Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout
Anderson Valley Brewing Company

Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel StoutWild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Stout
Ranked #283
ABV:
6.9%
Score:
85
Ranked #20,448
Avg:
3.79 | pDev: 12.93%
Reviews:
289
Ratings:
1,694
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 02, 2024
Added:
Oct 27, 2012
Wants:
  74
Gots:
  399
Aged for three months in Wild Turkey® Bourbon barrels, this luxurious stout has a deep ebony hue and a beautiful mahogany head. The woody, vanilla-like notes imparted by the barrels mingle with aromas of fresh baked bread, toffee, and espresso and envelop the rich chocolate and roasted barley flavors with a fine bourbon character.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by lordofstarside:
Photo of lordofstarside
Reviewed by lordofstarside from Nevada

3.62/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Bomber to snifter, no bottle date

Pours midnight black with a generous finger of foam. Retention could be better, good lacing though. No visibility or carbonation. Smells of bourbon, oak, coffee, chocolate, cherry, some vanilla, rigid malts, and some alcohol. Not the most complex, but some definite activity going on here. Taste comes up pretty short, though. The bourbon is a bit perpendicular to the rest of the taste which comes and goes pretty quick, a flash of flavor- coffee, chocolate, oak, bourbon is quickly ended by the after taste of malt, bourbon, and oak. Feel is the lowest part, it's strange how this washes over the palate, flavor changes quickly but isn't enjoyable. Not the most drinkable. Overall this would be a lot better executed with an imperial stout. The stout simply isn't strong enough to stand up to the bourbon, and the beer is for naught
May 12, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by arini10 from Oregon

Mar 02, 2024
 
Rated: 3.87 by Pens1866 from Pennsylvania

Feb 19, 2022
 
Rated: 3.89 by QuintusHorace from California

Aug 24, 2021
Photo of Peach63
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours ebony with a 1 1/2 inch tan head, which lasts. Heavy lacing to the end.

Aroma: Chocolate and bourbon dominate. Also roast malt, coffee.

Follows nose: Chocolate, bourbon, roast malt, coffee, molasses. Mild astringency.

This is an outstanding bourbon barrel stout.
Jun 01, 2021
Photo of Reidrover
Reviewed by Reidrover from Oregon

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
10 oz. tulip glass at Westside Taphouse in West Salem OR.
$7.
Black body. Tan head. Right on.
Aromas of whiskey, toasted malts, dark chocolate and dried fruits.
Taste similar. Whiskey very well pronounced for such a low abv . Nice on a dark rainy not night.
Mouth feel is medium to low body.carbonatiin low.
A nice beer at a strength I can tolerate on a Sunday night.
Jan 25, 2021
 
Rated: 3.55 by Unclevince from West Virginia

Jan 25, 2021
Photo of MNJR
Reviewed by MNJR from Illinois

3.41/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Comes across as a maybe a light milk stout, but really more like a dark lager/Schwarzbier aged in bourbon barrels. Good flavors of roasted malt, and some creamy sweetness. The barrel aging is very pronounced. A very tasty beer, but don't be expecting a "big" experience. It is rather mild for what you might expect. An obviously good but somewhat thin stout with an average to slightly above average personality, made quite enjoyable by the woodsy whisky-ness.
Jan 10, 2021
Photo of Todd
Reviewed by Todd from Finland

3.16/5  rDev -16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
22oz bomber. 6.9% Stout aged in Wild Turkey bourbon barrels. Sample from the brewery.

Pours black with some dark leathery hues around the edges and a two-finger thick, coffee-stained, creamy head that sticks and retains like a pro. Nose is oaky with strong notes of bourbon and some spiciness. Surprisingly light-bodied and very crisp with some creaminess as the beer warms. Roasty malts with some espresso, chocolate, char, and a hit of toffee that melds with notes of marshmallow and woody bite. The flavors are all there, but everything thinned out and unbalanced. Finishes dry with an oaky linger and a ton of booziness on the breath.

Basically, this tastes like a bourbon on ice after the ice has melted, but with too much carbonation and a weak malty backbone. Not bad, and I appreciate the lower ABV, but this beer needs more backbone to help it stand up, taste like a Stout, and push back on this turkey gone wild.
Dec 25, 2020
Photo of redresonatedragon
Reviewed by redresonatedragon from Washington

4.21/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
I’m surprised that this ale is rated so low. It has a fantastic aroma, I believe the lower ABV carries the aromatic oils deeper into my sinuses. I enjoy the pleasant bourbon flavors with the only possible gripe being too thin and watery on mouthfeel. To this, I add that I appreciate a lower alcohol BA brew with complexity. Deserves higher rating
Oct 25, 2020
 
Rated: 3.85 by DvdP from Netherlands

Sep 29, 2020
Photo of crm871
Reviewed by crm871 from Utah

3.76/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a motor oil black with about a half inch of thick copper head. A bit more head than I’d expect given the style

Smell: bourbon, cinnamon, malt. It’s not a complicated smell at all but it really works here

Taste: heavy on the bourbon - not a problem for me as I’m a whiskey and bourbon guy, but I could see the strong bourbon front of this bothering people. Some vanilla as well. Not getting much else, I wish some of the cinnamon aroma made it through to the taste

Feel: heavier than I’d expect at only 6.9%. This one actually fell a bit short for me given the price tag, but it’s still a good bourbon barrel stout. However, there are much better options out there.
Sep 28, 2020
Photo of jettjon
Reviewed by jettjon from Florida

3.72/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
From a bomber into a Perfect Pint glass, it’s a dark brown, basically opaque color with a thick, brown-tan head that fades slowly. Nose of semi-sweet chocolate and a little vanilla aroma with a bit of boozy bourbon. Taste is a bit rough, sort of a watery stout with a splash of bourbon, but with a nice dark chocolate and coffee burnt malt backbone. Finishes dry with bitter hops. Mouth is thinner than expected but not bad. Overall, decent but it misses the mark both as a stand-alone stout and as a bourbon barrel beer. Would not seek out again.
Aug 30, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by arzt from Germany

Jul 26, 2020
Photo of Whoisblnk1
Reviewed by Whoisblnk1 from Hawaii

2.79/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Purchased this in 22oz bottle. Was kind of in a rush and basically just grabbing a couple beers that I had never tried before in the premium section of the cooler. This beer literally taste exactly like the label says: watered down wild turkey with like an oatmeal stout beer. I gave it the benefit of the doubt and tried it, only to find these flavors do not match at all, and I’m stuck drinking nasty watered down wild turkey. I know what your saying, “I drink turkey.” No, actually, I’ve only met a few actual serious bourbon drinkers that have actually said that and was serious. Skip this product
Jul 22, 2020
Photo of Sellen
Rated by Sellen from Connecticut

3.72/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Oct-26-2018
Jun 23, 2020
Photo of fountainofyouth
Reviewed by fountainofyouth from District of Columbia

3.77/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a bomber into a pint glass.

Appearance: Very dark brown, sizable off-white head.

Smell: Light bourbon aroma, dark fruit and raisins, a hint of hops.

Taste: The bourbon overwhelms, sadly -- particularly on the finish. The underlying beer is pretty good, just not strong enough to anchor the bourbon flavor. It's a milder stout, not very roasty. The balance isn't right, leaves it tasting just a little "off."

Feel: Pretty smooth and creamy. Medium bodied.
Jun 21, 2020
 
Rated: 3.77 by RMW66 from Australia

Feb 23, 2020
 
Rated: 4.44 by BeerMeCJS from California

Jan 26, 2020
 
Rated: 3.77 by rorjets from Connecticut

Jan 24, 2020
Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout from Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 1694 ratings