Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout

Brewed by Central Waters Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Amherst, Wisconsin USA

Ruby highlighted black pour, smallish tan head that settles into a wispy ring. First whiff is creme brulee, then vanilla infused earth, all in a matrix of tart cherry pits and rum. The roast character in this stout seems less focused on the usual coffee/chocolate contributions, and playing the lower notes of freshly turned soil. Wet black Minnesota soil. Not that the others don’t play: there is nice chocolate cake aroma and a bit of espresso, but it’s way down deep. Tart rum-soaked cherry flavor, with a gently bitter chocolate and toasted sugar. Bourbon/oak notes in the finish. Fairly thick, though less than I expected, and clean between sips. A bit burly and pleasantly unrefined stout, in the tradition of foreign stouts. Very tasty. Thanks Hezron for the bottle!

Solid black with a dense everlasting 1/2" head. Cherry bonbon aroma with a sour kick. Sweet and sour cherry chocolate flavor. The cherry is very retro nasal, getting intense in the sinus but the flavor is actually fairly subdued. Light in body. This is one beer that may actually benefit from being served on nitrogen.

Thanks to Rudy, shared by HogTownHarry with Blankboy and I. Appearance: Ruby red dark brown, lasting pancake colour head. Aroma: Chocolate, coffee, brandy, vanilla, bran, prune. Flavour: Wow, cherry pie, mince pie! Cinnamon, prunes, chocolate. Very enjoyable.

Dark brown body, fast diapering beige head; Very balanced malty cherry very well put together nose, actually very, very well put together; On the other hand very, very bad put together body, thin bourbon sharpness, watery texture, slightly cherry sour; watery finish, all there is is Bourbon bite and cheap Bourbon aroma.

Great Taste of the Midwest


Having had the Central Waters Imperial Stout bottled, I wanted to try some of their tap offerings. Sadly I missed the others but was in time to get a sample of this. It was not quite on par with the imperial stout but it was pretty close. As with some of the other bourbon aged beers it was hard to compare this to the regular version without reference. Still, on its own merits it was well done.

Aroma / Appearance - Oak, black cherries, pears and vanilla highlight an aroma that was satisfying but yet somehow lacking. It seems as if there could have been just a little more to it then there was. The appearance was well-done though; black and semi-transparent with a creamy tan lacing that clung to the side of the glass and oozed down.

Flavor / Palate - Black cherry, bourbon and vanilla were the first things I picked up on. Next there was a taste like lemon meringue and creamy hazelnut. The finish was dry with a trace amount of sweetness. Pleasing and easy to drink, it was better than I would have expected from the nose.

Pours black with ruby hints and a thin dense head that shows very good retention and lacing. The first aroma is definitely the cherries, both sweet and sour with malt in the background along with hints of coffee and chocolate. Taste is fairly tart cherries with a faint sweet chocolate malt backbone with other fruits in there as well, mainly raisins. The bourbon also shows up in the taste and it’s an interesting combo with the heavy cherry tartness. The mouthfeel is very creamy and smooth. This is an interesting beer and has big tart cherry and bourbon flavors overpowering the underlying stout. For me, there’s a little too many things vying for attention in this one, but I really enjoyed trying it.

[Bottle] Pours a very dark brown color with no head. Aroma of dark malts, bourbon and bing cherries. Taste is mostly of bourbon and vanilla, with roasted malts and even some nutmeg or cinnamon. Somehow, the cherry notes and heavy bourbon do not mesh well in this beer. Decent palate. Light alcoholic warming in the finish, but the Imperial Stout character of this beer took a backseat to everything else that was happening in here. Worth a try, but not one of my favorites.

12oz bottle from bwkrieger from like a year ago....thanks man. Dark brown with light brown head. Sweet cherry aroma with roasted malts. Complex mix of oak, bourbon, cherry, and roast. The cherry comes through nicely, just enough tartness without being bitter or overbearing. Everything balances well. Minimal alcohol presence. Really nicely done. Fairly heavy.