Barley Island Beastie Barrel Stout

Brewed by Barley Island Brewing
Style: Stout
Noblesville, Indiana USA

The coffe aroma filled my nostrils with delight. The opaque black body supported no head. The palate was tingling my tongue and teh flavor was rich, full, and nutty.

I loved this beer. Just got one in the new bottles. It’s actually called Beastie Barrel Stout but it’s right up there with Expedition for me. Obviously different ..but one of my favorite stouts I’ve ever had. An absolute must try...amazing!!!

True black body is topped by a thick chocolate milk foam head. The sticky froth chunks the side of the glass. Bourbon, vanilla and chocolate dominate the aroma. There’s a chocolate milk flavor that’s really interesting. Slight char. It’s a bit like a white russian made with chocolate milk. The stout is a good base, but could stand to be a bit more assertive as it gets lost in the bourbon by the end of the bottle.

Bottle acquired in trade with Atpayne (thanks Adam). Slick black color and a light brown head. Taste is of mellow oak, vanilla, milk chocolate and roasted malts. Oatmeal is hardly noticeable. Mouthfeel is smooth and almost full bodied. Bourbon flavor is more in the finish along with mellow bitterness. A freakin well done beer.

Thanks to atpayne for this one. Pours blacker than Yaphet Kotto, with the biggest, brownest head I’ve ever seen outside of interracial porn, and more lace than a rich girl’s wedding veil. This one is bottle conditioned, and has a huge aroma of malt, bourbon, and chocolate. Tastes very malty, with huge coffee, bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, and black licorice presence. Finishes nice and smooth, with a final blast of malt, oatmealy sweetness, bourbon, and some hops at the finish. Very complex, great mouthfeel. A great oatmeal stout.

Dark brown body with a medium tan head. Original beer with a surprisingly wide range of flavours. Lots of dark malts with a black liquorice and chocolaty flavour, then some kind of oak juice join in providing a nice sourness taste and all that is followed by some limy hops leaving the taste-buds a pleasant tartness. I very much liked this beer, a lot more so than anybody here it seems. Noblesville’s noble beer.

22oz. Bottle $4.99 Big Red Bloomington Poured the darkest brown body you could imagine. So close to black it’s hard to tell the difference. A 1+ finger chocolate head formed on the pour that quickly faded to a whispy cap with thick edges. Leaves sticky thin drink lines with each sip that slowly fall back into the body. This beer looks good but menecing at the same time. The aroma starts off with a solid base of malt. Coffee beans and bittersweet chocolate are both present and very enjoyable. A perfect blend of vanilla bean, some musty wood, and mild bourbon come in flashes over the malts. This is a wonderful warm smelling beer. The flavor is all in the aroma. The chocolate maltiness starts things off and is quickly followed by coffee beans at mid-palate. The coffee beans follow through to the finish and are accompanied by lightly roasted grains. The vanilla and mild bourbon leave a very pleasant coating that lasts a few seconds after the swallow. Leaves a mildly bitter coffee aftertaste. Medium body with a nice creaminess from the barrel aging. Sluggish carbonation lets the beer work through at it’s own pace. This is definately a highly drinkable beer. Very enjoyable and not heavy like most of the barrel aged stouts you run into. Lower abv lets you enjoy a few glasses without being too much. This beer is a huge surprise. I saw the average score before I reviewed and after sampling this bottle I really can’t understand why it’s so low. This is a wonderful beer. If it’s retired I hope they plan to bring it back at some point. Really well made beer. Notes: I read through some other reviews after I wrote this one. Many said the bourbon was way too strong. I sat on this bottle for probably 4-5 months. 3/3/07

12oz bottle. Black pour with a medium light brown head. Malty aroma with a tad bit of hop and some booze. Lots of malt flavor with some hop and coffee. Very good because the alcohol is there but not overdone.