Arcadia Pappy’s Big Dick Bourbon Barrel Olde Ale

Brewed by Arcadia Brewing Company
Style: Old Ale
Battle Creek, Michigan USA

There is a lot battling itself in this beer, almost making it a liquor. The strongest sense is that of Franjelico. This is very nutty and very spicy. Like an impy Rogue Hazlenut Brown. Fruitiness like a belgian dubbel, earthy. Thanks Daknole.

Bottle shared by Daknole complements of Johnathan Wakefield. Deep amber with scant tan head. Hot aroma. sweet medium roast, dark wheat and chewy candy. Flavors are marachino, clean and dry, and bock-like in character. I liked it.

Draught at Capone’s: Aroma of slight bourbon, vanilla, caramel, and slight malts. Poured brown/amber in color with a medium-sized tan head that lasted throughout. Slightly hazy. Not sparkling. Good to very good lacing. Flavor is lightly sweet. Tastes of bourbon, vanilla, slight roasting, malts, toffee, and caramel. Medium body. Smooth, oily texture. Soft carbonation. Bourbon, caramel and slight malt finish is lightly dry.

[Draft @ Capones] Poured a dark brown red color with a small, light tan head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of red twizzlers, caramel malts, nuts, roast, vanilla, and bourbon. Taste of citrus fruits, nuts, caramel malts, vanilla, light dried fruits, and a stronger bourbony finish.

Thanks so much JW77!!! Brown pour. Bourbon, vanilla, molasses, toffee, light chocolate notes and lots of malt. Flavor is full of bourbon, molasses, vanilla and wood. I enjoyed this beer on a lot of levels, but somehow the whole beer seemed at conflict with itseelf. Still very interesting.

Light amber-brown. Vanilla nose with some chewy old ale-ness. Light molasses, with hints of alcohol towards the finish. Some brown sugar. The base beer does not seem like a compelling proposition and nothing comes together for me here.

On tap at Capones. Poured a deeper amberish color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of mainly bourbon, and vanilla. Tastes of the same...stronger bourbon, vanilla, caramel, and some citrus. The bourbon was definitely present all the way around in this one.

2009 MiBGWF (Pappy’s Big Dick BA Old Ale): Coppery almost brown deep hue with some head and an oily appearance. The nose is RYE WHISKEY along with some apricot, marzipan, bread, grains of paradise, bittersweet chocolate and a touch of wood. The taste is a big bold malt layer quickly balanced by snappy whiskey and barrel overtones. Fruity and boozy but in a good way. The mouth feel is oily, heavy and aggressive around the edges, warming upon the chest. This is a beer that is not afraid to be what it is, a full flavored Barrel Aged monster.