Bethlehem Brew Works Bourbon Imperial Stout

Brewed by Bethlehem Brew Works
Style: Imperial Stout
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania USA

Handbottle shared by Shawn: Opaque with a minimal head but left good lace upon the glass. The aroma has a big bourbon nose of vanilla, charred oak, booze along with notes of espresso, bakers chocolate, clove, anise, and light pipe tobacco. The taste is fruity (plum and grape) along with the expected vanilla and chocolate overtones. Roasted and charred malts before a spicy anise and peppery finish. A bit earthy and peaty as well. The mouth feel is oily and aggressive, dry woody finish and a tad thin for the flavor profile. Once I got past the initial bourbon influences I then found some nice stout characteristics. Thanks Chris for sharing.

Handbottle and great thanks to hopdog. Had this in the fridge for over a month, but was still able to get a finger thick creamy dark tan head upon pour of a surprisingly light dark brown beer. Aroma pretty strong of bourbon, roasted malt, caramel, and slight dark fruits. Flavor matches well with the addition of vanilla and slight chocolate. Body is suprisingly light, but overall this is a very easy to drink bourbon imperial stout that likely imo should be a stout. Thoroughly enjoyed!

12 oz handbottle thanks to hopdog, thanks Steve! Opens with a pop and pours out a deep dark brown hue with a small beige head that grows with some agitation. The aroma is heavenly; sweet bourbon, powerful vanilla notes, smoke and lots of wood, something akin to ashes. The flavor is great as well; woody, sweet perfect bourbon, loads of vanilla, slight sour roasted notes, some chocolate. Leaves your palate with vanilla and sweet bourbon and a touch of tartness. Just amazing. I’m glad to have tried this with footbalm. Wow! The best part was that the bourbon fit so nicely and was not a hot mess at all.

Jet black nice tan head, chioc and wood lot of vanilla nice and sweet with the bourbon in the back...definitely needs toi be warm...real good one it got to the riht temp

Many thanks to Steve for the hook-up! Poured slick deep brown with a loose-bubbled tan head. The aroma was succulent.. toasty baker’s chocolate and cocoa hit first, and were delecately balanced against fine-smelling bourbon, charred oak, vanilla, and a touch of smoke.. moderate-roast espresso showed as it approached room temp. The flavor had more of the espresso and sweeter chocolates at the core, surrounded by tangy, tasty bourbon and oak.. some vanilla, brown sugar, and black pepper too.. spicy and warm on the finish, and excellently-balanced. Medium-bodied (and I wish it was a little thicker) on the palate with low-moderate carbonation.. spicy, warm, and engaging.. great stuff!

12oz hand bottle. Cap comes off with a loud "pop" thus ensuring that the bottle was filled properly (as if I had any doubt, coming from Steve)! The beer pours absolutely pitch black with a massive, dark, creamy khaki head which eventually settles to a thin film atop the beer. Not a ton of bourbon at first on the nose. Lots and lots of dark, semi-sweet chocolate. Slight note of coffee... the good kind, though. Not like some other impys that just smell of spent coffee grounds. The coffee on the nose smells like fresh brewed iced coffee. Toasted vanilla bean. Warming doesn’t bring out the bourbon, but rather just the tannin of the wood. Nice! Flavor is rather dry. Plenty of bitter-sweet chocolate, toasted caramel, vanilla. Big, big tannic wood presence. Lots of oak. The smallest hint of green pepper. A bit nutty as well. Dry, toasted over the fire nuts, though. I’d like the texture to be a bit more full bodied. The oak imparts such a dryness, that it almost takes away from the body. Don’t get me wrong, the mouthfeel is quite nice, but I could stand a slightly bigger malt profile.

As with the BA Barleywine from the same brewpub, this is a stellar offering. Both of the beers used bourbon aging to near perfection. The alcohol was never overpowering. The bourbon never got in the way of the initial beer. Rather, the wood imparted a lot of complimentary flavors without the beers becoming absolute bourbon bombs. Thanks a ton Steve!

Handbottle from hopdog. And HOT DAMN!!! Dark brown pour, brown head. Chocolate and bourbon fest!!! Tons of chocolate, bourbon and vanilla in the nose and in the flavor. HELL YEAH!!!!!

Handbottle from Hopdog steve! pours deep brown with a tan ring around the glass. aroma is bourbon, graham crackers, honey, smoke, vanilla, and smores. Nice! flavor is bitter chocolate, earthy, spice. sticky, creamu, oily, but slightly thin mouthfeel. dry finish. alcohol is well hidden. Well balanced, tasty beer. Great!