Drakes What She’s Having

Brewed by Drakes Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
San Leandro, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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Tap. Pours clear dark mahogany brown with a small tan head and good lacing. Surprisingly light colored given the stout/porter combo. Aroma is light roasted malts, brandy, not much else going for it. Flavor is brandy, roasted malts. Lightly sweet, light bitter, medium to strong astringency and a significant tartness that doesn’t appear to be intended. Body very light for style, strong warming finish that does not hide the ABV well. Appears to have a bit of an infection going, which leaves behind an interesting, but not great, beer.

On tap at Drakes Barrel House. Pours dark brown with a nice tan head and a vinous aroma. There is a hearty dark molasses flavor with a hint of fruit and an oaky finish.

UPDATED: OCT 22, 2012 UPDATED REVIEW: I just had a second go with this beer and it was definitely different from what I tasted the first time, in particular the sour cherry was gone. Keeping the original review below but updating the scores.... Pitch black, good foam and lacing. Nose is a little sour cherry, chocolate. Taste also has a bit of cherry on top of more pronounced chocolate and coffee flavors. Alcohol in the finish. Like a sour stout - based on other reviews, i have to wonder if my glass was ’off’ because of the noticeable sour cherry, but it actually worked very nicely. Original score: Ar=8, App=5, T=8, P=3, O=18, Total=4.2

Cola brown pour with an off-white head. Smells kind of like root beer. Some malt sweetness, a hint of licorice, mild alcohol, mild wood, and somewhat watery. The flavor is a bit bland. Some licorice, root beer, and roasted malt notes. Kind of watery, maybe a bit of red fruit and oak in the background.

On tap at the Barrel House. This was labeled as a blend of bourbon barrel aged porter, brandy barrel aged monkeyhead, and kodial imperial stout. It pours dark brown with a tan head. The aroma is nutty with some chocolate and roasted malt, coconut and raisins. The flavor is roasted, mildly woody and alcoholic with some nuts, caramel and butterscotch. A bit solventy and one dimensional.

On tap at Drakes Barrel Room poured a hazy dark reddish brown with a small lingering tan head. Aromas of smoke, oak, bourbon, cocoa, carmel and light fruittiness., Palate was medium bodied and smooth with a dry finish. Flavors of oak, vanilla, dark chocolate, roastiness, bourbon and brandy with a smooth dry lingering roasty oak finish.