Brownings Bourbon Imperial Stout

Brewed by Brownings Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Louisville, Kentucky USA

Pours near black with reddish hues and a mostly maintained tan head. Aroma of bourbon, oak, vanilla, and chocolate. Taste is toffee, bourbon, vanilla, and sweet coffee. Full bodied with moderate carbonation. A bit too much bourbon for my taste, too long in the barrel.

22 oz bottle. 2007. Somewhat disappointing because the bourbon dominates rather than compliments the beer. Small, receding tan head. Dark brown body. The aroma presents roasted malts, coffee, molasses, oak and, of course, bourbon. The flavor is moderately sweet, moderately to heavily acidic and moderately bitter. Thin to medium body and watery texture. Alcohol-bourbon taste in the finish.

22oz bottle, 2007 version: Pours a deep brown with a skim thin mocha head. Slightly vegetal when cold, the barrel aging comes through nicely as it hits room temp. Lots of cocoa, fudge and sweet chocolate join the barrel influence. The body is rich with a velvetty mouthfeel. Whiskey dominates the body, with lesser notes of vanilla and oak. Seems that a few more months (or years?) may have benefited this vintage. Just OK in the wide world of bourbon stouts.

Pitch black color. Nose hits you like you just accidently spilled JD up your nose while trying to down a shot. Just only a faint hint of roasted malts. The mouth is surprisingly thin for a 10% beer. Bourbon, roasted malts, dark chocolate and dark fruit are there, but too subtle and the beer just kinda goes nowhere special. Bonus marks for hiding alcohol so well though.

Bottle. Pours a deep brown with a full tan head. Excellent lacing on the glass. The aroma is of roasted malts, coffee, great hints of bourbon. The flavor is great. Bourbon, coffee, vanilla from the barrel. Medium mouthfeel. Excellent balance of bourbon and stout. Very well put together.

Deep, dark brown body under a creamy tan head. Aroma was notes of chocolate, bourbon, roasted malt, coffee, coconut, and slight smoke. Medium body and more carbonation than I like in a stout. Flavor was pleasant blend of the aromatic essences. This might be a better drink after a bit of aging.

Bottle; black with medium light brown head. Aroma of chocolate and coffee; only small hints of oak and bourbon. Flavor was similar, but with some vanilla and lactic acid. Medium bodied and easy drinking for the style. Didn’t find too much added by the barrel aging. Overal good, but on the lower end for the style.

(2006 bottle from my secret santa)black body with light brown oxidized looking head.aroma is full of metal,followed by light chocolate and hints of oak.the flavor blends up more metal,vanilla,skunky sourness,oxidation,chocolate,and a hint of roasted malts.as other people have said,this is interesting.although id say not in a good way.