 awaisanen (1279), Irvine, California, USA
Jan 7, 2008 From a Growler. Mostly black, chocolate textured pour with a thick layer of creamy tan head. Clean, smooth bourbon aroma that’s loaded with caramel and silky oak vanilla. There’s a wonderful caramel toffee melanoidin richness that melds seamlessly with the oak and bourbon, reminding me a lot of Bourbon County stout. Chocolate fudge and silky smooth coffee create a satisfactory roast dimension. Medium full bodied, velvety texture with a soft, melting carbonation. Flavors of caramel and mild chocolate fudge up front on the palate, creating a sweet sensation without an overabundance of sugar. A wave of vanilla, prunes, and plums reveal themselves next, followed by a growing roast coffee dryness. The vanilla flavors from the oak serve as a wonderful contrast and balance for the roast bitterness. Toward the finish, the bourbon characters start to get a bit more aggressive, but they never get overly harsh. I wasn’t expecting this beer to be this good, but it certainly was a wonderful surprise.
goldtwins (4079), Nesconset, New York, USA
Jan 6, 2008 Tap @ the brewpub. Poured black with a tan head. Nice smooth but bourbon forward aroma. Roasted malt with chocolate and vanilla. Bourbon flavor. Smooth and roasty with some vanilla. Mildly sweet. Good warmth.
kp (8400), Woodstock, Georgia, USA
Dec 12, 2007 Name: Elmer’s Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout
Date: 12/02/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub
black, creamy tan head, lots of drippy lace,
sweet bourbon and vanilla aroma with a nice dark chocolate character,
big velvet body,
rich dark chocolate flavor, lots of bourbon, sweet vanilla enhances both the chocolate and the bourbon, alcohol comes out of the bourbon but stays out of the way, roasted malt adds the needed balance to the sweetness,
Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 10/10; Overall: 18/20
Rating: 4.3/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: ***4
BBB63 (4199), La Porte, Indiana, USA
Dec 5, 2007 OC Tour, tap at brewpub and served in a snifter: Opaque with creamy beige head and spotty lace. The aroma has notes of bourbon, vanilla, oak, chocolate, smoke, plum, coffee and grassy hops. The taste profile displays a nice rich malt character in balance with a bourbon twang. Fruity, smoky, coffee and some bakers chocolate noted throughout. The mouth feel is aggressive and oily, warming towards the end. Still a tad boozy but the bourbon should mellow with age. Darn glad to have found this.
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