Cigar City Bourbon Barrel Aged Bolita Brown Double Nut Brown Ale

Brewed by Cigar City Brewing
Style: American Strong Ale
Tampa, Florida USA

22 fl oz bottle, #303. Pours dark brown with a small tan head. Aroma is wineous and roasted sugarish. Dark bourbon flavoured with a smooth roasted malt flavoured. Smooth roasted and chocolate dark malty flavoured. Dark finish. Nice one.

Bottle at Paul’s tasting. Pours a deep dark black with a thin tan head. Huge bourbon, sweet vanilla and a little oak. Medium bodied, light malt and vanilla. Finishes with a long sweet vanilla and light sweet bourbon.

75cl bottle with a big thanks to CaptainCougar! Dark brown with red highlights and a small beige head. Aroma of bourbon, brown sugar, and some toast. Pleasant but not very interesting. Bourbon is forward in the flavor with some vague, sweet malt. Sweetness and alcohol balance well, with a touch of hop bitterness as well. Medium-full body with smooth carbonation. A pleasant beer, but the bourbon and sweetness seem to be the only definable characteristics.

2009, poured from 750 ml, 105/222, dark brown with medium tan head. Sweet nutty aroma, a little boozy, some chocolate, a bit of the wood.. Taste was sweet and malty and on the hot side, with the alcohol. Overall a nice barrel aged brew.

Bottle #203 of 221, acquired via trade thanks to Sebletitje. Thanks a lot, Seb! I know people like to knock on Cigar City for all the hype they receive, but when they brew something like this, I mean, they’re just that good, brah, ya feels me? Pours a dark brown hazy color with a medium beige head, leaving a small layer of foam after it settles. Aroma is sweet and heavenly, with honey, caramel, toffee, nuts, oak, and mild bourbon. Flavor is somewhat barleywine-like and sweet with honey, floral qualities, toffee, caramel, cedar, oak, vanilla, sherry, and well-balanced bourbon. Just really complex and really, really good. Achieves the perfect balance. Body is only medium, which contributes to drinkability, with a long, sweet, silky smooth finish. Amazingly drinkable, with almost no hint of booziness. Wish I could use this as an "imperial session beer" every day. It’s incredible.

Bottle courtesy SamGamgee. Pours dark copper brown with a light-tan head that leaves some wispy lacing. Aroma is a one-dimensional bourbon explosion. Maybe a little chocolate too. Flavor is much more complex although the bourbon is still the main note. There’s a nice coffee character in there and a big nuttiness. A little hot but not too bad. Mouthfeel is slick and warming. Good but not worth the hype.

Barley Wine tasting at Hophead22 house. Bottle compliments of DuffmanSW (Sean). Rating #54. Bottle was number 73 out of 221 bottles. Aroma had faint bourbon and some nutty toffee characteristics. Poured a chestnut color with a tiny little head. Taste was chocolate malts, coffee, nuts, toffee, bourbon very well balanced. Medium nice carbonation. Overall this was really good. I’m definitely glad I got to try this. Thanks Sean!

Bottle thanks to an american couple that shared them in the rake. Alround rating: Roasty, very sweet and nutty, massive bourbon character which makes it even sweetter, theres some ash in here and the alcohol is far from subtle. Not a win.