Dreamy bourbon-barreled stout drapes syrupy black chocolate atop richly displayed ‘coffee, vanilla bean and cinnamon’ adjuncts. Expressive vanilla-beaned mocha overtones sweetened by cherry-pureed rum, cognac, burgundy and sherry illusions. In the recess, toasted coconut and marshmallow undertones nip at tingly anise spicing. Highly recommended to cigar-toting bourbon stout aficionados.
Put through an espresso-loaded Randall filter system at Boston Beer Summit ’15, sweet bourbon-soaked espresso lilt picks up dark-roasted coffee bean resilience and delicate black chocolate cadence. Recessive black cherry, port and sherry tones fade beneath the persistent java scurry.
Paramount Kentucky bourbon-barreled Imperial Stout (2014) loads dark cocoa sugaring and creamy black chocolate malting upon sharply embittered hop char. Oaken bourbon vanilla sweetness magnifies up-front mocha resonance and ascending coffee bean roast. After a few sips, chewy anise spicing deepens its forward thrust as dark-fruited raisin, fig, prune and black cherry illusions settle below alongside caramel-toasted molasses, hazelnut, burnt marshmallow and creme de cocoa snips. Buttery smooth bourbon luster perfectly complements milky chocolate-cocoa affluence.
Seismically complex 2014 bourbon-barreled Imperial Stout burrows its luxuriously sweet bourbon resonance inside creamy brown and dark chocolate malts as well as chewy vanilla sugaring. Thick maple molasses sapping deepens the vanilla bourbon warmth, leaving light burgundy and sherry wining in its wake. Just as effectively, chocolate-caked creme brulee, fudge brownie, rum raisin, Kahlua coffee and coconut undertones whirl across the fertile surface. After a few sips, wispy black cherry, pecan and almond hints emerge. Illustrious Boulder elixir perfect for dessert or on its own.
On tap at Ambulance Brew House, vintage bourbon-barreled strong ale (circa 2014) combines brewers’ Scarface Imperial Stout with Old Godfather Barleywine and less dominant elixirs. Mild bourbon overlay secures bittersweet black chocolate territory. Ancillary vanilla, cocoa, molasses and cookie dough illusions sweeten the mocha-laden front end while its coffee-stained hop char deepens the bitter backdrop. Bruised black cherry, blackberry, blueberry and brambleberry fruiting finds tertiary space.
Modest bourbon-dried dark ale (part of the Clay Street Series) seems overly reliant on soured dark-roasted coffee frontage, soy-sauced chocolate malting and latent vanilla bean bittering. Any lasting oaken bourbon licks perish as cocoa powdered tartness gains momentum and fig-dried dark cherry nuances arrive.
