Bourbon GBS (Gingerbread Stout) | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Brewed by:
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Virginia, United States
hardywood.com
Style: Milk / Sweet Stout
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.20%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
Hardywood Gingerbread Stout, described by BeerAdvocate as “freagin’ Christmas in a bottle,” is an imperial milk stout brewed with vanilla beans, cinnamon, fresh Casselmonte Farm baby ginger and Bearer Farms wildflower honey. Gingerbread Stout is then matured in Virginia bourbon barrels, where it adapts an incredibly mellow character with oak, caramel and bourbon undertones, and emerges 12 weeks later as Bourbon GBS. A festive blend of spice character laces this rich, chocolatey stout, which warms the palate and the soul.
55 IBU
Added by MasterSki on 12-10-2012
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 661 | Reviews: 91
4.41/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.9/5 rDev -9.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This is one of those beers that everyone goes bat-crazy for and I think it is "just OK". Had on tap at a barrel-aged event at POPE in Philly.
Looks alright but a little flat. The smell is all cinnamon and spices and Christmas dessert.
In the mouth, the bourbon is more prominent and balances out all the spice and sweetness.
The mouthfeel is rather flat and eventful, but the drinkability is off the charts for a 10.20% imperial brew.
Nice enough, but I don't get the hysteria.
484 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This is one of those beers that everyone goes bat-crazy for and I think it is "just OK". Had on tap at a barrel-aged event at POPE in Philly.
Looks alright but a little flat. The smell is all cinnamon and spices and Christmas dessert.
In the mouth, the bourbon is more prominent and balances out all the spice and sweetness.
The mouthfeel is rather flat and eventful, but the drinkability is off the charts for a 10.20% imperial brew.
Nice enough, but I don't get the hysteria.
484 characters
4.76/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.25/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.73/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.25/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.6/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
2016 Release
Appearance: Pours espresso brown with a foamy head of khaki; streaky, leggy lacing lines the chalice while the head retains at a quarter of an inch
Smell: Gingerbread soaked in Bourbon, with undertones of vanilla, caramel and oak
Taste: Gingerbread flavors burst forward on the palate, with cinnamon and ginger prominent; caramel, honey and vanilla tones build, through the middle, with a slightly boozy blend of Bourbon, oak and milk chocolate bringing up the rear; vanilla and gingerbread tones linger in the aftertaste
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with low to moderate carbonation; some warmth in the gullet
Overall: By far, my favorite of the GBS series; the barrel treatment is exemplary
Thanks, jonnyybp, for the opportunity
748 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
2016 Release
Appearance: Pours espresso brown with a foamy head of khaki; streaky, leggy lacing lines the chalice while the head retains at a quarter of an inch
Smell: Gingerbread soaked in Bourbon, with undertones of vanilla, caramel and oak
Taste: Gingerbread flavors burst forward on the palate, with cinnamon and ginger prominent; caramel, honey and vanilla tones build, through the middle, with a slightly boozy blend of Bourbon, oak and milk chocolate bringing up the rear; vanilla and gingerbread tones linger in the aftertaste
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with low to moderate carbonation; some warmth in the gullet
Overall: By far, my favorite of the GBS series; the barrel treatment is exemplary
Thanks, jonnyybp, for the opportunity
748 characters
4.37/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a goblet. An opaque ruby-brown color with a modest tan head that quickly receeded to a wispy cap. Wow - the aroma was there right at the uncorking: ginger cookies, caramel, toast, vanilla, and maybe a hint of whiskey. The first sip was as predicted with huge gingerbread flavor. The complexity built quickly with layers of bourbon, vanilla, wood, cherries, and coffee. A smooth chocolatey finish with a nice comforting warming on the palate. A beautifully balanced beer.
482 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a goblet. An opaque ruby-brown color with a modest tan head that quickly receeded to a wispy cap. Wow - the aroma was there right at the uncorking: ginger cookies, caramel, toast, vanilla, and maybe a hint of whiskey. The first sip was as predicted with huge gingerbread flavor. The complexity built quickly with layers of bourbon, vanilla, wood, cherries, and coffee. A smooth chocolatey finish with a nice comforting warming on the palate. A beautifully balanced beer.
482 characters
4.39/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.34/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.36/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2016 bottle, This may not be the best stout ever made, but it is extremely delicious and easy to drink. The gingerbread flavor is very present, but not overwhelming. The body is very thick, smooth and velvety. The bourbon is on the lighter side for a BA stout, but delicious none the less. Overall i found this fantastic
321 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2016 bottle, This may not be the best stout ever made, but it is extremely delicious and easy to drink. The gingerbread flavor is very present, but not overwhelming. The body is very thick, smooth and velvety. The bourbon is on the lighter side for a BA stout, but delicious none the less. Overall i found this fantastic
321 characters
4.85/5 rDev +12.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.46/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.42/5 rDev -20.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25
3.91/5 rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Bourbon GBS (Gingerbread Stout) from Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
4.31
out of 5
based on 661 ratings.
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75