Rahr & Sons Rahr Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer

Brewed by Rahr & Sons Brewing
Style: English Strong Ale
Fort Worth, Texas USA

Serve in English pint, Snifter

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22oz bomber. I’m not a fan of the original Rahr Winter Warmer at all, which may be why I enjoy the barrel aged version so much. It’s almost like a completely different beer. Had it for the first time Christmas morning 2010. Pours very dark with a nice bourbon aroma. It’s a bit thin but other than that taste is great, even better as it warms. Very drinkable, I find myself wanting more.

Poured into a snifter. 4.0 A: Black color. One and a half fingers of super creamy beige/tan head. Average retention and a good amount of lacing. 4.0 S: Good balance between the bourbon components and the beer - the bourbon holds about 60% of the nose’s share. Bourbon and barrel contribute a decent amount of vanilla, oak, melon fruitiness, and a touch of booze. The underlying beer offers a pleasant plum fruitiness, some caramel, nuts, graininess and a touch of roastiness. 4.0 T: I assumed the beer would be bolder and more robust, but it it isn’t and it works well. Rather it tastes like an easy drinking porter moreso than a winter warmer. Grainy, with a moderate roastiness, plenty of nuttiness, and only a mild caramel and dark fruit component. The bourbon is less pronounced than in the nose, but still plays a good role in the overall flavor. Vanilla, leather, oak, and melon are all there with some strength. I think the 10 weeks in the bourbon barrel was just right given the strength of the beer. Any longer and the beer would have to fight with the bourbon components. 4.5 M: Medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Somewhat creamy with a good crispness to it. I like this. 4.0 D: Pretty good and easy drinking beer. Lots of things done right and nothing done wrong. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 03-22-2011 02:18:02

Bottle shared during AZRBWG. Pour is brown with an off-white head. Aroma shows notes of toffee, bourbon, nuts, cocoa and a hint of peat smoke. Flavor shows the same with additional notes of roasted malt, brown sugar, and coffee. Overall body is moderate and finishes with a light to moderate earthy bitterness.

Thanks to cavie for sending down this hand bottled beer. Pors a dark brown with little head. Nose of chocolate, soft bourbon, sugar and wood. Flavor is the same, but with coffee and toffee notes. Good mouthfeel and warming finish. Thanks Travis, much appreciated.

Wow!!! A really tasty effoort from Rahr. Beer hits all the right notes. Aromas of vanilla, chocolate, alcohol (bourbon) and burnt wood. Taste is sweet with some bitterness in the finish. You would do well to seek out this excellent beer!

Bomber thanks to maltomeal. Dark brown with a medium fluffy head. Nose is lighter whiskey, maltiness. Taste is a bit chocolate/smooth burnt malts, bourbon is present but not very overwhelming. Smooth, fluffy, a lighter body. Not a bad beer but not one that would that I would seek out in a desert.

22oz Bomber. Pours a dark cloudy chestnut with a tan 2-fingered head. Aroma of vanilla bean, and slight bit of the barrel. Flavor has just a touch of bourbon, with malt, dark fruit, on top of light bitterness.

Big thanks to cavie for bringing this handbottle. Clear dark brown pour. Aroma is boozy, caramel, delicious coffee. Flavor is amazing. Coffee, vanilla, bourbon, caramel. Great blend of flavors.

22 oz bottle courtesy of Cavie. Dark reddish brown with almost no light showing through as I hold it up to the light. Nice 1 finger cream colored head that sticks around. A little lace is left when the head recedes. Caramel malt and vanilla aroma with a little bourbon in the background. Flavor has the same caramel and vanilla as in the aroma with spice notes and oak. I like that the bourbon is somewhat subdued. There’s just enough to be interesting, but not so much that you think you’re drinking a glass of Maker’s Mark. Nice full, warming palate. Very nice, thank you Travis for initiating this trade.

thx to Joris and Dirk sampled at kulminator

head: none
colour: dark brown to black
smell: chocolat, vanilla, alcohol, praliné, cocoa, bourbon
taste: butter bisquits, chocolat, alcohol, some smokey , roasted , hops , malts, bit of coffee bitter (chicoré ), bitter earthy end , quite nice !