What Our Panel Thought
Aroma: “A nice blend of sweetness on the nose, with some plum and prune, light apple, and chocolate. A touch of vanilla, bourbon, and oak, with some alcohol warmth. Moderate chocolate, dark caramel, blackstrap molasses, and a touch of black licorice.”
Flavor: “Moderate chocolate up front, with light cinnamon spices and big vanilla. Some rich chocolate sweetness in there, caramel, with vanilla, oak, leather, and bourbon—the sweetness provides a scaffold. Fruity notes of dark cherry, plum, prune, and raisin that support the bourbon. This beer has a nice chewy body with a moderate alcohol burn and light acidity.”
Overall: “The chewy body and pronounced flavors worked great. The fruit ester notes are strong, but there’s also a touch of unconverted starchy notes. The barrel definitely comes through. Good complexity—it’s smooth and keeps all the different flavors under control.”
What the Brewers Say
“A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with thick foam the color of a bourbon barrel. The nose is an intense mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoke.”
