Rocky's Revenge Bourbon Brown - Tyranena Brewing Company

plaid75

New York

2.93/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a dark amber hue with a one finger creamy head. There was good retention and nice sticky lacing.

The smell had a heavy air of bourbon. As I am not a bourbon drinker, this aroma put me off a bit.

The taste had a strong bourbon element coupled with a solid malty sweetness. Very dry ffinish as well.

The mouthfeel was average and dry.

Overall an interesting brew. I would imagine that this would appeal to a bourbon drinker.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2006 02:55:53 | More by plaid75

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This poured with a thin, light-tan head that very quickly reduced to wispiness. Color was a clear, deep-brown with ruby highlights. The nose was malty-sweet with undercurrents of bourbon. The mouthfeel was medium with a pleasant sweetness on the tongue. I could definitely sense the bourbon in the mouth, but the finish was unmistakably bourbon. I liked the taste, despite not being a distilled spirits drinker. I would drink this again, but it would not be my first choice. Warming, the bourbon presence began to give off vanilla notes in the nose and then became even more evident in the mouth.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2006 23:36:23 | More by woodychandler

HopHead84

California

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours dark amber with a 1 finger, beige head. The head recedes after a minute and leaves some lacing.

The aroma is of sweet caramel malt and some light bourbon notes. It's apparent from the understated bourbon that only a portion of the beer was aged in barrels. Some alcohol and earthy hops are also present. The taste is sweet and the bourbon is more pronounced here than it was in the aroma. There is enough hop bitterness accompanying the caramel sweetness to make this well balanced. The bourbon element is nice but it could be more pronounced. The alcohol is here but it's not overwhelming and it mostly lingers in the finish, a nice touch.

Medium bodied with pretty good carbonation. An easy drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2009 08:42:25 | More by HopHead84

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

12oz bottle into a teku. The brew appears a dark cherry to mahogany color with a yellowish tan cap that is quick to fade. When held to the light, the brew appears a brilliant ruby color with almost yellowish orange coloring around the edges. Despite a careful pour, some chunks of yeast particulate find their way into the glass. The cap fades quick but a swirl revives a finger back to the surface. As the cap fades, it leave some spots of lace on the glass.

The aroma of this brew includes notes of dirty pennies. A bit mineral filled and carbonic with some tangy alcohol notes. A little bit of caramel, toffee and sweet vanilla. As the brew warms up, a bit more focus on toffee and burnt brown sugary character emerges.

The flavor of this brew is herbal with hops, a bit of earthen notes blend with minerals and some carbonic character. A faint amount of barrel presence is there across the back somewhat like vanilla mixed with caramel or toffee and a slight buttery touch before the hops come into play with a neutral fruit flavor.

This is a medium to lighter bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It starts off a bit awkward and then the barrel presence comes into play which is nice. However, this brew doesn't seem to come all the way around and form a cohesive package. I am not that impressed with this but it isn't a terrible brew by any regards.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 02:16:31 | More by stakem

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into Ommegang Chalice

Pours 1 and a 1/2 fingers of light tan head. Decent retention with some splattered lace. Color is a dark brown on the top that fades to a clear copper brown on the bottom.

Aroma: Very typical brown ale: chocolate, coffee, and some roasted flavors. There is a faint bourbon aroma as well. Along with the bourbon comes a touch of vanilla.

Taste: a lot of the same notes as in the aroma. A lot of coffee and roasted malts, chocolate, and again, a very small amount of bourbon and vanilla. I wish there was more bourbon here.

Mouthfeel: Fairly smooth with a little heat,but not bad. Medium bodied with a fairly high amount of carbonation. Ends with a chocolate bourbon flavored aftertaste that is a little sticky.

Overall, not a bad beer. I enjoy bourbon beers so this would be a nice session as it isn't that big. However, I wish it had a little more bourbon in it.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2009 15:59:51 | More by mothman

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from Bodega in La Crosse. Dark amber/brown color with a medium off-white head. Good lacing throughout. Aroma of bourbon, malt and nuts. Medium body with an earthy texture, and the bourbon aging is apparent throughout. Malty, nutty flavors as well. The finish is nutty also with a light alcohol burn left behind. Good all around.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2006 20:39:36 | More by Dogbrick

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazy murked cherrywood rusted brown with a thin platnium blonde cap that lifts off quickly. Moderate lacing in thick strings.

Fair amount of vanilla in the aroma at first then picks up with some topping of roasted malts, coatings of cocoa, and notes of boubony sweetenss.

