Fort Collins Barrel Licked Bock

Brewed by Fort Collins Brewery
Style: Smoked
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

22 oz. bottle. Pours a thin short lived head over a clear amber (SRM 18) body......nose is light smoke, bacon, dried fruits (cherry, fig), light hop floral....taste early is smoky, then sweet malts with dried cherry, raisin, finishing with wood, vanilla, hop, and a tiny sensation of whisky.....mouth feel is medium to light, carbonation is low. It is not a Rauchbier. It is, however, remarkably well done. Whiskey barrels and wood are hard to use brewing beer because the balance often fails and they just overwhelm. Smoke can be too dominant when not intended by the brewer. All of the elements are in good balance here, and the alcohol is well hidden.

22oz from Sam’s, Durham. I was so stoked to see this at the local, having had the regular version thanks to a good buddy in CO. Still a very handsome russet pour, with a moderate head if you get the pour going right. Nose is faintly smoky, with abundant malts and a crisp, but undefined bitterness. Mouthfeel remains a bit thin - maybe something that could be improved in subsequent batches? - but it’s still a nice smooth brew on the palate. I’m still really digging the interplay of malts and smoke here, but the barrel is almost indetectable. Slight vanilla and wood, I suppose, but certainly not much. On balance, I prefer the regular version, but I certainly hope to try both again.

Bottle. Pours a mahogany body with a tan head. Dark roasted woody smoked malt, hints of vanilla, oak and a light woodiness. Still a bit grainy with some peat and toasted malt character. Chewy with a mild etoh warming. A nice brew.

Has a beautiful rube red color with a very dense frothy tan/white head. Aroma is a heavy smoked note, dark toasted caramel sweetness, some woody notes and a light vanilla end note. Flavor has a vanilla and bourbon start that transitions very nicely to a perfect smokiness, one that doesn’t overtake the entire beer. A light prune fruitiness melds nicely with the rich caramel notes at the end. This beer is very smooth, provides great lacing on the glass as it’s consumed, contains a great amount of carbonation for the style and has a nice heavy feeling in your mouth. Alcohol is pretty high but there is almost not feeling because the flavors and density cover it up superbly. Overall, I am not a fan of smoked beers but this is by far the best I have ever consumed. The smoke flavor isn’t overpowering and compliments all of the flavors making it a perfect beer.

Date: May 24, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Ticker Tasting
Appearance: clear dark red, fine beige head, streaks of lace
Aroma: sweet caramel and vanilla aroma, lots of smokey earthyness
Flavor: sweet candy malt flavor, sweet caramel, balancing smoke, touch of vanilla, light oak
Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: **4

draft at Taco Mac, Crabapple... arrived at the table in a pint glass as a dark brown with a slim tan head.. some dark fruit and alcohol aromas fill the nose... medium body throughout with some plum, grape and a touch of whiskey fill the mouth... overall this was a pleasure to drink and offered a unique blend of dark fruit and barrel aging while still being extremely drinkable for the high alcohol level...

Dark mahogany pour with some off white head. Smoky aroma with hints of caramel, vanilla and bacon. Flavor is smokey, sweet and caramelly but transforms into a strong whisky character. Vanilla, oak, caramel toffee, with a slight alcohol burn at the end. The bourbon notes in this beer are pretty awesome and keep the sweetness of this beer in check. Chewy mouthfeel with nice carbonation. Pretty great beer.

smoke comes to me while i’m still pouring it. sweet, acrid, comforting, really have to stick my nose in here to pick out the barrel notes, the smoke envelopes them well. beautiful color, light ruby in the light bloody maroon in the shade. almost no head after the first minute, but far from flat. a gentle low carbonation that lets the light fruit and surprisingly subtle smoke flavor come out. more of the whiskey is evident in the flavor. light peppery notes, hint o’ vanilla, warms up my throat, alcohol comes to the fore here. a beer that makes me smile, and that is a bit of a feat right now. i expected a thicker beer, but this is comparatively light for what it is. don’t see this as one to sit on, the lighter enjoyable notes will likely get squashed over time, but i’ll grab a few for friends that will be in town in a few months and see how it goes. sometimes the booze hits me, and it ois good, sometimes the bit sweet caramel note, that is o.k. then the smoke comes back up, and it is good again. when they work together it is sublime.lingering pepper keeps me thirsty. 5 7 8 4 17