Barrel Aged Vanilla Bean Wreck Alley
Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Barrel Aged Vanilla Bean Wreck AlleyBarrel Aged Vanilla Bean Wreck Alley
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From:
Karl Strauss Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
12.4%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.9 | pDev: 15.13%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
24
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 06, 2022
Added:
Feb 06, 2014
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  4
No description / notes.
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Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.27/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Biggest, baddest and most bourbon barrel aged as possible, Karl Strauss' Imperial Stout pulls out all the stops for flavor, savor, roast and complexity.

Their Barrel Aged Vanilla Bean Wreck Alley pours with a very dark brown, bleached only from black by the extended barrel aging process, a dainty creme of espresso-like froth swirls on the brim. Roasty sweet in its early scent, its robust perfume hosts a plethora of chocolate, coffee, whisky spice, caramel, dark fruit, oak, vanilla and char. Highly complex, its flavors start out with a simpler molasses, toffee and burnt cream maltiness.

With the sweetness holding firm through the middle palate, a roastier and toastier taste meets the malt with suggestions of espresso, bittersweet chocolate and roasted nuttiness. Burnt toast, cream and vanilla bring a smooth savory taste with hints of dark fruit suggesting nuances of port, grilled berries and plum. With the oak-soaked whisky flavors of caramel, vanilla, cherry and nutty spiciness, the late taste is slighlty bitter with roast and slight brushfire.

Full bodied and carrying a low lying sense of both roast-derived and oak-derived tannin, the stout finishes slightly chalky with roasty warmth and a long bittersweet, coffee-like aftertaste.
May 06, 2022
Photo of Captain69
Rated by Captain69 from Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
not much taste for this type of beer had a lot better beers from this brewery
Feb 27, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by Raziel313 from California

Aug 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by Stengelfoot from California

Apr 13, 2017
Photo of Furlinator
Reviewed by Furlinator from California

4.19/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap at the SD Taproom 9th anniversary on 02/27/16.

Pours opaque black with a thin khaki head. Vanilla, cocoa and graham cracker on the nose. The taste is of cocoa, vanilla, graham cracker, honey and subtle bourbon. A little thin in texture.
Feb 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4.54 by snakeayes11 from Missouri

May 16, 2015
 
Rated: 4.45 by Nick29 from California

May 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3.21 by MickeyHops from California

May 02, 2015
Photo of IGOTASIXPACK
Rated by IGOTASIXPACK from California

4.35/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
22oz bottle. Vanilla bean BA. Lots of bourbon note on the finish. Very good
Apr 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3.71 by sasdragon from California

Mar 18, 2015
 
Rated: 3.65 by HopHead84 from California

Mar 14, 2015
Photo of clager
Reviewed by clager from Michigan

1.67/5  rDev -57.2%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 1.75
Had on tap at karl strauss in san diego. Unable to finish it - reeked and tasted of straight bourbon. Didn't get much of any vanilla flavor as expected. Very strong alcohol taste.
Mar 07, 2015
Photo of boyeryan
Rated by boyeryan from Wisconsin

4.54/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Very tasty. Nice finish. Not over-powering on the vanilla.
Mar 06, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by wethorseblanket from California

Nov 07, 2014
Photo of Alieniloquium
Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida

3.4/5  rDev -12.8%
650 mL bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance - Deep brown. Almost black. Medium khaki head. Medium collar.

Smell - Bourbon. Fudgy chocolate. Some vanilla. More bourbon.

Taste - Strong bourbon. Kinda overwhelms. Lots of caramel. Nutty malts and a sweet finish.

Mouthfeel - Very boozy. Medium body. Well carbonated.

Overall - Just doesn't taste like a stout. More caramel than roasted malt flavors.
Sep 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4.15 by drewone from California

Aug 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by lukasz from California

Jul 14, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by ananddullabh from California

Apr 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by 2beerdogs from California

Mar 18, 2014
Photo of rawfish
Reviewed by rawfish from California

3.61/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours black and watery, a slight wispy thin khaki head forms and settles quite quickly to almost nothing. Flecks of lace.

Nose is pretty great roasted chocolate malt is dominant with equally strong bourbon and oak, vanilla gets blended and hidden by the barrel qualities but is well integrated.

Complexity is reduced greatly from the nose, roasted malt has some breadiness and stale coffee. The cocoa nearly drops out and the vanilla/oak that was so prevalent in the aroma is replaced with an overpowering high pitching bourbon. Alcohol is warming and combats with the earthy bitterness of the hops .

Mild carbonation, strikingly watery and thin for a barrel aged stout, slaps wetly on the palate. Alcohol is presented fairly along with the sticky malt.

The barrel character of this beer is young, presenting more alcohol and fresh whiskey than the oak or vanilla at the moment. Aroma is amazing but the rest of the beer doesn't follow suit. Timing when to drink this one might be key sinces the barrel qualities will be developing as the vanilla fades. Mouthfeel of this stout is easily put down but also still quite hot.
Mar 16, 2014
Barrel Aged Vanilla Bean Wreck Alley from Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 24 ratings