Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout

Bottle from Landseer, as an extra. Whiskey, roasty aroma. The whiskey is strong but this is well done, not overpowering, well balanced. Perhaps a bit of character from the stout itself is lacking. Taste is very nice, there is a fruitiness from the whiskey that comes out, nice smoothness and vanilla from the oak, and underlying stout characteristics. Again, perhaps the underlying beer isn’t quite strong enough, but it holds its own against the whiskey, much better than some examples I’ve seen. Could stand to be more powerful though, or just have less time in the barrel. Still, a very tasty beer that I’d gladly drink again.

Name: Bourbon Barrel Stout
Date: 01/15/2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Trade

black with ruby edges, thin tan head, light sweet and roasted malt aroma, creamy body, slightly tart roasted malt flavor, chocolate flavor becomes chalky after a while, lots of bitterness in the finish
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Name: Bourbon Barrel Stout
Date: 05/19/2006
Source: tasting

oak and vanilla notes in the aroma with a touch of tartness, chocolate flavor comes through better on this bottle, none of the chalky or bitterness

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Bottle. Loads of sweet, sticky vanilla, butterscotch and caramel on the nose. There’s some mike chocolate and a definite hazelnut presence as well. Pours a dark, rich brown: almost black with rich ruby highlights. Huge, frothy khaki head with tons of sticky lacing. There’s a definite hazelnut and almond liqueur presence on the palate. Roasted malt, vanilla, caramel and some earthy hops. Very full bodied. Quite rich and creamy. An excellent stout.

2007 Bottle Pours out black with a tan head that retains well; leaves a nice lacing, especially for a high gravity brew. Smell is splendid. A rich scent of bourbon, vanilla bean, chocolate, and roastiness make up the aroma. This is not overdone like almost all other bourbon barrel beers are; it is amazingly well done. Bourbon taste is strong, but smooth; noticeable, but in no way overpowering. Perfectly blend of flavors. Carbonation is a little higher than medium but does a good job holding this one together. Mouthfeel is medium, with a dry, roasty, bourbon-y, and vanilla finish. BA Dark Lord, Kentucky Breakfast, and Bourbon County Stout are just a few examples of very good bourbon aged stouts; the one that comes closest to this one is BA Speedway. Yes, I did just say that, this is the king of bourbon barrel stouts, in my opinion.

I was extremely impressed with this beer. I waited along time to have it (having had the Cherry Stout thanks to SurlySober before), and it did not disappoint. It was buttery, complex, unique, and fantastic. My sample was fresh (delivered in the previous 24 hours) from Riley’s in Madison, and it sat in my fridge for about a week after I bought it. Its appearance was a dark color (opaque) with a sturdy head of tiny bubbles. Aroma was buttery and butterscotch-y mixed with roastiness. Flavor was roasty with a buttery, bourbon-y consistency and notes of butterscotch at the finish. It was rather complex and delicious. Mouthfeel was good. I found this beer to be highly drinkable. This beer is both unique and delicious. Highly recommended.

Uneventful is the pour, very dark brown/black with a thin, fully diminishing brown head. the aroma is mostly malt, with notes of chocolate, caramel, roasted grains and dark fruits. Bourbon is mild, so that’s nice - usually American brewers don’t know when too much bourbon flavor has been imparted. Vanilla and charred wood notes form ranks with spicy hops to create a peppery backdrop. The flavor is very sweet, malts overrunning the rest of the sublter nuances, grinding them under their weight. Bitterness is light to mild, acidity is mild. The finish is filled with roast, chocolate and bourbon, lengthy and uninviting. Alcohol is masked well throughout. The mouthfeel is medium-full, lowly carbonated and lightly sticky. This doesn’t have any bold flaws but the results of barrel aging and the imparting of even a semi-subtle bourbon flavor are uninteresting and make the beer feel completely unfocused and bland. The base beer here, satin Solstice, is a wonderful creation. Bourbon barrel aging absolutely rips it to shreds and makes it veer towards the realm of the useless.

Bottle from the generous Ughhhhh - Smash!!!! Bring back the beer bong pic eh? Pop the cap - boooooom - nostrils invaded with the oaky - bourbon - vanilla combo... delightful. Unfortunately, the flavor isn’t quite up to par with the aroma. Mouthfeel is a tad thin/watery - but I like the oak and chocolate thing it’s got goin on - and I enjoy that warmth for sure. Overall, a nice beer, but much inferior compared to the other bourbon aged impy’s I’ve had... Load my plate with some Kentucky Breakfast instead, please.

(Bottle via trade with <A HREF=http://www.ratebeer.com/ViewUser.asp?UserID=21222 target=blank>OhioDad, thanks Scott!) Bourbon and chocolate, not a bad combo...Pours very, very dark brown, virtually opaque, with a 1/4" of biege head that mostly stays. Aroma of bourbon, oak, molasses, raisins, prunes and dark chocolate. Mouthfeel fairly smooth, lightly oily, very lightly pebbly. Flavor reveals several different facets - bourbon with vanilla, light oak, bourbon with chocolate, dark chocolate and molasses, char and light coffee roast. Lingering light bitter chocolate and light vanilla with bourbon aftertaste. Maybe a touch hot but not bad. Pretty darn tasty, wasn’t overpowered with the bourbon, oak or alcohol.