Bull & Bush Legend of the Liquid Brain

Brewed by Bull & Bush Pub & Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Denver, Colorado USA

Name: Liquid Brain
Date: 10/11/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, GABF
Vintage: 2005

black, fine tan head, sweet dark chocolate and roasted aroma, rich malt flavor, lots of dark chocolate character, touch of roasted for balance, nice caramel and vanilla sweetness,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 3.9/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: ***+/4

Sampler at the Bull & Bush Pub & Brewery, Denver 11/10/2007 Strong fruit and caramel aromas. Small tan head. Dark red coloured smooth on the palate and strong in alcohol with a slightly bitter coffee roast finish.

2005 vintage on tap at the brewpub on 10/12/07: Pours an oily nearly opaque with dark brown edges and a thin, wispy-lacing dark tan head. Aroma of sweet molten dark chocolate and molasses with some roasty coffee and mild bourbon oak. Body starts with a dense malty viscosity and earthy caramel and bittering hoppy presence toward a bitter molten dark chocolate and oaky bourbon finish. A nice barrel-aged imperial stout.

Draft... GABF ’06... This beer rocks! Black ale with a small, creamy, light brown head with an orange tint. Bourbon, rich chocolate, vanilla and light coffee in both the flavor and nose. Sweet, but not overly so. Lightly burnt and bitter. Full-bodied with a silky, motor oil mouthfeel and lively carbonation. Finishes chocolatey, lightly sweet, mildly alcoholic and finally dry. World class beer!

Props for the name? Very thick and sweet and hoppy - something I like! Thick, deep and robust, but still a little hot and biting in the finish. Smells of light chocolate, soft bourbon and some hazelnuts in the finish. This one saved me on imperial stouts at the GABF after drinking a few disasters.

Draught, Boulder Strong Ale fest ’05. Head is fully diminishing. Body is dark brown to black. Aroma is moderately malty (roasted grain, caramel), lightly hoppy (resin), with notes of vanilla and cardboard. Flavor is heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, watery texture, soft carbonation, moderately alcoholic. Bit dulled from age perhaps, and not a full-on Imperial in my mind, but not bad.

GABF 2006: Everytime I passed the booth and this was on I got some. Yummy. Black with a brown edge and brown head. One of the best balanced aromas of bourbon and roasted malt. Nice chocolate and coffee undertones. Flavor of bourbon, roasted malt, vanilla and chocolate. Every thing was blended and balanced so well. Very smooth mouthfeel. Great stuff.

On tap @ Boulder Strong Ale Fest poured an opaque black with a lasting brown head. Aromas of bourbon, oak, vanilla and a hint of chocolate. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of oak, bourbon,vanilla and dark chocolate with a lingering bittersweet finish.