The Brew Kettle Jackhammer Barleywine - Bourbon Barrel Aged
The Brew Kettle Taproom & Smokehouse / Production Works

 

 

 

This beer is a dark brown color, a good tan head rising and keeping up a bit, settling to a firm layer that throws down some nice lacing as the beer recedes down the glass.
There's a dark fruits note to this beer with some raw sugars. Brown sugar shows up front followed by hints of molasses, and some definite vanilla and caramel notes are detectable. The real overlying aroma and flavor is the brown sugar, though, which fills out all the way to the end. A little woody dryness comes in, maybe a ghost of leaf to balance it, but it is really sweet and dense. There's a touch more earth in the aroma slightly subduing the sweeter notes found in the taste.
There's an earthiness to the body in this beer, which is rich and thick. It's definitely a full-bodied beer but with balancing dryness to counter the sweetness and a very smooth and creamy flow. It sets the tone for the flavor exceptionally well and may be the beer's best aspect overall.