Class X (Bourbon Barrel Aged Class V)
Kern River Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats
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- Style:
- Stout - American Imperial
Ranked #156 - ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 97
Ranked #748 - Avg:
- 4.44 | pDev: 10.59%
- Reviews:
- 19
- Ratings:
- From:
- Kern River Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Avail:
- Rotating/Seasonal
- Wants
- 55
- Gots
- 2
SCORE
97
World-Class
97
World-Class
Notes:
Reviews: 19
| Ratings: 115
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Reviews by mhksuccess:
More User Reviews:
kiki3drt292 from California
4.28/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Feb 01, 2015
4.28/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Feb 01, 2015
Cavery from California
4.25/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Had on nitro-tap yesterday at Blue Palms 3rd, was a good time!
Review from notes
A: Super dark brown, but I wouldn't quite call it black. There was just the slightest noticeable "off" color for it to feign blacks. Some really woody almost cinnamon stick brown bubbles. The beer is looking like a very thick glass of stained dark woods. A drinkable piece of fancy furniture. Light film layer remains on the top of the glass like a breakable crust.
S: Thick ingredient heavy dark chocolates in thick fluffy oatmeal. There's a little bit of crystallized sugar on cocoa nibs and some high quality toffee sweetness. This only barely hits the realm of dark fruits in form of figs, but really this nose is all about the deep woods -- lots of woody character that makes the bourbon more nutty than sweet. The wood is the nut shell on the nutty meats of bourbon.
T: Lots of fluffy toffee flavors that mixes chocolate shavings with almond frosted chocolate cakes. Bourbon hits more like a nutty chocolate ganache than boozy sweetness. The woodiness really orients the flavor; and perhaps even overwhelms alcohols. The bourbon flavor still comes through, but is quite augmented by the thickness of ingredients. I almost want to say there is a "whole wheat" like fullness to the flavor. I'd say it's unusually balanced for a BA beer.
M: A solid semi-dry mouth that exhibits a fullness from oat-heavy feels. Mildly astringent tannins without inhibiting the overall feel. Fluffy light on the tongue while still coming off full. This is chock full of ingredients, but having this on nitro makes for a bit of a head trip. It's a chewable cloud, wrap your head around that one.
O: This is really impressive, and I think this one will really age a long while. I think having this on nitro may have elevated the overall feel of this beer, and I'd wonder about it without the nitro. There is a little bit of ash-like tobacco that creeps in between the transition of oatmeal to bourbon, but other than that it's super solid. I'd be very curious to watch this one over time, as I think it has miles to go before the full flavor is mapped out. Kern really impressed me here, as this is something really great from them that isn't some sort of IPA madness. They can do it all! If you get the chance, give it a try and report your experience.
Aug 14, 2011
4.25/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Had on nitro-tap yesterday at Blue Palms 3rd, was a good time!
Review from notes
A: Super dark brown, but I wouldn't quite call it black. There was just the slightest noticeable "off" color for it to feign blacks. Some really woody almost cinnamon stick brown bubbles. The beer is looking like a very thick glass of stained dark woods. A drinkable piece of fancy furniture. Light film layer remains on the top of the glass like a breakable crust.
S: Thick ingredient heavy dark chocolates in thick fluffy oatmeal. There's a little bit of crystallized sugar on cocoa nibs and some high quality toffee sweetness. This only barely hits the realm of dark fruits in form of figs, but really this nose is all about the deep woods -- lots of woody character that makes the bourbon more nutty than sweet. The wood is the nut shell on the nutty meats of bourbon.
T: Lots of fluffy toffee flavors that mixes chocolate shavings with almond frosted chocolate cakes. Bourbon hits more like a nutty chocolate ganache than boozy sweetness. The woodiness really orients the flavor; and perhaps even overwhelms alcohols. The bourbon flavor still comes through, but is quite augmented by the thickness of ingredients. I almost want to say there is a "whole wheat" like fullness to the flavor. I'd say it's unusually balanced for a BA beer.
M: A solid semi-dry mouth that exhibits a fullness from oat-heavy feels. Mildly astringent tannins without inhibiting the overall feel. Fluffy light on the tongue while still coming off full. This is chock full of ingredients, but having this on nitro makes for a bit of a head trip. It's a chewable cloud, wrap your head around that one.