Nice subtle taster opening with chocolate bread, soft and smooth all over, caramel gets squeezed through, light velvety roast and hazelnut adorns parts of middle and close to the finish where vanilla and boubon sweetness intertwine and fades off with amazing gradual caramel leftovers. Very slight warmth blends at the finish while the sweetness takes hold late. Quite nice. Nothing abtrusive here, very mellowing, subtle, yet actively flavorful.

Medium body, creamy, smooth, partially thin in the front but picks up enough gumption during the middle and finishes well with lots of subtle sweetness and lightly blended bourbon heat.

The overall smoothness makes for some very easy drinkin'. Its a darn nice brown ale with some bite. This beer helps make Tyranena a big time contender for top Wisconsin brewery in my book of 'sconny' breweries.

Thanks jeffboo!

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2005 00:55:23 | More by tavernjef

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz from the cellar.. poured into my New Belgium snifter... sorry I forget who sent me this one.

Nice 1.2" head.. clear medium brown with reddish hues.

Aroma is brown malts.. a little toastiness and some yeasty fruitiness.. low caramel with miled interplaying bourbon notes.

Flavor is more significant than the nose.. fairly thick caramel with oaky lite raison toward the end of the palate and a lite but lingering bourbon presence... very nice balance... more chocolate and nuttiness notes as it warms... body is a little thin for a brew with this much flavor... light body but still very smooth... fairly low bitterness and only a trace of earthy hops.

This is the 3rd time I've had this brew, 1st was when I visited Madison in July of '05.. my notes say about the same thing, but I liked it more this time around.... Really a pretty good beer.. nice complexity.. reminds me of a West Coast brown.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2008 09:08:48 | More by JohnGalt1

ccrida

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On draught at the Minneapolis Town Hall, Rocky's Revenge Bourbon Brown is a ruddy chestnut with a light tan head that leaves scattered lace.

Smell is on the sweeter side, note sugary, but malty,cocoa-cola, with the barrel notes resonating well. Not overly robust, even as it warmed, although the bourbon came through well.

Taste is loads of barrel flavor, lots of coconut, vanilla, it really plays well with the base brown ale. It's tough to pick up a ton of the base brown, a good, clean American style, not overly sweet, though no hops of note either.

Mouthfeel is semi-dry, medium light bodied.

Drinkability is pretty good, I really like the bourbon barrel treatment on the brown-ale, notable in that both the beer and the barrel are both more restrained then usual, which makes it satisfying without punishing! Yum, I might have to have another.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2011 21:29:50 | More by ccrida

RoyalT

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance – I don’t find American Browns one of the more visually appealing styles, but this one looks mighty good. The brown body is hazy and clouded, and the head actually came up well and showed good retention.

Smell – The plain malts and light hopping opened up as the ale warmed. The brown and raw sugars came out after ten minutes or so and the toasty bread nicely rounded out this bouquet.

Taste – The malts dominate of course at the taste, with the sugars now stepping back to a mere subtle compliment. There might be some leafy hopping in here as well. This guy doesn’t try to do anything fancy, just fit the style which it nicely does.

This beer is aged in bourbon barrels. A lot of “bourbon barrel aged” beers taste like nothing but bourbon, but here the flavor is very subtle. You might not even notice it if you weren’t looking for it.

Mouthfeel – Rocky’s Revenge is a solid medium-bodied with some cold bitterness throughout the drink.

Drinkability – I enjoyed putting away this Tyranena offering. It’s very even-handed, showing the brewer’s restraint throughout.

Comments – Thanks to BuckeyeNation for laying this one on me.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2005 01:45:34 | More by RoyalT

largadeer

California

4.13/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Clear pale brown, not far off from the color of bourbon in fact. Head retention is great, leaving trails of lace as it descends.

Smell: Vanilla, coconut, toffee, toasted nuts. Wow, this stuff smells great.

Taste & mouthfeel: Toasted malt, caramel and vanilla, hazelnuts, maple syrup; definitely on the malty side but not actually overly sweet. The bourbon barrel aging makes its presence known in a subtle way, adding richness and complexity without overpowering the actual beer. A touch of boozy astringency is present as well, but it's minimal and not enough to detract from the otherwise excellent flavor. This is some fine stuff and I greatly enjoyed it.

Notes: Thanks to mully for yet another great extra.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2008 21:21:07 | More by largadeer

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance. A hazed, murky dark ruby in color. A hard pour yields a small off white head which recedes to a fine layer of foam. Some lace forms around the brandy snifter I thought was appropriate for a bourbon barrel aged brew.

