Moon River Oak-Aged Black River Imperial Stout

8 oz. draft - $7.00 at Moon River in Savannah, Georgia. Listed, with a bright red font, mind you, as being a hefty 12% ABV. Appearance: Inky, rich-looking, black body with a frothy, dark tan head. Smell: Dark, roasted malts with heady aromas of dark chocolate, aromatic tobacco, and a beef, oak-laden red wine. Taste: Full dark maltiness with tastes of milk chocolate, toffee, used pipe tobacco, and simply awash in dessert-like sweetness. Though purported to have been "aging in two whiskey barrels," there’s no real appreciable whiskey character. Instead, the barrel aging comes across with a fruity, softly tart, oaky Cabernet Sauvignon flavor. Which is fine by me! A touch of acidity on the periphery. Slightly drying and with a spoonful of jam in the malty finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium-low carbonation. Very creamy mouthfeel. Drinkability: One to sip and savor. Without a doubt, it was the most flavorful, most enjoyable beer to be had at Moon River. I made sure to swing past the bar on my way out to get a to-go Solo cup of it for the road.

Black body with a nitro head. Big woody, whiskeyish nose. Fat, tangy, whiskeyish taste, well-integrated with light chocolate. Smooth body; great balance. A little boozy dryness adds muscle and sophistication to the finish. What I liked was the way that this beer offered up some many nuances of both barrel and stout over the course of multiple glasses. It was a lot of fun to drink this.

Rich pitch black with tan head. Lots of coffee aromas. Alcohol is detectable and good warning. Nice wood aromas. Cherry and a rich wine barrel-like character. Low carbonation and nice mouthfeel. Complex and tons of wine barrel acidity even though it is not a wine barrel but a bourbon one. Goes down heavy but not hot. Apples with bruises doused in brandy effect. Oaked chardonnay, apples, tobacco, cherry pits and skins, and 100% cocoa dark chocolate. Returned for more.

An outstanding example of whiskey-barrel-aged imperial stout. Nice creamy head w/ massive coffee, whiskey aromas. Body is heavy and alcohol presence is pervasive. Taste is of strong coffee w/ a shot or two of whiskey thrown in. This beer is not for the faint of heart, but if you enjoy a great, warm-you-to-your-bones stout on a cold winter’s day, this one will get your motor runnin’.

Draft at brewpub, Jan 09. Served in 8 oz wineglass for $7. Opaque with a nice quarter inch of cream that lasts and frosts the glass on the way down. Aroma is oak, espresso and dark chocolate. Flavor is the same with more oak and a touch of alcohol. Heavy body is creamy smooth and roasty-dry.