Bourbon GBS (Gingerbread Stout)
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

Tony210 from New Jersey

4.31/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours very dark with a small mocha head, nearly impervious to light. Hughe gingerbread aroma coupled with bba stout. Flavor is gingerbread out of the gate, nice bba imo stout flavor, pretty thick feel. Overall a very good beer.

1/8/21
Bomber
4.25 rating

Jan 09, 2021

officerbill from New York

4.46/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A mild bourbon aroma from the newly opened bottle and bourbon, vanilla, and coconut from the glass. The taste follows with the addition of coffee, cocoa, and ginger. Picture a cup of black coffee with a shot of bourbon in it, a dark chocolate mounds bar, and a gingerbread cookie. Take a swallow of the coffee, a bite of the mounds bar, then follow with a bite of the cookie. I don't usually drink BBA stouts so maybe I'm getting more of the barrel. I'm finding the bourbon and the (not unpleasant) coconut/vanilla prominent all on top of a solid coffee/cocoa backbone with the ginger showing up as a background spice and, most noticeably, a peppery zing at the end of the swallow.

I wouldn't care to have BB GBS on a weekly basis, but it is a very, very good holiday/winter beer.

Dec 20, 2020

zac16125 from South Carolina

4.06/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours opaque black with a small tan head with ok lacing. Aroma is def ginger heavy, but it’s a spicy ginger, almost like that served as a palette cleanser with sushi. The sweet gingerbread cookie like notes are actully very subtle. Honey is pretty prominent , moderate cinnamon. Not really any barrel characters to speak of on the nose. Taste is much better than the aroma, it emulates the gingerbread flavors much better. Huge cinnamon, moderate vanilla, and of course prominent ginger. Barrel characters are also more noticeable with oaky bourbon notes. Some bitterness and subtle ethanol to balance. Mouthfeel actually on the thinner side, but drinkability is good. Overall this is good but did not really live up to expectations, and certainly far from “freagin Christmas in a bottle”. Enjoyed but wouldn’t bother seeking out.


4.25/3.75/4.25/4/4

Dec 18, 2020

DoctorZombies from Florida

4.53/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

10/16/19 bottle. Dark brown with ruby see-through pour; fizzy tan head; excellent clarity; poor cap retention; incomplete, thin ring; micro dots of lace, and medium plus legs on swirl. Nose is cinnamon and gingerbread; bourbon and caramel malt; more spicy cinnamon and nutmeg as liquid warms. Taste is spicy gingerbread muffin with a creamy vanilla icing; semi sweet cookie dough; spicy finish. Medium carbonation, medium body; warmth from 11.5%; tingly, spicy tongue coating. Really enjoyable; cinnamon is upfront and ever present, but not ham handed; think Xocoveza with gingerbread instead of chocolate; great vanilla frosted gingerbread cookie finish and linger; I should get another to save for Christmas holidays.

May 07, 2020

jspaner from Maryland

4.32/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Looks like most bourbon barrel stouts, it's dark with little to no lacing or head. The smell is excellent, with ginger and cinnamon leading the way, but also vanilla, and bourbon. Taste is excellent. Smooth, sweet, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, etc. For as big a beer as this is, the mouthfeel is a bit less than you'd expect, but not disappointing. The label says "Christmas in a bottle", and that's accurate. Highly recommended.

Mar 29, 2020

BucannonXC5 from California

4.41/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Type: 750-ml. bottle
Reviewed as: Double Milk / Sweet Stout
Glass: Clear kitchen glass
Price: $10.99
From: Trader Joe’s in Milpitas (Santa Barbara), Calif.
Purchased: Dec. 24, 2019
Consumed: Dec. 24, 2019
Misc.: No bottled on date (at least I didn’t mention it); Gold cork and cage; Split with father-in-law

Picked this up with a bunch of other stuff for my Christmas in Montecito. Was excited to see this as I had the regular version before, giving it a 3.98 in January 2019. Beer Advocate description was, “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.”

