Full Sail Top Sail Imperial Porter Bourbon Barrel Aged

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

Huge thanks to General Gao for this 2008 vintage, 650 ml. Pitch black with a two-finger head that settles quickly to a small ring. A few spots of soapy, brown sugar lace are marooned on the glass. Aromas of chocolate-oatmeal cookie, vanilla, light peanut butter, whiskey and coffee. Flavors are similar with vanilla, oak, and more harsh whiskey than expected from the aroma. Medium-heavy body is smooth and dryish; thinned and warmed by the alcohol.

The aroma is incredibly bourbony...then you adapt and it is only largely bourbony! Alcohol on the nose with some smoke. A tad thin in the glass. Beautiful head. Taste is hot, bourbon, candied sweet, with a rich dark malt presence. A bit of sharp, almost chewing on balsawood oakiness. Quite drinkable for 9.85% that’s for sure. Thanks Steve - makes the prospect of spending 5 figures on a new car somewhat palateable. Maybe. Oh, yes, and I let this thing settle in the cellar for a whole 7 hours before drinking it...what can I say?

Black body with a small tan head, fading. The nose is sweet chocolate, buttery bourbon, ash and molasses. The flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter with chocolate, vanilla and bourbon. Medium/full body is round and a bit chalky with moderate carbonation and a rough, warming finish.

22 ounce bottle from BeerandBlues2. Pours opaque black with a a little bit of tan head. What a nose. I get fresh chocolate fudge brownies with a thick layer of chocolate frosting. The oak and bourbon is a compliment here. The flavor has a little bit more booze to it, but not overwhelming. My brownies are still there as well. Medium/full body. Silky. Warm bitter finish. The heat gets more aggressive as it warms, but when doesn’t it. I like it.

Bomber from Sparky27 and ucusty - thanks, guys! I’d been wanting to try this for some time, and I confess to being somewhat disappointed. The pour is fairly nice, and - like other FS beers I’ve had - is a trace thin. Modest head, minimal retention, and a fairly light palate, which seems inappropriate for the style. The nose is certainly sweet and bourbon-y, a heavy vanilla and oak presence that’s definitely there in the taste as well. While there’s some complexity in the barrel-aged portion of the brew, I get almost no sense of what the actual porter is like. The barrel dominates, not allowing even the roasted malts to come through very much, and the result is too slick and sweet. Maybe some aging will do this good.

Cask @ Bittercreek Alehouse: Pours a rich black with an immense, creamy brown head. Thick sheets of lacing coat the glass. Aroma is heavy with bourbon, light coffee and chocolate. Flavor brings out a little oak, as well as more chocolate. Plenty of bourbon is present, should be able to mellow nicely with age. Creamy and rich. Another delicious treat from Full Sail.

my favorite full sail ever. oaky slightly vinous. tiny brash acidic bits of sour lemon maybe even a little chlorine, against a big broad base of wood, whiskey, coffee, toffee, touch of smoke. body is thinning fast. warming and alcoholic

chocolate and bourbon are the guys running the show, but bourbon is the husband, and he puts his foot down and takes the belt off .. . Pours a jet brown/black, has a pretty big whipped coffee coloured head, lacing is quality for such a high abv brew .. . bourbon is the first thing to hit in the nose and taste, some chocolate and tar also .. . very smooth and easy to drink but the bourbon with make it a sipper, some light heat, but just enough, a year or 6 months would do this brew nicely! .. . i am liking a hell of alot this i think the BA imperial stout was alot smoother .. . if you like imperial porters, and like bourbon aged beers, this might do you just right .. . Stuart Holden is a fuckin badass, hou dynamo 1 chivas 0 at the half .. .