Full Sail Black Gold Imperial Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged

2006 bomber, with a big thank you to Davecooks for sending this my way! Pours a dark brown with a foamy brownish tan head, good lacing. Aroma is full and amazing, with a rich and mature bourbon wrapped expertly around decadent chocolate, vanilla, and oak, all demanding more than a cursory pause to enjoy. Flavor reveals an expected bourbon presence, but doesn’t take over and leaves plenty of room for milk chocolate, vanilla, brown sugar, and oak. Well done, and quite deserving of a place with some of the better Imperial Stouts out there. Thanks again Dave!

22oz bottle. 2006. Nice, but fairly run of the mill BA Impy aroma. Dark chocolate malt, vanilla, charred wood, brown sugar and alcohol on the nose. Pours a fairly dark brown with a quickly disappearing white head leaving a nearly lifeless looking pour. Black liquorice, bitter chocolate malt, toasted vanilla, brown sugar, a hint of soy, smoke and a touch of booze on the tongue. Lightly carbonated and silky on the tongue. A good beer, but far from spectacular. Thanks a ton for this most generous bonus Steven!

Appearance: Pours a dark brown, near black body with a khaki-colored head. Smell: Do you like bourbon? If the answer’s yes, just wink at me. Yes, it’s bourbony, baby. Full, redolent notes of vanilla, brown sugar, and toasted oak eclipse the lesser hints of dark malts and chocolate. Taste: Dark malts, chocolate, and a simple syrup sweetness expertly integrated with the bourbon characteristics. Chocolate syrup and a few flecks of coconut on a finish that is very warming, but never hot. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Mild carbonation. Quite warming. Drinkability: Very nice. So nice, in fact, that it has a noticeable calming effect. Personally, I put on some relaxing music, sat quietly, hands clasped together on my lap. I’ll finish the rest of my glass before retiring to the den to read for a spell before going to bed.

Poured into snifter glass. Dark, but with a hint of red. Not completely black. Strong nose alcohol very much present. Deep, rich malt flavor that has a hint of sweetness in aftertaste. Cask flavor more prominent than in the non-Black Gold. Nice smoky aftertaste from the cask. Very tasty.

Pours a brown color with a brown head. Aroma is malty, bourbon, oak, vanilla, roast, and alcohol. Flavor is malty, caramel, oak, vanilla, roast, and a sweet bourbon alcohol finish.