Poured a pitch black color with 1-to-2 fingers of khaki tan head. Could see a few bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass. Average lacing. Decent retention. (Sight - 3.50)

Smelled gingerbread, cinnamon, molasses, vanilla, caramel, toffee, brown sugar and nutmeg. Not much barrel in the nose. (Smell - 4.25)

Tasted molasses, gingerbread, cinnamon, caramel, toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, milk chocolate syrup, nutmeg, oak and coconut. Did not taste 11.5 pct. ABV. (Taste - 4.50)

Full body. Sticky texture. Average carbonation. Long, smooth finish. (Feel - 4.75)

Just incredible, even though I didn’t get much bourbon. I think I even underrated it overall. (Overall - 4.50)

4.41 | 98 | A

Mar 13, 2020

Anders91 from California

4.28/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Look: Black with a tan head

Smell: bourbon, cinnamon, chocolate

Taste: follows the nose, but way stronger. Also, some nice nuttiness

Feel: thick and heavy, really coats the tongue

Feb 14, 2020

Lucular from Maryland

4.4/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap. This is an awesome barrel-aged spiced stout. Lots of ginger, vanilla, and bourbon to go along with dark roasted malt, chocolate, cinnamon, and coffee flavors. Well-balanced and easy to drink. The 10.2% abv is well-hidden.

Feb 03, 2020

Lingenbrau from Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Craig for this big boy.

Damn. I am sharing this beer with some family on Christmas night and all I can say is mission accomplished. This smells and tastes just like a bourbon soaked gingerbread cookie. A delicious l, spiced, rich stout that happens to be quite beautiful as the cherry on top.

Sorry for the generic review, bit it's time to spend time with family after all. Cheers.

Dec 26, 2019

thebeers from Pennsylvania

3.81/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cola black with a super fizzy dark mocha head that quickly bubbles away to nothing. Ginger, gentian root, bourbon, light molasses and light vanilla in the nose. The taste follows quickly. Nice heft to the feel while maintaining a slickness first it. Tastes like Christmas.

Dec 25, 2019

oberon from North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Pours nearly opaque except for some deep brown thru the body when held up to the light,a half finger deep beige head atop.Bourbon tinged vanilla,toasty oak,and gingerbread in the nose,the bourbon is slightly bigger than the ginger bread.A slick almost oily feel is good but maybe would like a fuller feel to it.Caramel and brown sugar notes up front on the palate followed by bourbon and toastiness,the gingerbread notes are there but play more of a supporting role and not the assertive role.Really good close to great but would like a little more gingerbread element.

Dec 18, 2019

Beersnake1 from California

4.24/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from fridge temp. Pours jet black with lots of nice brown head. Nose is dominated by Christmas spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and maybe a touch of clove. Some roasted malts seep in, along with some dark chocolate, toffee, and dark fruit. Taste is really smooth. The spices are still there, but not quite as dominant. Definitely getting nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Nice sweetness, but not cloying. Lots of chocolate, lactose, bourbon, and marshmallow. Mouthfeel is nice and creamy. The nice sweet chocolate lingers on the palate for quite a while. Overall, I really like this treat. Definitely a Christmas stout.

Dec 16, 2019

Newbeergeek1 from Maine

4.17/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Tasty. Didn’t expect to get this here in Fl. and am pleasantly surprised. I am familiar with Hardywood and bought this because I know it to be a top brewery. NOT disappointed and it’s such a smooth brew. Congrats Hardywood.

Dec 09, 2019

Griffin2 from Virginia

4.21/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a snifter glass.
L - Pours a dark brown with a slight tan head.
S - Smells of bourbon & ginger.
T - Tastes of ginger and bourbon.
F - Medium body and slightly carbonated.
O - Very tasty stout.

Nov 25, 2019

Roguer from Georgia

4/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Very good head production, and surprisingly good retention for a BA imperial stout. Body is a woody, dark, ebony color. Nice lacing.

Unsurprisingly, cinnamon and dough come through on the nose, along with roasted barley, vanilla, cream, and honey. No strong impression of ginger. Malt comes through with tones of semi-sweet chocolate and rich espresso, along with toffee, caramel, red grapes, and toast.

