Rock Bottom Chicago Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Red Ale

Brewed by Rock Bottom Chicago
Style: American Strong Ale
Chicago, Illinois USA

gtmw 08.... solid caramel brown pour with a medium light brown head.... sweet barrel and toffee flavors make up the majority of the nose.... sweet barrel flavors and a sweet sugary finish. the finale was a little hot and peppery. i generally liked this one.

Tap GTMW 2008 Higher alcohol sweetness. There is some octane to this beer. Dull hoppiness with bittersweet finish. Lots of acetone, but enjoyable and not distracting or overly ethanol. Aroma is very similar. Sweet toffee, higher alcohols. Finish is sweet red fruits and more alcohol. Very estery and different. A lot of flavors. I enjoyed this quite a bit, but it probably needs a re-visit.

On tap at GTMW. Poured almost clear medium amber with a nice creamy cap of off-white head. The aroma picked up deep toasted English toffee upfront with medium-skinned fruits and bourbon behind.. everything worked well together.. enjoyable. The flavor had warm pale malts and toffee at the core with spicy bourbon and white peppery alcohol rockin’ it.. too much barrel presence for my liking.. spicy and hot on the long finish. Thick and warm on the palate with moderate carbonation.. would’ve been great sans a little heat.

Great Taste 2008. I’ve had Clares Hungry, Angry, and Thirsty, and now’s the chance to try Commando. Stupid me, but I didn’t quite realize that Clare was a real person, and then name is a pun on Clare’s (as in posession) and Clare’s (as in "Clare is"). Onto the beer, a mahogany colored pour leads into notes of cherry, rye-like spice (wouldn’t be surprised if there was a bit of rye used in the beer), orange peel, vanilla, and a nice bourbon finish. Of the Clare’s series, this one was another great addition.

Thick light brown pour with nice creamy head. Roasted malt nose with bourbon all over the nose. Flavor was big with wood, bourbon, sweet malt and hints of vanilla. Hops helped with the finish that kept it dry. Very nice.

Draught at the pub. Aroma is sweet fruity hops, caramelly malt and a hint of barrell. Very malty and sweet with the hops asserting themselves in the finish along with a dry woody note. Full foamy palate. Alcohols is evident but not detrimental.

A very good bourbon beer from Rock Bottom yet again. Pours hazy red with a white head. Aroma of citrus, caramel, and bourbon. The bitterness from the hops did beat our the caramel sweetness. Very easy to drink. The bourbon wasn’t as dominate as with some of their other beers. A good one to try.

Tap into a snifter: It poured a hazy amber/red body with a dense white head. Heavy lacing. The aroma had yellow grapefruit, citrus zest, pine, a dash of caramel, and Bourbon. Very smooth in the mouth but full of peppery heat. The caramel was nearly chewy in the flavor, but the hoppy bitterness rose to the occasion and beat out the sweetness. Flavors of Bourbon and charred wood merged smoothly with the other flavors. The finish was bitter with hops and oak and had a low alcohol burn. Just the drink one needs after a long day in the civil courts.

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