Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout

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

Pours a gorgeous, cloudy, dark chocolate brown color that literally resembles Hershey’s syrup. There is no head to speak of, with just a thin rim and some streaky marbling adorning the surface. Likewise, there is virtually no lacing. Despite the lacking crown, this one begs the first sip on the merits of its hue alone. The aroma is just as chocolaty as it looks, with a good mix of bitter dark and sweet light chocolates. Nougat plays a huge role, as does caramel. Bourbon is very evident, with a bit of vanilla coming in from the oak. The divine scent doesn’t quite translate to the flavor, but it comes close. Raw cocoa meets baker’s chocolate and cocoa butter. Bourbon, caramel, and nougat are very forward and unabashed, which I appreciate. The mouthfeel is substantial, creamy, and well balanced. Finishes with choco-bourbon. This is a bourbon lover’s beer, and I can’t get enough of it. Much, much better than its GABF gold medal-winning, cherry-kissed cousin. Awesome stuff!

Bottle tasted next to GI BCS, from latest batch. Pitch black with nice small off-white head. Aroma is very soft and light vanilla, chocolate and coffee. Vanilla flavor with chocolate malt, once again very light. Very light but creamy body. The BCS blew this beer out of the water.

bottle, from trade with badgerben almost a year ago, damn. Good aroma, Bourbon, vanilla, soy sauce, little banana too. Brownish black color, small head and little to no lace. Bitter sour flavor, like aroma, though chocolate kicks and vanilla disappears. Strong on the barrel. Medium body, smooth mouthfeel, bitter finish. It’s good, but didn’t seem Imperial. At moments I got excited, but ultimately too much bourbon for the other aspects of the stout to show itself.

Pours dark brown with pretty thin but resilient off-white head that leaves a bit of lace. Smells of vanilla mixed with malt and a touch of bourbon. Tastes chocolatey, with a touch of bourbon and oak. This is a stout? Really? I would say porter or some sort of Scottish Style anyway. Not bad, just curious. Nice mouthfeel. Thick but smooth, good carbonation. Overall... different but good.

This was a 12oz bottle that had a nice flavor of vanilla ,chocolate and bourbon and oak but not overwhelming like most barrel aged beers,a nice roasty taste and malts.CHEERS1

Excellent beer from central waters, really nice flavors plus a high alcohol by volume combine for an excellent stout, best beer brewed by central waters and they make a lot of em.

Bottle, picked up in WI when visiting Hezron and meeting his brand new baby.
Deep black pour, brown highlights, persistent old ivory-colored fine head. First smells are the nice vanilla barrel notes and coffee. A bit of sour char follows. A fresh baked cake quality, mingled with some kind of murky funk that brings to mind washed-rind cheese. Briny chocolate and coffee flavor, chalky bitterness with vanilla undertones and a little of the cheese rind funk hinted at in the aroma. A solid imp.

bottle.....pour is dark brown with a very thin light brown head.....nice barrel aged nose which adds some of that bourbon and toffee goodness. i like this one better than the regular version already....flavors are consistent to the nose with an added bitter roast element that carries on to the finish.....on second thought, i only like this slightly better than the non-ba version. body was a little too thin and the taste didn’t follow-through enough or add enough to make it more memorable.