O: This is really impressive, and I think this one will really age a long while. I think having this on nitro may have elevated the overall feel of this beer, and I'd wonder about it without the nitro. There is a little bit of ash-like tobacco that creeps in between the transition of oatmeal to bourbon, but other than that it's super solid. I'd be very curious to watch this one over time, as I think it has miles to go before the full flavor is mapped out. Kern really impressed me here, as this is something really great from them that isn't some sort of IPA madness. They can do it all! If you get the chance, give it a try and report your experience.
Aug 14, 2011
MrVonzipper from California
4.88/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Pitch black with huge khaki foamy head. Crazy amounts of perfect layered lacing after the epic retention.
Huge robust nose bursting with notes of coffee, chocolate, molasses, oak and mild bourbon.
Huge amazing flavor! Just Bursting flavor and perfectly balanced. Amazing coffee, molasses, bourbon, brown sugar, chocolate, caramel and light bourbon make up the close to if not perfect range and depth of flavor.
Full bodied yet lightened from the nitro, silky and creamy luscious mouth and carbonation.
Overall this is just an amazing beer. I was so glad I had a couple at the Citra release today. If I could only have this and Citra for the rest of my life to drink. I'd be a happy man!
Nov 26, 2011
4.88/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Pitch black with huge khaki foamy head. Crazy amounts of perfect layered lacing after the epic retention.
Huge robust nose bursting with notes of coffee, chocolate, molasses, oak and mild bourbon.
Huge amazing flavor! Just Bursting flavor and perfectly balanced. Amazing coffee, molasses, bourbon, brown sugar, chocolate, caramel and light bourbon make up the close to if not perfect range and depth of flavor.
Full bodied yet lightened from the nitro, silky and creamy luscious mouth and carbonation.
Overall this is just an amazing beer. I was so glad I had a couple at the Citra release today. If I could only have this and Citra for the rest of my life to drink. I'd be a happy man!
Nov 26, 2011
DarthKostrizer from California
4.58/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Look: Black as night with a 1 inch head great retention and lacing
Smell: Oatmeal bourbon coffee and chocolate
Taste: Bourbon right up front almost to the point where it is too much but in the middle it mellows out perfectly and finishes with the perfect amount of oatmeal coffee bitter chocolate and vanilla. Great flavor
Mouthfeel: Full body low carbonation and a chaulky feel to it
Overall: Amazing BA stout one of the best that I have had. Very highly recommended well done Kern River
Aug 15, 2011
4.58/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Look: Black as night with a 1 inch head great retention and lacing
Smell: Oatmeal bourbon coffee and chocolate
Taste: Bourbon right up front almost to the point where it is too much but in the middle it mellows out perfectly and finishes with the perfect amount of oatmeal coffee bitter chocolate and vanilla. Great flavor
Mouthfeel: Full body low carbonation and a chaulky feel to it
Overall: Amazing BA stout one of the best that I have had. Very highly recommended well done Kern River
Aug 15, 2011
rtaps from California
4.83/5 rDev +8.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Had in nitro-tap at the citra DIPA release.
pitch black with a giant/thick tan head with great retention and lacing.
Has a very nice nose to it. coffee, chocolate. little of the bourbon.
Taste WOW huge flavors. the coffee is great accompanied with chocolate, nutty, brown sugar, bourbon(but not hot)
mouthfeel is great. EXTREMELY easy to drink. smooth,creamy. full bodied, viscous.
overall this beer is fantastic. so easy to drink. went up for the citra and didnt even end up ordering one on tap because of this.
Nov 26, 2011
4.83/5 rDev +8.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Had in nitro-tap at the citra DIPA release.
pitch black with a giant/thick tan head with great retention and lacing.
Has a very nice nose to it. coffee, chocolate. little of the bourbon.
Taste WOW huge flavors. the coffee is great accompanied with chocolate, nutty, brown sugar, bourbon(but not hot)
mouthfeel is great. EXTREMELY easy to drink. smooth,creamy. full bodied, viscous.
overall this beer is fantastic. so easy to drink. went up for the citra and didnt even end up ordering one on tap because of this.
Nov 26, 2011
Class X (Bourbon Barrel Aged Class V) from Kern River Brewing Company
Beer rating:
97 out of
100 with
115 ratings
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