Bad Elmer's Bourbon Barrel Porter
Upland Brewing Company

500 ml white wax capped bottle, bottled NOV 19 2020, label says 9% ABV. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch or so tan head that stuck around a while. There's also a good amount of lacing. Coconut stands out in the aroma at first, and there's also roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, bourbon and vanilla. Taste is pretty similar to the aroma, but with the addition of some caramel, oak and earthy flavors. Coconut stands out in the taste too, but without overpowering the other flavors. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's slick and smooth with a moderate amount of carbonation. I liked this brew, I've seen too many brews that say that they have coconut but there's barely any. There's a good amount of coconut here, wish I would have bought more of this one. Hoping Upland makes this one again, this batch was good!

Pours dark with small tan head that falls pretty quickly leaves some light lace.

Aroma is light chocolate,, light vanilla, bourbon, oak, hints of sweet coconut. Lighter noise for a big barrel aged beer then you would think.

Taste follows the nose light roasted notes, chocolate, hints of anise, vanilla, oak and lighter bourbon notes hints of coconut. Dry finish light bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium or touch more. Carbonation is lightly peppy.

Overall not bad, not really as big you would think.

chocolate, coffee and coconut pave the way in a porter that's designed for a good bourbon barrel slumber. Upland takes an imperial version of their Bad Elmer's Porter to the world of bourbon for that extra malty, candied character.

Dark brown and looking the appearance of a frothy coffee, Bad Elmer's Bourbon Barrel Porter greets the nose with a toasty, chocolatey, coffee-like scent laced with coconut, vanilla, caramel, oak and whisky spice. A full and plush sweetness then coats the tongue with luxurious malt sweetness. Caramel, toffee, chocolate and candied nuttiness comes to mind in a malty-sweet impression.

As the bourbon flavors amplify on the middle palate, the more robust toasty and coffee flavors start to fade into a simple sweetness. A strong vanilla, caramel and candied coconut flavor eventually overtakes the toast for a smooth, sweet and savory character to close out the taste.

Full bodied, sweet and somewhat simple, the Porter takes on bourbon ball candies proportions with a soothing kahlua-like spice that resonates like coffee bourbon late on the palate. It finishes malty-sweet with a long and toasty-sweet linger.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Dan for sharing! Quick review transcribed from written notes.

Pours a dark brownish color with a ruby glint in the light. A thin head of tan foam forms and dissipates after a few minutes. Flecks of spotty foam stick to the glass.

Aroma was the best part, some maple and woody oak, with an indistinct whiff of tart fruit in the background. It had a little bit of complexity there at least.

Flavor was a bit plain, some mild roast and light chicory present, but overall neither here nor there and a bit blasé. Somewhat thin and attenuated body, hallmarks of a Brett infection setting in.

Overall not terrible, but drink 'em if ya got 'em, it's only downhill from here.

 

Bottle shared by mdfb79. Thanks Dan.

The beer is pretty clear, appearing dark brown with a light tan head. The aroma brings some tartness, with brettanomyces, funky, musty fruit, malt. Interesting. The wild yeast really comes through in the flavor. This beer isn't bad, per se, but a small portion is plenty. Wild yeast and porter don't play well together. Light bodied with adequate carbonation. I was intrigued by this beer since I am a huge fan of anything wild / sour, and though this was interesting, I don't feel compelled to have it again. I grow tired of breweries releasing unintentionally infected beers.

Thanks to Dan for sharing this bottle. Served in a SAVOR wine glass.

Pours dark with a thin off-white head and a bit of lacing. The nose brings some roasted malt and a touch of chocolate behind a cherry-like sourness. Not great, but not too off. A bit of bourbon there as well. Bourbon and cherry lactic come through in the flavor. Medium body with a moderate lactic twang to the finish. Decent.

Taken word for word from previous notes.

Pours dark brown with a small tan head leaving little lacing.

Aroma is roasty malt, chocolate covered cherries, brett and just a touch of bourbon

Taste is similar. Definite infection. The bourbon is completely non-existant in the flavor. Cherries, roasted malt and brett are the main components.

Waaay too thin. The bugs must have eaten up what existed of the mouthfeel. Also overcarbonated perhaps due to the same issues.

I don't think this one was planned to have sour components. It ended up way too thin and doesn't have any barrel in the flavor at all.

From 03/09/12 notes. Got this as an extra from eyeenjoybeer; thanks man! From what I've heard, they brewed their normal Bad Elmer's and bourbon barrel aged it for Big Red 1 Liquors, and it got infected with brett. Poured into a Portsmouth tulip.

a - Pours a dark mahogany brown color with one inch of light tan head and low to moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of brett, roasted malts, chocolate, tart cherries and dark fruits, light bourbon. Some porter notes but a lot of sour fruit and brett here, but I like brett so I actually like the nose.

t - Tastes of bourbon, roasted malts, chocolate, brett, vanilla, tart dark fruits, sour cherries, some oak. In the taste you get less of the infection and more of the bourbon and porter qualities, but it doesn't work as well. A step down for me.

m - Medium body and moderate to high carbonation. Overcarbonated, assuming due to the infection.

o - Overall an interesting beer, and I'm guessing not that they planned for, though it still works. I liked the nose as it was just a ton of brett/funk, though the taste wasn't as great. Probably wouldn't seek it out again but was fun to try.

poured cold from the bottle to an against the grain pint mug a deep, dark cola brown with a full finger, big bubbled, short lasting tan head

great big sour aroma of a bit too tart cherries and not much else.

hmmm, certainly not your everyday porter. i'd caught wind that this one was infected with brett and this may or may not be the case, and it may or may not be intentional, but if sour is your thing, this one is worth a try. tart cherries, hints of bourbon, hints of porter.

medium bodied, tart and sour, ultra dry finish.

overall: interesting, i suppose, but not really my cup of joe.