Bourbon Baby
BrewDog
- From:
- BrewDog
- Scotland, United Kingdom
- Style:
- Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Ranked #152 - ABV:
- 5.8%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #26,354 - Avg:
- 3.81 | pDev: 10.5%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 14
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 23, 2022
- Added:
- Jun 23, 2014
- Wants:
- 5
- Gots:
- 13
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good
Bourbon Baby is a baby scotch ale, which we've gone on to age in bourbon barrels. The scotch ale base is light bodied and low ABV, and brings toasted shortcake and blossom honey flavours; the barrel ageing adds a demonic, dark vanilla twist. Rich brown sugar, hints of smoke, spiced fruit, chocolate and raisins are just some of the multitude of flavours that have developed.
Our aim was to showcase barrel ageing in a lower ABV beer and the malty scotch ale base was the perfect way to do this. The body remains light, yet there is a complexity quite unlike anything you would normally expect in a scotch ale.
Our aim was to showcase barrel ageing in a lower ABV beer and the malty scotch ale base was the perfect way to do this. The body remains light, yet there is a complexity quite unlike anything you would normally expect in a scotch ale.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Evil_Pidde:
Rated by Evil_Pidde from Sweden
3.04/5 rDev -20.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Oct 30, 2015
3.04/5 rDev -20.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Oct 30, 2015
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sample from bottle in the Malt & Humle tent at Gladmatfestivalen 2014, Stavanger. Black colour, tan head. Medium roasty aroma and flavour, distinct notes of bourbon oak cask throughout, but far from extreme. For a BrewDog beer, this one is smooth and easy to drink. Nice. Will buy again, and rerate.
Jan 23, 2022
Reviewed by jazzyjeff13 from England
3.76/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.76/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
A 330ml bottle with a BB of Feb 2015, so it's well out of date. Acquired from the Brewdog webshop and stashed away in a cupboard. With the bourbon influence I'm hoping it has held up....
A: Poured into a tulip. Appears bottle conditioned; rather lively. A dark reddish-brown colour that looks black in the glass. Holding it to the light reveals intense carbonation. Yields a large head of creamy tan foam with excellent retention - this slowly settles as a thick surface layer.
S: Aroma of bourbon and sweet malt with hints of caramel malt, toffee, brown sugar, dried fruit, ale yeast, subtle wood, a twinge of vanilla and faint stewed leaves. Perhaps light oxidation. Pretty good - nice balance between malt and bourbon.
T: Tastes of rich bourbon and sweet malt, with notes of caramel/toffee, brown sugar, dried fruit, ale yeast, wood, mild vanilla and vague stewed leaves. A warming whiff of booze in the background, accompanied by a touch of oxidation and a harsh stale quality. Quite sweet, with a moderate bitterness upon swallowing.
M: Mouthfeel is smooth and tingly, with lively carbonation and decent body. A bit thin for the style. Aftertaste of bourbon, caramel malt, brown sugar, fruitiness and ale yeast.
O: A pretty good effort that has held up well, though showing its age a little. Looks great, while the aroma and flavour are a complex blend of bourbon, sweet malt, fruitiness and yeast. Subtle oxidation lurks in the background. Body is OK but insubstantial - could be thicker. A decent entry-level barrel-aged beer. Worth sampling if you like that sort of thing.
Oct 22, 2017A: Poured into a tulip. Appears bottle conditioned; rather lively. A dark reddish-brown colour that looks black in the glass. Holding it to the light reveals intense carbonation. Yields a large head of creamy tan foam with excellent retention - this slowly settles as a thick surface layer.
S: Aroma of bourbon and sweet malt with hints of caramel malt, toffee, brown sugar, dried fruit, ale yeast, subtle wood, a twinge of vanilla and faint stewed leaves. Perhaps light oxidation. Pretty good - nice balance between malt and bourbon.
T: Tastes of rich bourbon and sweet malt, with notes of caramel/toffee, brown sugar, dried fruit, ale yeast, wood, mild vanilla and vague stewed leaves. A warming whiff of booze in the background, accompanied by a touch of oxidation and a harsh stale quality. Quite sweet, with a moderate bitterness upon swallowing.
M: Mouthfeel is smooth and tingly, with lively carbonation and decent body. A bit thin for the style. Aftertaste of bourbon, caramel malt, brown sugar, fruitiness and ale yeast.
O: A pretty good effort that has held up well, though showing its age a little. Looks great, while the aroma and flavour are a complex blend of bourbon, sweet malt, fruitiness and yeast. Subtle oxidation lurks in the background. Body is OK but insubstantial - could be thicker. A decent entry-level barrel-aged beer. Worth sampling if you like that sort of thing.
Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand
4.47/5 rDev +17.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.47/5 rDev +17.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Dark brown with a ruby tinge when held to the light. Topped with 4 fingers of light beige, frothy head.
Smells of bourbon straight away. Bourbon, butter, rum, sweet and candy like.
The bourbon is strong on the tongue too. Underneath that, there is a dark, toasted malt taste much like a stout. Butterscotch, hence the wee heavy?
