Another example of barrel aging hurting a good beer. A light khaki head topped the copper colored body. The araom was massive vanilla and coconut. There was also some biscuit. The taste was all bourbon with coconut and vanilla. There was also honey and almonds with hints of smoke and oak behind that. The finish was warming and very alcohoic. The barrel aging blew away all the subtle pleasing character of the regular Curly.

Cloudy soft bright red colored body with a speckeld, patchy tan head. Sweet nose of wine, sherry, candy sugar, grapefruit juice and light notes of peat. Mildly sweet up front but then quickly peaty/arcid/ashy and dry, turning even sour and astringent with some sweet bourbon and sherry notes. Bourbon presence is mild, but it’s the peatiness of the scotch ale, which I didn’t like to begin with, that overpowers this beer.

Draft at the brewpub. Served in a 6 oz tulip glass. Poured a clear dark orange/light brown color. The head consisted of nothing more than a few small soap bubbles that popped as the glass was set on the table. Aroma was of strong bourbon and vanilla with a dash of brown sugar. Sweet on the tongue. The beer was served much too cold and the bourbon flavor was almost cloying. Pleasant cherry and vanilla notes came out in the background. The peated malt and other flavors in the base beer were drowned out by the bourbon, but this was a decent beer.

On draught at the brewpub in downtown Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin. Pours a semi-clear, dark caramel amber (slightly darker than the regular Curly Scotch Ale), with a creamy off-white head that has some good retention and lacing. Aroma of bourbon, dark caramel malt, some coconut, and flowery hops. Taste is quite smooth, full bodied, light carbonation with flavors of bourbonized caramel malt, a touch of smoked peat, and some toffee. Finish is where the bourbon really comes to surface in this scotch ale. The bourbon really adds some depth and warmth to the beer itself.