Night Fury - Bourbon Barrel-Aged Traxxx
Witch's Hat Brewing Co.

 

2018 Vintage

Pours an inky oil-black body with a thin veil of fizzy mocha foam appearing briefly on the initial pour, only to almost immediately dissipate to a nonexistent cap, thin ring of collar, and no lasting lacing.

Aroma opens with bourbon-soaked milk chocolate into thick, roasty peanut butter coursing through the first half of the bouquet; a subtle vanilla interlude eases into more gritty oak on the back end, further highlighting bakers chocolate, an overall bourbon sweetening, and mild tones of coconut husk on the close.

Taste presents oak and a bittersweet chocolate medley upfront as a prominent bourbon undercurrent imparts a vanilla and milk chocolate depth; peanut butter and cacao nibs establish themselves firmly along the mid-palate before a now-seamless bourbon integration welcomes a chalkier peanut tone into the finish.

Mouthfeel offers a slick medium body with a highly subdued carbonation tingling the tongue just below the surface; progressively creamy mid-palate cut by a gritty char encroaching into the back end; mildly sticky, though primarily drying for a well-integrated boozy finish.

Considering the peanut butter prominence and even distribution of secondary flavors against the bourbon barrel, I have no doubts this beer would be a legendary PB beer when fresh; even still, this is a beautiful example of multiple elements phased almost effortlessly into a burly stout profile to create a decadent sipper that doesn't entirely overwhelm.

 

 

 

12 FL. OZ. bottle
Served in a snifter

This beer pours black and is topped with a modest mocha head that leaves no lacing.

The smell is faint. I get chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, and vanilla.

It starts out with chocolate and peanut butter. It is a nice combination. Neither one overpowers. Next I get coffee with some booze. The booze fades as it warms.

Full bodied with a smooth mouthfeel

Peanut butter beers are hit or miss. This one is good but not great. The abv is great on a frigid winter night. My first Night Fury Variant. I am eager to try my others.

Received in a trade, shared with rudzud, August 2019
Pours a dark fizzy head with lower retention but not bad, a bit of lacing, long legs as well, pitch black beer

Nose loads of peanutbutter, as well as lots of dark chocolate, really peanutbutter cup, as well as some toasted coconut, mild bourbon with barrel notes, toasted oak, some vanilla in the background, and baking spices,

Taste brings loads of peanutbutter and chocolate, some cocoa almost fudgey, fair vanilla in the middle, earthy vanilla as well as some spice, bit of bitterness, into an interesting fried dough flavor, little caramel, baking spices, light bourbon barrel, very light coconut, little roasty coffee, finishes a bit bitter, roasty, more dark chocolate and peanutbutter

Mouth is med to fuller bod, medium to a little lower carb, alcohol hidden fairly well

Overall quite nice in general, but the bourbon and coconut are way too low, but the peanutbutter is very nice, and dark chocolate is quite nice as well, vanilla in the middle. If the bourbon and coconut were higher this would be out of this world. Barrel notes and baking spices are in there nicely, and alcohol hidden well. SO this is not far from a 4.75 average.

Thanks to JLindros for sharing this bottle.

A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip a nice dark brown almost black with a thin mocha head that fades to leave light wisps and a thin halo.

S - Aromas of enormous peanut butter galore. Dark chocolate peanut butter cups, flashes of toasted coconut, the vanilla is subtle and the bourbon is really muted. Still, this nose is really fragrant.

T - Taste is similar to the nose with nice rich peanut butter, roasted nuts and chocolate. The coconut is super subdued and almost non-existent as is the bourbon. The vanilla that's there is a mixture of bean and barrel.

M - Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated, creamy, alcohol hidden very well.

O - Overall this was a very solid imperial stout with excellent peanut notes. Really pleasant with great chocolate as well.

Serving Type: bottle

 

2/25/19 bottle date; poured into an Alesmith snifter. Pours a dark espresso with a thin, light espresso head. Nose is subdued; roasted peanut, touch of molasses, faint coconut, light barrel. Palate is full of roasted peanut, with decent chocolate fudge, some vanilla, molasses, and a hint of coconut. Not sweet at all (good thing). Starting to grow on me as it warms; it's good but might have been better fresh. Would still recommend.

 

 

Pours black with a finger of tan head that dissipated fairly quickly.
Smells of dark chocolate, coconut, vanilla.
I get loads of coconut, cocoa, vanilla. The peanut butter comes through as a hint on the finish for me. Light barrel notes.
Medium to full body, has some legs when swirled. Alcohol is very well hidden.
Overall a tasty adjunct filled BA stout. I'd definitely try it again.

 

 

 

Whale - DLD 5/19/2018

 

Heavier on the peanut than just about any beer I can think of. Nevertheless, exhileratingly delicious and complex. Peanut hits at the front, but yields quickly to sweet chocolate and vanilla, ending on bourbon, oak, and alcohol warmth (not heat; this beer is not "hot" at all) that balances the sweetness. Very thick, very syrupy mouth. Exquisite. One of the best beers I've ever had. (but not for people who don't love peanut and/or sweet stouts).

 

 

Had on tap. Scarily hides the high abv behind layers of smooth, gloopy stout. Peanut butter is very present, but not as a base, rather combines with coconut and bourbon on the finish. Front is more sweet, vanilla, caramel, cocoa, sugary frosting and raisin. Oak present through out. Smooth and thick, but a bit odd with all the peanut but very good

 

 

Mein gott - that's a complex, rich, wonderful beer!

