OCB Pan-Ontario Collaboration Ale 2012

Formerly brewed at Beaus All Natural Brewing Co.
Style: American Strong Ale
Vankleek Hill, Canada

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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Sampled at the GCBF. Hue of dark mocha with tan head. Nose of burning straw @ a chocolate factory. Beautiful. Taste doesn’t match it, but is still pretty good, with warm alcohol... bourbon numbs your mouth, shoots directly to your stomach in the manner of a whiskey, not a beer. Finish is dry roasted malt.

Dark pour, a baby finger of head. Slight bourbon, vanilla, chocolate in the aroma. Sweet, with vanilla, dark chocolate, vanilla bear, bourbon, Molasses, Wood, Liquorice. Great for after dinner.

Draught at Bryden’s for ’Best of the West’, June 21. Pours an interesting-looking deep dark ruby with an average size creamy tan head. Good lacing on the glass. Quite a lovely aroma and flavour, with wood, dark fruit, bourbon, caramel malt and vanilla -- not overly B.A.’ed which is nice. Medium bodied. I enjoyed this more then I thought I would, a pleasant surprise.

Half pint at The Cat. Clear brown-black with a thin mocha head. Strong molasses, licorice, impy stout character, lots of vanilla, a bit of alcohol, bourbon, chocolate. Medium+ body, moderate effervescence. Really alcoholic, tastes a little oxidized, some nice imp stout notes, can’t get past the heavy-handed alcohol. Dry with decent bitterness and a long, lingering, warm finish. Smelled great. Disappointing flavour.

On tap at C’est What Summer Festival Of Craft Breweries. Pours a very dark brown with good-sized, creamy, lacy tan head. Aroma is definite whiskey barrel and chocolate/vanilla. Flavour is quite rich - woody, chocolate, vanilla and anise. Fine carbonation; silky mouthfeel. Quite good.

2012-06-20. Black body with red tinges in the light, nice foamy tan head and lace. 4+ Flavour is prominently barrel aged up front, sweet rich dark malt base below, but the sweet bourbony character is front and centre. Something in the aftertaste that I can’t quite describe, sweet bourbony vanilla, a not quite woody character, sweet sugary malt. The intensity of the barrel influence is just on the cusp of being too much but I am enjoying the richness of it today. 7+ Very smooth medium bodied palate. 4+ Sweet moderately bourbony aroma, sweet vanilla and wood melange is actually rather nice. It overshadows the mild sweet dark malt below, but it works for the most part. 7+ The overall impression is a bit one dimensional but the character of the barrel aging walks a fine line between prominent and over the top. A sipper, and a bit of a kick in the pants at this point in the evening, but pretty solid. On tap at Brydens, Toronto.

Enjoyed on tap during OCB week at Bryden’s. 10.5% based on measurement from the markings. Black with tan retaned head of 3/4 of an inch of head. Bourbon aroma. Creamy smooth, initially very barrel and coconut, later sips revealing chocolate malt. Complex and dangerously drinable.

At Ontario Craft Brewers Collaboration Night at C’est What.  Brandy and chocolate. Smashbomb IPA not noticeable. Porter dominates.
Earlier Rating: 6/21/2012 Total Score: 3.6
At Ontario Craft Brewers Collaboration Night. Quite pricey. Brandy and chocolate. Smashbomb IPA not noticeable. Porter dominates.

A deep dark reddish brown ale with a thin super lacing brown head. In aroma, a smooth bourbon barrel vanilla malt with dark fruits, chocolate, very nice. In mouth, a nice mix of nutty chocolate with wood chips, bourbon barrel, licorice, alcohol warmth, herbal hops, very nice. On tap at Wellington Gastropub, June 19 2012.