Bourbonic Plague
Cascade Brewing / Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub
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- From:
- Cascade Brewing / Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub
- Oregon, United States
- Style:
- Wild Ale
Ranked #195 - ABV:
- 11.1%
- Score:
- 95
Ranked #1,886 - Avg:
- 4.26 | pDev: 10.09%
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 17, 2021
- Added:
- Jul 03, 2009
- Wants:
- 609
- Gots:
- 144
SCORE
95
World-Class
95
World-Class
Notes:
An outbreak of “the Plague” is upon us with this release! Bourbonic Plague features sour imperial porters aged in Bourbon and wine barrels for up to two years with additions of dates, vanilla beans, orange peel and cinnamon. This contagiously complex and incurably enigmatic blend continues to represent the pinnacle of our craft at Cascade Brewing
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
4/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by BubbleBobble from New York
2011 vintage. Once the cork was popped on this one (no easy feat), it poured a very dark brown with a 1" of brief tan head, no lacing. Nose begins bourbon forward with a bit of oxidation, but as it warms up, the sour notes really shine through. Lots of leather, char, and vanilla, but lactic and vinous qualities as well. Taste is super complex and does feel at times like 2 or 3 beer in one. A bit boozy to start like a low-shelf bourbon, but mid-palate, the sourness and vinous quality comes through. Not at all bracingly tart, but enough to override the woodsy notes. The finish is the most complex part, as when the sourness fades, there are long lingering notes of leather, orange dark chocolate, licorice, red wine, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mouthfeel is full but doesn't overwhelm - just thick enough to provide texture without becoming a gut bomb. There are just a ton of different directions to look in here, and while not all of them make the most sense, it's a fun experience.
Oct 17, 2021
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by BubbleBobble from New York
2011 vintage. Once the cork was popped on this one (no easy feat), it poured a very dark brown with a 1" of brief tan head, no lacing. Nose begins bourbon forward with a bit of oxidation, but as it warms up, the sour notes really shine through. Lots of leather, char, and vanilla, but lactic and vinous qualities as well. Taste is super complex and does feel at times like 2 or 3 beer in one. A bit boozy to start like a low-shelf bourbon, but mid-palate, the sourness and vinous quality comes through. Not at all bracingly tart, but enough to override the woodsy notes. The finish is the most complex part, as when the sourness fades, there are long lingering notes of leather, orange dark chocolate, licorice, red wine, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mouthfeel is full but doesn't overwhelm - just thick enough to provide texture without becoming a gut bomb. There are just a ton of different directions to look in here, and while not all of them make the most sense, it's a fun experience.
Oct 17, 2021
4.59 by chossboss from Oregon on Apr 11, 2021
4.37 by morrowd3 from Vermont on Jan 02, 2021
4.5/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by lordofthewiens from New Mexico
A very dark brown color. Small tan head that increases in size due to the carbonation. A pretty sight.
Aroma of funk, bourbon, dark fruit, cinnamon.
Bourbon and funk to start the taste. Raisin. Cinnamon. A little orange. Tart finish.
Medium-bodied. Alcohol not at all noticeable.
Would try this again.
Aug 02, 2020
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by lordofthewiens from New Mexico
A very dark brown color. Small tan head that increases in size due to the carbonation. A pretty sight.
Aroma of funk, bourbon, dark fruit, cinnamon.
Bourbon and funk to start the taste. Raisin. Cinnamon. A little orange. Tart finish.
Medium-bodied. Alcohol not at all noticeable.
Would try this again.
Aug 02, 2020
4.11/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Dope from Massachusetts
A: Mahogany pour with a rapidly fading head. No retention or lacing.
S: Super interesting aroma. Combination of wine and bourbon. Pleasant dark fruits and berries.
T: Really hard to describe due to the complexity. Bourbon up front but instantly turns vinous and sour. Notable spice from the cinnamon. Touch of cocoa which mixes with the sourness in a very interesting way, reminds me of dark horse's sour stout a lot. Dark fruits abound. Not even going to try to expand my thoughts on this one, every sip is different.
