Barrel-Aged VJ Black
Atwater Brewery

The pour is stout black with a brown head that never quite covers the surface. Of course, if this is from 2018, little wonder. (I was unable to find the date)
The taste is actually quite good, got the vanilla, got the coffee, and the stout was present and accounted for. The barrel is still strong as is the bourbon. Surprised by that.
The feel is thinner than expected and hoped for. The carbonation is all but gone, but it is still quaffable.
OA, rather wish I had this years ago. But happy to have been able to try it finally.

12 oz bottle, 2018 vintage, poured into a snifter at 55 degrees F:
L - black with a hazelnut head that lingered around the edges
S - bourbon, coffee
T - wonderful blend of bourbon and coffee, neither overpowers the other; touch of vanilla on the finish
F - medium to thick with minimal carbonation
O - very nice beer, especially for the price

 

 

 

 

 

12 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled in 10/2018. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a small fairly dense and fluffy khaki head with solid retention, that reduces to a thin spotty lace cap that lingers. Minimal spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Good appearance. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roasted coffee, vanilla, cream, marshmallow, fudge, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, nuts, and dark bread; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, raisin, prune, fig, date, smoke, char, leather, tobacco, herbal, and yeast/roast/toast/oaky earthiness. Slight booze in the aromas as it warms, but not overwhelming. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt, vanilla, coffee, bourbon barrels, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roasted coffee, vanilla, cream, marshmallow, fudge, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, nuts, and dark bread; with lighter notes of molasses, licorice, raisin, prune, fig, date, smoke, char, leather, tobacco, herbal, and yeast/roast/toast/oaky earthiness. Mild herbal, roast, char bitterness; and bourbon/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roasted coffee, vanilla, cream, marshmallow, fudge, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, nuts, dark bread, light molasses/dark fruit, smoke, char, leather, tobacco, herbal, and yeast/roast/toast/oaky earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, vanilla, coffee, bourbon barrels, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; with a great roast/hop bitter/sweet and bourbon/oak spiciness balance; with no cloying, acrid, astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering hop/char bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready, and lightly sticky/chalky/tannic mouthfeel that is great. Mildly increasing warmth of 11%, with minimal barrel booziness lingering after the finish. Overall this is an excellent barrel aged flavored imperial stout. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, vanilla, coffee, bourbon barrels, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the big ABV with the mellowly bitter/tannic/drying finish. Great balance of rich malts, vanilla, coffee, and bourbon barrel presence/integration; with light fruity yeast and earthy hop balance. Not overly boozy/tannic on barrels, or bitter/charred on malts. A very enjoyable offering, and impressive style example. Very minimal complaints.

Very nice new beer from a great local brewery. Pours a nice dark brown, oily, almost black color with just a little mild head and very minimal lingering lacing. Smells very nice, a combination of deep rich chocolate, medium coffee, bourbon, roasted nuttiness, raisin, plum and some malt. Taste follows the nose, along with some nice wood, caramel, vanilla and just a hint of cherry. Smooth, slightly heavy mouthfeel, almost chewy and thick and coats the tongue. Just a little hint of creaminess. Good carbonation. Definitely a sipper as you can really feel the high ABV hit you. Beer smooths out a little as it warms.