Bourbon Barrel Aged Concrete Ship
Cape May Brewing Company

 

This has a real old school Russian imperial stout vibe to it, it’s roasty and a bit hoppy and bitter. Full bodied with a great foamy brown head and an almost lively feel. It’s not that it’s highly carbonated, it’s just more carbonated than most barrel aged stouts of the moment.

For me I wanted more barrel character. As another reviewer also observed, the base beer is so assertive here that it’s all very balanced, but when I reach for a bourbon barrel aged beer I want that to be a prominent (but not overpowering) aspect to the overall experience. Nevertheless this is very well made and all around solid drinking.

 

Thank you Knapp85 for sharing this.

A - Dark brown pour with deep toffee colored creamy lacing.

S - Charcoal, char, dark roasted chocolate, oak, bourbon.

T - Charcoal, dark chocolate, light char, vanilla, bourbon, and oak. Finishes slightly astringent with bourbon.

M - Big medium body with a silky texture.

O - This is a fantastic beer. If you crack one, pour it and let it breathe for awhile before you hit it.

 

 

From a 19.2 oz. can into a whiskey glass, this beer pours out with streams of brown highlights. It forms black in the glass with a ring of wood like highlights around the top. No crown formed; the caramel colored bubbles disappeared as fast as they could form. 4

The nose carries a definite RIS presence to it. And to be honest, the most true to style RIS presence that I’ve smelled in a long time. Bready notes with heavily toasted edges that tangle with bitter bakers chocolate, black coffee and a big punch from the hops to back up the malts. The barrel is evident and lingers throughout with aspects of dry oak, slightly burning bourbon and a touch of dark fruit. But the barrel by no means is going to outshine this beast of an RIS base. 4.75

I feel much the same way about the taste. There is loads of chocolate; slightly burnt bakers chocolate along with softer silky and velvety notes as well. Freshly baked, dark and heavily toasted bread lingers throughout with a remaining consistency as to not over shine other aspects at any time. Touches of black, almost burnt coffee shows itself in and out while notes of dark chocolate covered dark fruit show up at the end and linger into the finish. 4.75

While the mouthfeel might not be the fullest of stouts, it carries itself bigger than it is with confidence. Roasty, silky, velvety, bready dryness and enough warmth to let you know it’s made of something without crossing into burning. 4.5

Overall, this held itself as a very respectable RIS. One that can be strong enough for a barrel to compliment, but not overpower. I very much respect the brewers on their mission here. It was accomplished in my eyes. They made an RIS that stood up to barrels, showed no flaws for style and gave me everything I want and expect from a true RIS. Therefore, my rating will be high. 4.75

 

 

Poured from tall boy can into a tulip glass. It pours an inky, oily black with a half finger of foamy, medium mocha-colored head and a thin sheen of creamy lacing. On the nose there is lite bourbon, bakers chocolate, burnt coffee grounds and char, and pepper and spice notes. The taste opens dry with lots of dark chocolate, burnt coffee, and earthy char, and a touch of caramel. There is only subtle notes of dark fruit particularly as the glass warms. While you can taste the bourbon throughout it is most evident at the finish and it leaves a lot of bitterness. This stout is medium-bodied with lite/moderate carbonation. It's not quite as viscous and chewy as I'd hoped. At 10.1% ABV it's fairly boozy but not in a distracting way. Overall, I enjoyed the BA version of this Stout more than the original although the comparison is a bit unfair given that I drank this from a can at room temperature rather than on draught at the brewery. Although it would benefit from a little more dark fruit, it is still quite good. I would gladly drink it again.