Bluegrass Bourbon Barrel Russian Imperial Porter

Brewed by Bluegrass Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Louisville, Kentucky USA

Growler acquired in trade with alexsdad06 (thanks!). Poured a dark, dark brown (almost black color) with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of chocolate, roast, bourbon, stronger woodiness, and some vanilla. Tastes of the same stronger woodiness, bourbon, vanilla, some dark fruitiness, and roast. Dark fruits came out more as this warmed up. The bourbon was a little stronger in the tastes where the aromas had a stronger woodiness. Never would have guessed 11% - hidden with a nice and smooth/creamy body.

Growler from Party Town, KY. Pours black color with a moderater frothy brown head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Heavy toasted dark chocolate, woody and bourbon aroma. Medium to full body with a thick smooth texture. Heavy roasted bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of long duration. This is a standout porter.

Poured an opaque black color with a small, tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of roasted malts, smoke, bakers chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and bourbon. Taste of roasted malts, dark chocolate, some smoke, vanilla, bourbon, and light alcohol in the finish.

Thanks to hopdog. Pours a deep black with some amber notes and a medium creamy tan head. Aroma of vanilla, chocolate, dark fruits, light bourbon, nuts, tobacco and caramel. Flavor of the same. Smooth and nicely balanced bourbon character.

2nd actual beer at the TTaT, ticker tasting at toncatcher’s. Growler from Alexsdad06 via trade. Damn this is good. Pours black with 1 finger tan head. Nose is sweet and malty and bourbony. Taste is sweet and malty rich bourbon quite good, and rich and very smooth.

Stoutie rating # 600!

Growler, via alexsdad06. Pours a clear dark brown body with a small fizzy light brown head that fell to a wispy film. The nose is big time bourbon barrel dominated. Bourbon, vanilla, charred wood, and a fairly hefty dose of alcohol. Some heavy roast and bakers chocolate as well. Thankfully the bourbon is a little less aggressive in the flavor, much more of the vanilla and charred oak than the bourbon. Roasty, but not burnt malt, a little licorice note if you try hard. Lingering slightly hot bourbon and char finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a slightly oily clingy finish. Nice soft moderate carbonation. A little warming on the back end. OK, but not a beer of distinction, not enough of the base beer showing through.

6/15/2007: Bluegrass Bourbon Barrel Russian Imperial Porter is very dark brown in color and looks opaque in the glass. There is a small, creamy tan head and a lasting thin crown. The aroma isn’t very assertive, but some vanilla cream, milk chocolate, dark fruits and malts (like a Scotch Ale), caramelized sugar/char, and a whisp of bourbon can be found. The flavor is mostly chocolate up front and bourbon in the back. There is also some caramelized malts and some slight char in the flavor. The finish is somewhat more dry than the flavor. Some oak and dark chocolate bitterness also surface in the finish and lingering vanilla aftertaste. I’m not sure what the alcohol content is, but it seems to be pretty high (10% or greater) as it provides a nice warming sensation. It is deifnitely well masked in the other flavors and complexities of the beer though... The body of this beer is medium-full and is smooth, almost milky on the palate. Actually, this beer smells and tastes a lot like a Scotch Ale that has been bourbon barrel aged (now that’s an idea!). This is a pretty good BBC brew!

Draught (growler fill) from Party Town in Florence, Kentucky.

GABF. Maybe one of the favorite finds. Wasn’t even looking for this one. NIce suprise. Nice Dark pour with tan head. Aromas of chocolate and some bourbon. Flavors were similar with coffee and dark bitter chocolate. Good Stuff