AleSmith Barrel Aged Speedway Stout

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
San Diego, California USA

Bottle #127 2004 vintage, from CQuiroga, shared with SuIIy on 4/10/07. Also had it at BCTC ’06, courtesy of Egajdzis
DaSilky1 traded me the first bottle of this I had, but it was opened at the PP 12 hour fest, so Chris gave me this in replacement, what a guy!
Perfect appearance, as you’ve come to expect from AleSmith. Bottle conditioned carbonation produces a large tan head that is very well-retained and laces quite well. Dark, dark brown-black body has a medium clarity.
STRONG stuff, just like Speedway, of course, with coffee and vanilla beans in the nose, plentiful vinousness (very important) and dry roastiness on the finish. No tacky caramel and chocolate sweetness and nicely attenuated, as is the regular beer. Bourbon is very, very reserved in the nose, and only moderate wood dryness reaches the nose, on the finish, adding continued dryness. Alcohol is lightly perceptible after warming, and adds more intimidating strength.
Spanish coffee and dry chocolate open up the flavor, with soft vanilla and light, dry toffee notes through the middle. Lots of wood, but it’s not overly harsh and is offset by a very unfiltered, well-malted texture. Coffee is dry and extremely tastefully added, lending a beany-like hardness that combines with some vinousness to provide that wonderful complexity in the base beer. Very low bourbon character, one of the few Imperial Stouts to actually remain balanced in the bourbon department. Dry wood, cocoa and some light fusels on the finish. Love the attenuation level on this stuff. Tightly carbonated as well, giving a very strong, nearly creamy texture.
I love regular Speedway, and the bourbon being correctly done is just the icing on the cake. Not quite as good as the best bottles of Speedway I’ve had, but right up there.
Thanks Chris and Todd.

Tasting with Casey, Traci, Craig, Stella and Loz 27-09-08 this bottle brought along by Craig, cheers Craig Pours black moving to gravy brown at the edges a mere scattering of brown bubbles in a sea of dark chocolate. Big bourbon thrust, too much at first but give this some air and it improves dramatically and the initial heavy handed strangulation tactic seemingly employed by the bourbon cask use starts to wane and this becomes a better stout altogether, though still not as good as the regular in my opinion. Good thrusty creaminess, vanilla, and lashings of chocolate infused with the fast retreating bourbon, its damn good!

2002 vintage, bottle 113/115. Near black, a little transparent. Thin tan head. Big, phenolic, oaky aroma with cocoa and licorice. Powerful flavour: Portwine, oak, licorice, vanilla...! Body is perfectly oily and finishes minutes after. Need I say it's full-bodied?

750 ml bottle shared with Crosling and rye726 poured a translucent dark brown nearly black with a lasting brown head. Aromas of coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruit, oak and light bourbon. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of milk chocolate, carmel, vanilla, light oak and light bourbon with a smooth lingering chocolatey finish.

GABF 2008, Dr. Bill’s tasting. Pours opaque with a small, rocky, dark brown head, mostly diminishing with fair lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (molasses, caramel, chocolate, coffee, toffee), average hops (perfume), average yeast (leather) with notes of alcohol, prunes, wood, and vanilla. Full bodied, creamy texture, average carbonation, and a bitter finish. Long duration, moderate sweetness, acidity, and bitterness.

Bottle (750ml) shared with HogTownHarry, GregClow, tupalev, jerc & garthicus -- courtesy of garthicus. 2006 vintage, bottle 57 of 235. Pours an oily black with a small creamy light-brown head. Aroma has a good amount of bourbon barrel along with roasted malt, vanilla, chocolate and dark fruit -- if I had to nitpick I would say I’ve smelt this before in several other BA Impy Stouts, it’s not unique, but it’s still very nice. Flavour of bourbon, roasted malt, coffee, rich chocolate, vanilla and a bit of alcohol. Long roasty bitter finish. Oily / creamy mouthfeel, medium bodied. It’s all very well balanced and the BA isn’t overdone. Wow, this is absolute treat -- many thanks to garthicus and IrishBoy!

Rich, dark pour with chocolate taste. You can definatly taste the bourbon from the barrels this was aged in. Sweet finish, roasted coffee all the way through. A work of art. The newest version is just a bit too much bourbon though.

First, HUGE THANKS go out to jeffc666 for sharing this rare and awesome beer with me! Bottle #48. Pours motor oil black with a small brown head. Nose is intense! Wood, vanilla, molasses and some dark chocolate or cocoa. The taste is more of the same. It's a rich, meaty mix of alcohol, wood, more molasses and some sweetened notes. Rich creamy, although slightly alcohol, mouthfeel. Some alcohol is definitely noticeable during the finish but does not detract from this powerhouse. Pure power in a bottle. Again, I feel honored that jeffc666 shared this virtually impossible to find beer with me.