Polaris
Rising Tide Brewing Company

PolarisPolaris
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From:
Rising Tide Brewing Company
 
Maine, United States
Style:
American Stout
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.91 | pDev: 12.79%
Reviews:
25
Ratings:
100
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 19, 2017
Added:
Nov 10, 2011
Wants:
  10
Gots:
  13
Polaris is our first special release beer—a wheat stout aged in Jim Beam bourbon barrels. We started with our winter weizen stout Ursa Minor, fermenting it to completion in steel before barrel aging it for 5 months. Hints of the base beer remain but with the added complexity of vanilla, raisin, bourbon, and oak notes. Conditioned to a moderately low level of carbonation in the bottle, this beer is a perfect cold-evening sipper.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by smcolw:
Photo of smcolw
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts

3.86/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Rim bubbles come from the small head. No lace. Deep, deep brown where no light shines through.

Dark, nearly burnt toast smell. Biscuity.

Think brandy and stout blended. It's tasty. Chewy but not too full a body. Higher carbonation.
Feb 28, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of mmorris15
Reviewed by mmorris15 from Maine

4.04/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours almost-black with a head that recedes quickly. Aroma of whiskey, wood, cocoa, and yeast. Flavors of banana, cocoa, clove, and a hint of barrel-presence. Feel is on the thinner side. Overall, pretty solid beer from Rising Tide.
Feb 19, 2017
 
Rated: 3.94 by smanson56 from New Hampshire

Feb 01, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by AirBob from Massachusetts

Jan 22, 2017
 
Rated: 4.08 by LostHighway from Minnesota

Jan 15, 2017
 
Rated: 3.94 by Prost76 from New Hampshire

Sep 15, 2016
Photo of michaelpearson
Reviewed by michaelpearson from North Carolina

4.31/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Well done Rising Tide -- this held up exceptionally well! Admittedly, I didn't cellar this properly and was pleasantly surprised how good this beer was, especially given the preceding. Lovely,
high carbonation that pops the cork with head that lingers like the lacing of an Americano. Nose is subtle and blended reminiscent of chocolate pot de creme. Mouthfeel is velvety smooth and full bodied without any heaviness. Tastes like dark chocolate with a wonderful subtle bourbon coating. Overall this beer is disappearing far too quickly from my glass. Wish I had another one stashed...
Jul 22, 2016
Photo of Bowdoinbeerboy
Reviewed by Bowdoinbeerboy from Maine

4.43/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours with a huge head that lingers forever. Beer itself is totally opaque and midnight black. The head is a creme brulee color. The nose is somewhat coffee-like, but, unlike some other stouts it seems rather subdue with some very rich oaky-vanilla notes. The taste is exceptionally smooth, none of the harsh burnt flavor that most stouts have. The first flavor is a surprisingly sweet maltiness, this becomes chocolaty, with lots of vanilla, and just a bit of boozy heat on the head.

Overall this is an excellent stout and I really don't like stouts. Flavor profile is fairly standard stout, but with a bit more booze and a really nice vanilla oak smoothness.
Dec 04, 2015
Photo of Bugs318
Reviewed by Bugs318 from Canada (QC)

3.92/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Yeast presence offers banana up front mixed with some cocoa. As fizzy beige head recedes, barrel comes forward with Vanilla and more chocolate. Taste is similar with a rich and moderately sweet complexity, balancing fruity yeast, roasty grain, and Barrel woody and vanilla qualities. A touch thin, but solid.
Jun 17, 2015
 
Rated: 4.09 by braican from Massachusetts

May 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.94 by paresis from Massachusetts

May 09, 2015
 
Rated: 4.04 by Faxmesomehalibut from New Hampshire

Apr 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4.4 by VTCombi from Vermont

Feb 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.65 by rderedin from Maine

Feb 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.96 by hopley from Massachusetts

Jan 30, 2015
 
Rated: 3.9 by ScottP from New Hampshire

Jan 29, 2015
 
Rated: 4.18 by struttinj from North Carolina

Jan 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by Electros from Canada (ON)

Jan 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4.41 by emptyglassagain from Massachusetts

Jan 10, 2015
 
Rated: 3.64 by kristougher from North Carolina

Jan 08, 2015
Polaris from Rising Tide Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 100 ratings