Grumpy Troll Bourbon Barrel Aged Spetsnaz Export Stout

On draught at the Malt House: Pours a thick opaque black colour with a large creamy brown head. Aromas of oak, whiskey, and bbq smoke. Taste is rich with strong bourbon flavors and barbeque. Nutty, burnt toast and coffee grounds.

Draft pour from the Brewpub. Pours black with a slight white head. Aroma of Chocolate and wisps of bourbon. Nice, smooth chocolate and bourbon flavor with some malt tones. A very good stout.

Name: Bourbon Stout
Date: 08/08/2008
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

Appearance: black, wispy beige head,
Aroma: sweet chocolate and vanilla aroma, touch of bourbon, light roasted blended with oak,
Flavor: rich chocolate and bourbon flavor, nice vanilla sweetness, light oak, roasted come in from behind to add the balance,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

On draught at the brewpub in downtown Mt Horeb, Wisconsin. Pours a semi-clear dark cola brown brew with virtually no head. Aroma of toasted dark malt and just a touch of bourbon and oak. Taste is medium bodied, no carbonation with flavors of toasted dark malt, vanilla, oak wood and some bourbon. Finish is slightly watery with a more distinct toasted dark malt and just barely any bourbon in the aftertaste. Not an in-yer-face bourbonized stout but just a dark beer with some light bourbon character.

On tap at the Grumpy Troll Brew Pub. Poured a dark black color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of roast, chocolate, wood, light bourbon, and light smoke. Tastes of wood, bourbon, vanilla, chocoalte, and roasty. Bourbon was not overpowering.

Draft. Black with a full light brown head Aroma is a mix of malt, bourbon and wood. Full body. Has a malt start a strong bourbon middle and a wood finish.

This has an amazing one-two-three punch. It’s not really complex, in the sense that complex beers have flavor notes that dance around each other -- but it has big, big notes of wood, bourbon, and chocolate. It had the heaviest wood aroma I’ve ever experienced (that’s a good thing) although it didn’t necessarily seem like oak -- not sure if the barrels were some other wood, or if the intensity of it fooled me. The bourbon was equally compelling, and the same one-two punch dominated the flavor, along with nice chocolate overtones. In theory, I’d say this could use more subtlety, but the truth was that I thoroughly enjoyed this beer.

Draft at the brewpub. Poured an opaque black color. Head was tan with good retention and lacing. Aroma was of whiskey, chocolate, and vanilla. Flavor was similar with mild roasty malt. Slightly sweet on the tongue. Very smooth mouth feel and full bodied. I’m a sucker for barrel aged beers and this was was well done.