 Rastacouere (5258), Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Apr 4, 2005
Very close to black, surprising initial head lasts a minute or close, light brown and persisting despite the high ABV and relative amount of time since this has been hand-bottled by footbalm. Strong overbearing sheer powerful nose. Bourbon character shines through the mellow and well stated roastiness and beefy chocolatey flavors. It creates an aftereight mint chocolate equilibrium through which vanilla and vinous peaks shine through. Very well balanced, the bourbon is just enough. I wish we had tried Alfred in the same sitting, but this would have been a bit much really. I sure did appreciate the dark chocolate and vanilla powers of this one, especially how the roastiness kicks in roaring with burnt fruit aspects (grapes). Lasting alcohol finish is not unpleasant at all. Not very thick body as seems to be the case with more barrel aged beers, but this is definitely most comfortable. If I consider the palate its only weakness, it nonetheless has an appealing softness and smooth carbonation to boot. Truly superb, one of my favorite barrel-aging jobs. Cheers to the man.
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 (274), 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 (667), 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 (570), 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 (884), 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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