Date: 02/10/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Extreme Beer

clear brown, scant frothy head, sweet smokey chocolate aroma, creamy body, chewy smokey chocolate and bacon, strange combination that somehow works, a bit more caramel sweetness than the normal smoked brown which may be the secret to this beer

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***/4
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I would like to rerate this beer.

Tap at Clybourn, served in snifter (too cold), Boy I was so happy to see this listed after passing on it at FoBAB:

Mahogany hued with a small but lasting beige head that left some foam on the glass along with some oily legs. The aroma is powerful but not as much bourbon as I figured, some vanilla along with smoky charred oak. Also detected walnut, chocolate, caramel, rye bread, raisin, ripe cherry, and some pepper esters, NICE!

The flavor start with a nice dose of sweet caramel and toffee malts, bready and vanilla too. The midsection displays a molasses and fruity twang (not sour however, again more akin to ripe sweet fruits) before leading off towards the smoked meaty and lightly spiced finish. A bit boozy but it did not get in the way and actually helped cleanse the palate.

The mouth feel is sticky and oily with prickly biting towards the finish. This rocked and is without one of the better smoked beers I have had of late. Too bad I once again could not get a growler, sniff.

Draught at EBF on 2/10/07
Goose Island was my favorite brewery at the fest. Allagash certainly brought their A game, but Goose Island Matilda singlehandedly stole the show, or wait was it Bourbon County? Or maybe this beer? Just awesome stuff. Another brewery that is very good with attenuating their beers properly and dosent compromise anything in mouthfeel.
This auburn/ruby-mahogany beer was well-conditioned and showed brightly, despite the darkness. Tan head is foamy and rocky, receding quickly, but leaving light lacing in its wake
Strong, stiff chocolate and light phenols impress the nose drily, with the smoke starting out slowly and building up steam. Estery cherries and liquorous alcohol vapors keep things very dry, but a rum-raisin-like sweetness and some soggy but welcome sweet malts help bring back the balance. The smoke unfolds hugely with warming and provides dry, hickory smoke, light bacon and sticky treacle. Really all over the place, but you have to respect the absolute stunning complexity and individual intrigue of the notes. Bourbon adds more spiciness but dosent seem overdone.
A bit more focused in the flavor, with bready, dry smokiness giving notes of bacon and applewood, while cherries, vanilla and dry chocolate all create one hell of a unique smoked beer. Strong alcohol warmth, a bit unruly at times, but if you can get passed that, it’s incredibly interesting how developed the smoke is (not just blunt, salty, beefy-thick smoke). Probably a product of everything else going on in here that helps take some of the focus off of the smoke. Sticky molasses hold everything together on the end, somewhat precariously (breadiness begins to build and some acidity as well). Crazy, just crazy stuff, but I guess it hit me the right way. The dryness helps.

On tap at FoBAB 4. Poured deep murky brown with a loose ring of beige head. Nose picked up a considerable amount of sweet bourbon, some smoked peat, and lesser notes of nutbread and bacon. Flavor was even more smoky than the aroma... bacon, ham, peat... bourbon played a smaller role, which was certainly welcomed... also some chocolate, salt, herbs, and nuttiness deep down. A little slick on the palate with the bourbon catching at the top of the throat.. a tad grainy. Solid brew overall.

On tap: Aroma of smokey bacon, salt, and a hint of chocolate. Dark orangish-brown with a small off-white ring for a head. Flavor is a touch salty with a strong smokey bacon presence and light chocolate. Finishes with some light bourbon. Would never guess this to be as strong as it is. Odd but kind of good. However, I could not drink a lot of this without it quickly wearing on me. How is this not a smoked beer?