Ballast Point Bourbon Barrel Aged Black Marlin Porter

Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company
Style: Porter
San Diego, California USA

Serve in English pint, Stem glass

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Hand bottle from cbkschubert
Dispensed carefully into my tulip glass, this beer is topped by a frothy, initially one-finger thick, dusty, light brown colored head that never quite stops covering the top of this beer. The beer shows a brilliantly clear, chocolate brown color as I pour it, but sits in the glass a deep brown, almost black color. The aroma is interesting, it is not nearly as barrel influenced as I thought it might be, but it is clearly influenced by the oak & whiskey; notes of vanillin, a mellow-yet-spicy oak character and a sourish whiskey note are definitely noticeable. Dark malt aromatics reside underneath the barrel character; at times notes of toasty malt, browned biscuits, touches of chocolate and even some coffee-like aromatics are noticeable.

This has a fairly light mouthfeel to it, which is only worth mentioning as most barrel aged beers are alcohol monsters, and this most definitely is not. The beer is lightly tart (from the dark malts, though perhaps accented by whiskey notes) up front. In the finish, after the beer has left my mouth, I get an interesting flavor melange of sweet whiskey, cherries and chocolate. The barrel character is quite well held in check, it is not nearly as overwhelming as it could be in this standard strength Porter. The oak provides a touch of woodiness, some tannic structure and a distinct spiciness. The whiskey flavors are fairly subtle, but, in combination with the oak, provide some sharpness and a bit of hot character to this beer. Standard Porter flavors contribute here, but definitely are secondary to the somehow subtle barrel notes; this is a bit confusing of course. As the beer warms, a dusty, toasty, yet distinctive, malt character becomes much more noticeable; chocolate, smooth roast malt and lots of toasted flavors are apparent. Even the body picks up a bit more heft and starts to have a light creamy feel to it.

Putting a regular strength beer in a whiskey barrel is an interesting concept; this one was done quite well as the barrel character could have easily dominated this beer. Having said that, I probably would prefer if this beer were a little stronger / richer and definitely maltier. Still this is a tasty brew, one which I am quite happy to be drinking right now. Allowing the beer to warm a bit definitely improves the balance of this beer.

Draught at TND: Aroma of Bourbon, vanilla, malt, alcohol, lactose, a hint of funk, and some roasting. Poured very dark brown in color with a small to medium-sized, creamy, dense, brown head that diminished but lasted throughout. Clear. Sparkling. Flavor is medium sweet. Tastes of Bourbon, vanilla, oak, and a hint of chocolate. Medium body. Slick, creamy, texture. Soft carbonation. Medium sweet, vanilla, Bourbon, oak, finish is slightly dry.

Taster at brewery. Pours nice brown-black, little foam. Aroma is thick of toasty dark malt and bourbony sweet barrel. Taste matches and makes me smile. Only quibble would be that the flavor and body are all front loaded. Back end is very light and almost thin. Still, a very nice beer.

via dakine 11/25/11. typical porter color with a tannish off white head. big sour whiskey aroma... along with choco, wood, roast and lactose. the flavor is the same... mixed with ashiness, fruit and borderline sourness (not derived from the bourbon). thin, tart....meh. 6/3/6/3/13

On tap at the Ballast Point Tasting Room. This was a pleasant surprise as I am not a typical fan of this brewer. The barrel aging has done this wonders as the mellow bourbon flavor and the oak flavor made this really enjoyable, especially compared to the bottled version. The real question now is will this ever be bottled for distribution?

Tap. Nice bourbon and sherry aroma along with some roasted malts. A lot of bourbon and oak in the flavor.

same black pour, but a real distinct bourbon aroma. The barrel has really mellowed the beer nicely, and is a nice compliment to the normal roastyness of the beer.

Pours black with a medium tan head. Aroma has soft vanilla and bourbon. Flavor follows suit and adds a nice roastiness and slight hoppy bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium and creamy with a soft roasty bourbon finish.

On tap @ the Linda Vista Home Brew Mart: Poured in a small 4oz glass with a thick head which took a minute or so to retreat before I could take my first sip. But, in that time, it allowed me to inhale a magnificent dark roasted down malt scent along with the gentle bourbon barrel addition. The color was a dark brown with blank tinting too it and looked a bit denser then the bottle version appears. The flavor was rich and sweet with a deep roasted down malt with hints of chocolate and wood barrel accent. I wonder when any of their barrel aged beers will ever see bottle distribution?

On tap at Pinocchio’s. Dark as night pour, no head. Aroma of bourbon. Roasty and chocolatey with a moderate level of bourbonosity. Okay, not overwhelming.

A: Deep brown body. Medium sized khaki head. Spotty lacing. Lively carbonation. S: Smooth, mellow bourbon notes... booze, vanilla, oak. Also a bit of chocolate and roasted notes. T: A slight fall off from the nose. The bourbon is a bit hidden and roasted malts take over. Hints of chocolate and a pinch of coffee. M: Moderate body, easy drinking with appropriate carbonation levels. O: A nice porter. Ultimately, I am not sure how much the bourbon helps other than providing a bit of depth to the nose.