Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout

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

Pours a cloudy dark ruby brown with a smallish light tan head and some lacing. Aroma is sweet dark cherries and bourbon, vanilla, caramel malt and more subtle dark fruits. Flavor is sweet and starts with a decent dark caramel maltiness, dark chocolate, bourbon and cherry. Finishes long sweet and spicy. Medium bodied. This one will probably get better with age.

Bottled - probably my rating # 15,000 if I include my backlog. A hazy deep red beer with a huge tan head. The aroma is sweet with notes of malt, hops, fruit, and berries. The flavor is sweet malty with a light acidic edge, strong notes of fruit, medium notes of wood, and lighter notes of vanilla and alcohol, leading to a slightly tart finish. The alcohol leaves a burn on the tongue. Thanks Papsoe for sharing.

12 oz. bottle via trade KingpinIPA - Pours a dark brown color with a 1/2 finger thick light tan head that faded pretty quick. Light lacing. The barrel aging dominates the aroma. Mostly oak/bourbon and some dark esters. Can’t really detect any cherry in the aroma. Flavor is also mostly oak/bourbon with some roasted malt and dark esters. Has a roasted malt and alcohol aftertaste. Medium body. A good IS, but I doubt very few could detect any cherry in this beer if they didn’t know what they were drinking. Thanks Mike.

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.

Bottle: Dark brown pour with a smaller tan head. Aroma is of cherry cordials with bourbon. Nice. Flavor is cherry and chocolate with the bourbon barrel accent. A bit chalky and light roasted malt. Flavor gets a bit muddled. Still, I like cherries, I like bourbon, and I like imperial stouts; so this was great to try. Thanks Pepsican.

12oz bottle (Discount Liquor)-Pours a dark brown/light black body with a small ring for a head. Aroma of bourbon and cherries. Taste of bourbon, cherries, chocolate, and a little heat. This full bodied brew is very well balanced with nothing really being dominant. The bourbon is very well blended. Great tasting brew.

Bottle, thanks hopdog! Pours cloudy blackish brown with garnet highlights and a thick, falling tan head. The aroma seems sweet and sour at the same time, dominated by the bourbon, but with bits of vanilla, oak, chocolate and cherry swirling around. Medium body and minimal carbonation. The taste follows the nose, bourbon,vanilla, oak, chocolate and cherry. The oak finishes strong, and a bit of coffee shows up. An interesting beer. Not very stout-like, but good none the less.

One of the BA guests (non-ratebeer member-yet) shared a 12-oz bottle in the brewery’ lounge room during the Central Waters’ 10th Anniversary Party. Pours a hazy dark cola brew with a thin light beige head that quickly dissipates to a fine film and a thin ring. Aroma of tart cherries, a touch of bourbon, Baker’s chocolate and vanilla. Taste is medium bodied, with little carbonation, with flavors of light tart cherries, dark chocolate bread, a touch of bourbon character (coconut)and some vanilla/sugar frosting. Finish is quite smooth the a light tart cherry aftertaste that quickly changes to light caramel and vanilla flavor. This is an interesting imperial stout with a tart cherry character.