Bourbon Barrel Brown
Chatham Brewing, LLC
- From:
- Chatham Brewing, LLC
- New York, United States
- Style:
- American Brown Ale
- ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- 84
- Avg:
- 3.64 | pDev: 15.66%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jan 11, 2026
- Added:
- Aug 21, 2012
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good
A malty, toasty American Brown Ale infused with rich vanilla tones from Hillrock Bourbon barrels.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by orcrist_cleaver from New York
3/5 rDev -17.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -17.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Attractive from afar. Walnut brown, good lacing, nicely Tanned head. Aroma and MF are weak. Too thin with no body for any flavors to grip. I've never described a beer as being bland, but that seems right.
Nov 06, 2015
Reviewed by ONovoMexicano from New Mexico
3.73/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.73/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Bomber poured into a nonic imperial pint glass. Thanks to cavedave for this one.
Foamy, creamy cream-colored head forms a finger or two thicks and settles into a film across the top of the liquid. The liquid is brown with amber hues. Some clarity is visible despite the dark body. Very nice. 4.5
Smells caramel-like and pungent with oak and the mash smell from bourbon. Not particularly bourbon-like, but that's cool. Certainly retains the aroma of a brown, malt-heavy and a touch floral. 4
I'm getting a bit of tartness on the taste and feel, but I'm also getting a lot of delicious caramel, toffee, and bourbon and oak flavor. The tartness suggests some cherry even. The finish is chocolatey and cherry. I'd say there's a nice medley of flavors here, even though I also feel it's a bit off given the tartness that probably was not intended. 3.75
The body here is a bit thin and leaves a bit to be desired and there's the aforementioned tartness which prevent me from loving how this drinks. There's a potent rush of carbonation feel mid-palate that livens things up before a wet finish. It's decent in how it drinks but I'm not entirely enamored. 3
This was interesting in that I really had to scrutinize it just to decide whether I liked it or not. Ultimately, I think I do, but I'm not 100% sold.
Jul 19, 2015Foamy, creamy cream-colored head forms a finger or two thicks and settles into a film across the top of the liquid. The liquid is brown with amber hues. Some clarity is visible despite the dark body. Very nice. 4.5
Smells caramel-like and pungent with oak and the mash smell from bourbon. Not particularly bourbon-like, but that's cool. Certainly retains the aroma of a brown, malt-heavy and a touch floral. 4
I'm getting a bit of tartness on the taste and feel, but I'm also getting a lot of delicious caramel, toffee, and bourbon and oak flavor. The tartness suggests some cherry even. The finish is chocolatey and cherry. I'd say there's a nice medley of flavors here, even though I also feel it's a bit off given the tartness that probably was not intended. 3.75
The body here is a bit thin and leaves a bit to be desired and there's the aforementioned tartness which prevent me from loving how this drinks. There's a potent rush of carbonation feel mid-palate that livens things up before a wet finish. It's decent in how it drinks but I'm not entirely enamored. 3
This was interesting in that I really had to scrutinize it just to decide whether I liked it or not. Ultimately, I think I do, but I'm not 100% sold.
Reviewed by cavedave from New York
4.25/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Really has the look of a porter, very dark brown, with a finger of dark beige foam that falls to a thick fringe and skim.
Full aroma, fronted by vanilla and caramel, light herbal hop in there, some floral notes, but the stars here are a delicious sweet caramel, very bright vanilla, and brown bread.
Yeasty tart joins the sip, which includes all the aromas in delicious balance. End of sip is lightly herbal bitter, but it stays juicy and the vanilla hangs in there to the end.
Nicely viscous and medium carb. to frame some quite delicious and clean flavors. Killer finish for a brown ale.
What a surprise. Chatham has made mostly mediocre beer for many years, but this one is quite excellent, and I recommend it if you can find it.
Jun 14, 2015Full aroma, fronted by vanilla and caramel, light herbal hop in there, some floral notes, but the stars here are a delicious sweet caramel, very bright vanilla, and brown bread.
Yeasty tart joins the sip, which includes all the aromas in delicious balance. End of sip is lightly herbal bitter, but it stays juicy and the vanilla hangs in there to the end.
Nicely viscous and medium carb. to frame some quite delicious and clean flavors. Killer finish for a brown ale.
What a surprise. Chatham has made mostly mediocre beer for many years, but this one is quite excellent, and I recommend it if you can find it.
Reviewed by mitch3114 from New York
4.25/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +16.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from 22 oz. bomber into snifter...several poutings until gone!
A- Beer poured a nice dark brownish color with a dash of red. A nice off-white, tan head.
S- Luscious, bourbon, malty essences fill the senses. Bold. Not a bit of hops, but bold. All the nuances meld together to create a great smelling dessert beer.
T- One very distinct taste for me...oddly, apples and apple skin, stems. Sweet, brown sugar, bourbon, vanilla and a very organic apple taste.
M- This was very enjoyable. I would guess this was around 9% ABV, as there was no designation on the label. This was neither harsh nor cloying. It was balanced very well.
O- The balance on this bee is impeccable, although very much malt forward, but this beer I don't believe to be too old, maybe a few months as my best friend gave me this as part of a hand picked gift basket to induct me as best man for his wedding. The bourbon was not harsh and the rest of the beer was actually quite mellow for such a strong entry. I liked this beer for its style and originality. I also liked the apple characteristic that I picked up
Feb 03, 2015A- Beer poured a nice dark brownish color with a dash of red. A nice off-white, tan head.
S- Luscious, bourbon, malty essences fill the senses. Bold. Not a bit of hops, but bold. All the nuances meld together to create a great smelling dessert beer.
T- One very distinct taste for me...oddly, apples and apple skin, stems. Sweet, brown sugar, bourbon, vanilla and a very organic apple taste.
M- This was very enjoyable. I would guess this was around 9% ABV, as there was no designation on the label. This was neither harsh nor cloying. It was balanced very well.
O- The balance on this bee is impeccable, although very much malt forward, but this beer I don't believe to be too old, maybe a few months as my best friend gave me this as part of a hand picked gift basket to induct me as best man for his wedding. The bourbon was not harsh and the rest of the beer was actually quite mellow for such a strong entry. I liked this beer for its style and originality. I also liked the apple characteristic that I picked up
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