Turtles On Pterodactyls
Birdsong Brewing


- From:
- Birdsong Brewing
- North Carolina, United States
- Style:
- American Stout
Ranked #112 - ABV:
- 5.9%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #16,670 - Avg:
- 3.98 | pDev: 12.31%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 6
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 17, 2023
- Added:
- Nov 04, 2014
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 12
Turtles on Pterodactyls is a bit different from the other bottles we’ve released in the Take Flight Series because we used bourbon barrels this time around. We filled the barrels with our Mexicali Stout and let the beer age for 11 months. We then blended it with a fresh batch of Mexicali Stout and added cacao nibs and cinnamon for an extra kick. The result is a smooth, delicious stout with hints of bourbon and spice. It’s not the Mexicali you’re used to, so expect some changes! As all barrel-aged beers go, the end product is rarely identical to the original.
35 IBU
35 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by dbrauneis from North Carolina
4.19/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
A: Pours and opaque yet still clear extremely dark cola brown approaching jet black in color with moderate amounts of fine active visible carbonation rising along the edges of the glass and extremely faint very dark cola brown + garnet red colored highlights. The beer has a two finger tall dense foamy dark tan head that slowly reduces to a large patch of thin film covering the entire surface of the beer and a medium thick ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.
S: Moderate to strong aromas of dark chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, and chili peppers with moderate aromas of coffee and roasted malts. Light aromas of caramel, toasted oak, and bourbon.
T: Upfront there are moderate flavors of roasted + caramel malts with a moderate amount of caramel sweetness. That is followed by moderate to strong flavors of dark chocolate + cinnamon along with moderate flavors of vanilla, chili peppers, toasted oak, and bourbon. Light amounts of roasty bitterness in the finish with light to moderate amounts of lingering cinnamon and chili spiciness/heat.
M: Medium to full bodied with just shy of moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly thin for the style with light amounts of spicy + alcohol warming in the finish.
O: Really enjoyable - I have not prior years offerings but there is absolutely no sourness/tartness in the 2018 vintage. Veyr enjoyable with a really nice combination of cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla, chili, and bourbon flavors/aromas. Alcohol is relatively well hidden.
Feb 16, 2018S: Moderate to strong aromas of dark chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, and chili peppers with moderate aromas of coffee and roasted malts. Light aromas of caramel, toasted oak, and bourbon.
T: Upfront there are moderate flavors of roasted + caramel malts with a moderate amount of caramel sweetness. That is followed by moderate to strong flavors of dark chocolate + cinnamon along with moderate flavors of vanilla, chili peppers, toasted oak, and bourbon. Light amounts of roasty bitterness in the finish with light to moderate amounts of lingering cinnamon and chili spiciness/heat.
M: Medium to full bodied with just shy of moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly thin for the style with light amounts of spicy + alcohol warming in the finish.
O: Really enjoyable - I have not prior years offerings but there is absolutely no sourness/tartness in the 2018 vintage. Veyr enjoyable with a really nice combination of cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla, chili, and bourbon flavors/aromas. Alcohol is relatively well hidden.
Reviewed by Phil-Fresh from California
3.42/5 rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.42/5 rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Bottle.
A: Funky and quite sour with faint aromas of cinnamon, chocolate and peppers.
A: Black color, totally opaque with a thick tan head of micro-bubbles. Solid retention with some lacing in the glass.
T: Moderately funky with a light roast that’s been significantly soured. There is a light bitter and soured cinnamon and cocoa nibs in the background as well and finishes dry.
M: Medium-light bodied with moderate carbonation.
O: Unfortunately this bottle was super infected. Easy to discern the infection from the funky bottle cap. This was easily the first “Mexican-style sour stout I’ve ever had …and hopefully it’s my last. Cinnamon and cocoa nibs are delicious – souring them not so much. There’s a light bitterness that results from the souring. While still pretty drinkable this beer was nowhere close to reaching its potential. From other reviews this beer sounds pretty awesome, sans infection.
Apr 06, 2016A: Funky and quite sour with faint aromas of cinnamon, chocolate and peppers.
A: Black color, totally opaque with a thick tan head of micro-bubbles. Solid retention with some lacing in the glass.
T: Moderately funky with a light roast that’s been significantly soured. There is a light bitter and soured cinnamon and cocoa nibs in the background as well and finishes dry.
M: Medium-light bodied with moderate carbonation.
O: Unfortunately this bottle was super infected. Easy to discern the infection from the funky bottle cap. This was easily the first “Mexican-style sour stout I’ve ever had …and hopefully it’s my last. Cinnamon and cocoa nibs are delicious – souring them not so much. There’s a light bitterness that results from the souring. While still pretty drinkable this beer was nowhere close to reaching its potential. From other reviews this beer sounds pretty awesome, sans infection.
Reviewed by red94tt from Michigan
3/5 rDev -24.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -24.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Something definitely seems off with this.
I'm picking up on quite a few of the adjuncts; chocolate, chile spice, cinnamon....they're all there and enjoyable but behind all of that is a sour twist. Nothing too overpowering (yet?) but it's there. The head was also huge from the pour....lots of carb.
Barrel presence is slim to none which is strange because this is advertised as aging for 11 months. Seems like this has slowly started to take an infected turn for the worse.
Mar 27, 2016I'm picking up on quite a few of the adjuncts; chocolate, chile spice, cinnamon....they're all there and enjoyable but behind all of that is a sour twist. Nothing too overpowering (yet?) but it's there. The head was also huge from the pour....lots of carb.
Barrel presence is slim to none which is strange because this is advertised as aging for 11 months. Seems like this has slowly started to take an infected turn for the worse.
Reviewed by ari32 from Georgia
3.19/5 rDev -19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.19/5 rDev -19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
I'm assuming this was infected, since it was slightly sour, funky, and a little overcarbed. Unfortunate, because Joel1510's review sounds like this should have been an awesome beer.
Still, thanks for the share, whoever you guys were at Huna Day.
Mar 16, 2015Still, thanks for the share, whoever you guys were at Huna Day.
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