Nut Smasher (Bourbon Barrel-Aged)
Willoughby Brewing

Nut Smasher (Bourbon Barrel-Aged)Nut Smasher (Bourbon Barrel-Aged)
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From:
Willoughby Brewing
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
11.5%
Score:
95
Avg:
4.41 | pDev: 5.44%
Reviews:
10
Ratings:
26
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Sep 29, 2023
Added:
Nov 12, 2016
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  2
Nut Smasher is an Imperial Stout with inspiration from our award-winning Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter. This beer is brewed with seven types of malts, aged in Knob Creek bourbon barrels for over eight months, and then infused with fresh-roasted coffee, chocolate, and peanut butter.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Beer4B:
Photo of Beer4B
Rated by Beer4B from Florida

4.57/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Mar 13, 2017
More User Ratings:
Photo of jrc1093
Reviewed by jrc1093 from Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2019 vintage; consumed on 9/27/2023

Pours a dense, cocoa-black body capped with a finger and a half of rich, dark khaki foam; good head retention yields a half-finger of luscious cap, persistent, silky collar, and minimal-no lacing holding to the walls of the glass with any longevity.

Aromas open to fragrant, bright coffee roast as rich, creamy peanut butter phases in, with chocolate undertones and bourbon wafts intertwining with an oaky prickle over time; only vague tones of green pepper from the coffee/age are present.

Taste shows chocolate malt and peanut butter richness upfront, imploring a nutty underscore as coffee subtleties course through the mid-palate; dark cocoa on the back end encounters a subtle barrel grit, leaving roasty density coating over a vague green pepper tinge through the finish.

Mouthfeel brings a medium body with silky textures and a taut spritz of moderate carbonation; an inherent creaminess washes over the palate, with an airy grit prickling through a vague warmth and easygoing dryness one the back end and past the finish.

Peanut butter tenacity appreciates via elevation of vivid coffee overtones, showing minimal shreds of age as well-defined adjuncts continuously course through delicate barrel influence; impressively rich yet wholly tempered, this stout exemplifies the depth of a peanut butter beer executed with precision, regardless of time in the bottle.
Sep 29, 2023
Photo of pathman
Rated by pathman from Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
06/26/20 bottle @ home
Jun 27, 2020
 
Rated: 4.44 by loganburgh from Michigan

Dec 20, 2019
Photo of Thomas_Wikman
Reviewed by Thomas_Wikman from Texas

4.86/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
It is barrel aged in woodford bourbon barrels for eight months and infused with coffee, peanut butter, and chocolate. It is extremely good, one of the best stouts I've ever had.

Look: black with a thick mocca colored head

Aroma: roasted malts, coffee, peanut butter, chocolate, bourbon

Taste: The flavor is roasted malts, peanut butter, coffee, chocolate and bourbon, quite a bit of peanut butter and bourbon.

Body/Overall: full body, creamy
Sep 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

Jul 14, 2019
Photo of maximum12
Reviewed by maximum12 from Minnesota

4.63/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Thanks to fiver29 for sending me this beer…a long time ago. It’s been not-aging in the fridge ever since in this lovely 22 oz. glass. Taken down alone while watching Starship Troopers. Yes, it sucks compared to the book. It’s still awesome.

The pour is blacker than chocolate, little visible activity on top. Smells just like the base beer, like peanut butter has been smeared across the inside of your nasal cavity. No evident bourbon incoming.

Nut Smasher – Barrel Aged is about the same as regular Nut Smasher – which is to say, borderline orgasmic. The same Peanut Superman is here, but sadly, the barrel is virtual, just a whiff of Uncle Mike’s bourbon breath on the finish. In between is bitter roast, warm chocolate, & a booziness that didn’t infuse the base beer. Woody, dry finish. Most beers I’m done with after a glass. This? I have a big glass. It good.

Very little to differentiate this from the base beer, but that’s like saying “Yeah, I saw Bridgette B. Her twin sister. Well. Yeah…” Magnificent brew.
Jan 27, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by oline73 from Maryland

Jan 07, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by jonbonfondle from Minnesota

Nov 26, 2017
 
Rated: 4.41 by reebtaerG from Maryland

Oct 13, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by t2grogan from Arizona

Sep 04, 2017
 
Rated: 4.4 by Stinger80OH from Ohio

Jun 23, 2017
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

3.96/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Black with a less imposing head than the non-aged, leaving only a thin tan ring, and a sliver of red hue around the blackness of the beer.

On the nose, that intense and creamy peanut butter from the base makes its way through surprisingly well still, with hints of more vanilla than chocolate, in addition to some cola, bourbon and barrel.

I'd say the peanut butter is slightly less present in taste in this aged version, and booze is a little more present with the bourbon and oak, as well as some cola. Baker's chocolate and some coffee kick in still.

A little more slick, still soft and luscious, tangy and a little creamy.
May 24, 2017
 
Rated: 4.84 by Bugsmcl from Ohio

May 14, 2017
 
Rated: 4.27 by JoeMarinello from Ohio

Apr 01, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by Eziel from Ohio

Mar 22, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by rspauldi from Texas

Mar 16, 2017
Photo of WesMantooth
Reviewed by WesMantooth from Ohio

4.19/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a bomber into a snifter.

It is black with a decent sized, frothy brown head. Retention was pretty short.

It smells really strongly of bourbon. There is also shelled peanuts, chocolate, and a light amount of coffee.

It tastes like it smells. The bourbon really dominates. It is a quality bourbon though. Nice amount of oak, vanilla, and clean grains. The peanut butter flavor follows with the chocolate and coffee bringing up the rear. While the bourbon doesn't completely drown it out, it really needs to warm to let the
base beer come through.

Body is a hair thinner than the non barrel aged, but still not watery or astringent for how much barrel flavor there is.

This is an excellent beer, but while I thoroughly enjoy it, objectively it is not nearly as balanced as I hoped and didn't improve on the original in my opinion.
Feb 19, 2017
Photo of Wayne17
Reviewed by Wayne17 from Texas

4.66/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Wow this beer is fantastic. Actually never had regular Nut Smasher which I'm sad about but I'm glad I'm getting to try this monster none the less. Smell reminds me of Cycle Hazelnut and Omnipolo Yellow Belly. Tons of nuts but also coffe. Reminds me of BCBCS in the coffee department. Everything works in harmony. Medium thick mouthfeel and perfect sweet/nutty/coffee/whiskey balance. One of the best beers I've ever imbibed.
Feb 17, 2017
 
Rated: 4.63 by NMA from Ohio

Jan 29, 2017
Nut Smasher (Bourbon Barrel-Aged) from Willoughby Brewing
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 26 ratings