Full Sail Top Sail Imperial Porter Bourbon Barrel Aged

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

2009-03-20. Pitch black with a modest foamy tan head that fades. Sweet bourbony aroma, mild alcohol and modest roast malt. Flavour is fairly alcoholic up front, then bourbon, brief dark malts, then a very dry finish of alcohol and bourbon. (7+) Average plus to medium bodied palate. Decent stout, and the bourbon is not too over the top. Bottle shared by Blankboy

Pours a dark brown/black. Not too much head. Aroma is a oaky bourbon. Some sweetness coming through. Flavor is heavy woody bourbon and roasted malt. Finish is fairly clean with a lingering sweetness. Nice beer.

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 pour, medium brown head. Aroma is oak and bourbon. Flavor is fudge, bourbon, lots of woody to this, some vanilla. Very dominated by the wood but is very chocolatey and the touch of bourbon is all balanced nicely. Some smoke in the background and even a dash of raisens. Nicely done.

My bottle (22oz) shared with HogTownHarry, garthicus, GregClow, tupalev & jerc -- courtesy of TheEpeeist. 2008 vintage. Pours a very dark brown with a large diminishing frothy light-brown head. Aroma of roasted malt, nuts, dark fruit, cream, alcohol, vanilla and wood. Flavour of roasted malt, dark fruit, bourbon, coffee and dark chocolate. Dry, bitter finish. Average to medium bodied. Nice to see the barrel-aged aspect of the beer not too over the top, this was very good.

a generous bonus beer from hannont, shared with Illini08. pours nearly black with some reddish hints around the edge and some khaki lacing. aroma of chocolate, vanilla, roasted malts, some coffee and alcohol. flavor is dominated by the bourbon with some oak, vanilla, chocolate and ripened dark fruit lurking around. I like bourbon beers, but this one just smacks you in the face with its boozy presence. if I had more, I’d age the rest for at least a year, maybe two.

22oz bottle. thanks Sparky! pours slick black with small fizzy head that doesn’t last long. the aroma started off very dusty woody but once it breathed it opened up a bit more with some soft buttery bourbon notes, vanilla, and chocolate. flavors are a bit rough around the edges, lots of wood, chocolate, and hints of dark fruits. a bit fizzy mouth feel and thin body. really tasty sipper but it lacks finese like most full sails.

Bottle opened at the Harlequin, Sheffield, on the RateBeer Valley of Beer Crawl ’08. Black with a small beige head. Sweet dark fruit aroma. A little bit too much fizz, but a wonderful sweet, ashy taste and a mid bitter finish. Many thanks to the kind purveyor of this delectable beer.