Tyranena Devil Over A Barrel

Formerly brewed at Tyranena Brewing
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Lake Mills, Wisconsin USA

strong coffee nose with a touch of bourbon, black black black. Overwhelming coffee flavor with a bit of alcohol, but tastes somewhat thin. meh.

A Mes rate: bottle at home with Sim thanks to a very generous bloke called Chad.
Black as a priest’s sock (thanks again Simon) with a creamy tan head that can be resurrected at will with a swill. Now that is a stonking good smell. Rich dark chocolate malt, chewy oatmeal, superb vanilla and oak from the barrel and lo and behold just a faint lick of bourbon. Hooray! Once in the mouth the bourbon comes through a little more but it balances out perfectly with the sumptuous chocolate and coffee which bring with them glorious notes of proper Italian vanilla ice cream and oatmeal. A fantastic wash of earthy wood and moss really hits the spot too. Sadly the bourbon gives it a slightly raw kick of alcohol in the finish and leaves a slight hint of cardboard in the aftertaste. It also thins the palate out a little but the good width and creamy feel still qualify it for a 4. Other than the finish everything else is luscious. Well balanced and a fine piece of brewage. Yum. Thanks again Chad.

Courtesy of Gilliard. There is a very intense and pleasant fresh coffee aroma with mild roasted malt, chocolate and vanilla notes. Simple, but awesome. The body is black with a wispy, but lasting, tan head. Chocolate, coffee, sweet cream, vanilla and mild toasted caramel notes are prominent int he flavor profile. I don’t get much int he way of bourbon, but it tastes great so I don’t miss it any. Tasty.

The Dan Journal #224. Tasted 8/7/08. 12oz bottle. Dark with a pitch hue. Spiraling beige head. Aromas of coffee and fudge. Dark chocolate and toast. Cola and oatmeal. Full bodied with bitter coffee malts and mild fruity esters. Smooth with a molassis note. Sticky finish. This has a great palate. Totally wonderful!

Much thanks to Zathrus13 for this one. Pours out black with a thin brown/tan head. Aroma of sweet vanilla, bourbon, chocolate, slight roasted malt and some oats. Flavor is complex and well balanced, dangerously drinkable with a creamy smooth mouthfeel. Notes of chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, oat and slight coffee. Very well done!

Bottle, thanks to dchmela. Nearly black pour with minimal tan head. This is not an overly complex beer; in fact, the easy-drinking quality of it is what really appealed to me. Nose of vanilla, coffee, slight bourbon, chocolate, oatmeal notes, and burnt sugar. Quite sweet smelling, and similar on the tongue. Creamy vanilla was probably the most dominant flavor. A little thin on the palate, but this factor does ad to the appeal in some ways. This really hides the alcohol well. A fun beer.

Bottle. Poured dark brown with almost no head, slight soapy lacing. Aroma of milk chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and wood. Taste of coffee, roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, with lightly bitter notes. The bitterness is pretty nice. Mouth is creamy and smooth, light carbonation. Overall, another nice full bodied coffee flavored brew.

Great Taste 2008, but rating from a bottle enjoyed the day following. I very much enjoyed the chewiness of this one, more so than Dirty Old Man. But I also found the spice in Dirty Old Man appealing. I realize they’re not the same beer or the same style per say, but drinking them side by side inevitably leads to comparisons. Notes of soy, semisweet chocolate, vanilla, and dark roasted coffee. Finish is long lasting. Well done.