If Not Now, When?
Perennial Artisan Ales

 

Robust black opaque body with a finger of light brown foam. Smell features heavy barrel and cocoa, some leather and earth behind, classical set up though vanilla is barely there on the end of the sniff. Taste fixes this with a heaping of vanilla added to the chocolate, meeting a not super complex barrel but plenty potent especially the dark oak soaked with bourbon tones, with a symphony of support made up of blackstrap molasses, leather, earth and slight dark nut. Feel is dry and full without being too thick, decently warm on the palate, more barrel character would bond with the well made stout underneath

 

 

Pours dark, healthy active fizzy head. Smell is strong scents of cocoa and bourbon barrel, mild vanilla notes, even a little maple presence, chocolate and vanilla are the strongest flavors, but it is not overly sweet. They blend well with the bourbon barrel presence. Medium body, no thickness or syrupyness, slight alcohol buzz, presence is subtle for 14 percent, but man, it sneaks up on you. I’m going to have to see how it runs out as it warms, but a very flavorful barrel aged stout with a really good feel.

poured from an orange-waxed 375mL bottle into a perennial snifter. pours pitch black with a thin dark brown foam cap this turns quickly into a thin dark brown color around the rim of the glass. nice bourbon and oak presence on this one. both on the nose and in the taste. vanilla and chocolate on the nose with almost a light peanut aroma to it as well. vanilla frosting and bourbon flavors with a rich chocolate finish. thick, full and syrupy mouthfeel. this is quite good. the vanilla has more of an earthy, nutty aroma and flavor to it but still some sweetness in the taste. rich, decedent and filling but very balanced. the base stouts, barrels and additives work in harmony to create a very unique drinking experience.

 

Pours deep brown. Aroma is subtle sweetness of chocolate & vanilla with hints of the bourbon. Taste is much more intense and follows nose. Though heavy chocolate presence, it is balanced with more vanilla and bourbon flavors. Full body. Wonderful stout.