 kramer (1875), sunbury, Pennsylvania, USA
Jul 8, 2006
12 oz handbottle, via footbalm. Very dark brown pour, almost black, with a small dark brown film of head that ran to the edges to form a thin ring. Aroma is fruity with lots of bananas leading off, then a nice blend of chocolate fudge, light bourbon, and oak tannins. As it warmed the bourbon came out a little more, but still well reigned in, along with some alcohol fumes when you inhale very deeply. Flavor is really quite different from most bourbon beers because of it being a Porter. The usual heavily roasted Imperial Stout flavor I’ve come to expect just wasn’t there. Just lots of chocolate and fruitiness under the bourbon. The actual bourbon flavor certainly plays a prominant role, but didn’t really dominate until almost at room temperature. The finish has some roast, with a noticable amount of warming alcohol. Mouthfeel is very full bodied and oily in texture with a nice soft fine carbonation. Finish is quite sticky and cloying. Overall, this started out great but by the end of the glass it neared room temperature and the bourbon really took over. A quick pop back in the fridge for 10 minutes brought that in check though.
tdaglow (7), USA
does not count  Aug 10, 2008 This is a beer that I like more the more I have it. The deep black color almost makes one think twice about what they’re doing before driinking it and the strong bourbon, coffee and vanilla just gets smoother with every sip. I’d only be repeating what other have siad if I go on. My only question is what might a third go-round with the barrel.
fiver29 (305), Strongsville, Ohio, USA
Jul 20, 2008 Hand bottle from Santa. Thanks Santa! Pours pitch black with a slight chocolate brown head. Has a great aroma to it that has roasted malts, chocolate, vanilla, oak, and bourbon notes. Heavy mouthfeel reveals a warm alcohol upfront, smooth chocolate and a creamy sensation leads to the vanilla, oak, and bourbon flavors. It finishes with alcohol and a coffee aftertaste. Overall this is a wonderful brew that I am grateful to have had the chance to try. It comes together nicely at the end and leaves me wanting more!! Wow this is a nice beer.
pepsican (727), the beer wastelands of, Iowa, USA
Jul 5, 2008 Completely black pour with a small tan head. Aroma is heavy bourbon, vanilla, and chocolate. Flavor is even more bourbon, vanilla, wood, oak, toast, brown sugar, and maybe a bit of coconut. Finishes with a good burn, very thick and creamy. This was very nice!
nimbleprop (581), Washington, Washington DC, USA
Jul 3, 2008 Never thought I’d have a chance to try this beer, then hellomynameis hooked me up with a 12oz hand bottle via trade. Thanks a million Zac! Pours a flat, oily black with a thin tan head that left only a faint ring around the edge of a glass. Looks more like flat cola or a black malbec than a pint of ale. Aroma is a little boozy at first, but once is breaths there’s vanilla, oak, toasted wood, toasted bread, chocolate, coffee, Kahlua, bourbon, soy sauce, liquid smoke, dark cane sugar and a little bit of rum. Flavor is again, very boozy at first, but then it becomes very very chocolaty, with rum, whiskey, brown sugar, molasses, some soy, vanilla, and coffee with cream. The finish and the mouth feel make this beer. Flat and oily in the mouth with plenty of heat from the alcohol, but the crazy thing is, after the shock of the booze wears off you wind up with a creamy, sweet, delicious after taste in your mouth. What starts a very good beer melds into a great beer by the end. A total shock and far far better than I imagined it would be. Definitely not for the faint at heart but clearly a beer brewed with much care and consideration.
pnista (888), Bloomington, Indiana, USA
Jun 29, 2008 On tap at the brewpub, 2006 batch. Pours a dark dark brown to black with a ring of tan for a head. Big sweet vanilla bourbon. A bit of booze, though soft. Maybe some slight coconut. Light and ethereal, lower carbonation. Alcohol thinness. Big alcohol over light sweetness. Big bourbony vanilla, some coconut and oak. Lingering sweetness dried out by oaky tannins and alcohol. A real gem!
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