Copper Kettle High Country Imperial Breakfast Bourbon Stout

Brewed by Copper Kettle Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Denver, Colorado USA

Serve in Snifter

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Ordered this one at the same time I ordered the hefe, just to let it warm up to room temp, and I think the beer benefitted from it - deep black pour - nose of light wood, chocolate, espresso, cream, vanilla, moderate bourbon - slick in the mouth - slightly light-bodied for the abv, with well-masked alcohol, making it a bit dangerous - flavor is moderately sweet and fairly bitter, both from the coffee and the black malts - a bit of charred character - the bourbon is very subdued, which is a welcome change for a bourbon stout, adding just touches of vanilla - very mild woodiness - a bit of anise and chocolate - moderate coffee - there is a sort of charred peanut skin quality that I often pick up in coffee of poor to middling quality, which is a slight turn-off - otherwise a solid and well-balanced imperial stout.

Pour on tap at the brewery, dark black pour with fine off white colored head, aroma was definitely some bourbon, oak and vanilla notes, hints of slight coffee and chocolate, some roasted malts as well with a hint of sweetness in there. Taste is a mix of sweet vanilla and caramel mixing into the bourbon and oak, touch of chocolate and some coffee come through but it is fairly restrained. Fairly sweet but dry finish. I guess I like my coffee stouts a bit more coffee forward, but overall this still tasted pretty good.

Tap @ Copper Kettle, Denver. Pours pitch black with a small lasting tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, oak, dark chocolate, fruit, bourbon. Taste is roasted malt, dark chocolate, dark fruit, oak, bourbon, oatmeal, light spicyness, very smooth and yet complex. Medium to full body, silky mouthfeel, soft carbonation. Lovely. 200212

Tap @ CK. Black appearance with a foamy, dark brown head. Oaty, rich dark chocolate malty, mild medium roast coffee, light vanilla, very light bourbon aroma. Oily mouth feel. Very tasty, roasty dark coffee flavor. Rich dark chocolate/cocoa, mild woody, light vanilla, very mild bourbon flavor. Rich mocha, somewhat bitter aftertaste with the alcohol nearly nonexistent on the finish. Really an excellent, super easy drinking beer but the bourbon really isn’t coming through. I understand that many of their customers may prefer it, but it was served far too cold. Edit: The bourbon comes out more in the aroma and somewhat in the flavor, as the beer warms up. Again, not the best beer to serve ice cold (but it is an exceptional offering).

Inky black pour with a frothy dark-beige head, with great lacing. Enticing aroma with some chocolate, a little bourbon, a little oak, a little vanilla, a little coffee, and a little licorice. Tastes as awesome as it smells. Has a nice medium-full body that encourages continued sipping, with very fine carbonation, like velvet. Big flavors of roasted dark chocolate, vanilla, oak, bourbon, then chocolate again, a little coffee, more oak, a little more bourbon, some roastiness again, and some boozy warmth on the back end. It has insane complexity, but it’s easy enough to just enjoy it for its own sake. Slightly boozy, but that’s to be expected I suppose. Just delicious through and through.

On tap at Copper Kettle poured a clear dark reddish brown nearly black with a lasting brown head. Aromas of roasted malt, oak, vanilla, light bourbon and carmel. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of dark chocolate, vanilla, oak, roasted malt, coffee and light bourbon with a smooth lingering oak finish.