Wood Worker Barrel Aged Series
Dolce De Leche Russian Imperial Stout
65 IBU 10.5% ABV
No rating on Beer Advocate
No rating on Untappd
20C. Imperial Stout
An intensely-flavored, big, dark ale with a wide range of flavor balances and regional interpretations. Roasty-burnt malt with deep dark or dried fruit flavors, and a warming, bittersweet finish. Despite the intense flavors, the components need to meld together to create a complex, harmonious beer, not a hot mess.
When I was perusing the options, I stumbled upon this magnificent looking bottle... and you know me, I can't pass up the chance to try another bourbon barrel aged brew! I immediately thought, "hey, at $9 a bottle, this barrel aged stout comes in at a lower cost than others I have tried and liked...I wonder if I can detect any differences in quality...". Sure enough, it's what I brought home for a review!
Aroma: The missus think it smells like gingerbread but I get a big whiff of bourbon toastiness layered with a bit of chocolate, coffee and an appealing aroma of vanilla. There is something else on the back end which is reminiscent of toasted coconut but I am not sure. My mouth is watering. 9
Appearance: A deep, dark brownish color that is clean. Not surprising considering it's a stout with coffee added in. A nice milk chocolate head that lasts for awhile leaving a decent amount of lacing behind. 9
Flavor: Wow! It tastes like a heavier version of a coffee cocktail. Strong coffee character with the punch of bourbon and cocoa (holding the heavy cream of course... although, it does have creaminess to it). It's a little on the sweet side (maybe more hop bitterness needed?) but the flavors are quite enjoyable. 8
Mouthfeel: The carbonation comes through at a nice low-medium level. As mentioned above, a decent amount of creaminess. The brew coats the mouth, leaving the sweet aftertaste for a time. An after dinner sipper. 8
Overall: Baerlic Brewing Company did a nice job with this brew. I am actually shocked at the price point compared to others in its class. I found it to be a complex brew with many layers to it... all of which complimented each other quite nicely. The one draw back I did find, the sweetness comes on a little strong. That is just a preference of mine though, others may enjoy it more (I prefer my beers to stay firmly in the beer category, I think a little higher hop profile would suit this just fine). I started drinking the brew before dinner and a third of the way through I decided it would be better after dinner as a desert. It was a smart choice.
8.5
Matt's mark: 4.25/5
No comments:
Post a Comment