M: Fairly heavy for a sour. Vinous as hell.
O: Incredibly complex with varied flavors as I drink it. It's got pretty much everything in it, it kinda tastes like three beers at once. Super interesting, I'm glad I got to try it.
Jul 28, 2020
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Dope from Massachusetts
A: Mahogany pour with a rapidly fading head. No retention or lacing.
S: Super interesting aroma. Combination of wine and bourbon. Pleasant dark fruits and berries.
T: Really hard to describe due to the complexity. Bourbon up front but instantly turns vinous and sour. Notable spice from the cinnamon. Touch of cocoa which mixes with the sourness in a very interesting way, reminds me of dark horse's sour stout a lot. Dark fruits abound. Not even going to try to expand my thoughts on this one, every sip is different.
M: Fairly heavy for a sour. Vinous as hell.
O: Incredibly complex with varied flavors as I drink it. It's got pretty much everything in it, it kinda tastes like three beers at once. Super interesting, I'm glad I got to try it.
Jul 28, 2020
4.39/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by BEERMILER12 from Maine
A: Pours a dark purple/black color with almost no head
S: A bit of tart funk, bourbon, vinous wine notes, orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla, oak, and some lighter general dark fruit
T: Follows the nose. Starts off with a wave of funk and vinous wine notes and then slowly picks up the bourbon, vanilla, cinnamon, oak, orange peel, dark fruit, and a touch of roasted malt. Finishes with lingering tartness and oak
M: Medium bodied with low-moderate carbonation
O: A super complex and interesting sour that melds the base with the bugs very well. Makes for a great sipper due to the tartness and the 11.1%, which is hardly given a thought as it is barely noticeable. Definitely worth checking out if you’re into dark sours
May 15, 2020
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by BEERMILER12 from Maine
A: Pours a dark purple/black color with almost no head
S: A bit of tart funk, bourbon, vinous wine notes, orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla, oak, and some lighter general dark fruit
T: Follows the nose. Starts off with a wave of funk and vinous wine notes and then slowly picks up the bourbon, vanilla, cinnamon, oak, orange peel, dark fruit, and a touch of roasted malt. Finishes with lingering tartness and oak
M: Medium bodied with low-moderate carbonation
O: A super complex and interesting sour that melds the base with the bugs very well. Makes for a great sipper due to the tartness and the 11.1%, which is hardly given a thought as it is barely noticeable. Definitely worth checking out if you’re into dark sours
May 15, 2020
4.5/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by DaveMaciolek21 from New Jersey
Remarkable combo of an imperial porter with wild ale characteristics. Deep brown pour, subtle bourbon and oak, a simply wondrous blend of sour date flavors offset by sweet lactose sugar. Sweet & sour in perfect harmony. A sipping beer, sourness almost took over at one warming point, but two sips later the balance was back. Intricate, complex heaven.
Feb 25, 2020
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by DaveMaciolek21 from New Jersey
Remarkable combo of an imperial porter with wild ale characteristics. Deep brown pour, subtle bourbon and oak, a simply wondrous blend of sour date flavors offset by sweet lactose sugar. Sweet & sour in perfect harmony. A sipping beer, sourness almost took over at one warming point, but two sips later the balance was back. Intricate, complex heaven.
Feb 25, 2020
3.98 by Beerbom from California on Jan 17, 2020
4.5 by BltByKrmn from New York on Nov 15, 2019
4.5 by mwvman from Indiana on Nov 05, 2019
4.49 by Duncian from Pennsylvania on Aug 15, 2019
4.43 by dmk82 from California on Apr 24, 2019
4.9/5 rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by BerryKumquat from California
L: Golden darkness but not a true black.
S: Lots of fruit notes.
T: A wild ride of dark notes much akin to a stout but with a mix of Cascade's usual fruits.
F: Sharp, citrus and a bit of heaviness.
O: Wacky mix of fruits and darks.
Mar 24, 2019
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by BerryKumquat from California
L: Golden darkness but not a true black.
S: Lots of fruit notes.
T: A wild ride of dark notes much akin to a stout but with a mix of Cascade's usual fruits.