I've given the beer plenty of time to warm up - in that time, the nose has opened up to a rich cocoa bomb. Plenty of bourbon in there, and just a hint of vanilla. It's not terribly thick in texture, but the mouth feel is quite rich. The bourbon notes are just a bit spicy - loads of chocolate, vanilla, and peanut butter, very distinct and well-executed. I didn't quite identify the peanut butter until reading the tasting notes, but my palate is garbage, no shocker there. Barrel is faint, but present. The beer finishes sweet, with a bit of bourbon barrel, and quite clean.

Delicious!

It's a personal bias and my own stupid cross to bear, but I never quite expect 12oz bottles to be anything special. This is one of those beers that prove me drastically wrong, and go to show that every brewery should be doing this.

 

Stark angry black with a quick to fizzle out burnt mocha blanket.

Smell is creamy peanut butter wafer with a touch of chocolatey gooeyness and some spicy bourbon heat.

Taste is decadently dark chocolate-ribboned peanut butter that almost veers into hazelnut spread, but remains distinctly peanutty. It's not quite Reese's cup, as it's a bit more peanutty than chocolatey before it begins to lean into a sweet heat bourbon glaze with slightly gooey coconut flake frosting. The ABV and bourbon barrel are not shy, bringing a persistent, numbing heat that stings the tongue a bit, giving it a distinct brandy and whiskey-like maturity.

Slick and viscous with a faint but firm fizz, this swallows with a faintly sticky, semi-dry sting of booze.

Helluva beer for Spyro to drink!

Lot of stuff going on here. Tasted from bottle. Pours black with beige head. Aroma is peanuts, caramel, molasses, cocoa, bourbon. Flavors of cocoa, coffee, peanut butter, molasses, bourbon. Don’t get too much vanilla. Thick and chewy. Excellent.

 

 

The beer pours Pitch Black with a thin head that recedes very quickly. It has low carbonation. The beer smells of peanut butter, molasses, a hint of coconut, tobacco, and bourbon. It tastes of peanut butter, subtle coconut, molasses, licorice, with some bourbon. The feel is medium light, and smooth. A very good offering from Witch’s Hat.

Note: 2018 vintage

Smell: Gooey peanut butter fudge brownies. Rich vanilla, light dark fruit. Dark chocolate, toffee, caramelized sugar, coconut frosting. Some espresso notes, oak and dark chocolate malt. There beer smells sweet and decent.

Taste: Right upfront I’m getting a lot of molasses that wasn’t present in the nose. The molasses leads into this gooey peanut butter fudge brownie note in the mid palette. The fudge brownie is drizzled with a light dusting of melted toffee and coconut shavings. As the beer moves into the finish the bourbon barrel let’s it’s self be known which is great because it was non existent on the nose. The finish has some dark chocolate and espresso notes to add a touch of bitterness. That bitterness melts into some big oaky bourbon notes. As the beer goes down it leaves a warmth in the chest that lets me know this is a big beer.

Feel: Full, thick, chewy, sticky mouthfeel. This beer coats all parts of my mouth and tongue.

Overall: The use of adjuncts in this beer is superb. The molasses helps make this beer super thick, chewy and adds to the depth of flavor, well the other adjuncts make this beer super sweet and decadent. All well this going on the barrel presence is never lost. Absolutely fantastic!

12 ounce bottle into snifter, 2018 vintage bottling. Pours dense opaque dark brown/black color with a small dense dark tan head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of huge milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, peanut butter, vanilla, whipped cream, coconut, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, marshmallow, fudge, cake batter, bourbon, toasted oak, and dark/brown bread; with light notes of molasses, smoke, char, dark fruit, herbal, and roast/toast/oak earthiness. Incredible complexity and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, molasses, flavorings, and bourbon barrel notes; with big strength. Taste of huge milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, peanut butter, vanilla, whipped cream, coconut, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, marshmallow, fudge, cake batter, bourbon, toasted oak, and dark/brown bread; with light notes of molasses, smoke, char, dark fruit, herbal, and roast/toast/oak earthiness. Very minimal herbal/roast bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, peanut butter, vanilla, whipped cream, coconut, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, marshmallow, fudge, cake batter, bourbon, toasted oak, dark/brown bread, light molasses/dark fruit, and roast/toast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Amazing complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, molasses, flavorings, and bourbon barrel flavors; with a solid roasted bitter/sweet and bourbon/oak spiciness balance; with zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and very full body; with a very creamy, silky, velvety, and rich mouthfeel that is insane! Slight sticky spice, chalky roast, oak tannins, and increasing dryness. Minimal warming alcohol for 13.5%, with zero barrel booziness lingering after the finish. Overall this is an insane BBA flavored imperial stout! All around amazing complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, molasses, flavorings, and bourbon barrel flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to drink for the huge ABV, with the minimally bitter/roasty finish. Super rich base malt complexity; perfect balance of PB, coconut, vanilla, cocoa, and lactose flavorings; perfect barrel integration with no booze/tannins. Pretty much the smoothest imperial stout I've ever had for this ABV. A highly amazing and mind blowing offering.