Barrel Aged Brrrbon (Brothers' Reserve Series) - Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #46 (Nov 2010):

The brothers are continuing their quest with this reserve series. Tawny clarity, a beautiful head rests on top. Oak and alcohol are the first to the nostrils with clean solvent, trace vanilla and toasted wood. Full-bodied slickness. Barrel flavor has a slight chokehold on this beer, tasting a whole lot of wood; toasted, watered-down bourbon to faint vanilla and a dry pull on the palate. Modest hop profile, and the maltiness is quite dry. Expected more of an alcohol presence between the barrel and higher alcohol. Mellow up front but warming in the back. A bit more malt to back up the barrel flavors would have worked. Wood seems to take over.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 02:27:39 | More by BeerAdvocate

mscudder

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

05-12-2013 05:08:21 | More by mscudder

leftoverburrito

Oregon

2.75/5  rDev -23.6%

05-09-2013 01:25:15 | More by leftoverburrito

khensley

Washington

4.28/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Red in color, spider web lacing, faint rings per sip.

Smells like black liquorish in the woods.

Sweet front of tongue, intriguing bubble-gum/mike and ike's type of finish. Intriguing transition from sweet, to tart, to bitter in the back of the throat. Very sophisticated profile of flavor. Alcohol content is masked in the myriad of flavors that present themselves. A truly one of a kind flavor, which makes this beer worth sampling.

Big enough to fill the mouth, but not too big to be chewy. A bit undefined in the tongue tickle, but not so much than I mind.

I'm taken back to my days of a bourbon aficionado, when I drank too much whisky and coke. This beer tastes as close to whisky and coke as I could possible imagine. I love whisky and coke! Never saw this coming. How did they do it? A whole new category of beer. Try it, at least for the sake of sampling a one of a kind beer!!

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2013 07:41:57 | More by khensley

jrpapajcik

Illinois

4/5  rDev +11.1%

05-03-2013 04:29:46 | More by jrpapajcik

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

05-01-2013 03:34:08 | More by spycow

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.25/5  rDev -9.7%

04-29-2013 07:46:53 | More by Kelp

LuceScrew

Idaho

4.5/5  rDev +25%

04-27-2013 22:28:41 | More by LuceScrew

LSx

California

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

04-25-2013 04:43:41 | More by LSx

Satchboogie

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

04-20-2013 04:59:22 | More by Satchboogie

GeePee

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

04-20-2013 02:43:21 | More by GeePee

Bloodbuzz99

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +18.1%

04-17-2013 22:54:39 | More by Bloodbuzz99

PStriedl

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -9.7%

04-05-2013 20:27:01 | More by PStriedl

SuomiHobbit

Connecticut

1.25/5  rDev -65.3%

03-31-2013 11:32:58 | More by SuomiHobbit

Lanstrum

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-23-2013 21:35:16 | More by Lanstrum

Lare453

Florida

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-22-2013 12:38:11 | More by Lare453

CountryRock2001

New York

4/5  rDev +11.1%

03-17-2013 20:32:55 | More by CountryRock2001

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From Fall '10

Appearance - pours a cloudy light reddish amber. A thin head of tan breaks up quickly, just a scattered cover after setup, yet somehow manages some impressive lace patterns, apparently from the collar.

Aroma - faintly malty, only because the vanilla and wood are pretty dominant. Not an aggresive smelling beer by any stretch, but it's obviously bourbonized.

Taste - some light toastiness to the malt, going a bit bitter mid-palate as wood, spices, mild caramel, and some abv heat kick in. The wood continues to show on the aftertaste, providing a little twangy bite on the finish. Ends warmly, decent lingering boozy flavor but not especially layered or complex.

Mouthfeel - smooth, weighty, low key carbonation. Very enjoyable.

Overall - a fine sipper for the last few weeks of winter '13, it aged nicely.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 02:26:31 | More by brewdlyhooked13

LordBowler

New Hampshire

3.25/5  rDev -9.7%

03-12-2013 02:23:07 | More by LordBowler

DoubleSimcoe

New York

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-11-2013 03:36:06 | More by DoubleSimcoe

CaptainNomihodai

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-11-2013 01:24:35 | More by CaptainNomihodai

TheSixthRing

California

3.09/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Had on -tap at Final Gravity in Roseville, CA

Appearance - A clear, reddish copper served to me with a thin, off-white head.

Smell - Smells like watered down bourbon. Sweet, oaky and boozy.

Taste - Follows the nose: watered down bourbon. Touches of caramel. Boozy. Not much else to describe.

Mouthfeel - Medium in body with low carbonation. Smooth. Goes down easy enough.

Overall - Call me unimpressed. Truly tastes like bourbon that's been cut with water. That's it. Really nothing else to it. Definitely a beer that won't be on my future want list.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2013 20:55:19 | More by TheSixthRing

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-07-2013 19:24:09 | More by DrunkinYogi

t0rin0

California

3.25/5  rDev -9.7%

03-07-2013 12:23:46 | More by t0rin0

Kopfschuss

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

03-06-2013 05:36:28 | More by Kopfschuss