While the nose is somewhat muted, there's no such restraint on the palate. Waves and waves of spices and sweet doughy tones. Cinnamon up front with a touch of ginger, quickly yielding to full-on cookie flavor. Vanilla and cinnamon mingle on the back third not unlike egg nog. Rich, sweet, smooth, and 100% delivering on the premise.

Full bodied, big, not hiding the alcohol, and a touch sticky.

Nov 07, 2019

superspak from Ohio

4.25/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle into snifter, bottled on 10/27/2017. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 1 finger fairly dense and fluffy khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lace cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, honey, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, bourbon, toasted oak, roasted nuts, biscuit, and brown bread/crust; with light notes of coconut, raisin, fig, date, licorice, smoke, oak char, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malts, honey, lactose, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and bourbon barrel notes; with big strength. Taste of huge milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, honey, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, bourbon, toasted oak, roasted nuts, biscuit, and brown bread/crust; with light notes of coconut, raisin, fig, date, licorice, smoke, oak char, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Mild herbal, grassy, peppery, roasted bitterness; and cinnamon/ginger/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, honey, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, bourbon, toasted oak, roasted nuts, biscuit, brown bread/crust, coconut, dark fruit, smoke, oak char, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, honey, lactose, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and bourbon barrel flavors; with an awesome roasted bitter/sweet, and bourbon/cinnamon/ginger spiciness balance; with no cloying, acrid, astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spiciness after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/velvety/bready, and lightly slick/sticky/chalky/tannic mouthfeel that is fantastic. Mild increasing warmth of 10.6%, with minimal lingering barrel booze after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic barrel aged spiced imperial milk stout! All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, honey, lactose, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and bourbon barrel flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the big ABV, with the mildly bitter/spicy/tannic/drying finish; amazingly soft/silky feel. Amazingly balanced between rich malts, honey, lactose, spices, and bourbon barrel presence/integration. Light residual sweetness with lingering dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing style example as expected. Not overwhelming on any aspect.

Aug 18, 2019

stortore from Illinois

4.12/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle into a snifter. 2017 edition. Had 6/8/18.

Looks like cola, fairly opaque, with rumblings of a head that never happens, a few specks of cling. Aromas of ginger, cinnamon, chocolate, malt, vanilla, light caramel, a little molasses, a faint hint of bourbon. Spicy aroma overall. The taste is ginger, chocolate, malt, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, some oak, light bourbon. Smooth, a good- but thinner than expected- body, could use a touch more carbonation.

Great flavors and aromas, and consistent with the base beer, but the bourbon is hard to find and the body is lacking. Have one more bottle aging, we’ll see. Certainly worth a purchase, but not feeling the high rating.

Feb 21, 2019

MikeWard from Pennsylvania

4.27/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle into a goblet. had this one the day after regular GBS. Packaged 11/1/18, so 14 months old.

Jet black body, small but persistent tan head leaving good lacing.

A decent hit of bourbon on the nose.

Well, this is a very good tasting beer. Vanilla notes come through early. It's a little sweet. The BBA element warms throughout. The oddest thing is that the ginger taste, dominant in regular GBS, is well night invisible here. Cinnamon notes are extremely faint. but the overall effect is quite delicious.

Mouth is close to full, finish a slightly sweet bourbon warmth.

Overall, a nice beer to sip on during the NFC championship game.

Jan 21, 2019

JohnnyHopps from Indiana

4.38/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - The beer poured a murky black color with a light tan head.

Smell - The nose was comparably light, but had definite notes of booze and ginger.

Taste - The beer’s taste began with a heavy dose of chocolate. This was followed by coconut, ginger, and light warming booze. I was also getting a seemingly unintentional impression of mint. It was a little off-putting The rich chocolate and coconut were strong enough to last through the finish.

Mouthfeel - in terms of the body, this beer was thick and full bodied.

