Against the Grain Bo and Luke

Brewed by Against the Grain Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Louisville, Kentucky USA

Serve in Snifter

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From tap. Pours dark brown to black with a small tan head. Dense malty and tarish. Dark roasted malty to smoked. Thick tarish and roasted. Liqourice and dense caramelish. Light tarish medium dry finish.

From a growler. Aroma of huge smoky phenols that mask any other note. Pours dark caramel brown with bubbly ring head. Taste of oak, lots of caramel, just a touch of smoky malt, hoppy back, and the tiniest bit of bourbon. Slightly sticky mouthfeel with an astringent finish. Flavor isn’t nearly as smoky as the aroma. alcohol is well-hidden. OK, but not as good as I expected.

Big black pour, brown head. Loads of rich chocolate, tons of sweet bourbony notes, smoke vanilla, brownies. Damn this is good. So creamy and awesome.

This is it for me, boys. Dogfish Head had a bourbon casked stout which was quite delicious... but let’s just say there’s bourbon and then there’s Pappy Van Winkle. Favorite beer, hands down.

Draft. Opaque black. Frothy, beige head. Aroma of smoke, bourbon, roasted malts, vanilla, wood, hint of alcohol. The flavor is moderately to heavily sweet and lightly bitter. It finishes moderately sweet and lightly to moderately bitter. Medium to full body, velvety texture, moderate carbonation. Peppery alcohol that’s only a whisper in the nose is apparent in the finish. But it’s not overwhelming and works well with the smoke, wood, chocolate and bourbon flavors.

Black and thick with a tan head. Aroma and taste is sweet smoky and bourbon. Very good but not great.

On tap at the brewery. Pours black with a thin tan head. Aroma heavy with bourbon. Very sweet and boozy in the nose. Flavor is also dominated by sweet bourbon. The sweetness lingers in the palate and finishes sharp and sweet, very heavy and boozy. The bourbon barrels dominate this beer more than most barrel aged beers I’ve had lately, and I’m not a fan. 6/4/5/3/11 (2.9/5)

Growler from Whole Foods Lexington. Well, every now and then I drink an imperial stout that is a perfect example of what the style should be, and here is one. The pours is jet black and thick. I’m questioning the 14% abv claim because the alcohol is masked well, and it’s not overly boozy, but perhaps the smoke and bourbon notes take care of concealing any offensive alcoholic qualities. The aroma is of bacon, fine bourbon, coffee, rum and earth. Palate is chewy and viscous which lends itself well to the robust, meaty flavors. I get plenty of bourbon in the mouth with notes of vanilla and oak, but not so much to overtake the roasty malts and smoky campfire. The finish is akin to smoking a cigar, sipping bourbon and eating a handful of bacon. This is seriously good stuff.

Draft at blue monk. Thick black pour, small head. Big full mouthfeel. Chocolate aroma, light whiskey bourbon notes, big roastiness, light olive brine. Full flavored. Wood and bourbon are more pronounced than the aroma. Very nice

Draft at Angel’s Trumpet. Black pour, minimal head. Big aromas of roast meat, smoke, some coffee. Flavor hits you up front, too, with smoky bourbon, dark chocolate, roasty malts, alight vanilla. Would’ve liked a little more barrel character, but still a great brew.