Upland Bourbon Barrel Aged Chocolate Stout

Brewed by Upland Brewing Company
Style: Sweet Stout
Bloomington, Indiana USA

Indy Brewers Fest 2009 - Aroma is full of oak, vanilla, chocolate and roasted malts. Flavor matches with a lasting chocolate finish. Palate is chewy and dry. A step up from the normal chocolate stout for sure.

Opaque dirty oil black with light brown head. Bourbon and choco syrup nose. Well blended booze and chocolate flavor. Oily. Dry warm finish.

Outstanding brew. Pours a deep, dark black with a tan and frothy head. Aroma is like a candy bar: caramel, chocolate, nougat, vanilla, wood. Mouthfeel is velvety and smooth and the taste is delicious. Lots of wood and tobacco and caramel, touches of bourbon and chocolate. Slightly bitter. Fatastic.

Draft at brewery. 3-21-09. The touch of bourbon and barrel aging takes one of Upland’s good beers to another level. Dark brown, almost black pour with a tan head. Aroma of bourbon, oak, roasted malts and caramel. Notes of chocolate and hint of smoke. The flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter and lightly acidic. It finishes lightly to moderately sweet and lightly to moderately bitter. No surprise that it tastes of bourbon and chocolate. Medium body, watery texture and moderate to lively carbonation. It finishes smooth, almost velvety. Very nice balance between sweet malts.and bourbon. The bourbon is far from overpowering which is a huge plus. Very good.

IBGF 2009, this was the one beer I marked as a must try and it did not disappoint: Basically opaque with a frothy tan head and very good lace. The aroma has notes of bourbon (big surprise there), milk chocolate, pipe tobacco, leather, and a hint of sea salt. The taste displays lots of chocolate and toasted malt character with a bit of ashy black too before the barrel kicks in. What I found unique is that the alcohol in this beer comes off more like a plum wine or sake than it does bourbon. Oaky and earthy finish that lasts forever. The mouth feel is aggressive and lively with a noticeable warming trend upon the chest. A winner for sure and something I would like to try again.

Draft sample at Keg Liquors Fest of Ale. Poured black color with an average creamy brown head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate to heavy toasted chocolate malt and sweet woody bourbon aroma. Medium to full body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. Medium to heavy sweet toasted malt and bourbon flavor with a medium to heavy sweet finish of moderate to long duration. Standout brew that exceeded my expectations.