Smell: Lofty malts, brown sugar, some caramel and an ever so gentle touch of bourbon.

Taste: Wonderfully balanced. Nutty malt flavors also a hint of caramel. Hops lend an earthy bitterness. Vanilla and oak flavors present, delivering a nice woodsy note. A bit of roasted malt peeks through as well. Complex as it is simple, a very nice brown. Everything just works and really blends nicely together.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, nice semi-dry malty finish.

Drinkability: For an American Brown Ale, this is about as good as they come. No doubt time and care was put into this brew, compliments to the brewer on a job well done. Got this from a friend who traveled to Wisconsin and its sad I never would had heard of it otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2010 07:32:15 | More by Stinkypuss

gford217

Georgia

3.78/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle courtesy of Elric73 poured into a snifter.

Pours dark, dark brown with a small off-white head that dissipated to a ring fairly quickly leaving decent lacing. The aroma is great with a ton of dark fruits, raisins and grapes, and molasses on top of malt base. The bourbon is definitely present as well in the nose. The taste doesn't quite live up to the nose for me and tastes a little bit like a grape soda mixed with tea with the huge sweetness of the dark fruits. The first taste is is of sweet malts and nuts up front before giving way to the fruity sweetness and a slight bourbon burn through the finish. The finish is creamy and very carbonated which just coats the mouth. This is a good American brown, though the sweetness was a tad overwhelming for me. Still very good.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2008 03:23:11 | More by gford217

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a reddish amber with sparse lacing and ok bubbling. The aroma is a lovely toasted,medium roasted malt. Combine this with a littl would and some bourbony vanilla. Simple mild roasted malts start the flavor off right. The faint bpurbon and wood add a smooth, yet soewhat grainy palate. Flavorful, subtle, and quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2009 03:06:46 | More by scruffwhor

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.47/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 12 ounce rather squat looking brown glass bottle which has a twist off crown cap. Silver and dark purple neck label has an oval that has the words ‘Rocky’s Revenge’ on it and it has a half printed date of ‘OCT04’ on it in black print. The main label lists the beer as ‘Rocky’s Revenge’, which has a picture of a large Sea Monster surfacing aside a small wooden rowing boat that contains two rather scared looking dudes. Lots of marketing blurb to the left of the label and a simpler explanation to the right “Rocky’s Revenge is an American brown ale with a portion aged in bourbon barrels”. No listed strength.

Appearance: Pours with a clear brown body that has some dark red highlights when backlit. Not much of a head on this one, but some super fine carbonation does form a thick looking ½” cream colored cap that rises and soon falls to a broken covering. Average conditioning and minimal lacing.

Nose: The bourbon takes a back seat to Vanilla beans, some light milk chocolate, clotted cream, Devon toffee, some roasted malts and a delicate damp Oak odor. Decent nose.

Taste: What I immediately love about this brew is the low-profile contribution from Bourbon barrels. It’s there, for sure, but it’s subtle and it works. Sometimes discretion really is the better part of valor, and yes, in the US that is not always the case, but thankfully the Bourbon is used to perfection here. A smooth nutty Brown Ale base provides the base for this wonderful creation. A thick vanilla bean middle has lots of damp oak barrel and some milk chocolate all entwined and best promoted with a refreshing bourbon G-String. It works, this is one brew where someone has taken time not to “blag the beer” and soak it to death, rather, the blend brings out the nuance of both the nutty Brown Ale and the Bourbon. Extremely well put together.

Mouthfeel: Thick creamy feel, licks of Vanilla bean and melted milk chocolate, at times it fills the mouth with a Coconut Milk consistency that is slick and luscious. Warming but only like a Hot Chocolate, this is a seriously impressive brew.

Drinkability: This one disappeared in double quick time like a lone shot of Bourbon. I could have handled a whole 22 ounce Bomber of this one no trouble.

Overall: Bloody gorgeous, this one creeps up on you, it’s a winner hands down with many appealing facets but most of all it’s the serene way in which the base Brown Ale synergizes so extremely well with the smooth Bourbon flavoring. Lovely!!!

Another Tyrannical Thanks to BigHuge for this one.

Superb! Cheers Mate!!

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2005 03:44:35 | More by TheLongBeachBum

ZAP

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Not as impressive as the non-blended version...but for a brown this is tasty and very solid....this brewery continues to impress me...their brewer has been far from gregarious when I've been there after traveling 500+ miles to his place and describing the journey I had to get there but who gives a shit if he kicks out brews like this.

