Bourbon Barrel GBS (Gingerbread Stout)
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

Bourbon Barrel GBS (Gingerbread Stout)Bourbon Barrel GBS (Gingerbread Stout)
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From:
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
Sweet / Milk Stout
Ranked #38
ABV:
11.5%
Score:
96
Ranked #883
Avg:
4.34 | pDev: 8.99%
Reviews:
147
Ratings:
850
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 24, 2024
Added:
Dec 10, 2012
Wants:
  382
Gots:
  253
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
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by GarrettBoots:
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Rated by GarrettBoots from Georgia

4.75/5  rDev +9.4%

Jul 27, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of Peach63
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York

4.52/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Deep copper with a 1/4" tan head, which lasts. Moderate lacing.

Aroma of ginger, vanilla, spices, chcolate.

Tastes of ginger, vanilla, molasses, cinnamon, cocoa, coffeeish, slight bourbon as it warms. A bit astringent.

Full body, thick & oily. Soft carbonation. Spicy, semisweet finish.

Wow! This is one of the best Bourbon Barrel Stouts I've had. Outstanding.
Feb 24, 2024
 
Rated: 4.03 by Holderness from Massachusetts

Feb 14, 2024
Photo of colts9016
Reviewed by colts9016 from Idaho

4.41/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2013
Name: Bourbon Barrel GBS
Brewery: Hardywood
Location: Richmond, VA
Style: Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
ABV: 12.2%
Date: 2023
I am drinking BBS GBS using a Tulip glass. I served it at 50 degrees. The pour created a creamy, two-fingered, light tan, creamy, and dense head with average retention. The color is dark brown, nearly black, with ruby highlights, charting around SRM 34. The beer is opaque and comes with a carbonation bubble on the top. Some lacing was left on the sides of the glass as it slowly dissipated. The appearance is above average for this style.
Swirling the glass a few times, I smell bourbon, ginger, oak, vanilla, and chocolate aromas—bright, vibrant, fresh baked gingerbread during the holidays. A light roasted coffee entices the nose, followed by bready malts, toasted bread, and dark roasted malts. Evidence of dark roasted malts has a light char and a scant Maillard. A frugal amount of sugar is noticeable; the sugar is molasses, caramel, and a whiff of toffee. The barrel aging tempers the high alcohol to make it less prominent.
The gingerbread dominates the palate, with the barrel aging lending a pleasant accompaniment to this complex beer. The flavors of gingerbread are ginger, cardamon, bready, cloves, and molasses. The barrel aging tones down the massive spice complex, thus aligning the flavors with oak, char, and bourbon, forging a sophisticated stout. The aging dark roasted malts and or barrels display a tiny hint of Maillard. Sipping the beer, I savor caramel, toffee, light-roasted coffee chocolate, and vanilla. A sumptuous barrel-aged Christmas stout that will always be delightful during the year, especially around the holidays.
The mouthfeel is chewy, heavy, and slightly warm. The body is full and has light carbonation.
In conclusion, this beer enchants the palate with a reminiscence of a good old-fashioned holiday that has become a distant memory. The Hardywood brewers created a stout that stands out against other great brews for being unique and well-made. This beer has been a pleasurable experience from the first sip to the last. The flavors will linger long after I have finished savoring the last drop.
Feb 10, 2024
 
Rated: 4.43 by Dope from Massachusetts

Jan 20, 2024
 
Rated: 4.17 by q33jeff from New Jersey

Jan 14, 2024
 
Rated: 4.14 by Abstractspirit from Rhode Island

Dec 26, 2023
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Reviewed by AccipiterofBeer from New York

4.42/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.5
Very tantalizing jet black pour with a khaki colored head. Evident carbonation. The nose is very ginger heavy. Also notes of wintry spices like cinnamon. More is to be gleamed from the taste. The ginger and the other spices come together with the roasted malt and flavors imparted by the whiskey barrels to create a very complex and enjoyable ale. The mouthfeel is the one aspect that might offput some - pretty heavy and the ABV does come through somewhat. Overall, it is a fun holiday themed beer to sip on.
Dec 22, 2023
 
Rated: 4.54 by scottyshades from Florida

Dec 16, 2023
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Reviewed by GregBarleycorn13 from New York

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Kept a nice head for some time so it looked nice in the snifter. Good Christmas smells with the gingerbread. Taste was even better. The taste of gingerbread at first (not too strong) then a really good base stout on the finish. A very good "pastry" stout. One of the best Christmas beers I've had. This is the second year of finding this beer at DeCicco's.
Dec 12, 2023
Photo of tradershmulie
Rated by tradershmulie from Connecticut

4.56/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Excellent pour. Nice color. Good head.

