Laughing Dog The Dogfather Imperial Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged

Brewed by Laughing Dog Brewing
Style: Imperial Stout
Ponderay, Idaho USA

Serve in Snifter

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Muchas Gracias Senor Daks for this bottle. Served in my Bells Expedition snifter.

Basically black with just a hint of reddish highlights around the edges topped by a big fluffy beige head that left excellent lacework upon the glassware. The aroma has notes of bourbon, vanilla, oak, roast, char, chocolate, walnuts, and rye bread malts. Still it appears they may have dry hopped this because I still find a fair amount of grassy and herbal hops on the nose. Just a hint of barrel wild yeasties starting to show but in this case they are still a two bit background playa and not something to be noticed (but it does question any more cellaring, could start to go south soon). Lastly, some bile and oxidization is surely appearing again putting into question any further aging.

The taste is vanilla bean and cocoa overload at first, someone boozy and lots of interesting side notes of tar, liquorice, tobacco, leather. molasses and even some peaty tones. Coffeeish and hop bitters follow suit upon the finish but are far less forceful than in the non-BA version, no really fruity component left here. It is more straight acidity than dark fruits. The mouth feel is warming and challenging but not as lush or sticky as I hoped.

I was not a huge fan of the base beer (just a 3.6 rating) but I honestly do not care much for this at all. The bourbon and moreso the barrel have lessened this into a muddled mess. The biggest issue is that even the bourbon character seems confused and it does not shine. This dog is a runt.

On tap at Brouwers Big Wood. Pours a solid black with a tan head. Aroma of bourbon and roasted malts. Flavour also includes vanilla. Quite complex and likely drunk by this point.

Pours pitch black with some darkish brown fizz. Smells of chocolate, bourbon, and hints of vanilla. Taste has bourbon characteristics, coffee, hints of chocolate, and some oaky dryness. Full-bodied with a smooth texture and soft mouth-carbonation, Laughing Dog The Dogfather Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout finishes with dry oak characters with a bit of hop and funk.

Pours black with a tan head. Medium thickness and nice mouthfeel. Hops are upfront with a nice bitterness that lingers. EtOH is hidden, barrel notes are fairly subdued - would like to have the non-BA version along side sometime. A solid RIS. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

It is unusual for me to enjoy a bourbon aged beer but this one was good . Mild bourbon in the aroma with heavily roasted grain. There is a light sourness, like a sour porter. Dry oak, and soy sauce, and along with the very low carbonation, putting this in line with the English style imperial stouts. Medium palate. The bourbon accentuates, rather than dominates the flavor and aroma.

Bottle from Kegs and Barrels. Pours black with a medium tan head. The aromas are roasted chocolate, dark coffee and vanilla. The mouthfeel is dry roasty and bitter with a heavy body and medium carbonation. Great beer that gets better as it warms. Cheers!

Pours black with a creamy mocha head. Aroma is chocolate, wood, and a touch of booze. Taste is bitter chocolate, wood, roasted malts, and just a hint of alcohol. Just a bit thin on the palate, but still really good.

Black, with a good sized mocha colored head and solid lacing. Aroma of chocolate, roast, wood, and vanilla. The taste is woody and roasty with a touch of whiskey and a substantial chocolaty bitterness. Full bodied, dry, and smooth. Pretty good stuff, though not the best imperial stout around.

22oz bottle. Near black pour, sparse tan head. Nose of vanilla, roast, and booze. Flavor is very roasted with some bits of chocolate - slightly woody and smoky. ABV not very well hidden. This improves greatly as it warms.

Pours nearly black with a gorgeous head that almost looks like caramelized sugar. Big bourbon aroma. Taste has more of the chocolate and roasted malt notes you’d expect from a imperial stout. Good stuff!

Bottle. Pours black with dark copper/tan head. Aroma of dark roast, dark chocolate. Flavor is the same with added vanilla, oak, ash and hints of bourbon, more on the dry side. There seems to be an added bitterness that isn’t all that pleasant, almost astringent. Heavy mouthfeel with low carbonation. Overall, I am enjoying this but can’t help but think something is a bit off.