Great nose of vanilla...bourbon...brown sugar...

Body is about right...not real big but I don't expect it to be..

Taste is more subtle than the full blend I had at the pub...still some nice whiskey notes...and some sweeter vanilla...

Drinkability has to rate high...a lower weight tasty brown ale....not a lot of Brown ales better than this one (except the full blend)..

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2005 06:32:43 | More by ZAP

dirtylou

Washington

3.7/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz single, Riley's

appearance: mahogany, cola-esque body, with strong garnet tinting, very little in the way of a cola coloured head with no lacing...leaves a little to be desired visually

smell: smooth, yet agressive, bourbon...toasted malt, caramel, slight cocoa, touch of brown sugar, floral hops buried beneath. a smooth bourbon aroma sticks about above all else

taste: ehh, bourbon is almost "watered down" in the flavour...strong robust toasted malts, caramel malt, nutty, vanilla, slight alcohol present...bold, but not brilliant

mouthfeel: a little thin, smooth

drinkability: pretty drinkable i would say

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2006 01:51:51 | More by dirtylou

cokes

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Edit of of 12/07: It seems as though the bourbon is getting harder and harder to detect both in the mouth and on the nose, and I'd guess the blending ratios have skewed further towards the unbarreled in the year or two. It was never dripping with Kentucky's pride and joy, but aside from a buttery (almost lactic sour), lightly tannic vanilla, it is absent from the taste. In the past it was a brown ale with a subtle, added flair. Now it just seems old tasting. Ratings have been adjusted.
---
(First impressions: rated 4.4)
Faintly hazed bronze-brown with a patchy head of yellowed lace.
The nose is chocolatey and caramelly, a la their Ancient Aztalan Brown Ale, but bolstered with the toasted oaky, vanilla-tinged leaning of bourbon. It's mild smelling, but wonderful nonetheless.

Begins with a chocolately bready notion, glazed with caramel. This is the trademark of the non-bourboned version. The addition here is the hazelnut, vanilla, oak contributions from the Ol' Grandad barrels. And this takes a standard, tasty, workhorse style brown ale, and makes it dazzle with suble flair, and nuance everywhere. The oak brings whispers of tartness as the caramel and bourbon add-ons carry this to its conclusion. It closes with the drying pangs of herbal-leaning hops, bringing a faint bitterness.
It's a generally medium-light bodied brew, modestly carbonated, and near perfect in feel for what it is...one of the most dynamic, drinkable session brews I've had, ever.

I've tried the non-blended version, and its a bourbon bomb....tasty as hell, but more of a spectacle than a constant drinker. This one shows the restraint it needs to fall into heavy rotation.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2004 07:21:47 | More by cokes

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.93/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle received from largadeer. Thanks Chris! Poured into my Duvel tulip

A: Deep red with a beige head that slowly recedes leaving a pleasing lace.

S: Sweet caramel with some nut, toffee. Faint bourbon.

T: Wonderfully balanced with caramel, toffee. Bourbon and a faint oak note appear before a soft, sweet finish takes over.

M: Rather low on carbonation and a little sweeter than i like my browns.

D: Goes down fairly easy and the bourbon gives it a nice touch

*Notes from 11th August 2009. Got this bottle from Faro, thanks!**

Head retention is poor, and the beer deserves a 3.5 instead, which I've corrected to from a 4. The nose is great, with a combination of caramel, toffee, brown sugar, vanilla, and mild oxidation. 4/5
Palate is great, with brown sugar, dark honey, caramel and vanilla. Bourbon presence is mild, and is noticeable mid palate. The finish is dry with notes of vanilla and bourbon, with some light brown sugar. The lower level of carbonation works for the beer, but the finish is a little watery before the presence of bourbon and vanilla is felt. 4+3.5+4

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2008 04:15:31 | More by DefenCorps

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.38/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a dimple mug. Bottled 25Feb09

A - A light cream-colored head stayed both compact and resilient. It's creaminess was that of Cool-Whip and as it slowly went down it left bits of lacing. The clear beer was ruby-red amber in color with out a lot of bubble action.

S - Toasty malts of light caramel and richer roasted amber with a mild woodiness from the barrel aging I presume. It's definitely unbalanced towards malt with almost no hop aroma whatsoever, but that's ok with me for this one.

T - Toasty malts abound in this brown ale that's almost closer to a porter. A mild caramel sweetness barely off-sets the toasty and roasty nature of the malts. It's very hearty and the barrel aging adds a light nutty woodiness.