Very pleasant smells. Ginger, spices, nice.

Drinks nicely. Smooth.

Very good beer.
Dec 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.09 by smi69 from New York

Oct 04, 2023
Photo of Lampro
Reviewed by Lampro from Virginia

4.26/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Really nice bourbon aroma, along with dark malty and vanilla notes. Sweet, coffee bitterness, with cinnamon and spices coming through. An interesting drink, but certain not an everyday go-to due to it's intensity.
Aug 20, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by shigg85 from Japan

Aug 14, 2023
Photo of pathman
Rated by pathman from Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
03/15/23 bottle @ home
Mar 16, 2023
Photo of GrumpyGas
Reviewed by GrumpyGas from Illinois

4.3/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Thank you @cjgiant for this special elixir.

12oz can dated 10/26/22 and poured into the wrong glass, as it is not stemmed, and I think I bruised it by not "pour(ing) slowly". A 1/4" head of mixed khaki colored bubbles forms atop the deep, dark brown body and quickly dissipates leaving a clean glass behind. Agitation produces nothing more than a shimmering gloss running down the sides of the glass.

Aromas of gingerbread running all through my head. On ginger, on nutmeg, on cocoa, cinnamon, and clove. All coated with a glaze of vanilla, molasses, honey, and wet oak. Warmth brings out a char that is not quite ash.

Flavors lean to the sweeter side of caramel, molasses, cinnamon, and honey, but bursts of ginger, roasted malts, and the bourbon bitterness keep it from going over the cloy.

Full mouthfeel is short of creamy, more oily and viscous, but still finishes clean, if not drying.

Overall I am impressed by the bourbon influence, given only a three month rest. It is not at all bourbon heavy, yet it clearly presents itself well to rein in the honey and biscuit.
Feb 20, 2023
Photo of JohnG190
Reviewed by JohnG190 from New York

4.66/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Bourbon Gingerbread Stout has a dark brown, almost black color with a creamy tan head. The head slowly dissipates, leaving a thin ring around the glass.

Aroma: The aroma is a blend of spices and sweetness. The gingerbread aroma is prominent, with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The bourbon aroma is also noticeable, adding a hint of oak and vanilla to the mix.

Taste: The taste of this stout is dominated by the flavors of gingerbread. It has a warm, spicy flavor that is well-balanced with the sweetness of the molasses. The bourbon adds a smooth, rich flavor, with hints of oak and vanilla. The beer has a smooth, creamy mouthfeel with a medium-high body.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel of Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Bourbon GBS is creamy and smooth, with a medium-high body. The carbonation is low, giving the beer a rich and velvety feel. The beer has a slightly warming effect, making it perfect for sipping on a cold winter night.

Overall Impressions: Overall, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Bourbon Gingerbread Stout is a delightful blend of gingerbread spices, bourbon, and stout. The flavors are well-balanced, with the spices and sweetness complementing the bourbon and stout. The creamy mouthfeel and warming effect make this beer a perfect winter drink. It's a great choice for anyone who loves the taste of gingerbread and enjoys the rich, creamy flavors of a stout.
Feb 09, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by smartassboiler from Illinois

Jan 16, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by doctorgary from New York

Jan 16, 2023
Photo of AzfromOz
Reviewed by AzfromOz from Australia

4.55/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Received from @turkeysdrinkbeer in February 2022. Drunk in January 2023.

L: Thick and blacker than black. Utterly opaque with ruby red highlights at the bottom of the glass. Busy streams of carbonation race up the glass to the patchy, thin covering of coffee-coloured foam.

S: The nose is hugely sour mash, gingerbread, gingerbread biscuits and cucumber. The cucumber is an odd note at the end, but it's definitely there at first before being replaced by rich toffee as the beer warms.

T: Tastewise, there's the gingerbread, obviously, but also bitter black coffee, liquorice, molasses, cinnamon, booze, and whisky notes from the barrel. The beer sweetens as it warms, and a caramel edge comes out, softening the bitterness as well as cooling the booze while paradoxically turning up the post-swallow warmth. It becomes quite decadent at this point, but rewards control when the monkey part of my brain wants to skoll.

M: Smooth, luxurious and, especially as it warms, perfectly matching the rest of the beer.

O: This is another one of those stouts that flaunt the synergy of looks taste, smell, and mouthfeel to ultimately be more than the sum of its fermented parts. The beer is an exercise in brewing restraint, where not one aspect overwhelms any other, and its sum is therefore far greater than its parts.

Cheers!
#181
Jan 16, 2023
Bourbon Barrel GBS (Gingerbread Stout) from Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 850 ratings