Medium, slightly light body, with a solid, foamy carbonation. Very good feel.
They nailed what they were headed for in the description. Beautiful barrel aging at a lower abv. Really digging this brew. Got and drank in Chiang Mai, June 14th, 2017.
Jun 14, 2017Smells of bourbon straight away. Bourbon, butter, rum, sweet and candy like.
The bourbon is strong on the tongue too. Underneath that, there is a dark, toasted malt taste much like a stout. Butterscotch, hence the wee heavy?
Medium, slightly light body, with a solid, foamy carbonation. Very good feel.
They nailed what they were headed for in the description. Beautiful barrel aging at a lower abv. Really digging this brew. Got and drank in Chiang Mai, June 14th, 2017.
Reviewed by Everydayoff from Thailand
4.08/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On-tap served in a pint glass at Taproom, Bangkok.
The beer comes with very dark brown to almost black in color with some ruddy tinge around the edge when hits the light, it tops with thick silky tan head that is here to stay with great retention before slowly sinking to everlasting foamy crown on the surface, plenty of intricate, refined yet sticky lacing illustrated along the way down.
In a nose, there is malt as a base with caramel, toasted bread and chocolate. Bourbon age summons vanilla, solid smokiness, and cherry. Some spicy hop with a tart and sour raisin too, very interesting aroma.
Generous malty goodness sweeps all over the palate with notes of caramel, toffee, chocolate, brown sugar, and toasted bread. Then it is bourbon flavor with its vanilla, oaky spice, and smoky, same time as hop yields its solid sourness and tart raisin to add some complexity as well as slight bitter and slight astringency in the aftertaste.
The body is still relatively light even it holds an intense bourbon character, smooth with a soft effervescence through the palate and some crispness, dry finish.
This beer proves bourbon age doesn’t need to be hefty in alcohol and body and still be able to exhibit its rich bourbon character in both aroma and flavor, very whiskey-like, complex and same time so sessionable.
Dec 21, 2016The beer comes with very dark brown to almost black in color with some ruddy tinge around the edge when hits the light, it tops with thick silky tan head that is here to stay with great retention before slowly sinking to everlasting foamy crown on the surface, plenty of intricate, refined yet sticky lacing illustrated along the way down.
In a nose, there is malt as a base with caramel, toasted bread and chocolate. Bourbon age summons vanilla, solid smokiness, and cherry. Some spicy hop with a tart and sour raisin too, very interesting aroma.
Generous malty goodness sweeps all over the palate with notes of caramel, toffee, chocolate, brown sugar, and toasted bread. Then it is bourbon flavor with its vanilla, oaky spice, and smoky, same time as hop yields its solid sourness and tart raisin to add some complexity as well as slight bitter and slight astringency in the aftertaste.
The body is still relatively light even it holds an intense bourbon character, smooth with a soft effervescence through the palate and some crispness, dry finish.
This beer proves bourbon age doesn’t need to be hefty in alcohol and body and still be able to exhibit its rich bourbon character in both aroma and flavor, very whiskey-like, complex and same time so sessionable.
Reviewed by NilocRellim from Minnesota
4.25/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
Deep clear garnet colour. Bourbon and brown sugar nose, cake and a bit of booziness. Lighter than expecyed; medium-bodied wee scotch ale. Caramel malt, honey notes a slight toasty smokiness upfront, followed by a light boozy and buttery bourbon finish that lingers.
Jun 26, 2016
Reviewed by JoeBowles from England
4.67/5 rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
4.67/5 rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Stumbled across this bad boy by accident. My new favorite scotch ale. It's unlike many scotch ales I've tried before, lighter then it's style suggests. rich malty fragrance, thick brown head, surprisingly delicate as it goes down, and it goes down very easy.
Apr 05, 2016
Reviewed by craftbeersweden from Sweden
3.4/5 rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.4/5 rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Clear dark brown, fading to black. A two finger high, beige-brown head that leaves a lot of lacing on the glass.
Nose: Bourbon, vanilla, oak, toffee, whipped cream, milk chocolate, molasses, nuts, roasted malt and caramel.
Taste: Dark bread, toffee, some sour taste, red berries, a bit of bourbon, roasted malt, coffee and dark syrup.
Body: Light body and light to medium carbonation. Dry ending.
Conclusion: The nose is great and promise a lot but the body and taste doesen't live up to the nose...
I don't know if this beer will get better over time because I will not cellar it. I have my doubts...
So if you LOVE bourbon - Go get it but otherwise... there's a lot of great beers out there...
Nov 03, 2015Nose: Bourbon, vanilla, oak, toffee, whipped cream, milk chocolate, molasses, nuts, roasted malt and caramel.
Taste: Dark bread, toffee, some sour taste, red berries, a bit of bourbon, roasted malt, coffee and dark syrup.
Body: Light body and light to medium carbonation. Dry ending.
Conclusion: The nose is great and promise a lot but the body and taste doesen't live up to the nose...
I don't know if this beer will get better over time because I will not cellar it. I have my doubts...
So if you LOVE bourbon - Go get it but otherwise... there's a lot of great beers out there...
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