Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout

Brewed by Central Waters Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Amherst, Wisconsin USA

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=2 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.

12 oz bottle, big thanks to andrew for bringing this and its partner to close out the bachelor party drinks. Pours a thick black with a wispy a beige head. Nose is nice chocolate, roast, coffee, bourbon, oak, carmel and toffee. Medium bodied. First sip is the bourbon. There seems to be a lot of it. Carmel, chocolate, vanilla, coffee, oak. Really abundant and complex slightly sweet, the bourbon is a little overdone, but excellent none the less. Big thanks to andrew for this.

RBSG 2007 Saturday Morning Breakfast - Oil slick black, tan creamy head. Nose held fulfilling rich notes of butterscotch, sweet bourbon, milk chocolate, and coffee, with softer woven notes of vanilla and oak. Well entrenched bourbon flavors are obvious, but fade into more complex chocolate coffee, buttery vanilla icing, and smooth sweet caramel tones. A light bitterness pulls this together all too well. Full bodied and oily, pillow soft carbonation, dry oaken, bittersweet finish.. What a nice surprise this one was. Thanks Iowaherkeye…well….for leaving the bottle in our room. ;-)

12 oz bottle. Poured a cloudy brown color with a tan head. Distinct malty caramel aroma with a hint of brown sugar and whisky. Slightly sweet and full bodied. Buttery caramel and vanilla flavors, again with a hint of whisky and oak. Delicious.

Date: 4/28/2007
Event: DarkLord Day 2007
Location: Three Floyds Brewing Co. Parking Lot
Serving: 12 oz bottles (barrel-aged for 1 year) shared by nflmvp. Thank you so much!

Tasting Notes
Aroma: Bourbon and vanilla, some chocolate as well.
Appearance: Very dark brown color.
Flavor: Light bourbon and lightly roasted malts with a chocolate finish. Oak and vanilla flavors are more prominent when the beer is allowed to warm up a little.
Palate: Medium-full body, but not quite as heavy as I had expected.
Overall: A great beer with lots of bourbon and stout flavors without being too overpowering or heavy.

Rating: 8 3 8 4 16 = 3.9
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4/29/2008: Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout has a dark cola brown color with a small and thin tan head. The aroma is loaded with sweet, mouth-watering caramelized maltiness and a creamy vanilla with a touch of bourbony alcohol and oakiness. There is even a twist of sweet black licorice in it as well. It smells delicious. The flavor has a really rich and sweet caramelized maltiness, accents of chocolate, lots of soft vanilla, and smooth bourbon. There is even a touch of tobacco goodness. Bourbon-soaked wood and a some warming alcohol come through in the finish, but the alcohol presence doesn’t detract from the flavor and overall tasting experience in anyway. Actually, it really combines with the other flavors nicely wand works quite well! The full body of this beer is also appropriate and it has a an smooth and slightly creamy texture. This beer is quite delicious overall and worth seeking out if you enjoy beer and bourbon!

12 fl. oz. bottle from buckybeer via trade. Thank you Mark! I really appreciate it! Rating: 9 3 8 4 17 = 4.1.

Black color, thin tan head. Dark charred malt tastes come up front, but the harsh smokey flavor is quietly displaced over time by a smoother chocolate character. Light taste of alcohol, but still that nice warming quality. Slightly sour wood aftertaste.

I’m predicting big things for this up-and-coming brewery. This particular entry would make great competition for Irish coffee. It pours so dark it’s almost purple, with a nice head. Phenomenal aroma of bourbon and oak, and maybe even a little peat. Really nice bourbon flavor over a chocolatey base. More oak and bourbon in the aftertaste, with a really nice warming sensation.