Overall - I really enjoyed the base beer, but also enjoyed this one. It is tough to rate one variant of a classic over another.

Jan 06, 2019

onejdc from Virginia

4.44/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

The bourbon GBS is a solid offering from Hardywood, though I keep hoping something will top the first time I had their Raspberry Stout in 2014. This stout pours clean and looks dark and inviting. The head pours in lightly, building a bit bigger than I expected, more like a Guinness, but with a very different flavor. Aroma is round and soft. The head is creamy and rich, but I didn't get the taste of cinnamon or ginger that I expected.

Front of the pallet hits smooth and mellow, with a light almost honey accent. Back of the mouth has a slightly nuttier taste that I appreciate. The entire thing is underscored with a faint hint of vanilla that I think any milk stout enthusiast will enjoy. A very well-crafted milk stout, It comes in at 4.5 for me.

Dec 10, 2018

FriedSlug from North Carolina

4.39/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Thick, brown beer with a cocoa colored bread. A few bands of lacing left on the glass. The nose is filled with bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, ginger, oak, coffee, and roasty malt. Taste is same as the nose with all the flavors listed. It is sweet but finishes with a nice bitterness and some lingering milk chocolate. Really nice beer.

Jun 15, 2018

BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.49/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Christ on a cracker! ...or at least Christmas in a bottle, the beer that's become Hardywood Park's most famous stout has been slathered with bourbon flavor to go along with the ginger, cookie and bready tastes that make the imperial milk stout so irresistible.

Black in its body but tan in its coffee-like creme, Bourbon Barrel GBS floods the nose with a decadent scent of chocolate and whisky coupled with ginger, toast, coffee and molasses. Flavors seamlessly carry over from the nose and splash the early palate with the sweet and savory sensations of blackstrap molasses, spice cake, chocolate and heavy whipping cream.

All that dense cakey goodness nestles comfortably on the middle palate and simmers there in a warmth of whisky and all it vanilla, caramel, campfire, toasty, nutty glory. Ginger begins to balance the sweetness and link up with the whisky spice to balance a portion of the lingering sugars. Coconut and deep roast espresso extend into an exotic gingerbread late palate.

Lavishly full on the palate, the stout's rich and marshmallowy body continues to billow on the finish allowing the simmering warmth of bourbon and chocolate liqueur to tease the after palate with holiday desserts long into the day.

Feb 16, 2018

SawDog505 from New Hampshire

3.84/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a 16 oz Magnify Snulip glass bottled in late 2017. Pours a very attractive dark near black, with a 2 finger dark tan head that leaves a few thin wisps of lace behind, as it slowly settles into a rather thick layer of khaki bubbles that never leave.

Smell is for me the only true weakness, faint ginger, Pepsi, nutmeg, cocoa, and cocoanut Rum, odd.

Taste is much better and more balanced, few the nose was letting me down. A huge hit of ginger bread, chocolate, toffee, vanilla, cocoanut, and a solid hit of oaky bourbon.

Mouthfeel is creamy medium, moderate live as you would expect, maybe a tad dry, and goes down fairly easy, but it leaves a mark on your palate.

Overall this is nice, the nose was a tad underwhelming but over this is a nice BA Stout that you will definitely remember. Thanks jzeilinger for this large Stout.

Feb 10, 2018

Rristow from Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Tasted from bottle. Pours black with a light khaki head. Aroma of bourbon, caramel, maple syrup, cinnamon. Thick and chewy. Flavors of cinnamon, bourbon, vanilla, cocoa, caramel, maple syrup, ginger, coffee. Very well done BA stout.

Dec 30, 2017

Phineasco from Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Look: Dark brown with virtually no head. Has low carbonation.
Smell: Ginger bread, sugar cookies, vanilla beans, and mulled spices.
Taste: Ginger bread, honey, nutmeg, mulled spices, with a touch of bourbon barrel.
Mouthfeel: Medium full with lots of complexity.
Overall: A very good barrel aged Christmas stout. Much easier to drink than the base beer, the bourbon rounds it out.

Dec 26, 2017