Righteous
Rochester Mills Beer Co.

 

 

 

Can to snifter. All oak barrel, in the smell and taste. If it was a blind tasting, I might not have been able to call out the base beer as a red. Very mellow beer behind, reminds me of a BBA wee heavy. Oddly thin beer, with the low ABV and lighter base beer. Being used to the BBA treatment on imperial stouts, the lightness here is unique. Carb is light, but what is there is lively. Overall a solid beer, but unremarkable

 

 

 

 

Poured from can to tulip. Garnet color with a but if foam that dissolves to nothing. No lacing. Aroma of bourbon (no surprise by this point, as each of the Rochester Mills BBAs I've had are strong on the bourbon), but with some warm vanilla bean and toffee peeking through. Smooth feel, with toffee, dark breads and fruit, vanilla, booze mingling in a nice balance. The sweet bread, tangy bourbon, and smooth vanilla work well together.

 

 

 

 

 

16 ounce can into tulip glass, best before 3/23/2017. Pours fairly hazy deep reddish orange/copper color with a 1 finger fairly dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, and brown bread; with lighter notes of butterscotch, roast, plum, apple, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready malt, bourbon barrel, and light fruity yeast notes; with solid strength. Taste of caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, and brown bread; with lighter notes of butterscotch, roast, plum, apple, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal/roast bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, brown bread, and yeast/toasted earthiness earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, bourbon barrel, and light fruity yeast flavors; with a nice malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Light dryness from bitter/spiciness as well. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy, and slightly slick/silky/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Minimal warming alcohol or barrel booziness for 6.8%. Overall this is a very good barrel aged Irish red ale. All around good complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, bourbon barrel, and light fruity yeast flavors; very smooth and easy to drink. Some light diacetyl, but well within the style limits; and I think the barrel character enhanced it a bit. A very enjoyable offering.