Full Sail Top Sail Imperial Porter Bourbon Barrel Aged

Formerly brewed at Full Sail Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Hood River, Oregon USA

I have been anticipating this since I saw it on the Full Sail Brewmaster’s Reserve calendar for 08. I was expecting a blast of bourbon when I sniffed the open bottle but I got a nice surprising aroma. Very subtle bourbon, chocolate,vanilla, oaky complex aroma. Of course it is black and the light brown head quickly dissipated into a thin bubbly film. Wow, the taste is really, really good. It has nice bourbon flavors (but not strong), vanilla, and a real woody finish without a hint of the alcohol until hit hits your stomach and starts spreading the warmth. This is a really nice way to improve a porter that was already pretty darn good. This also tastes completely different than the regular Top Sail I was drinking last year and it also costs twice as much but if you see it, buy one. I thought the bourbon-barrel aged black gold was a bourbon-bomb (back in 06) so I was impressed by how subtle this beer was which made it easy to drink. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 02-11-2008 02:50:01

Bottle from BlackForestCO. Pour is black with a small, wispy white head. Aroma of booze, coffee, caramel and roasted malt. A bit hot...slight bitterness with caramel and coffee coming through as well. Good body and pretty smooth.

[Bottle] shared by Guerde. Pours viscous black with a soapy tan head. Aroma is full of bourbon, vanilla, alcohol and is quite earthy. Flavor is sweet and a little metallic, burnt, tart/ bittersweet, and alsohol with a somewhat roasty finish. Thinnish mouthfeel. Tastes almost charred.

Nice pour with a nearly black color with a tan, average, creamy, pillowy head; it settles to a very small, frothy bit and leaves little lace. Nose is nice with lots of milk chocolate and bourbon and lighter notes of caramel, burnt oak, vanilla, and whisps of alcohol. Flavor is similar with dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel, bourbon, light oak, and only hints at some roast. Palate is medium, soft, and silky. Finishes with lots of chocolate and vanilla bean with some bourbon, oak, and some lingering dry hop and roast notes. It’s hard for me to believe that this is even the same beer as the Top Sail from a year ago. The bourbon barrels have smoothed out all the dryness but the complexity has diminished. The bourbon and vanilla notes would have been a nice addition to an imperial stout but it almost took out the the flavors of the porter. Nice but too simple to be great.

Bomber shared w/ Pete with a cigar on the side. Wasn’t expecting much from this...pleasantly surprised. Flavor starts w/ bourbon oak wrapped caramel malts and vanilla/cocoa combo. Bourbon is very complimentary...you don’t have to search for it, but it isn’t a bully. Finish transitions nicely into a deep, dark chocolate punch...very dark. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, a very nice beer indeed. I like

This poured black in color with a thin brown head that fades away. The nose shows off the bourbon barrel aging along with vanilla, milk chocolate and roasted malt. In the mouth this was well-balanced with a rich concentrated midpalate and fine carbonation. The flavors were similar with creamy vanilla really shining through.

Wow. What a nose. Pure boubon goodness. This is a big beer, which surprised me a little, as the body was a little thin (perhaps due to the aging?). Very malty and a pure sipper, but what a treat. Thanks TimE!!

Bottle. Pours a black color with a large frothy tan head. Aroma of coffee, roasted malt, bourbon, vanilla and chocolate. Taste of bourbon, coffee, malt and vanilla. Has a nice soft flavor that is well balanced. Nice all around brew!