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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A thick, black body and a very small tan head. A complex aroma, with malt, hops, smoke, and bourbon. The taste has a lot going on, with chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and a finishing kick from the bourbon with a velvety mouth feel.

Very nice. Two fingers of foam that quickly disappated. Strong but not overpowering bourbon on the nose and mouth. The color reminded me of Coke with a medium thickness in the mouth. A very pleasant after dinner choice while sitting back and watching a movie. Not too heavy on the alcohol presence, which can occassionally occur with these barrel aged types. Limited and in high demand, so pick one up if you find it.

Pours like.. coke. seriously, this thing has large bubbles and looks like coca cola, except with less head. smells like a vanilla, chocolate, oakey, with a hint of bourbon. Honestly, if you put this under my nose and I was blindfolded, I wouldn’t think it was a beer. probably something out of a gourmet chocolatier or something. taste is actually pretty damn good. to say I am shocked is an understatement. A lot of smooth oak vanilla, some chocolate, and a tiny bit of bourbon. this is quite amazing from Rahr. mouthfeel is spot on for what it needs to be, I think if it was thicker it wouldn’t be as good, and I like the thick ass stouts. but a nice medium body has this covered. overall this is quite amazing. I am absolutely shocked. Rahr is known for mediocrity, and this is far far from it. I look forward to some other things they may put out at this kind of quality. Cheers Rahr, and congrats!

1/15/11. Bottle thanks to Cavie! Mild buttery coconut aroma with vanilla, wood, and sweet caramel. Sweet malty caramel flavor that finishes with smooth coconut and vanilla. This is a perfect example of nice, tasty, moderately subtle barrel aging. Good stuff for sure!

A-- Poured a dark cola color and settled a near black with touches of red at the top of the head. Short lived light brown head but better looking film I think. A dirty off white film. On swirling get one finger but quickly goes back to film. A couple of spots here and there but not a lot of any significant lacing. S-- Crazy good nose. Got bourbon, vanilla, Oak, dark fruits (mostly raisin), and warm butterscotch. Very well balanced smell on this. Bourbon is quite soft but well done. T-- Vanilla, raisin, butterscotch, oak and slight hints of bourbon. Solid tasting. M-- Medium to low carbonation and medium bodied. A little spicy in the mid palate. Raisin, vanilla and bourbon dominated. Not very syrupy or sweet. Pick up the alcohol in the back of the mouth but just in fits of warmth and spiciness. A couple of thin gaps here and there, also a little bit of watery gaps. Both in mid palate. Also pick up some grape notes to this. Has some cola qualities to this. O--- very nice beer

Extremely dark brown with a puffybeige head. Aroma of vanilla, roasted and chocolate malt, plums, bourbon and wood. Sweet and woody tasting with just enough bourbon to accent. Nice that it doesn’t take over. Nice medium-full body and smooth, with just enough alcohol to make a really nice winter warmer.

Had on tap at the Fort Worth Flying Saucer and reviewed from notes. Rahr’s Winter Warmer aged in Maker’s Mark barrels, sounds interesting. The beer pours a dark brown-red with a small tan head. The aroma is awesome, with some oak, vanilla, bourbon and a little roasted malt. The flavor is great as well, with tons of vanilla and oak character. You get a little bourbon and some spices as well as some dark fruit and some coffee and roasted malts. This is a complex masterpiece that is a great improvement over the regular Winter Warmer from Rahr and Sons. The beer has low carbonation and a thick mouthfeel. The alcohol is not that present in the flavor but the alcohol warming affect is great. I was sitting outside on the patio in about 40 degree weather and this beer warmed me up nicely. I wish they would bottle this because this is as good as any beer I have ever had from the state of Texas.

Aged for one year in my cellar and so, so good. Taste is raisins, grass and booze, with a smooth finish. Bravo Rahr, this one is your best beer by far!!

22 oz. brown bottle. Big thanks to a kind BA from Chicago for sending me some of these. Let me first say that its ridiculous that I live in one of the biggest markets in TX but was not available in my city because the distributor didn’t want to bring it in. Shame on them. It poured a very dark brown almost black with a small head. The aroma has vanilla/bourbon barrel character, toasted crackers, fudge, and maybe even some roast. This is a very good aroma. The taste at first has bourbon barrel character contributing some vanilla flavors followed by a fudgie brownie. slightly nutty and maybe even some tastes of Coke. Soft mouthfeel. Now the barrel character is not over the top and is just right. Just enough to add some character to the beer but not overpower the beer. Best beer by Rahr.

Bottle in a trade with Hopper and shared with Armin. Thanks guys! Black pour with red highlights. Spare head, but good lacing. Aroma is candied dark fruit and burnt sugars. Some bourbon, but not overpowering. A very nice smelling beer. Some great roasty and ashy aromas pushing through as well. Taste is great as well. Lots of ashy dark fruits, not overly sweet. More vanilla than brown sugar here, bourbon is not overdone at all. Finishes slightly sweet, though the oakyness does push through to balance everything out nicely. Slightly warming and quite creamy. A real pleasure.