/5  rDev -18.9%

08-10-2012 21:43:23 | More by Rempo