Short's Bourbon Barrel Sustenance Black Beer - Short's Brewing Company

seaoflament

California

3.53/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to hoppymeal for sending me this extra and the opportunity to try this brew.

Pours a dark caramel color and looks like a cola based soda in the glass. The edges show hues of ruby and scarlet when held to the light. A very fizzy head accumulated and reaches a good 2 inches in height, somewhat good retention but then settled to a very thin layer.

First I got notes of grapes and some vinous aromas, vanilla, and a bit of roasted malts. After the beer settles in the glass I get some weird, or should I say interesting, notes of nuts, some type of powder (sugar maybe?), caramel, earthy hops, fresh hops, mineral water, and notes of oak/wood. I can say for sure that I have never smelled a beer like this one before, weird, but in a good way. It has a particular note on the nose that reminds me of sour beers, something like Temptation (weird huh?). After a while I can detect hints of sugar coated berries.

Tasting it is quite a bit different from the aroma. I taste a good amount of roasted malts, caramel, hints of roasted barley (or the hop bitterness combining with the roasted malts), nutty malts, toast, almonds, and some grapes in the finish and aftertaste. A little more roasted, burnt, almost charred malts can be tasted after a few sips. The beer also start to develop some vinous, grape, flavors that seem really odd with the roasted malts. I'm also beginning to taste come cola flavors...not really doing it for me. A little more bourbon on the tongue after the beer warms up, woodsy and fruity.

The mouth-feel is not the best it could be. The over-carbonation stings the tongue a bit, at least at first, and it feels fizzy. There's also a little alcohol warmth in the back of the throat. The flavors also seem a little rough.

Definitely and odd one, but it wouldn't be a Short's Brew if it wasn't odd.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2008 00:51:00 | More by seaoflament

rallison

California

4.3/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks, once again, to Jeff for this gem.

First off, this was entered in as a Baltic Porter? This did start life as a schwarzbier, that really ought to be the style this is classified as...this sure isn't a Baltic Porter!

Pours a cola-like dark brown with a 1/2 inch head that quickly recedes to the very outer edges.

Smells of bourbon, berries and molasses. Actually, a very tasty smelling beer.

Similar flavors to the smell with some odd similarities to cola. Not that this is necessarily bad, but it is interesting that it ended up this way. Definitely a fair amount of bourbon here, but the flavors work, so I don't mind. Coffee and some more dark fruits also present themselves.

Medium to low carbonation helps this beer from being too thin. Mind you, this is only 6.5%, so don't expect a huge body. Surprisingly, the bourbon doesn't really thin out this beer at all - I would guess this beer, without the bourbon aging, would have no more body than this, and quite possibly less. All of this helps to make this a very drinkable bourbon barrel aged beer. Slight alcohol hit at the end - in a nice, warming way.

I've not had something quite like this before, but it works well. An interesting mix of flavors with strong bourbon characteristics that make for a truly hearty schwarzbier. I can see having this with big Thanksgiving spread.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2008 06:20:17 | More by rallison

Crosling

Colorado

2.58/5  rDev -35.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Dark brown color with a small, filmy head. Nose seems to show some contamination with wild yeast and funk, some mild fruit character (plum and strawberry,) and a touch of whiskey. Flavors seem to be very muted. A light touch of the base beer, with also a light hint of the barrel. Not much to report. Not a lot of flavor. Super thin mouth feel with very little texture. I don't care for this beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2008 16:43:01 | More by Crosling

Lothore

California

4.47/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours a clear dark brown / blackish hue with little to no head.

S- Smell is fairly faint, non destinct sweetness along with a small roasted malt backbone.

T- Now this is what i'm talking about! Roasted sweetness followed by deep candied fruit notes mixed with dark chocolate. This is all tied off with a nice roasty coffee-esque flavor. Definitely subtle yet delicious.

M- Medium viscosity with quite a bit of carbonation.

D- This is definitely an easy and balanced drinker. I was a little worried about this being heavy but it isn't at all. All in all an excellent brew!~

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2008 00:08:54 | More by Lothore

TheBlackMallard

Michigan

4.58/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

"For When You're Hungry and Thirsty"

I love this label.

Pours black with a small off white head.

Smell: Carafa and Crystal Malts, Caramel, with just a hint of Bourbon.

Taste: Chocolate, Vanilla, and Brown Sugar. Slight oaky aftertaste. If I didn't know this was barrel aged I wouldn't have guessed. It blends so well into the beer. Light bodied and very easy to drink.

I hope the regular Sustenance makes a return so I can compare. If memory serves me right most of the difference is in the finish with mild vanilla notes being the main difference in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2008 01:17:10 | More by TheBlackMallard

BigDaddyWil

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Brewery release only for the Short's Fourth Anniversary party. Only 350 bottles.
Poured from a 22oz. bomber into a tasting snifter.
The brewery confirmed that this is Schwarzbier that was aged 11 months in a bourbon barrel. The beer was 6.3% abv before barrel aged.

Pours a very dark caramel color, with some copper highlights around the egdes. Half inch, off white head forms, but dissapates quickly. Some spotty lacing is left behind.
Aromas of dark bitter roasted malts upfront, with the bourbon taking a backseat. As the beer warms, more aromas of bourbon, oak, and vanilla come through.
Very nice balanced barrel aged beer!! The bourbon blends well with this lager. Neither one dominates the flavor. This is how bourbon aged beers should taste!! You can pick out the roasted malt flavors, and the bourbon seems to complement this schwarzbier perfectly. More bourbon, oak, and vanilla flavors peak through as the beer warms.
The mouthfeel is a little thin, slightly oily, but thats par for the style. This black bier holds up well to the bourbon. This is the first barrel aged beer I've had, that doesn't leave you feeling full.
Extremely easy too drink, due to the lighter body and alcohol. I don't know what the final abv is after barrel aging, but its hidden quite well. There is a hint of alcohol warmth in the finish.
Overall, a fantastic barrel aged lager and another fine beer from Short's Brewing Co!

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2008 12:49:26 | More by BigDaddyWil