Stepping On Toes: Naked Edition - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
Westbrook Brewing Co.

Poured at fridge temp. Pours insanely thick black with no head. The nose is full of bourbon. 27 months in a barrel does this. Other notes of black licorice, roasted malts, slight coffee, and dark chocolate. Lovely.

The taste is where this really shines. Holy crap. Bourbon, vanilla, molasses, chocolate, dark fruit, and a hint of maple. This is just so bloody smooth. It's amazing that the single barrel produced this. Tastes like vanilla was added...nope. As it warms, the sweet bourbon just rises up through the clouds. This is my favorite of the year so far, and it might be hard to beat this year.

The mouthfeel is insanely thick and creamy. The aftertaste is sweet chocolate, vanilla, and bourbon.

Well this is exciting. I’ve never had a rare beer before. Do I bow before opening? 375ML honey-waxed bottle (two layers of wax…what’s the point except to annoy the hell out of me?).

The pour is black & quickly only a light ring of bubbles exists. The nose is like a big bourbon smile.

Stepping on Toes (Naked Edition) is a bourbon linebacker with no pads on (& I’m just a little guy, one hit & I’d be playing wheelchair pickleball for life). Strong belt of Elijah Craig laid over a robust/roasty stout, caramelized sugar, oak, booze, & a touch of finishing bitterness. Full. Barring the ABV, I could down a couple pints of this.

There aren’t enough of these excellent, no-frills, no-add barrel aged stouts available in this epoch of craft beer. Tell Westbrook scooping out 366 bottles of this wasn’t nearly enough.