Russian Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
Rock Art Brewery

Sampling a 22 oz bottle at cellar temp and poured into my snifter. Doesnt appear to have a date stamp on the bottle, but I bought this in New Hampshire in summer of 2022. It has been in my cellar since purchase.
The beer pours a dark cola brown with minimal creamy beige head of .5 cm. This foam fades quickly to only the thinnest of edge layers, even though there is an active bubbling on the surface from streams of carbonation.
Aroma is roasted malts a bit of black coffee, loads of bourbon and vanilla and a bit fusol black peppery booze note. No hop character and the booze catches me off guard as its only a 10% ABV stout.
The first sip reveals a medium body and smooth texture with fine and gentle carbonation. Beer drinks pretty easy for smelling so boozy.
Flavor is roasted malts and bourbon hits here too. Not overly complex flavor profile. Bitey booze comes back on the finish and there isnt really any hop presence. Strangely not a ton of warmth on the finish to accompany the black peppery boozy bite.
This feels and tastes like an olde school, no frills Bourbon Barrel Aged Impy Stout. I do think the body is little lighter than I would prefer and its sort of one dimensional. Its fine, but I wouldnt buy this one again.

 

Appearance: Pours coffee colored with a slim tan head that fades; loads of spotty lacing

Smell: Chocolate, oak, brewer's licorice with hints of char and Bourbon

Taste: Chocolate forward with char and brewer's licorice flavors emerging; the Bourbon barrel adds a boozy character, after the swallow; the finish is really ashy

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Overall: More of an old school Imperial Stout with a lower ABV and lighter mouthfeel; I didn't care for the finish

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a jet black color with little head that leaves some lacing and soapy looking bubbles on the glass sides. Smells moderate to strong oak & bourbon with plenty of black licorice, star anise, dark chocolate, and booze. Tastes similar as in the nose with an oily, slick, heavy body, almost chewy & viscous. Aftertaste is bourbon & booze - not that i’m complaining one bit. A big bodied beer with plenty of oomph. A great winter warmer. Glad I picked it up. Think I paid $10 for a bottle right at the brewery during a visit in mid-January 2018.

 

22 oz. bottle to snifter.
The appearance was a pure thick black color with just a slim cap of a little off white foamy head that stifled into a light concave sort of lace touching around the glass.
The aroma had a nice blend of sweet licorice, light char/ash, milk chocolate, vanilla, a little bit of coconut, light earthiness and a touch of bourbon sweetness.
The flavor seemed to lean towards the sweet side initially and then develop some of the char/ashy dry taste that seemed to bring in some bitterness. Light smoke and then dark bread with the dryness of the char/ash in the aftertaste.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sipping quality about it. Definitely not one to gulp, by all means, that ashy/char factor does seem to penetrate a bit more in it's dryness along my tongue - some distractibility. Carbonation did feel good. ABV felt on par. Semi-dry and smooth with the bourbon on the finish.
Overall, this was aged in Maker's Mark casks for 6 months before bottled - me, well, I can tell that it's definitely a well brewed beer and a wonderful one for when it's close to sub zero temps outside. I'd definitely have this again.

 

 

Purchased last summer during my New England beer tour, aged in my cellar for 6 months.
A - Pours a very dark brown with a small tan head that disappears quickly.
S - Sweetness and bourbon on the nose.
T - There's a lot going on here. Some molasses and vanilla on the front end, then you get a bit of chocolate, then dark fruit on the finish.
M - Below average carbonation, thicker mouth feel.
O - I really like this beer. I love the different flavors that come through. Wish I'd purchased a second bottle.

Bomber into a snifter apoears black in color with a thin khaki head.

It smells of chocolate upfront than gets oaky with bourbon and caramel sweetness.

It tastes of toasted coconut, caramel and chocolate. Lots of wonderful barrel flavors integrated into a pleasant base beer.

This is medium in body with modest carbonation. A solid brew I would drink again.