Berkshire Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout

Brewed by Berkshire Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
South Deerfield, Massachusetts USA

Bottle. Good bretty aroma, fruity, berrylike, quite unexpected. Almost black colour, red shine. Small stable light brown head. Good citric flavour, turning milder, more woody. There seemed to be a hint of vanilla at some point, but now it is gone. There is some roasted malt in there somewhere, it is not just sour. Very nicely balanced.

Bottle 1pt. 6fl.oz.
[ Trade by toncatcher ]. Clear dark dark red brown color with a large to huge, frothy to creamy, good lacing, fully lasting, beige head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, darkroasted, caramel, chocolate, berry, tart - brett, wood, bourbon, light licorice. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet, light acidic and heavy bitter with a long duration, and a dry dry finish. Body is medium, texture is oily - creamy, carbonation is soft. This works very nice with a imp.stout and some brett IMO ;O)) [20091021]

Dark brown. Thin head. Rich, soy saucey aroma with light fruitiness - a juicy orange component. Juicy, with blackberry, chocolate and coffee. This is complex and delicious. It has the flavour profile of top of the line espresso - one of those Intelligentia single estates. Wood, and light vanilla late. Alchemic.

Bottle from the Otown throwdown. thanks fogdog. Dark pour wtih a nice tan head. MMM bourbon! Chocolate, syrup, more bourbon and some roasted malt along with the chocolate. Flavor has a great dose of bourbon, roast, vanilla, oak and some residual sweetness. Yum.

Pours black with a cofee mate cremebrulee colored head. Flavor consists of huge sweet deep bourbon notes, somewhat woody, oaky, carmel. The bourbon flavor is extremely powerful, much different than many other bourbon barrel imperial stouts in the fact that it is easily noticeable and long lingering.

22oz bottle huge thanks to Growler for this one. Pours a near black with a small tanish head. Nose is roasted chocolate malt, caramel and smooth bourbon. Flavor up front is lightly roasty with bourbon and chocolate notes. A little caramel. Finishes with an awesome and probably not intentional sour berry tartness. Not sour but this tart note adds an unexpected and amazing complexity. This is not unlike the "infected" batch of Speedway Stout. I actually think this is better. Impressive body for the lower ABV and just a great mix of flavors. Really impressive.

22 oz bomber. Thank God I have two of these. I need to get more of the old batch which sat 8 months in Beam Barrels. Poured dark brown and smelled like a fine bourbon with oak and sweet aromas. Full bodied with plenty but not over done bourbon flavors oak vanilla caramel... just about everything. One of the first Bourbon barrels I had. Amazing.

Date: 05/03/2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

Appearance: very dark brown, wispy beige head, bits of drippy lace,
Aroma: sweet chocolate and vanilla aroma with a lot of caramel sweetness leading to a bourbon candy character,
Flavor: rich chocolate and bourbon flavor, nice touch of roasted adds some balance, sweet caramel and vanilla, oak mixes in with an earthy character for a light bitterness,

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4.1/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***+/4