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 was doing some tasting research for a home brew and was getting a bit discouraged on a few of the oaked and flavored porters. This one sure turned my head around!

New Batch Released in 2008. 22oz bottle. Black, black, black. Nose comes out with bourbon, woody. Mouth hits you with a nice bourbon that fades into a nice aftertaste that doesn’t blow you out of the water too much, but still has a really dominant alcohol flavor. Pour has lower carbonation than I expected, possibly more with come out with time. Glad I was able to pick up a few bottles.

22oz bottle from 2008. Pours black with a small tan head that left some spotty lacing. Tons of bourbon, fig, vanilla and oak on the nose. Good flavor but not quite up to par with the great nose of this beer. Flavors of vanilla, bourbon, dark dried fruits and a light boozy finish.

Split this bomber with some pals while watching the USA Rugby game. Pours a slightly oily, opaque black with a thin, beige head. Aroma is well balanced, plenty of bourbon obviously, vanilla, chocolate, wood, booze, with some fruitiness that’s still present. Bourbon flavors are dominant but not over powering which is nice. Vanilla, fruits, wood, caramel, coffee, some light nuts, oak. Finish is where this really takes off, slightly oily, full bodied, some lasting sweetness, lasting booze. Very nice sipper.

2008 bomber, with thanks to both BlackForestCO and kyzr - appreciate it guys! Pours a deep, dark brown with a foamy dark tan head, nice lacing. Aroma is milk chocolate, oak, bourbon, vanilla, molasses, and light espresso. Flavor wraps everything up nicely with melted chocolate, vanilla, molasses, and a complimentary oak/bourbon presence. Well done, and a great nightcap to a cold evening!

Updated Rating 3/14/09: 22 oz. bottle - 2008 vintage; side by side w/ ’09 non-BA version; identical in appearance; bourbon dominates nose - vanilla, oak, cookies, little to no roastiness; soft velvety texture; thin body; lots of bourbon sweetness and mild chocolate; a lovely beer and just as the base beer, a little one dimensional; the barrel has taken a thin beer and made it thinner; bourbon has not faded w/ a year of aging; a tasty and delicate beer; looking forward to 2010 :)

Original Rating 3/25/08 (Overall Rating 4.3): draft @ uber tavern - finally making to seattle and it was certainly worth the wait; syrupy and pitch black with dark brown head around the edges; bourbon shoots out in the aromas, but also a rich mix of oak, roasted malts and coffee; flavors are equally thick and smooth; feels stronger than 9.85% too, so drink slow and savor; just a delicious beer

Finally, 1000! Pours black with a thin tan head. Bourbon vanilla aroma comes jumping out of the glass. Nice medium body with a taste of dark fruit, vanilla and chocolate malt with some hints of the wood barrel. Finishes with a nice woody, vanilla flavor. Excellent beer.

Bottle, thanks to Kan. Shared with Katie, this one shows off the barrel quite nicely. Black center pour with clearer edges and a temporary bubbly beige head. The nose has a strong bourbon tone that is nearly overpowering, but is also well complemented by notes of smoke, vanilla, molasses and brown sugars. Chocolate and roasted malt tones dominate the flavor base, which is immediately followed up by the bourbon and oak. The robust oak wood character is one of my favorites about these types of brew. Finishes syrupy and no signs of oxidation and medium carbonation.