F: Sharp, citrus and a bit of heaviness.
O: Wacky mix of fruits and darks.
Mar 24, 2019
3.79 by denver10 from New Mexico on Feb 23, 2019
4.26 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois on Jan 13, 2019
4.07/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by rodbeermunch from Nevada
Have had a few vintages of this, still have a bottle in the cellar. Most recent bottle was at 2015 March Madness, vintage 2011.
Pours a ruddy brown. Some dark red to the edge, the barest smattering of a head 1/20" and no lacing. Appearance is its weakest link. Aroma was complex, leather, bourbon, cherry, tart and sour, brown malt, wet oak. Some roasted malt and cinnamon beyond that.
Taste allowed for all those complexities and blends to come together nicely, pushed along in the mouth feel with a mild vanilla presence that helps with cohesion. The cherry meets roasted malt and leather aspect brought a flanders component to it, but this beer is much bigger than most anything with the name flanders in it. Brett notes throughout, the sour aspect is similar to an old world porter, it really only clocks in about a 3 on the 10pt scale. If that. So much going on here, tough to write up everything that was going on, but it also made me sit back and realize that a lot of what Cascade does doesn't get the props it should, like this beer.
On the one hand is an expensive beer, but I would be hard pressed to not have one around just for the sake of breaking one out when I wanna show off.
Dec 26, 2018
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by rodbeermunch from Nevada
Have had a few vintages of this, still have a bottle in the cellar. Most recent bottle was at 2015 March Madness, vintage 2011.
Pours a ruddy brown. Some dark red to the edge, the barest smattering of a head 1/20" and no lacing. Appearance is its weakest link. Aroma was complex, leather, bourbon, cherry, tart and sour, brown malt, wet oak. Some roasted malt and cinnamon beyond that.
Taste allowed for all those complexities and blends to come together nicely, pushed along in the mouth feel with a mild vanilla presence that helps with cohesion. The cherry meets roasted malt and leather aspect brought a flanders component to it, but this beer is much bigger than most anything with the name flanders in it. Brett notes throughout, the sour aspect is similar to an old world porter, it really only clocks in about a 3 on the 10pt scale. If that. So much going on here, tough to write up everything that was going on, but it also made me sit back and realize that a lot of what Cascade does doesn't get the props it should, like this beer.
On the one hand is an expensive beer, but I would be hard pressed to not have one around just for the sake of breaking one out when I wanna show off.
Dec 26, 2018
4.37 by sd123 from Georgia on Dec 20, 2018
4 by krome from Illinois on Dec 05, 2018
4.25 by Sparky44 from Illinois on Nov 18, 2018
3.75 by cryptichead from Illinois on Nov 18, 2018
4.1/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by RaulMondesi from California
So Raul got himself some of the bubonic tonic - yeah, I like that. Kind of different, ya know? My main man who served it to me called it a ‘sour stout.’ Raul wouldn’t go that far, but it was dark and fruity like looking at a cactus at midnight. I don’t know, I just liked it!
Oct 28, 2018
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by RaulMondesi from California
So Raul got himself some of the bubonic tonic - yeah, I like that. Kind of different, ya know? My main man who served it to me called it a ‘sour stout.’ Raul wouldn’t go that far, but it was dark and fruity like looking at a cactus at midnight. I don’t know, I just liked it!
Oct 28, 2018
4.23 by Keepnitrl from Washington on Oct 25, 2018
3.68 by VelvetExtract from Massachusetts on Oct 13, 2018
3.5 by Nichols33 from Massachusetts on Jul 09, 2018
4.66 by QuentinDishaw from Massachusetts on Jul 04, 2018
4.53/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by SargeMcCluck from Texas
Sour cherries, intense prune and date, baking apple, green apple sour candy, banana, wet oak.
Jun 25, 2018
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by SargeMcCluck from Texas
Sour cherries, intense prune and date, baking apple, green apple sour candy, banana, wet oak.
