Pistolero Porter - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
Payette Brewing

 

8oz glass at Beer Revolution YEG Oliver Square. 8% ABV, which I will get to at a later time.

This beer appears a clear (I believe), very dark mahogany-highlighted brown colour, with a thin cap of wispy and weakly bubbly tan head, which leaves some spectral, inverted webbed lace around the glass as things slowly progress.

It smells of bready and doughy caramel malt, a lesser biscuity toffee sweetness, some stoic Bourbon barrel essences (vanilla and woody booze, mostly), bittersweet cocoa powder, soused-up black stone fruit, a hint of anise spice, and some plain leafy, herbal, and floral green hop bitters. The taste is gritty and grainy caramel malt, vanilla-accented rye whiskey staves, medium chocolate wafers, a touch of wet char, stale cafe-au-lait, subtle earthy spice, and more understated herbal, leafy, and floral verdant hoppiness.

The carbonation is fairly timid in its lazy-seeming frothiness, the body a solid middleweight, and generally smooth, with an alcohol-laced creaminess evolving as things warm up a wee bit around here. It finishes off-dry, the malt, cocoa, and relatively gentle barrel essences presiding.

Overall - this is a rather well-made and approachable version of the style, in that the Bourbon character adds to, but doesn't overpower the base porter. Pretty good stuff, but I'm glad I didn't shell out the big bucks for a bomber at the local chain liquor store concern a few days ago.

On tap @ Homestead Bar & Grill, Meridian ID.

A: Opaque brown body with a dark tan head and some lacing.

S: Greeted with big notes of toffee and caramel, molasses and some brown sugar, which all surprises me. Is there some rye in here? I know this says Bourbon-Barrel aged but I could swear there is rye spice in here.

T: Vanilla shines on the palate, while the roast is buried and caramel breadyness is apparent. Faint alcohol is detected, and there is the slightest suggestion of a citrusy hop component as well (which makes me think rye whiskey again).

MF: Medium bodied and smoooooth.

O: This is a decent beer, a good offering with some unique characteristics.

 

Growler from brewery. Dark brown body with big, fluffy beige head. Bourbon, brown sugar aroma. Taste also features the bourbon barrel, but not enough to mask the fine porter base. Roast grains and molasses, mild bitterness, very gentle sweetness. Enough alcohol warmth for a cool fall day.