Trail Magic #4: Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout
Nantahala Brewing Company
- From:
- Nantahala Brewing Company
- North Carolina, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 93
- Avg:
- 4.37 | pDev: 5.26%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 3
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Aug 31, 2014
- Added:
- Jul 01, 2013
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
93
Outstanding
93
Outstanding
No description / notes.
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Reviewed by GarthDanielson from Virginia
4.25/5 rDev -2.7%
4.25/5 rDev -2.7%
Poured from a bomber into a mug, the beer is jet black, oily, with a dense, low profile, creamy, light tan head. Aromas of coffee bitter and roast, vanilla and bourbon sweet and spiced blend, woody notes, cocoa nib, and hints of rich molasses and earthy tones. Flavors are very heavy and rich forward, with a blast of molasses, vanilla, and wood spice, with a roasted and bitter coffee backbone, some bourbon highlights, bitter baker's chocolate, and a building booze warmth as you go. Smooth, robust, and velvety body, with a boozy and richly sweet chocolate and booze aftertaste. Lingering booze warmth and bittersweet blend on a smooth, slick finish. This is a beast!
Aug 31, 2014
Reviewed by dirtylou from Oklahoma
4.28/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
750ml bottle, split
March 2013
Brewed with sorghum syrup and wildflower honey, aged in makers mark barrels. First things first, I sadly detect virtually no barrel impact. If you're going to take the effort to sit something in barrels, I think it needs to sit longer to really meld those flavors together. That aside, this was a great stout. Fudgy as hell and very smooth. Honey plays really well in stouts in my opinion - Olde Hickory has mastered that subgenre. Nice dark roast - no bitterness.
Jan 05, 2014March 2013
Brewed with sorghum syrup and wildflower honey, aged in makers mark barrels. First things first, I sadly detect virtually no barrel impact. If you're going to take the effort to sit something in barrels, I think it needs to sit longer to really meld those flavors together. That aside, this was a great stout. Fudgy as hell and very smooth. Honey plays really well in stouts in my opinion - Olde Hickory has mastered that subgenre. Nice dark roast - no bitterness.
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina
4.5/5 rDev +3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
"Homage to the Imperial that got us started [i.e., Trail Magic #1]. This version has stepped up to Maker's Mark barrels and a higher gravity, but keeps it's sorghum and wildflower honey roots."
IBU = 47
March 2013 release served in June 2013 at the brewery in an 8 oz. Trail Magic glass.
Looks like used motor oil, without the oiliness. Creamy dark tan head of modest size but leaves a superb coating of lace on the glass. Smells of dark roasted malts with medium-light bourbon barrel effects and a faint hint of smoke.
Taste: Magnificent! Excellent sweet/bitter balance but starts notably sweet and ends mildly bitter, with mocha/coffee tones. Rating approaches 4.75.
Feel: Full, thick and chewy; exceptionally smooth; remarkably soft and mild for 10% ABV.
O: Great use of bourbon barrel aging for aroma, feel and taste.
By comparison, the last beer I had before this one (about 14 hours earlier) was the world-class Bells Black Note Stout. The Trail Magic #4 is on the same level of quality but comes with more dark roasted malt flavor and less bourbon. The alcohol is much less apparent and a bit lower, and I think the Bells was a bit sweeter and, perhaps, less hoppy.
(slightly revised upon bottle sample in April 2014)
Jul 01, 2013IBU = 47
March 2013 release served in June 2013 at the brewery in an 8 oz. Trail Magic glass.
Looks like used motor oil, without the oiliness. Creamy dark tan head of modest size but leaves a superb coating of lace on the glass. Smells of dark roasted malts with medium-light bourbon barrel effects and a faint hint of smoke.
Taste: Magnificent! Excellent sweet/bitter balance but starts notably sweet and ends mildly bitter, with mocha/coffee tones. Rating approaches 4.75.
Feel: Full, thick and chewy; exceptionally smooth; remarkably soft and mild for 10% ABV.
O: Great use of bourbon barrel aging for aroma, feel and taste.
By comparison, the last beer I had before this one (about 14 hours earlier) was the world-class Bells Black Note Stout. The Trail Magic #4 is on the same level of quality but comes with more dark roasted malt flavor and less bourbon. The alcohol is much less apparent and a bit lower, and I think the Bells was a bit sweeter and, perhaps, less hoppy.
(slightly revised upon bottle sample in April 2014)
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