Weyerbacher Heresy

Brewed by Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Easton, Pennsylvania USA

12oz pour. Poured black with a relatively fizzy dark brown head. Couldn’t get as much from the nose as I would have hoped. Body is delightfully complex with dark chocolate, touch of sambuca and a notion of bourbon from the alcohol content. Evolves into a finish that comes and goes in waves with a couple new flavors: roasted almond and espresso. Lingers like a good wine, in fact... drinking this reminds me of how I would approach a wine.

Pours with a transparent red tint to a dense black body. A clingy rim of tinny brown. Aroma of a burnt chocolate chip cookie crust, with a cool mist of vanilla and bourbon. Hint of crisply charred but rare steak. Lightly metallic; somewhat subdued citrus effects. Taste begins as a gritty, dirty press of sharp bourbon on raw espresso grounds; predictable, and undrinkable. It rights itself quickly, though. Full roasted malts and dark chocolate, though not in the heaviest layers, muscle out the acrid qualities, while the bourbon infusion stays its ground. Mild, emasculated tannins in a merlot form. Some odd tones of banana and peach yogurt with brown spice. The whiskey barrel notes of smoke and sweet wood are eventually dominant, but this is surprisingly pleasant. Medium to full-bodied palate; smooth and easy to swallow. Easily one of the least viscous examples, which isn’t always so disappointing. Smacks of mint and perfumey alcohol for a while. Well crafted; totally unexpected.

Bourbon! American oak and vanilla (along with the bourbon) dominate the nose of the beer. The aroma is a hint of liquid heaven, but only a hint. Taste is smooth and oaky with a vanilla harshness and smoke. Still, it is pretty smooth and not overly alcoholic- the beer is milky almost. Very nice.

Pours dark, almost black. Has a thick creamy brown head that slowly dissipates. Aroma and taste of wood, chocolate, vanilla, and very subtle bourbon.

22 oz. bomber bottle, no bottling date, sampled in a snifter glass. Poured a deep blackish brown with a frothy tan head that settled into a rich creamy lacing, small amount of ringed sticking. An impressive start to this evening’s sampling. A light smoky wood first emerges in the aroma, then dark cherries, malty chocolate and light coffee, vanilla and sherry-like alcohol. Traces of green wood as it warms. Smooth pleasant taste, not overly woody, the alcohol flavor is more like sherry than whiskey, I don’t really taste any bourbon. Not a bad thing, I don’t mind barreled sherry. Dark cherries, dark caramelized sugar and vanilla meddled together nicely. Not richness maltiness I’ve had in a RIS, but still far above average, dry chocolate, light brown coffee, some smoky touches towards the end. A distinct taste of wood comes out at the finish along with a soft spiciness. Creamy airy medium bodied mouthfeel makes this a dangerous sipper. Not an outstanding RIS, but still a very good one.

Wood, chocolate, roasted coffee and vanilla aromas. Thick creamy head that dissipates to a thin lacing. First taste was a little bland but as the breww warmed all the flavors I expected from the aroma came out in full and stayed on my palate for a long time. Woud definitely recommend this beer to a friend.

Bomber; Nose of chocolate, oak woddinessand light alcohol and vanilla; opaque black with a big, cinnamon-tan, glass-lacing head; flavor of chocolate, oak, vanilla, and very light bourbon; body is fairly thick; finish light alcohol warmth.

Date: September 02, 2004
Mode: Bottle
Source: Ale Atlanta
Appearance: Imperial stout aged in oak barrels
Aroma: black, sweet winey roasted malt aroma
Flavor: big malt flavor, endless vanilla flavor, lots of sweetness
Overall: great in a sample but may be too much in a full pint

Date: May 10, 2005
Mode: bottle
Appearance: thin tan head can easily be roused but quickly disappears
Aroma: sweet winey roasty aroma
Body: huge oak flavor, big body, big malt flavor, nice winey character that grows and grows, stays huge to the last drop
Overall: a pint is not enough

Date: October 14, 2006
Mode: bottle
Appearance: black, big tan head, touch of lace
Aroma: dry chocolate aroma
Flavor: nice vanilla and oak flavor, very dry chocolate flavor, light bitterness, touch of fruity wine, lots of woody oak causing a touch of bitterness

Date: February 24, 2007
Mode: bottle
Score: 3.5 to 3.3
Aroma: huge fumey bourbon and roasted aroma with sweet vanilla and a hint of oak, a bit thin
Flavor: sweet and sour bourbon flavor, lots of oak rises to the front, turns into thin bourbon and chocolate, some sweet vanilla tries to save it but over the top bitterness from the oak prevents it
Overall: a classic battle between heven and hell

Date: July 04, 2008
Mode: bottle
Score: 3.4 to 3.5
Words: aged
Aroma: sweet bourbon and vanilla aroma, dark chocolate, lots of fruityness
Flavor: sweet chocolate and bourbon flavor, additional vanilla sweetness, oak adds balance
Overall: age is very very good for this beer

Date: April 05, 2009
Mode: draft<br /