Bourbon Barrel Aged Colombia Supremo
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

Impenetrably dark. The edges are a deep coffee brown and the head is just a mirage of dark cocoa.

Coffee chocolate syrup is my first impression. It’s got more barrel than bourbon; oakey, vanilla, wood, spice, burnt wood. And really, the alcohol is restrained for 11.5.

Bitter chocolate syrup, charred barrel, acidic medium roast coffee, but very intense, like Cuban coffee. The aftertaste is delicious coffee. This is one of the best integrated stouts I’ve had.

When I popped the cork I thought it would be flat, and the pour didn’t allay my fears, but there’s enough carbonation to keep the sweetness and intensity from being too much.

Overall, this is a very fine stout. All the ingredients are so well integrated that is rises above many, including any Hardywood branded stout I’ve had.

 

This one pours a fairly dark black color, with a small head, and a good bit of lacing.

This smells like spicy oak, leather, dark roast coffee, roasted malt, licorice, and spice.

This is much more solid than a Trader Joe's beer should be honestly. The barrel character is mostly oak spice, with some leather maybe from the bourbon, maybe from the coffee? It's a very fresh and present coffee character - pretty bitter, with some dark chocolate, dark licorice, and a touch of bittersweet caramel.

This is medium bodied, not super thick, but not thin, with a good drinkability and no booze.

This is really solid stuff - probably the best Trader Joe's branded beer that I've had.

Type: 750-ml. bottle
Reviewed as: American Double / Imperial Stout
Glass: Pure Project 16-oz. snifter glass
Price: n/a
From: Kent.
Purchased: n/a; Kent purchased it on Jan. 31, 2020
Consumed: Jan. 31, 2020
Misc.: No bottled on date

My father-in-law picked this one up on their recent trip to San Diego. Was psyched to get to try it. Beer label read, “After aging our Imperial Stout for month in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels we cold press this beer through freshly cracked Trader Joe's Colombia Supremo coffee beans. Delightful caramel and cocoa notes of the Supremo Arabica coffee grown in the Popayan region of Colombia harmonize perfectly with the beer's rich chocolate and roasty character and the vanilla imparted during the oak barrel maturation.”

Poured a pitch black color with two fingers of khaki tan frothy head. Calm setting and no bubbles underneath. Very good spotty lacing. Excellent retention. (Sight - 4.25)

Smelled rich dark coffee grind, bitter dark chocolate syrup, earthy oak, smooth bourbon barrel, anise, black licorice, molasses, brownies, ashtray and semi-char wood. (Smell - 4.00)

Tasted a little better than the nose, but similar qualities. In order got rich dark coffee grind, bitter dark chocolate syrup, earthy oak, anise, black licorice, sticky molasses, brownies, ashtray, semi-char wood, bourbon barrel and lingering peppery spice. The 11.5 pct. ABV was well hidden. (Taste - 4.00)

Full body. Sticky texture. Average carbonation. Long, smooth finish. (Feel - 4.25)

An excellent barrel-aged stout overall. Glad I got to try it. May come back for a bottle or two. (Taste - 4.25)

4.09 | 91 | A-