Cricket Hill Brewmaster’s Reserve Bourbon Barrel Aged Porter

Brewed by Cricket Hill Brewing Co.
Style: Porter
Fairfield, New Jersey USA

Serve in English pint, Stem glass

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Bomber bottle ($10.99) with BBA Porter handwritten on the label: Pours a deep ruddy brown hue with more head that the base bottle I just had before it, spotty lace. The aroma has notes of vanilla bean, chocolate, hazelnut, licorice, prune, tar, leather, mineral water, bourbon and charred oak. The taste has a bourbon character for sure but not so much that you can not taste the base beer which I feared could have been the case with a lower gravity porter. Nice vanilla and chocolate combination along with coffee and nutty undertones. Some dark fruit and acidity as well. Not much hop character left after aging but that is to be expected. Earthy charred and leathery finish, gets a tad "salty" as it warms. The mouth feel is light to medium bodied, again to be expected from a barrel aged porter. Solid carbonation and ashy. This is far better than the simple base beer, the bourbon added some nice roundness of palate without coming off too sweet or overbearing. I am still not to sure it is worth the money I payed for it but something I am enjoying this one time.

Pours a deep, opaque sable with a fairly thick tan head that leaves some good lacing. Smoky aroma has an overtone of bourbon-soaked wood and hints of caramel and chocolate. Bourbon and wood dominate the flavor, but they still let through notes of caramel, semi-sweet chocolate and licorice plus a hint of molasses. Texture is lively and fizzy, though a bit on the thin side. If you like stouts/porters and bourbon barrel aged beers, this is a must.

Bottle 22fl.oz. @ chriso [ chrisos festive get-together tasting ].

Clear dark black brown colour with a average to large, frothy, good lacing, fully lasting, off-white to beige head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, roasted, caramel, bourbon, coconut, chocolate - vanilla. Flavour is moderate to heavy sweet and moderate to light heavy bitter with a long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft, finish feel is light alcoholic. [20111230]

Bottle from James - thanks! Black pour with a slick of anemic tan foam. Aroma is light, watery bourbon followed by the slightest bit of roast and maybe some chocolate. Very thin aroma. Taste is minimal bourbon with a touch of roast, an off gum flavor, and some light sweet malt into the finish. Mouthfeel is terribly thin. Not a fan of this one.

Bottle. Pours a dark brown body with a tan off white head and decent retention. Taste is cocoa powder and light chocolate malt tones with hints of oak and watered down bourbon. Rather bland and watered down for the style.

A little bit of effervescence and sourness ad some intrigue to an otherwise standard but solid beer. A little bit of bourbon and vanilla aroma. Vanilla comes through to the flavor along witha bit of roasty malt and cocoa. Finish is smooth and quick.

22 ounce bottle. Chocolate with some sour notes. I think the sourness is coming from the barrels. Sweet malts and some vanilla. Not a bad beer.

22oz bottle share by Ed
Appearance: Dark brown with a medium beige head and good lacing
Toasted malts, mild tartness, woody, and bourbon
Decent, unique.

shared bomber. pours dark brown / light black with a slim tan head. sweet nose with bourbon and light oak. med body up front with lots of bourbon, light vanilla, somewhat tart fruits, and light oak. finishes with a lighter body and is dominated by the bourbon. some roast and coffee come through. one of the hottest barrel aged beers I’ve had in a while.

Bomber from Once Upon a Vine, Richmond, VA. Pours a dark brown color with a medium sized frothy tan head. Decent head retention. Aroma of bourbon, chocolate, roasted malts and stone fruits. The taste is roasted malts, bourbon and tart fruits. Medium bodied.

22oz bomber bottle. Dark red/brown colour Lively conditions. A touch fizzy on the palate. Slightly sour fruity character with some prominent bitter chocolate. Fairly clean mouthfeel. Rather light mouthfeel.