M - Creamy and smooth, this is a fantastic sipper for a brown ale. A light carbonation crispness finishes out the swallow. Pretty full-bodied and rich with a little dryness from the roasting. A little alcohol warmth at the end.

D - Definitely one of the best brown ales I've come across, I wish I had a six-pack at my disposal. I'll need to go get more. This would be a fantastic fall warmer on a cool, crisp night with the leaves rustling in the trees. Yeah, I really need a six-pack.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2009 20:30:16 | More by BeerFMAndy

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle. Served in a DFH goblet, the beer pours mostly brown with a tinge of red, along with a half inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both decent. Aroma is roasted malt, brown sugar and toffee, along with some nuts and molasses. I don't notice any bourbon at all in the aroma, but it's still a nice smelling brew. The taste is similar to the aroma, but there is a little bit of a woody/oak taste too. But with a beer that's partially aged in bourbon barrels, I expected more bourbon to be noticable in both the aroma and taste. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit creamy and has moderate carbonation. Drinkability is OK enough. I think it's a solid, but not impressive overall brew, it's certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 23:10:38 | More by bluejacket74

AgentZero

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Nice, think reddish brown color with a fluffy two finger, tan head. Slow dissipation left some nice lacing.

S - Chocolate and toffee. Touch of vanilla, and the bourbon comes through warmly.

T - Tastes like an Irish Car Bomb. The bourbon is present but is more complimentary than overpowering. Very smooth and sweet, solid tasting but drinking a lot of it starts to make it go sour.

M - Smooth, medium bodied, not a ton of carbonation.

D - Gets too sour for me, but starts out really nice, I like the subtlety of the bourbon on this, but it's almost to the point that I wouldn't call it a "bourbon beer."

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2009 21:16:48 | More by AgentZero

blackie

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

appearance: Pours a 0.3" tan colored head with decent retention. The beer is a rich medium-dark brown in color.

smell: Fruity toasted grains, earthy wood and soil, and a nice light hop aroma. Subtle bourbon and vanilla.

mouthfeel: The carbonation is medium, as is the body.

taste: Sweet toasted malts and grainy flavors. Some toffee and maybe caramel. A light touch of barrel wood in the background. Light hop flavors and a gentle, cleansing bitterness.

drinkability: pretty easy

single from Star Liquor in Madison

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2006 23:08:24 | More by blackie

alexgash

Connecticut

4.35/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle.

Ruddy amber body. Clean, clear. Ephemeral small finger width of light khaki head. Decent lacing. Sweet, caramel malt nose with additional notes of maple syrup, candied yams, vanilla, brown sugar, smoke, and a little oaky bourbon. Good complexity and depth.

Toasted malt and nuts briefly up front. Big caramel and light maple syrup sweetness quickly follow. Bourbon and fruit mid-palate, with notes of vanilla and oak. Light tannin bitterness in the finish. Lingering caramel and bourbon. Medium-bodied, with lushly carbonated, smooth feel. A touch on the sweet side, but the bourbon and wood notes help balance it out. Delicious!

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2010 00:55:22 | More by alexgash

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.4/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Clear body the color of maple syrup underneath a full inch of frothy, coarse tan foam. Retention isn’t the best, but the head does recede into a solid, sticky ring; light lace. Pretty solid.

S: Bourbon certainly comes through, but it isn’t all that strong; even so, it’s clearly the dominant aroma. There’s some caramel and chocolate malt balanced with light, slightly fruity hops as well, but overall this is a fairly underpowering beer smell-wise. Nothing bad at all, but nothing to praise too highly, either.

T: Bourbon starts and finishes things here, with some chocolate and citrus peeking out midway through. Long, slightly boozy finish from the barrel. Some dry oak on the aftertaste. Enjoyable, but again a little weak and unbalanced: only a portion of this beer was aged in barrels, and yet the malt still can’t quite stand up to the bourbon influence.

M: Much like the appearance, this one is overly coarse and foamy; what body I can feel is somewhat sticky and of a medium consistency. Not that great.

O: This is a pretty solid Brown Ale overall, and it’s really exciting to find a bourbon-barrel beer at this kind of price point; that said, I’d much rather drink Tyranena’s own Headless Man if I wanted a nicely malty, balanced brew. The barrel just doesn’t mesh well with the base beer in this case, making me a bit worried about trying the other partially –bal aged beers from this brewery. Here’s hoping the stronger stuff holds its own better than this one did. If I want to drink something that tastes like watered-down bourbon, I’ll just water down some bourbon.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2011 23:21:58 | More by woosterbill