Across The Alley
Cigar City Brewing

750ml bottle poured into a snifter

A- pours jet black with a one-finger foamy khaki head that quickly reduces to a ring around the glass

S- bold chocolate aroma up front with an equal amount of barrel to compliment, adding sharp oak, barrel juice and vanilla. Undertones of charred malt, day old coffee, toffee and a hint of a nutty note to close it out

T- rich cocoa and chocolate up front give notes of pure brownie batter and chocolate syrup. Mid-palate brings out notes of creamy vanilla, followed by some earthy espresso. As it nears the finish, the barrel takes center stage, adding barrel juice, wet oak and enhancing that vanilla note. Lingers of brownie batter and bourbon

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel that turns slightly creamy into the finish, abv is hidden well for 14.3%

O- chocolatey, bourbon, vanilla, good stuff

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance - The beer was black in appearance, having a dark mocha colored head crowning the glass.

Smell - The nose was both chocolate and cinnamon with a definite boozy presence.

Taste - The first impression was boozy chocolate with a nice cinnamon burn. Actual coconut flakes were noted in some pours. There was a big coconut presence; vanilla was less represented. A light cinnamon burn was noted in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - The feel was slick with light carbonation.

Overall - I would have liked to have seen some of the adjuncts shine a little bit more. Otherwise, this was well done.

 

 

Got this one from desp a while back. Cheers!

From a 750 into a snifter
IBU: 62
SRM: 37
El Cat 9th Edition
Bottled 18 December 2018
Collaboration with 3 Sons Brewing
Bourbon barrel aged imperial stout with chocolate, vanilla and coffee

APPEARANCE: Clear black pour is syrupy, yielding a one finger, medium looking, slightly foamy tan head with okay retention. Head recedes to a half wisp and ring rather quickly. Black body with no real carbonation evident. A slight ring ring remains but leaves no real lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Lots of bourbon barrel with oak, roasted coffee aromas, vanilla cream and milk chocolate, as well as some bold alcohol on the nose.

TASTE: Roasted coffee aromas with vanilla cream and milk chocolate sweetness, bourbon and oak, as well as a solid slap of booze at the swallow. Bold finish of bourbon, oak and wood flavors, vanilla cream and butterscotch sweetness, milk and pure chocolate, some roasted, bitter coffee and alcohol linger nicely on the palate.

PALATE: Medium body and slightly higher levels of carbonation. A bit prickly on the palate but creamy enough still, goes down fine with a decent burn and finishes sticky on the palate. Some solid heat lingers.

OVERALL: I will admit that the 14% is rather challenging here. The aroma and flavor profile are right up my alley, but its heavier alcoholic character, with a prickly feel and boozier finish, makes it somewhat overwhelming. If it were 11% or so, it’d be golden. That said, I love me a good bourbon BA coffee stout and this certainly has everything I need. It will certainly satisfy any CCB fan who likes it a little on the rougher side as well. Thanks again, desp!

Received in a trade and shared with JLindros.

A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip a nice dark brown almost black hue with a thin quarter inch mocha head that fades to leave light wisps and decent lacing.

S - Aromas of rich barrel notes, flashes of chocolate fudge and cookies, The vanilla is pleasant and softer, mixing nicely with the barrel elements. The coffee is somewhat muted though due to either age or the barrel itself.

T - Taste is much better than the nose. Big, creamy fudgy chocolate and brownies. Loads of vanilla and juicy bourbon as well as flashes of coffee. More well rounded mocha as opposed to a darker roast. Almost chocolate cookie dough batter with some subtle sweetness. Aclohol pokes in and out, finish is lightly bitter and warming without becomign aggressively boozy.

M - Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated, creamy, alcohol hidden nicely with peasant barrel finish.

O - Overall this was a very enjoyable stout. Greatr adjunct notes with tons of fudgy chocolate and bourbon. Very pleasant barrel aspects going on without there being that much alcohol.

Serving Type: Bottle

Thanks to rudzud for sharing, likely 12/2018 but no date on it
Pours with basically no head, touch of foam and lacing, thick glass coating and fair legs, pitch black beer

Nose dark chocolate cocoa, some smooth vanilla both from earthy vanilla and toasted vanilla barrel, fudgey cocoa, a little light whiskey like characters, a little coffee but not a ton, some perfumey alcohol

Taste brings loads of vanilla, rich vanilla and candy, a bit of lactose like milk chocolate likely from the vanilla, mild roasted coffee, plenty of cocoa and dark chocolate, smooth fudgey cocoa, some bitter roast and slight spicy hop bitterness, light toasted oak barrel with very light whiskey slightly bourbon flavor, light alcohol flavor, that increases to a little tingle on the finish, heavy syrupy like malt, finishes with heavy alcohol and thick dark malts, sticky full

Mouth is fuller thicker bod, med foamy carb, fair warming tingly alcohol

Overall pretty nice, barrel was decent, dark chocolate cocoa etc was well done, vanilla was nice, coffee was decent, enjoyable beer despite being super big

 

Poured a black body with almost no head or lace ring. Chocolate fudge-like aroma that reminds me of a Keebler elf cookie. Thick, sticky, chocolate and hint of vanilla aroma with a chewy thickness and touch of roasted malt and coffee dryness. Hard to discern everything b/c the ABV is real high yet mostly hidden and the beer finishes only slightly dry as there is some sweetness in finish as well.