Cooper Project Barrel Aged Scotch Ale
Goose Island Beer Co.

Cooper Project Barrel Aged Scotch AleCooper Project Barrel Aged Scotch Ale
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From:
Goose Island Beer Co.
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
ABV:
8.7%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.95 | pDev: 8.61%
Reviews:
61
Ratings:
188
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 30, 2021
Added:
Mar 27, 2017
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  32
Formerly Cooper Project No. 1 : Barrel Aged Scotch Ale
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jaydoc:
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Rated by jaydoc from Kansas

3.56/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Dec 01, 2017
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.99 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Nov 30, 2021
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.59/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a brown, dark copper like color, similar to that of my SUV. Head rocking in the color of beige and height of 2/5".
The aroma is bourbon and dirty copper. Not in the bright bitter kind of way, more in the earthy bitter kind of way, like a red ale.

Taste offers a divergent path on what I've come across for the most part when dealing with scotch ales. First, it didn't have an oppressive level of alcohol heat in the mouth feel. Next, the barrel aging allowed this to approach something similar to say, Central Waters barrel aged scotch ale, albeit not quite getting there. Its like it took 33% of the journey over those 4 months in the barrel. Its not bitter, relatively smooth, notes of what still feels more like a red and brown ale base moreso than scotch ale. Plenty of caramel notes, the unsweetened variety. Light oak impression. Decently covering the alcohol.

At about $4 a bottle, you could do a lot worse. I thought it was worth it even if not my favorite thing.
Feb 23, 2021
Photo of zonker17
Reviewed by zonker17 from Texas

4.2/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Feb 1, 2017 bottle. Deep hazy brown with some beige head, light retention and lacing. Good elements of bourbon, wood, and rich malt on nose. Taste is smooth balance of heavy malts and bourbon, huge body. Aged very well!
Oct 06, 2020
 
Rated: 4.29 by Salinesnake from Louisiana

Aug 23, 2020
 
Rated: 4.13 by TLA from Pennsylvania

Mar 16, 2020
 
 
Rated: 4.14 by npendres from Wisconsin

Nov 29, 2019
 
Rated: 4.24 by msscott1973 from North Carolina

Sep 27, 2019
 
Rated: 4.41 by Saylor from Pennsylvania

May 19, 2019
 
Rated: 3.59 by jbehlar from Mississippi

Apr 21, 2019
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Goose Island Beer Co. "Cooper Project Barrel-Aged Scotch Ale"
12 fl. oz. brown glass bottle, "BOTTLED ON DATE: 02APR18 09:42 8.75% ALC/VOL"
$4.99 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ

Notes via stream of consciousness: I've had this on tap at the Philadelphia location but I feel that you can never really get to know a beer in 4 ounces so here we go. It's poured a mostly clear, just slightly hazy, reddish chestnut brown body beneath a full head of tight-bubbled and yellowed off-white foam. The aroma clearly expresses oak and Bourbon over a gently caramelish malt base. Just smelling it is pretty nice. The flavor follows, as usual, and the Bourbon and oak are really nicely smooth. They've still got enough strength to be quite clear but they're not brash or bold or too far forward - very nicely balanced; and the maltiness follows as well, bready, caramelish, and even a bit toffee-ish. Sometimes a Scotch ale can be a little too malty and almost syrupy but that's not the case here, nor is it too caramelish; I'm mostly finding golden and medium caramel notes. The bitterness is there but beneath the malt, balancing it, and helping it to finish mostly dry. It's really quite pleasant. Due to the oak I'm finding an occasional note of coconut but I don't expect everyone to find that, it seems some people get it and others don't. The alcohol is nicely balanced, but then again at just 8.75% it should be. I'm really curious now as to what this might taste like prior to barrel aging. In the mouth it's medium bodied with just a bit of a dextrinous edge, and a light, smooth carbonation.
Review# 6,504
Mar 06, 2019
 
Rated: 3.73 by crobinso from Colorado

Feb 26, 2019
 
Rated: 4.16 by Rilesmiles from Wisconsin

Feb 19, 2019
 
Rated: 4.05 by bubseymour from Maryland

Jan 27, 2019
 
Rated: 2.89 by AlpacaAlpaca from New York

Dec 20, 2018
Photo of rudiecantfail
Reviewed by rudiecantfail from Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12 ounce bottle poured into a tulip glass.

L---Medium brown color with orange tinges. Medium, off-white head that faded quickly and left ok lacing.

S---Bourbon barrel is up front. Caramel & other malts are quite noticeable as well. Sweet, dark fruits & vanilla. Really complex & nice.

T---A little boozy. Vanilla & caramel. Some toffee & dark fruit (raisin).

F---Full. Coating. Definitely a sipper, not a gulper. Carbonation is minimal. No boozy burn, smooth.

O---High quality product. I got two, and this was the second. Drank the 1st one in July. I wish I had a ton more. Oh, well.
Dec 05, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by Amb3do from Mississippi

Dec 04, 2018
 
Rated: 3.78 by Dharmelink from Wisconsin

Dec 01, 2018
Photo of Franziskaner
Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri

3.78/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Dark copper to brown and murky in complexion. There’s a fingernail of brown around the rim and covering the vast majority of the top. I smell plenty of sweet, sticky, bready malt. I’m tasting plenty of sweet bready malt with just a hint of vanilla and oak. The mouth is lightly sticky and warm with alcohol.
Nov 22, 2018
Cooper Project Barrel Aged Scotch Ale from Goose Island Beer Co.
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 188 ratings