Double Barrel GBS
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

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From:
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
Sweet / Milk Stout
ABV:
10.6%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.11 | pDev: 10.95%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
41
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 06, 2021
Added:
Sep 28, 2017
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  7
Hardywood Double Barrel GBS is a labor of love from start to finish. Our Gingerbread Stout is aged for four months in Caribbean dark rum barrels where it adopts sticky sweet notes of molasses and brown sugar. From there, the rum barrel-aged GBS is then transferred into bourbon barrels and aged for an additional four months, introducing notes of oak and velvety caramel. If you're the one who goes straight for the biggest gift under the tree, this bottle is for you.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by VeganUndead:
Photo of VeganUndead
Reviewed by VeganUndead from Virginia

3.19/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
I really wish Hardywood would figure out proper aging in rum barrels. Like other offerings single barreled in rum, this lacks complexity, and just tastes like a cheap shot of spiced rum
Apr 17, 2018
More User Ratings:
Photo of BEERdedCharmer
Reviewed by BEERdedCharmer from New York

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2018 bottle opened 2/5/21
Properly cellared but forgotten about in the stash.
Poured in a large tulip glass.
Very minimal 1/4” head that disappeared rather quickly.
Minor carbonation bubbles still dancing around glass.
Dark brown/black coloring.
Slight caramel ring.
Heavy smells of bourbon and rum, pepper and tobacco.
Tastes of a Caramel, chocolate, molasses, and ginger.

Medium in body.
Feb 06, 2021
 
Rated: 3.74 by NolaHopHead from Louisiana

Dec 11, 2020
 
Rated: 4.24 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

Oct 25, 2020
Photo of stortore
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois

4.21/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
750 ml bottle into a tulip snifter. 2017 edition, had 12/21/18.

Pours dark and opaque, with a half inch foamy head and some soapy lacing. Aromas of rum, roasted malt, chocolate, bourbon, ginger, butterscotch, some char, light caramel, a little smoke. The flavor differs a bit-rum, bourbon, malt, ginger, cinnamon, chocolate, brown sugar, molasses, some oak, light char, faint licorice. Smooth, a good full body, well carbonated.

Rum forward, but not overpowering. The GBS flavor comes through well and the char and smokiness adds a nice layer of depth. Well balanced and very enjoyable. One of the best of the 2017 barrel aged GBS series.
Jan 30, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by teamwiggum from Wisconsin

Oct 05, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by imperialking from Illinois

Aug 29, 2019
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4.41/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
750ml bottle poured into a tulip
2018 Vintage

A- pours deep brown in color with a one-finger khaki head that has short retention

S- big brandy notes on the nose, that compliments the ginger and cinnamon very well, reminiscent of a muled cider or potpourri. Vinous red wine, cherry cordial, milk chocolate, light vanilla, undertones of bourbon but mostly brandy

T- spicy and cinnamon and ginger up front are immediately followed by a bold note of brandy barrel, that lends some vinous red wine notes, as well as dark fruit notes of cherry and raisin, along with cranberry cordial. Mid-palate brings out more cinnamon and ginger, as well as some bourbon barrel notes. The finish adds some vanilla and honey sweetness and lingers of more brandy and cinnamon

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a slightly foamy mouthfeel that continues into a warming finish

O- my favorite of the 2018 GBS lineup, the brandy barrel seems like a perfect match with the cinnamon and ginger, I'd love to see a 100% brandy barrel version
Jun 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by cp45 from New Jersey

May 10, 2019
 
Rated: 4.51 by schinebd from Massachusetts

Mar 17, 2019
Photo of maximum12
Reviewed by maximum12 from Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
The last of the 750ML Hardywood bottles from a local emptying his cellar. This one sounds particularly good, of course, since everyone knows Apple Brandy is next to godliness. Split with my wife.

Like the base, dark brown with redheaded stepchild highlights & little to no foam. Busted nut of rum in the nose, with a heavy sidebar of ginger. Ginger. Redheaded. Heh.

GBS – Double Barrel is like both barrels of ginger to the nads (one of my favorite porn hub searches). Multiple ginger shots to the face is all I can sense for several minutes as I wait for the beer to warm up. Underneath is a level, rational amount of rum, which is growing harder & harder to find in the more-is-better era of craft beer (get that NE IPA off my lawn!). Random sparks of coconut, spiciness from the rum, brown sugar, with a boozy, knee-wobbling finish. Bourbon is MIA. Lush. I already feel my half-bomber will not be enough.

This might be the only barrel version in the GBS pantheon that could stand up to the original; the barrels really accentuate the ginger. Marvelous beer.
Jan 05, 2019
Photo of Scott_McCool
Rated by Scott_McCool from Florida

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Strong bourbon taste
Dec 25, 2018
 
Rated: 4.14 by mig100 from Texas

Dec 21, 2018
 
Rated: 4.31 by mflamar from New York

Dec 20, 2018
 
Rated: 3.9 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

Oct 13, 2018
Photo of grover37
Reviewed by grover37 from District of Columbia

3.1/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
This is really bad, possibly infected. Smells like booze, tastes like booze and spice, thin, gross. No bourbon at all. Mostly just rum. Quickly dissipating head and thin body makes me think infection. Drain pour. AVOID
Aug 23, 2018
 
Rated: 4.1 by dfhhead25 from Pennsylvania

Jun 16, 2018
 
Rated: 4.19 by jaydoc from Kansas

Jun 04, 2018
 
Rated: 4.24 by Stinger80OH from Ohio

May 22, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by krome from Illinois

May 22, 2018
Double Barrel GBS from Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 41 ratings