Drakes How Merlot Can You Go?

Brewed by Drakes Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
San Leandro, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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On tap at the barrel house. This one has been aged in merlot barrels since 07. It pours dark brown with a capucinno colored head. The aroma is dry cocoa powder with notes of mild oak and red wine grapes. The flavor is potent with tons of toasted oak and ashy roasted malt. Nice fruity grapes up front with some chocolate, ash, oak, and a complex combination of red wine goodness. This is very well balanced and delivers on what the imagination conjures up when looking at the description. Theres even a hint of funkiness in the finish. Not sour at all, just a perfect combination of stout/merlot. Really good beer.

A - Dark black with a hint of red mixed in and a thin covering of reddish-tan head. The head faded fairly quickly leaving behind some nice lacing in the process. S - The aroma is a mix of deep roasted caramel malts and lots of Merlot grape aroma. The aroma is quite sweet. T - Starts off with lots of Merlot grape flavor with the roasted caramel malts coming in just after. Through the middle, the flavors start to balance themselves out a bit better. The finish is a mix of sweet Merlot grapes and roasted caramel malts with just a bit of booze. M - Medium-full bodied with moderate-low carbonation. Smooth and syrupy. The finish is a mix of sweetness and booze that lingers for quite a bit. D - Pretty drinkable. A bit more of a sipper. The Merlot grapes are a bit strong, but overall work extremely well with the Imperial Stout base.