Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout

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

Bottle. Black, small beige head, lots of bubbles. Lovely whisky aroma - sweet alcohol and malt. Taste is also very sweet from the bourbon barrel, with alcohol and hops in the backgrounds. It remains pretty balanced, but can get a little harsh as it warms, something I have found in most barrel-aged beers. A rich tasting flavourful beer that I would like to try without the barrel aged part. Thanks again to Captain Cougar for the trade.

2005 bottle from StewardofGondor, sampled side by side with the non-barrel version on 12/22/05 with Rastacouere and Siroy.
Yet another intensely filtered pour yields approximately the same results as the non BA version. The lack of age on this one allows the head to recede a little more slowly, but it is soon only a tan ring on the edges atop a deep, milk chocolate brown body, that is frighteningly clear.
Aroma of strong bourbon aging, translating in to plenty of syrupy vanilla and dry woodiness. German chocolate cake soaked in brandy, quite dry on the end and fairly strong, but lacking any hops or roast.
Flavor begins with a strongly dry wood effect, huge vanilla and warming alcohol notes with the chocolate from the regular version mixing to add a sort of marshmallow like sweetness on the side. But the bourbon barrel is tyrant here, not so much, this time, from an over exposure to the barrel, as it is from the lack of a base stout that can really handle the barrel gracefully. Earthy, composty, salty coffee rinds build on the palate, with the vanilla softening and the alcohol only a slight sting on the end.
Body is mediumish, but horribly filtered and overcarbonated, leading to a vapid, unsubstantial texture. The word complex never really comes to mind. Basically a coffee-chocolate stout exposed to strong bourbon. Horribly lacking texture, no hop apparency. Barrel-aging is interesting, but why is this top 50? Not trying to be cynical and purposefully against the grain, but I just don’t get it. Will revisit in a year.
Rerate. 05 bottle consumed 6/27/06. It’s only been 6 months but still a rerate is in order.
Well this is just strange. Great head retention, nearly perfect and creamy with plenty of lacing. But the aroma is all bourbon, some very light smoke and traces of black malt. Very burnt and dark and like usual, too much bourbon (though the coconut vanilla has died down). The flavor is too bourbony while the texture still disappoints, watery and loose. Still, there is enough malt to keep interest and some nice ashiness and roast on the very end. 6/4/5/2/12.
Total score is an average of the two.

Lasting off-white foamy ring covers the see through, apparently heavily filtered deep brown body. Sweetish desserty nose with interesting coconut and cakey chocolate aspects. Honest bourbon bottom seems fitting in that neighbourhood. Grows minty and with more coconut in mouth, a light underlying smokiness peaks through a vanilla roughness. Woody and chocolatey. Good evolution, well roasted, I just kept looking for the demarcation that would make it unique without success. It is well balanced, I guess it’s mostly the mouthfeel’s hyperactivity that doesn’t make it as good as it sounds for me. Restricted alcohol appearance. Strong carbonation bites the tongue through a light-medium body that once again disappoints, the bubbliness possibly detracting the flavour deployment and giving it a drier feel than it really has. Thanks Clark.

#900 - 12oz bottle via trade with Duane - Thanks Duane! - Pours black with a nice tan head that doesn’t stay long. Aroma is flat out outstanding. Nice vanilla, bourbon, chocolate, coffee, and some dark fruit. Flavor doesn’t disappoint either. Starts out with all of that barrel flavor, bourbon, vanilla, and some oak.. then the chocolate and mild coffee come to the forefront and are then swept away by the somewhat dry roasty finish. Palate is very smooth and I failed to find any alcohol flavor in this one as it was so well covered by the robustness and smoothness. A beautiful sipper and amazingly tasty. A great way to celebrate #900

intriguing vanilla aromas, port, vinous aromas, ripe fruit. Pours a reddish-brown, thin head. Fruit flavours, chocolate, some hops in the finish. Quite smooth. An interesting beer.

Black, tight head. Aroma and flavour are more wine or port like than beer like. Lots of fruit flavours. Lots of alcohol in the aroma. Disapointing to start but more intriguing and complex with each sip.

(first off MANY THANKS to styles for hookin’ this up)the bourbon stout poured a little lighter than expected and was a bit see-through and had huge red highlights.i would talk about the head but none came up,although a small creamy ring did form around the snifter glass.the aroma was a nice smelling mix of vanilla,caramel,and bourbon.flavor was much in the same with the bourbon really staning out.i also noticed some powdered chocolate,whiskey,and a tiny bit of hops.the mouthfeel was on the medium side and the palte changed even after sipping.this is overall pretty good stuff.

Dark beer with a jewel like deep red when held against the light. Thin biege head that shrunk to a light dusting and left nice lacing. Sticky burnt caramel nose with lots of bourbon barrel and a hint of hair spray. It has the buttery oak, vanilla and bourbon flavors that I expect to find in a BA beer. The bourbon peaks towards the end of the swallow, with a roast coffee bitterness in the finish. Alcohol becomes more prominent as it warms. Very nice sipping beer. Thanks to CaptainCougar for the bottle.