Bourbon Barrel Porter (BBP) | AleWerks Brewing Company

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

5/5  rDev +17.1%

My favorite beer. So damn complex and drinkable, huge aroma and flavor. As good as any beer I've ever had. Caramel, toffee, brown sugar, molasses, dark northwest cherries, freshly picked blackberries, chocolate, vanilla, coconut, butterscotch, oak, and bourbon. Yea I said all that. One bottle I swear tasted a little coffee even. Beyond smooth, and drinks much bigger than the listed 9%. Must be some damn good barrels, and the base beer is also amazing. Reasonably priced and overall perfect every time. Yes, perfect.

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4.81/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A phenomenal porter. Next to world-class.

Look: Pours thick and oily. A viscous and luscious beer looking at that low carbonation, next to no lacing and liberal amount of overall foam.

Smell: Bourbon, coffee, dark chocolate, plums, milk, and cookie sweetness.

Taste: Similar to smell, but far better. You get a buttery and textured taste that announces all those nuances in flavor. This is an incredible porter that will only get better with age. The bourbon presence is certainly established, but not overwhelming. This is essentially a chocolate mocha with a heavy dosage of vanilla, bourbon and charred malt. This is reminiscent of Alewerks' Cafe Royale, but more oily with a boozy complexion that equates to a porters' smokiness.

Feel: Medium-bodied with low carbonation and a lingering aftertaste. Keep enjoying it.

Overall: Will continue buying as long as I see it on shelves. This is a phenomenal beer that will do well with cellaring. Will update with a 6 month and 1 year date.

Edit: 1 year aged is incredible. Very few barrel-aged beers hold up nearly as well as this deliciousness. Bourbon and wood somehow got more pronounced while the smoky characteristics of the porter died away.

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4.34/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.6/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

split with hu5om (who received this as an extra in a trade) in guiness glasses.

A: inky black pour with hints of brown, with a thin ring of tan foam around the edges.

S: exceptionally smoky, a slight bourbon burn as a mild after-aroma.

T: front heavy smoke flavors, nearly overwhelming the faint bourbon aftertaste that is noticeable as it slides down the throat. also a mixture of caramel, toffee, and vanilla lost in the abundant smokiness.

MF/D: quick sizzle of carbonation that fizzles on the tongue for a smooth swallow. tastes eerily similar to a stout, but isnt that what an imperial porter should be? leaves a subtle tingling sensation as it warms.

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4.16/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Completely stunning. From start to finish, it is remarkable.

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4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

4.37/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

3.5/5  rDev -18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

4.32/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this and a few others up at the Grape and Gourmet in VA Beach while doing an art show with my folks. Great shop too by the way!

Appearance- Pours an opaque black out of the bottle. Very aggressive pour yields about an eighth inch of creamy brown head that shortly turns into a patchy sheet but otherwise sticks around. Mild amounts of lacing left as well while I drink.

Smell- Nose primarily consists of notes of roasted malt, along with lots of wood, vanilla, and bourbon integrated in a big way. Most all of the smells I expect from a good bourbon barrel beer.

Taste- Palate very similar in its emphasis on vanilla and wood right off the bat. Backed up and rounded out with more roasted malt notes, but I also get a lot of dark chocolate flavors coming through here as well. Big but well rounded.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability- Mouthfeel is substantial and creamy and drinkability is very solid for the style. I didn't have any trouble polishing off the remainder of my beer.

Overall, a very solid BB porter. I thought this was a vast improvement over Williamsburg Alewerk's base porter. Worth a try if you can get this beer.

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4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

4/5  rDev -6.3%

Nice bourbon presence with a deeper porter mouthfeel to help balance it out a bit. Slightly hot but not over powering. Makes me curious about the base beer as this is a fantastic BA Porter. First from Alewerks for me. Def bourbon forward but worth trying if you trend toward more bourbon heavy BA beers.

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4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

3.92/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Large shared bottle.
Rich and rather boozy although the alcohol is well hidden in the mouthfeel. Still, warms as swallowed. Light wood but plenty of whisky in this ale. Full body with good if light carbonation. Bitter sweet with too much booze in the flavor.

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4/5  rDev -6.3%

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

3.75/5  rDev -12.2%

4/5  rDev -6.3%

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%