Schlafly Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

Brewed by Saint Louis Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Maplewood, Missouri USA

750ml bottle, 2007 vintage, deep dark brown color, with a fluffy tan-colored head, leaving some laces, sweet toasted, roasted, chocolate malt, oaky bourbonish, vanilla nose, with some grated coconut, fruity, burnt raisin, plum notes with a faint mochaish, espresso aroma follows through on full-bodied palate with a sweet oily, rich black chocolatey, roasted malt character, with some brandy liquor chocolatey cup praline, nice oak barrel bourbonish flavors, with some mild toasty, caramel, toffeeish, burnt fruity dried raisin, plum accents, with a hint of mocha, espresso, molasses, leading towards a sweet roasty, chocolatey, fruity, warming bourbon-liquorish finish.

2008 bottle. Black pour, tan head. More clear and lighter than I expected actually. Aroma of slight bourbon up front, followed by a melding of chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, and cherries. Flavors of almond, berries, coffee, dark chocolate, and a slight hop bitterness on the finish. The body is creamy, but lighter than expected. I have a 2007 bottle that I will try in a couple of years.

Bottle 2007 vintage. Pours out a dark brown topped with a tan head. Aroma of bourbon and sweetness. Tast was of more bourbon and dark roast coffee. Along with some dark sweetness. This thin to me for a big BA Imp stout.

1 pint 9.4 fl Oz. bottle. 2007 version. Pours an opaque black with a huge two and a half finger tan head. Aroma is roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, and alcohol. Very rich and creamy flavor. A must try. Very good beer.

Nice black pour with a decent sized tan head, retention is fair and the lace is spotty. Brown/black in appearence. Inviting nose of bourbon and stout, roasty, caramelly and fruity. Full bodied and silky on the palate. Balanced Impy Stout flavors backed by smooth bourbony notes, roast, toast ,caramel, vanilla and chocolate flavors are really well blended. Thank christ it,s not a bourbon dominated brew. Oily, roasty finish with nice whisky notes to keep yer attention. Nice brew! Bottle procured @statelineliquors.

Sampled at Backus’ Backyard Bash. 2007 vintage. Hazed dark brown thin beige head. nicely Bourbonated, sweet, just a tad hot. Pruney and roasty malt, woody and grassy. Excellent.

Oct 21,2008 Pick up this Schlafly reserve bottle 2007 vintage at the brewery in St. Louis.- Pours a great very dark black with some hinting ruby tons as the light dances through. A very nice tan medium thickness head occurs. The aroma out of the bottle is of bourbon first but as it settles in the glass, a very robust chocolate, coffee and heavy alcohol aroma take over. The beer is very thick and heavy in your mouth but is extremely smooth. The initial flavor is of the bourbon but then moves into a chocolate sweetness followed by a great alcohol burn and a coffee bitterness that sticks around well after the drink is downed. The one aspect of this beer I really like is the flavor of the bourbon is not overpowering as in other bourbon aged beers. Great beer and well worth the money!

Style and Glass: Imperial Stout; snifter ABV, Volume & Calories: 10.5% in 25.4 fl oz. estimated at 400 C Purchased at: Canal’s Hamilton, NJ for $11.99 Aroma: Mostly cocoa, fainter, but delicious. Attractive. Visuals: Packaging is exquisite, royal. You should expect something very special, and if the BWSA from Schlafly is any indicator, I do. A black tar pit of a brew. Fully opaque, though the pour seemed thinner than this body proves. Thin tan head, almost fully dissipating, with some lace remaining. Taste: Surprisingly light at first, but a quick flavor of oak, cherries, raisin, and alcohol hit after a second, followed by a longer hoppy burn. Very nice. Caramel, chocolate, and coffee show through. Licorice, taffy. A sweet treat. Needs some dark chocolate and pretzels to set it off. Palate: Crisp, terricloth, and biting in the end. Hoppy dark finish. Oak is quiet on this comparative to the BWSA, but I don’t miss it. I only enjoy smokiness to a certain point, though there is some here, it is not overwhelming. Overall: I liked it a lot. There are other less expensive, equally enjoyable imperial stouts, such as Oak Aged Yeti, or even just Yeti, but this was a very nice treat. Thanks, Schlafly. Source: BeerCritic from http://beercritic.wordpress.com/ retrieved on Sat Feb 07 2009 23:10:03 GMT-0500 (Eastern Standard Time)