Fort Collins Barrel Licked Bock

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

22 oz bottle, via crosling. Pours a clear mahogany brown body with a small tight bubbled beige head that fell to a wispy film. The nose is a really great mix of heavy munich malt and smoke with just a little oakiness peeking through. Smells very dense and thick, as it warmed I get just a little hint of nice oxidation. Sweet dense maltiness with burnt caramel and toasty malt dominates the flavor, the smoke is there, but it’s mostly evident on the finish where it mingles with the light raw oak notes. Comes across a bit too sweet and cloying with a very noticeable alcohol heat. The fizzy pinpoint carbonation cuts the body well up front but the finish is just a bit too clingy and syrupy. I’m not so sure this is a whole lot different than the regular Dopplebock really, and it really doesn’t seem like the barrel aging did anything amazing for this. Still quite pleasant to drink overall, but as I neared the end of the bottle the alcohol became a bit overbearing.

On tap at Oldsmar Tap House. Pours clear amber/ copper with a tan head. Nose is band-aid, campfire, smoke, and some slight sweetness. Flavor is like smoked ghouda cheese in liquid form. There is a sweetness imparted by the barrel that is desperately trying to come across, but is deviously overpowered by the smoke. Flavor lingers with smoke. I can sense some vanilla/ oak notes, but they are evanescent, thanks to the overwhelming smokiness.

Bottle courtesy of Butters on 05/11/2009. Clear dark brown body with ruby highlights and a medium creamy tan head. Sweet toasty, caramel, bready, smoke and a bit of wood aroma. Sweet smokey flavor, some toasty, roasty and caramel notes, with some light fruit, molassas, and a bit of wood in the finish. Medium body with moderately low carbonation and a very smooth finish. I’m still not convinced this is actually 10.4%, it hides it awfully well.

Bottle. Pours a dark copper with a thick fluffy tan head. Aroma is barrel wood and vanilla. Not overpowering, blends well with hints of german hop bitterness. Tatse is smooth and malty, lots of vanilla and a nice spicy bitterness. Finishes a little sweet and bitter, very good.

Bottle... Clear, deep, burnt orange lager with a mid-sized, creamy, off-white head. The aroma is all caramel and light smoke. Full-bodied with a 2%-milk mouthfeel and lively carbonation. Sweet, caramelly flavor and finish. Bottle courtesy of juiceisloose!

Draft at Redlight Redlight. Pours a mostly clear mahoganny color with a reddish hue and topped by a small, foamy tan colored head. The aroma shows hints of burnt caramel, smoke, and chocolate. Some burnt oak lends vanilla and bourbon to round out the nose. The flavor follows suit with the burnt oak adding vanilla and smoke to the flavor and followed by toasted caramel, chooclate, ripe dark fruits. Really well balanced with lots of flavor. The smoke is there but never overpowers any of the other flavors. Medium full bodied, smooth with good carbonation leading to sweet, smokey finish. Different than what I was expecting. Very good and easy to drink despite the high abv.

On tap at the Oldsmar Tap House (Tampa, FL). Pours a generally clear dark brown to red mahogany color with a one finger tan head. Aroma is really impressive with notes of caramel, smoke, vanilla, oak, toffee, honey, and hints of spice. Flavor is also very impressive with notes of bourbon, smoke, vanilla, oak, caramel, toffee, figs, raisins, some hints of ripe dark fruit. Generally medium to full body with a pleasing malty finish. Very nice beer.

My god, 10.4%? No way. There is no trace of abv heat on this. Clear brown pour with burgandy highlights and ample tan head. Sweet woody smokey nutty toasty aroma. Slight cherry notes, oak, sweet smoke, chocolate, figs, and more smoke on the finish. Medium full silky chewy body. Absolutely amazing.