 Cornfield (4343), Oak Forest, Illinois, USA
Jun 10, 2005 Updated: Jul 5, 2005
American brewers have been pushing the limits on what can be achieved with brown ales, and this offering from brewer Matt VanWyk is a sterling example of the best. It’s a thick, rich brown ale aged in an oaken Jim Beam barrel. The pour is very dark brown, syrupy with some lazy carbonation and a film in lieu of a head. The aroma is darkly malty with bourbon and a woody smokiness. Very thick and creamy to drink, the alcohol nearly fooled me into thinking I was sipping a barley wine. The taste is a nutty, dark caramel malt with possible chocolate notes and a definite bourbon flavor. Definitely woody as well. It finishes on a sticky, alcoholic note. This definitely rated the LoSBD seal of approval (and should be bottled). And to think, I used to tell people that I don’t care for brown ales...
Flossmoor Station, Flossmoor, IL
dm9831 (601), Monee, Illinois, USA
Mar 6, 2008 (another beer rating tucked away in a cigar box for 2 1/2 years. sampled in the catacombs under the flossmoor station brewpub). pours dark, dark brown, with a dark brown head. aroma of coffee , smoke, alcohol. full bodied, rich flavor, with chocolate, coffee and, of course, jim beam. i usually find brown ales too sweet, but i think the barrel added just what the brown ale needs to become a great beer. but i am partial to jim beam. they should put all their beers in jim beam barrels. it might do the chessie cherry a good turn.
Rastacouere (5409), Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Oct 4, 2005 Deep brown pour, dulled off-white head. Straightforward bourbon nose, sweet and earthy/woody. The trend continues in mouth, nutty oxidation reminiscent flavours burn their way through the malts. Sorry, it feels like the base brown ale is good and there was absolutely no need to massacre it with a dash of pure alcohol which doesn’t work very well with the roasted base and kind of removes most bits of the coffee interest.
RAYBOY01 (1630), Chicago, Illinois, USA
Sep 2, 2005 Malt, bourbon, wood, smoke, chocolate, alcohol, nuts, and toffee...what’s not to like? Keep an eye on this guy!
mj23 (63), south holland, Illinois, USA
Aug 21, 2005 This ale had a huge aroma casked conditioned wkiskey barrel. The whiskey smoothed this beer out very well. My hope is Matt stashed a few away someplace.
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