Sarsaparilla 666 Bourbon Barrel Root Beer Stout
Dark Horse Brewing Company

2016 vintage; drank 1/26/16 on draft @ Fountainhead.

Black appearance.

Nice dark tan head; almost no lace.

Vanilla, milk chocolate & root beer notes in the nose.

Medium thick, creamy mouthfeel.

Vanilla, rich milk chocolate & root beer flavors up front; dry oak notes on the finish. No booze heat.

Less sweet than Sarsaparilla Six; an interesting, delicious variant.

 

 

 

On-tap at HopCat Detroit's Wood & Wild a few weeks ago.

While I like this beer, I'll say right off that I'm shocked this has an 88 rating on BA... I assume that the rating is that high because people are like me -- likely trying this because they're fans of root beer.

Truthfully one of the more unique beers I have had. Unlike "Not Your Father's", this actually has some beer flavor to it, and the bourbon barrel is a great compliment to the sarsaparilla -- BUT -- this beer comes off as borderline cloying. Maybe that's the wrong word ... I don't so much find it too sweet, as much as the flavor of the sarsaparilla becomes a bit much and prevents me from imagining drinking much more than the snifter I had of it.

At 12%, this beer will hit you hard. It drinks a bit warm, but I would have figured this was about 8% ABV rather than the 12% it clocks in at if I hadn't known better.

Looks like oil, smells like root beer, and tastes like bourbon-y, oak-y root (or birch) beer with a beer-like roastiness.

Super interesting, and glad to have tried it.

 

 

Bottle was a gusher, got all over the place. Some root beer flavor, but not enough. Not much barrel. Kind of a mess overall. Thinner than I expect from a barrel aged stout.

 

This thing was all over the place, I'll never drink it again.

 

 

2015 vintage
black wax top 12oz bottle poured into a teku

A- we've got a gusher. After frantically pouring into the glass, it pours jet black with a dark brown foamy head that retains for a while, but eventually dissipates to leave nothing behind

S- aroma immediately gives off notes of sassafras root, followed by undertones of smoky charred malt, dark chocolate, black licorice, wet oak & hints of vanilla & cinnamon. Not finding any bourbon in the aroma

T- sassafras root flavor up front just like on the nose, almost imparts a cinnamon-like flavor. The mid palate brings some dark chocolate and black licorice flavors, followed by tons of woody & earthy notes. The finish gives a bit of vanilla with a linger of more sassafras root and impressions of cinnamon, maybe just a hint of bourbon

M- medium body and carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel that continues into the finish, abv is hidden well

O- really enjoyed the root beer notes throughout. It tastes very much like cinnamon, and gives off the flavor of a Mexican spiced stout without the pepper heat, very good

 

 

 

Ruby brown to deep brown in color with an inch plus of head that settles to maybe a quarter of an inch. Lacing is moderate as it drinks down.

Smell is dominated by a mix of saparilla, oak, and wood, with more subtle vanilla.

Taste is root beer up mixed roasted malt filled by bourbon in the middle and a saparilla oaky finish.

Mouthful is medium and a bit thin. Carbonation is medium to high. Finish is dry and lingers.

This beer is probably a love it or hate it. The aroma of saparilla and oak is very strong. The taste is much better and mimics a root beer with its profile. Very drinkable with hidden alcohol. I would try it if on tap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like this beer alot, tastes of vanilla, chocolate , and sarsaparilla. Has a nice body for a lower abv beer 8.5%. Not sure why it says 12% maybe early version was stronger? I would love to have some more!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 ounce bottle into snifter, 2015 vintage bottling. Pours pitch black color with a 1 finger dense tan head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a light amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big milk chocolate, caramel, vanilla, toffee, brown sugar, molasses, licorice, mint, cola, wood, light bourbon, and herbal/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roasted malt, vanilla/root spice, and bourbon barrel notes; with great strength. Taste of big milk chocolate, vanilla, toffee, brown sugar, molasses, licorice, mint, cola, wood, light bourbon, and herbal/oak earthiness. Light herbal/woody spiciness and roast bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of milk chocolate, caramel, vanilla, toffee, brown sugar, molasses, licorice, mint, wood, light bourbon, and herbal/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roasted malt, vanilla/root spice, and bourbon barrel flavors; with a great malt/spice balance and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a very smooth and creamy/silky mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is an awesome barrel aged spiced imperial stout style. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roasted malt, vanilla/root spice, and bourbon barrel flavors; and very smooth to drink for the ABV. The overall bourbon presence was low; but the silky mouthfeel and additional flavor complexity that go along with barrel aging were very prominent. A highly enjoyable offering.