Single Batch Series - 2014 Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout
Sebago Brewing Company - Tasting Room at the Brewery

Had this in my stash for sometime, decided to crack it open last night. I had picked up this beer about 1 year ago, did not check bottle for bottle date.Has the nice dark, roasty Imperial Stout look on the pour. Not much of anything on the nose. Taste is disappointing, not bad, but almost lacking in any good flavors. Had 4Beans prior to this one, and this just tasted flavorless after that beer. This beer might have been a bit old, but I think a 12% impy should hold it's flavor for a fair amount of time. One positive, the 12% abv is not noticeable. Probably a good thing that this beer is retired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darkest brown, opaque, with a finger of tan lather atop that only grudingly settles to a really thick cap that stays attached full around to a sheet of thick lace. Nice, just about as good as one of these guys can look.

Sweet caramel and alcohol spice, molasses and neutral carry the deeper aromas of bourbon, light vanilla, tasty roast and bitter, into a bouquet that is enticing.

A bit chalky right off the bat, but as it goes the other flavors in the nose come through pleasantly balanced and agreeably bright, and the chalkiness relaxes. As it warms more of the bourbon and less of the sweeter flavors come through, and the bitter starts to get strong at the end, nicely so. The roast actually is very tasty, the flavors balanced.

A bit thin, and a bit overcarbed for style, really this beer's worst characteristic, partly saved by having a very clean finish.

Quite a tasty beer that I recommend in the unlikely event you have a chance to buy it.

A: Pours a pitch black with a nice finger of tan head

S: Smells pretty dry and malty, some hops with nice notes of oatmeal, vanilla, chocolate, bourbon and maybe some oak

T: Same as the smell, with a leather-like dryness and only hints of the notes from the bourbon barrels. It adds a nice complexity to the original Lake Trout Stout, though.

M: Heavy body with medium carbonation. Fairly dry

D/O: The original is usually one of my go-to beers at their restaurants, and this one doesn't disappoint. As stated above, the bourbon barrels add a nice complexity to an already fairly complex beer