Jun 25, 2018
4.29 by DutchcdnTEXAN from Texas on Jun 01, 2018
4.25/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by avalon07 from South Carolina
L: Had this on-tap at Whole Foods - Short Pump, poured into a snifter glass. Had a dark brown color with ruby tints and a thick, opaque consistency. There was a thin, off white, foamy head that quickly dissipated. Very good lacing.
S: A solid aroma of bourbon, a vinous quality, yeast, vanilla, and chocolate.
T: Tasted of bit of Belgian-style yeast, a hint of vanilla, a good shot of bourbon (and the barrels), a bit of chocolate, some of the vinous quality, and a little cinnamon thrown in as well. One of the more fascinating wild ale flavors I've tried recently. The bourbon and wine throws you for a loop but they play well with the other ingredients.
F: A decent amount of carbonation with a sharp, clean finish. Medium-bodied.
O: A very likable wild ale. Well worth a try.
May 31, 2018
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by avalon07 from South Carolina
L: Had this on-tap at Whole Foods - Short Pump, poured into a snifter glass. Had a dark brown color with ruby tints and a thick, opaque consistency. There was a thin, off white, foamy head that quickly dissipated. Very good lacing.
S: A solid aroma of bourbon, a vinous quality, yeast, vanilla, and chocolate.
T: Tasted of bit of Belgian-style yeast, a hint of vanilla, a good shot of bourbon (and the barrels), a bit of chocolate, some of the vinous quality, and a little cinnamon thrown in as well. One of the more fascinating wild ale flavors I've tried recently. The bourbon and wine throws you for a loop but they play well with the other ingredients.
F: A decent amount of carbonation with a sharp, clean finish. Medium-bodied.
O: A very likable wild ale. Well worth a try.
May 31, 2018
4.34/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota
Tap pour at Grizzly's Plymouth MN.
Black colored body. Minimal head, and no lacing.
Interesting combination for aroma and flavors of dark porter with chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon, and the sour side with lots of bourbon and wine barrel.
Medium mouth feel.
Excellent take on a sour beer, with the dark porter well blended in with the wild ale aged in bourbon and wine barrels.
Apr 27, 2018
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota
Tap pour at Grizzly's Plymouth MN.
Black colored body. Minimal head, and no lacing.
Interesting combination for aroma and flavors of dark porter with chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon, and the sour side with lots of bourbon and wine barrel.
Medium mouth feel.
Excellent take on a sour beer, with the dark porter well blended in with the wild ale aged in bourbon and wine barrels.
Apr 27, 2018
4.51 by pkkosmatka from Minnesota on Apr 27, 2018
4.5 by paulish from New York on Apr 26, 2018
4.4 by Biggiekrock627 from Maryland on Apr 15, 2018
4.26 by VashonGuy from Washington on Apr 12, 2018
4.43/5 rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by REVZEB from Illinois
What a fantastic take on the American Wild Ale! It is pushes the idea of what a sour can be, by having a dark roasted malt character of a porter, with a wine like sour finish. Nice aromas of cinnamon, chocolate, spices, and sour fruit. Body is thicker than most sours, but still feels like a sour on the palate. Rich depth of flavors, fun and complex.
Apr 02, 2018
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by REVZEB from Illinois
What a fantastic take on the American Wild Ale! It is pushes the idea of what a sour can be, by having a dark roasted malt character of a porter, with a wine like sour finish. Nice aromas of cinnamon, chocolate, spices, and sour fruit. Body is thicker than most sours, but still feels like a sour on the palate. Rich depth of flavors, fun and complex.
Apr 02, 2018
4.79/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by WLnF_BirdDog from Wisconsin
Love it
Mar 18, 2018
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by WLnF_BirdDog from Wisconsin
Love it
Mar 18, 2018
4.27 by Klondike from Texas on Mar 06, 2018
4.45 by Gagnonsux from Texas on Mar 06, 2018
4.38 by Tigerbrau from Louisiana on Feb 14, 2018
3.75 by DoubleDaisyCutter from District of Columbia on Dec 19, 2017
4.25 by Noles9585 from Washington on Dec 08, 2017
Bourbonic Plague from Cascade Brewing / Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub
Beer rating:
95 out of
100 with
630 ratings